Why didn’t the driver let me on? Didn’t they see me? These are very natural questions that come to mind as a passenger when they’re not allowed aboard. In most cases, passengers are not actually aware why they were denied entry and unable to get on their bus, tram or subway train.
Before we delve deeper into the topic, let’s clarify the difference between “refused entry” and having a vehicle simply pass you by. If you weren’t able to get on because the vehicle drove past you without stopping, then you can find more information about why this may have happened in our article.
You shall not pass!
You’re at the stop or station, the vehicle stops, you’re standing in front of the door, and the door just doesn’t open. What’s going on? Arbitrary decision or inattentive/absent-minded driving staff? Harassment? Or…?
There’s a variety of reasons why this might have happened. It might just be a technical issue, as door buttons or doors themselves could have suddenly become defective during operation. So always check whether the door button by your chosen entrance is lit up green or whether the door is marked as out of order. If your chosen door isn’t working, try another door or attempt to make eye contact with the driver at the front.
Apart from technical defects, it is of course up to the driving staff to decide whether to open the doors for you and let you get on. This decision is made according to specific guidelines and laws. Like every public transport company, we at the BVG have clear terms and conditions of carriage that must be observed. You can find everything on this topic here.
Why did the bus drive off right in front of my nose?
This is a common scenario: The bus is at the stop or station, you run to catch it and just about reach it, but the driver doesn’t open the doors and pulls away shortly afterwards. The reasons for this behaviour stem from a safety perspective. Once the driver considers the passenger exchange complete, they close the doors and look left to merge into traffic. At this point, approaching passengers can no longer be noticed. If the bus has already signalled its imminent departure to other road users by indicating, it is, for safety reasons, no longer permitted to open the doors again.
This can be frustrating and cause annoyance as a passenger. But hey, given the frequent service and all the alternatives offered by Berlin’s public transport system, it’s best to take a deep breath, try not to get too upset, and simply continue your journey a few minutes later.
Why wasn’t I allowed aboard with my pram?
Decisions not to allow passengers to board often feel arbitrary, dismissive or even discriminatory to those affected. Everyday examples include not allowing wheelchair users or people with prams to board, refusal to take bicycles, or refusal to carry people attempting to board with electrically powered vehicles such as e-scooters. The decision not to allow any of these groups on board is always made solely for safety reasons. The number of aids that can be taken on board always depends on the model and its size and must never endanger the safety of any passengers.
If you feel you were unjustly refused carriage, you can report the incident at any time to info@bvg.de. Of course, you can also do this if you feel you have been discriminated against by being refused carriage. Any such incident will, of course, receive a high priority. You can find more about the exact process and contact points in our article on discrimination.
Conclusion
It is clear that, as a general rule, passengers waiting at the stop, changing or running to catch the vehicle should be allowed to board whenever possible. We are a service company, and of course you should expect our drivers to act with care and in a customer-focused manner. However, the safety aspect and the general terms and conditions of carriage must always be observed, which is why, in some circumstances, you may not be able to board the vehicle.