Before moving here, it was no surprise to us to have to pay to use public restrooms. We have encountered this practice during our travels throughout parts of Europe and even in Egypt of all places! The first time that we saw this in 2008, we thought it was a crazy idea. It's common for these to be in high traffic areas such as train and U-Bahn stations, tourist areas, etc. The price is also usually fixed at about the equivalence of sixty-five cents. It affords the services of a restroom attendant that cleans every stall as people leave and keeps the sink area pristine.
By far the best public restroom to date!
Wouldn't you pay a small price to ensure a clean toilet?