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May I ask your help please!-Re:Wiener Linien Fines

Hi, I am new to Vienna and I love how the Metro system is so easy to use and I've always bought a ticket when I have needed to use it. However I thought I would buy a 'weekly' ticket on Friday evening as I thought I might need to use it every day while looking for a permanent place to rent. So I paid 16.20 Euro's for it and tucked it in into a pocket inside my handbag knowing that I had paid and thought nothing more of it. Then on Sunday morning some ticket inspectors in plain clothes came down the carriage. I got out my ticket and they said that I had to go with them. I was shocked when they showed me that the ticket I had given them was not valid until the following Monday......I had bought it in a hurry and had no idea about that the date as I had just assumed that you could buy a weekly ticket any day of the week and it would automatically start on the day you buy it and would finish a week later!

So I innocently explained this to the ticket inspectors that I had no idea that you can only buy a weeks ticket on a Monday and it will finish on a Sunday. I apologised and I then offered to pay the fare for my journey, but they would not accept this. Immediately they told me I have to pay a fine of Protected content on the spot! Naturally I did not have that money available so then they gave me a penalty ticket and said I must pay Protected content in 3 days.

I told them that NOBODY had ever explained to me how the system works and I naturally just assumed that if you buy a weekly ticket on any day of the week that it will cover you for 7 days.
I asked 'What would happen if I didn't buy a weekly ticket until the Thursday because I did not need to travel anywhere until a Thursday (and then supposing I needed to travel Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday) would I still have to pay for a whole week's ticket when I need it for 4 days and would I still need to remember to buy it on the previous Monday?. ....They did not reply - just shrugged their shoulders and raised their eye brows.

So my question is - Is there any chance for me to Appeal (as I was completely inoccent as I had absolutely no idea about this ruling being as I have only arrived in Vienna a couple of weeks ago so was totally unaware of this) or do I have to pay it - no questions asked? If I can make an Appeal, please could you kindly tell me who I need to contact and how do I go about this?

Many thanks for any advice you can offer to me!

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