Of the 16 million euros in fines issued in 2025 for fare evasion on the Flemish public transportation company De Lijn, half have already been collected.

Due in part to increased inspections, the total amount of fines issued has nearly tenfold since 2020, rising from approximately 1.13 million to more than 16 million euros.

Actual revenue from fines also increased, but at a much slower rate. According to De Lijn, after three years, approximately 70% of the fines are ultimately paid.

Upward trend

Although there are more inspections – with targeted enforcement and more data-driven checks – the number of fare evaders on De Lijn has risen significantly over the past five years.

While just over 13,000 reports were issued specifically for fare evasion and ‘grey-zone’ riding in 2020, that number rose to around 100,000 in 2025 (Grey-zone riders are passengers who, for example, do have a pass but fail to validate it or have forgotten to do so).

For 2025, 16.2 million euros in fines have been issued, continuing an upward trend that has been underway for some time. A long-standing problem, however, is that the collection rate has fluctuated around 50% for years, indicating little improvement.

In 2024, inspectors issued fines totaling more than 13 million euros: 60% of that amount has since been paid. For 2025, slightly more than half – 8.5 million euros – of the 16.2 million euros in fines issued have already been paid, according to Het Laatste Nieuws.

It should be noted, however, that after three years, approximately 70% of the fines have been paid, in part due to the reformed collection process via VLABEL.

Fines of €127

Those who cannot pay in full at once can often pay in installments. If no payment is made, a bailiff may be called in. If the offender still hasn’t paid after five years, the debt is officially time-barred.

Anyone caught fare evading on De Lijn will be fined €127. For the second offense within 12 months, the fine is €349. For the third and all subsequent offenses in the same year, the fine is €474.

The Flemish government has tasked the transit company with raising an additional 30 million euros this year through fare evasion inspections. De Lijn’s CEO, Ann Schoubs, called that unrealistic, even though the company is already under significant financial pressure.

According to Het Laatste Nieuws, 11 additional inspectors began work in June, bringing De Lijn’s total to 230 out of the planned 239 inspectors.