Off The Rails: A Run-In With German Bureaucracy

<p>The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) &mdash; Berlin&rsquo;s citywide public transportation system &mdash; boasts an sprawling web of trains running with cold, calculated efficiency. A moment&rsquo;s tardiness leaves your arms struggling to stretch the closing doors. A Google search reveals a link to its website, which bears the slogan: &ldquo;Because we love you.&rdquo;</p> <p>Evidently, this love only applies to the native and the lucky. As with any bureaucratic bunch, alas, the company&rsquo;s true love remains the almighty Rulebook. German culture in general reveres tradition, so the guidelines of their businesses prove tighter to squeeze through than their departing train doors.</p> <p>When I arrived in Berlin after 16 restless hours of international travel, I scoured the BVG ticket dispenser for the student option. I was desperate to end the day, but both I and my travel organizers had done our research. The website listed the 61 Euro &ldquo;Ausbildung&rdquo; (&ldquo;education&rdquo;) ticket as the one for students and nowhere did it state any specification beyond possessing a student card, so I bought the ticket and left.</p> <p><a href="https://medium.com/berlin-beyond-borders/off-the-rails-a-run-in-with-german-bureaucracy-ec1a91905bca"><strong>Website</strong></a></p>