Just the ticket for ticketless travel

A while ago, when the transport authorities of a US city overnight raised subway fares, a music group composed a ballad about a hapless commuter who, unable to pay the surcharge, found himself condemned to “ride forever ’neath the streets of Boston,/ He’s the man who never returned.”

Now, Moscow is reportedly offering a free ticket to any passenger who can do 30 squats in the span of two minutes, providing a monetary incentive to sedentary office workers to get in some much-needed physical exercise. While this freebie facility is currently available at only one of the city’s stations, plans are afoot — or aleg — to cover other parts of the network.

Indeed, Mexico City is said to be contemplating a similar scheme for passengers on its rapid transit system, but in deference to the less robust constitution of its citizenry, the number of squats will be reduced to 10.


In India, thanks to overcrowding, train passengers must display analogous athleticism, being enjoined to travel atop the coaches. That railways can occasion much to rail about is underlined by the tale of the passer with a larger suitcase who was challenged by the conductor for journeying on a children’s ticket. Following a heated altercation, the conductor threw the suitcase out, causing the other to expostulate, “Not satisfied with harassing me, now you’ve gone and thrown my son off the train!”