However, if I try to explain to them I cannot purchase tickets costing less than 4€ for reasons I simply keep to myself like they do, they hit me with a 60€ fee.
Can complain to your local MEP about that. They updated the passenger rights regulation recently, but still kept this/
Regulation (EU) 2021/782
> Railway undertakings may introduce a minimum threshold under which payments for compensation will not be paid. This threshold shall not exceed EUR 4 per ticket.
Sadly the MEPs cared more about railway companies than passengers.
What is wrong is that this behaviour is being perpetrated by an organisation that one would not expect to see it.
Edit: Every 500 euros count…
“ Today is about dark patterns that cost me 500€ for nothing.”