Overview

• Ludivine, a 39-year-old breast cancer patient travelling from Compiègne to Paris for a 9:30 a.m. chemotherapy session, bought an €8.50 ticket on board after her scheduled train was delayed and was fined €50 for late purchase.
• She lodged an appeal with SNCF, providing her hospital appointment confirmation, and shared her experience on social media, attracting widespread messages of support.
• SNCF policy mandates that passengers hold a valid ticket before departure and requires on-board purchasers to seek out conductors to avoid penalties.
• Reports that conductors earn commissions of 4–10% on spot fines intensified criticism of rigid enforcement against a vulnerable traveller.
• In response to public backlash and press coverage, SNCF agreed to reimburse Ludivine’s €50 fine, signaling a shift in applying its ticket-validation rules.