Old Turin bus fine never sent me the letter to pay

Credit and sanction collection vary internationally.

Please make sure that the few years ago don't exceed the 5 years credit collection limit, after which the fine is void.

At the present time a bus ticket or traffic sanction is not a valid refusal reason for the EU/Schengen area.

International traffic* sanctions can be enforced only by means of credit collection bureaus. The bus company is required to give the documentation to a credit collector that operates in your country, but it is also important that the two countries have bi-lateral agreements to enforce credit collection and guarantee legal validity to claims.

If there are no bilateral agreements, you can safely trash any collection letter as this won't be ever enforceable on your local court.

I don't have detailed info but in general in Europe if there is no law provision to detain you in such cases of fare evasion. Even if you visit Europe/Italy again no one will be legally allowed to say "Sir, you must follow the police now and can't leave until you have paid the fine".

This because European laws (namely, local laws in the context of European countries) strongly distinguish between civil violations and criminal violations, unlike for example the US system in which this could be likely considered misdemeanor and worth an arrest.

*Note: I wanted to improperly use the English word traffic to include ticket evasion into the scope. As a non-native English speaker, I don't exactly know if the scope of traffic violation is limited to driving motor vehicles or extends to public transport

Below is the (translated) text found at the Turin local transportation company.

I found no specific information about where to report if they forgot to send you the fine (may be a situation that doesn't happen that often).

CALL CENTERS
Toll-free number Information is available from the GTT toll-free number: 800-019152, Monday to Saturday from 6.30 am to 7.30 pm (excluding holidays). The automatic answering machine provides 24h, 7/7 service.

As to whether the automatic answering machine also parla inglese, I cannot say.

Sanctions:
Urban and suburban service (including metro)
For customers without a travel document or in possession of an irregular travel document, the penalty is set at € 300.00 plus the travel document (€ 1.70), with the possibility of reconciling the irregularity pursuant to paragraph 4 of art. 20 of regional law 1/2000, paying the reduced sum of € 100.00 (plus travel ticket of € 1.70) within sixty days of the dispute or notification. If payment is made within 7 days of the dispute, the penalty is reduced to € 51.00 plus the travel ticket (€ 1.70). The customer can also regularize the public transport contract by direct payment to the Customer Assistants of the sum of € 35.00 plus the travel ticket (€ 1.70).
If the user sanctioned for not possessing a suitable and valid travel document proves, within 7 days of the dispute or notification, that he / she is in possession of a pass or a free circulation card valid at the time of the infringement, it is subject to the sanction equal to the price of the normal ticket at the ordinary rate in addition to the costs of the procedure, for a total of € 16.70. If the user does not make use of this option, that is, after the seventh day of the complaint has passed, he is required to pay a penalty of € 17.00 plus procedural costs, for a total of € 32.00.

Sources:

• GTT - GRUPPO TORINESE TRASPORTI - Sanctions