Paris Metro Etiquette: 16 Unwritten Rules Tourists Should Know

If you don’t have a subway where you live or simply don’t use public transportation, how are you supposed to know the unwritten rules of the Paris Metro?

As a Parisian, I see visitors accidentally break them all the time: blocking the left side of an escalator, stopping right in front of the Metro doors, or standing in the middle of a busy corridor trying to figure out where to go.

They’re not trying to annoy anyone. They simply don’t know.

And to be fair, there are plenty of Parisians and French people who know these rules perfectly well and simply don’t care.

The good news is that Paris Metro etiquette is actually pretty simple. Whether this is your first time using the Metro or you just want to avoid annoying commuters, there’s one rule that will get you surprisingly far:

Don’t interrupt the flow.

Let people off before you get on. Step aside when you need to check directions. Keep escalators, doors, and walkways clear. And remember that while you might be sightseeing, the person behind you may be rushing to work, picking up their kids, or trying to catch a connection.

I take the Metro as part of everyday life in Paris, so these are the unwritten Paris Metro rules I wish every visitor knew, including a few that might not be obvious if you don’t regularly use public transportation.

Also read:

• How to Get Around in Paris: Your Quick Guide
• CDG Airport to Paris: Train, Taxi, Uber or Transfer?
• Are Private Airport Transfers in Paris Actually Worth It?

#1 If You Need to Stop, Step Aside

This is probably the most important rule on this entire list because nothing interrupts the flow quite like people suddenly stopping and blocking the way. And honestly, it is one of the most annoying things you can do in the Metro.

You come down the stairs and suddenly realize you don’t know whether you need direction Nation or Charles de Gaulle Étoile.

Or you need to check which exit to take. Or Google Maps has decided that this is the perfect moment to completely confuse you.

That’s fine. It happens to everyone all the time. But DO NOT just stop where you are.

Step aside.

Don’t stop at the bottom of the stairs. Don’t stop immediately after getting out of the carriage. Don’t stand in the middle of a corridor. Don’t stop right after the ticket gates. And don’t gather your entire family across the platform while you figure out where you’re going.

Find a spot where you’re not blocking anyone, and then take all the time you need.

You don’t have to know exactly where you’re going at every second. Nobody expects you to. You just need to let everyone else continue while you figure it out.

#2 Stand on the Right Side of the Escalator

If you’re standing still on an escalator, stand on the right.

The left side is for people who are walking.

This is one of those things that might seem completely insignificant when you’re on vacation. Why is that person in such a hurry? Can’t they wait 20 seconds?

Well, maybe they have two minutes to make their connection. Maybe they’re late for work. Maybe their child is waiting for them. Or maybe they’re simply a Parisian and walking up escalators at alarming speed is part of their personality.

Whatever the reason, leave the left side free.

And if you’re traveling with someone, don’t stand next to each other and block both sides. Stand one behind the other.

The same goes for your luggage. Put your suitcase on the step in front of you and stand behind it. Don’t stand next to your suitcase because together you’re blocking the entire escalator.

Basically, think of the escalator as having two lanes: stand on the right, walk on the left.

#3 Have Your Ticket or Phone Ready Before You Reach the Gate

Don’t wait until you’re standing directly in front of the ticket gate to start searching through your bag for your ticket or phone.

If you need a moment to find your ticket, open the right app, or figure out what you’re supposed to scan, that’s completely fine. Just get everything ready before you approach the gate.

Nobody cares if it takes you a little longer because you’re unfamiliar with the system.

What people do care about is being stuck behind you while you’re digging through the bottom of your backpack and a queue is getting longer by the second.

Get your ticket or phone ready, go through the gate, and then keep moving. Easy.

#4 Let People Get Off the Metro Before You Get On

PLEASE, in the name of the Parisian Gods of the Underground, let people get off the train before you try to get in.

When the train arrives, don’t stand directly in front of the doors. Leave some space so people can actually get out, which, conveniently, makes space for you to get in.

Stand slightly to the left or right and keep the area directly in front of the doors clear.

Let everyone get out. Then get in.

Don’t worry. The Metro will not leave without you while a stream of people is still getting off.

#5 If You’re Blocking the Door, Get Out and Get Back In

This one isn’t always obvious if you’re not used to crowded public transportation. Let’s say you’re standing right next to the doors, but your stop isn’t for another five stations.

At the next station, several people behind you need to get off.

Move.

And sometimes that means actually stepping out of the train, letting everyone behind you leave, and then getting back in.

I saw this just last week. A couple, clearly not used to riding the Metro, were standing right by the doors of a crowded carriage. They seemed to find the whole packed Metro experience quite amusing and were laughing when people started pushing past them to get out, without realizing THEY were the problem, not the crowd.

You don’t need to desperately flatten yourself against the doorframe while six people try to squeeze around you. Just step onto the platform, let everyone out, and then get back in.

Nobody is stealing your place. The train isn’t going to disappear without you.

And if people start pushing past you to get out, don’t assume Parisians are being rude. Take a quick look around. You might simply be standing in their way.

#6 Get Up From the Folding Seats When It Gets Busy

You’ll see folding seats near the doors in most Paris Metro carriages, and you’re absolutely allowed to sit on them.

When the Metro is relatively empty.

Once the carriage starts filling up, get up and let the seat fold away. That’s exactly what it’s designed to do.

Those seats take up quite a lot of standing space, and when the Metro is crowded, that space is needed.

My very simple rule is this: if you’re sitting there and another passenger is standing close enough that their legs are practically touching yours, you probably should have gotten up one station ago.

Don’t wait for someone to ask you to move. Just get up and make room.

#7 Take Off Your Backpack When the Metro Is Crowded

This is a small thing that makes a surprisingly big difference.

If the Metro is crowded and you’re wearing a big backpack, take it off. The best place for it is on the floor between your feet, where it doesn’t take up any extra space.

When it’s on your back, you probably don’t realize how much room it’s taking up.

You also can’t see what it’s doing, who you’re bumping into, or who might be using the crowded carriage as an opportunity to get into your stuff.

#8 Your Bag Doesn’t Need Its Own Seat

If the Metro is empty, nobody cares.

But if people are standing and your handbag, shopping bag, or backpack is sitting comfortably on the seat next to you, move it.

Put it on your lap or between your feet and free up the seat for an actual person.

This sounds ridiculously obvious when I write it down, but I have seen it often enough that apparently it needs to be said.

Your bag will survive.

#9 Don’t Lean Against the Poles

The poles inside the Metro aren’t backrests. I know they can look pretty inviting, especially when you’re standing right next to one anyway. Leaning against it probably feels like the most natural thing to do.

But they’re there so passengers can hold onto them.

#10 Keep the Volume Down

Of course you can talk on the Metro. You don’t have to sit in complete silence, staring solemnly at the floor until you reach your station.

But you also don’t need to entertain the entire carriage with your conversation.

Keep your voice at a reasonable level.

The same applies to phone calls, TikTok, YouTube, music, and anything else coming out of your phone.

Use headphones. PLEASE.

#12 Offer Your Seat to Someone Who Needs It More

The Paris Metro doesn’t necessarily have clearly marked priority seats everywhere, so don’t wait for a sign to tell you when to get up.

If an elderly person gets on, someone is pregnant, carrying a baby or traveling with a small child, has a disability, or simply looks particularly tired or like they could really use a seat, please be kind and offer yours.

You don’t need to spend your entire Metro journey nervously evaluating every passenger who enters the carriage.

Just look up occasionally and be aware of what’s happening around you.

There isn’t a Metro rule for it. It’s simply the decent thing to do.

#13 Don’t Hold the Doors for Your Entire Group

If the doors are closing and one person from your group is still halfway down the stairs, don’t hold the doors and make the entire train wait.

There will be another Metro.

Holding the doors delays everyone on the train and can disrupt the service, all because one person in your group didn’t make it in time.

If you’re traveling with several people, agree beforehand on what you’ll do if someone doesn’t make it onto the train.

#14 Be Ready to Move When You Reach Your Stop

If the Metro is crowded and you’re standing deep inside the carriage, pay attention when your stop is coming up.

On a really packed Metro, you might not be able to move toward the doors while the train is still moving. That’s fine.

But stay alert and move as soon as you can. And if someone is standing between you and the door, a simple “Pardon” lets them know you need to get out.

#15 Absolutely Make Sure You Don’t Leave Anything Behind

Before you get off the Metro, double and triple check that you have everything with you.

Your suitcase. Your backpack. Your handbag. Your shopping bags. Everything.

Obviously, nobody leaves a bag behind on purpose. And if you realize five minutes later that your backpack is still happily traveling through Paris without you, you’re going to hate yourself enough already.

#16 Keep Your Feet Away From the Seats

And finally, do not ever, and I mean EVER, put your feet on the seats.

Not your whole foot. Not the edge of your shoe. Don’t stretch your legs out and rest your feet against the seat opposite you. Don’t lean your shoes against it. Don’t let them casually touch the seat because you’re tired.

Keep your shoes away from the seats. Completely.

Paris Metro Etiquette Is Mostly About Not Blocking the Flow

If you’ve read this entire list and are now worried about accidentally breaking one of these rules, don’t be.

You don’t need to behave like you’ve been commuting on Line 9 since 1998. Most Paris Metro etiquette really comes down to one thing:

Pay attention to what’s happening around you and don’t interrupt the flow.

Want more Paris recommendations? Here’s my free Google Map with 200+ spots 🗺️

À bientôt,

Lena

Parisienne since 2006 🇫🇷
Sharing Paris life, French culture, cafés, food & honest travel tips

Join me on Facebook for updates and news about Paris.

NEW: The Salut from Paris Travel Guide: