10 Reasons Why Tourists Keep Getting FINED in the Paris Metro

[@yadusolparterre]

As a Frenchman I am APPALLED at how user-unfriendly our system is. In Japan or China, if you get lost on the subway and ride too far, all you have to do is to add some money on your ticket before leaving the station. In France, taking the wrong train will cost you 25 euros and three minutes of berating by a rude officer like you are a vulgar criminal. Hell, I've seen them give tickets to tourists for WALKING the wrong way !

[@nox8730]

In Japan, you wouldn't get fined (maybe) for walking the wrong way, or using the wrong line in an escalator, but what you would get... would possibly be worse. Especially if you do understand japanese.

[@308_Negra_Arroyo_Lane]

In China, the system is so ridiculously cheap that nobody would want to cheat it anyways. And that is how PUBLIC transportation should be.

[@PascalGienger]

That's not true on the RER. If you're travelling too far for the booked zones there's a ticket/Navigo machine before the exit turnstiles to pay the additional fare

[@tundrusphoto4312]

@@308_Negra_Arroyo_Lane It's Communist China. That explains why it is "cheap". You pay far more than the fare for it.

[@tundrusphoto4312]

It's designed by bureaucrats to create a system of complexity they and only they understand. Plus, it gets the added benefit of creating a hefty list of fines to scam tourists and unwitting locals. It's a revenue generator.

[@JerryWoo96]

Why can't the user interface be like 1) Are you a local or foreigner/tourist 2) select a destination 3) select ticket type and quantity 4) pay the amount

[@MrTayZ3rVideo]

Because it's french. Even for french tourist from countryside, buying those tickets is a pain in the ass.

[@ubermenschen3636]

Why? Because fines are profitable. It’s so profitable that the train operator has no incentive to simplify the system like using one universal ticket card that can be upgraded with an App that download money.

[@adrianguggisberg3656]

Bullshit. I'm Swiss and I find it very simple and logical how to buy Paris Metro tickets. They work by zones, like almost every public transport ticket in almost every European city, it isn't rocket science. The Metro isn't a tourist attraction, it's for the people who live there. As a tourist you need to take the time to inform yourself how things work.

[@hoppingrabbit9849]

@@adrianguggisberg3656😂😂😂😂 tourists pay paris’s bills tho so…

[@adrianguggisberg3656]

@@hoppingrabbit9849 Paris is the greatest industrial hub in Europe and among the top 10 in the world. Tourism is paying bills in Paris, but it's only one of many contributors, even tho it is the most visited place on earth.

[@latebloomerabroad]

Another reason not to throw your ticket away as soon as you get into the train area is that at many stops, you need that ticket to get out at the destination! I keep my ticket until I arrive at my destination, then throw it in the first available trash can so that I can't get confused later.

[@mplsmike4023]

Or just fold it once you’ve exited, if there isn’t a trash can handy. Folded ticket -> no value.

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

good point!

[@dieseldragon6756]

I like to keep my tickets for the scrapbook, but make them distinct by putting them mag-stripe out in my tobacco pouch. This means they're kept away from unused ones (Which live in the wallet) and can be identified as used by the validation stamps on the reverse. 👍

[@AlphineWolf]

France version just needs to be less complicated. Would it kill them to install exit ticket machines? Like yeah I accidentally bought the wrong zone for the length i travel. On exit, I buy a compass exit ticket as an addon fare because I went from zone 1 to 3 here in Vancouver. French just likes to nickel and dime travellers

[@lightandscience]

😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@ErnestJay88]

In Japan, South Korea, even Indonesia, riding metro is as easy as "buy a pre-paid ticket (you only need once and you can use it up-to 5 years unless the card is broken), top up the card balance, and tap to get in" no "Zoning" , no "special price for kids / elderly / disabled", just tap and hop, even if you get lost or stop at the wrong station, you can simply go back to another train and get to your designation, no need to worry about getting heavy finest or scolded by police officer simply because you board a wrong train.

[@HazewinDog]

Same closer to home, at least here in The Netherlands. Realistically, you can only go wrong two ways here. 1. On small stations, there may not be ticket gates, but rather only ticket poles. This means you could forget to check in or out. 2. When transferring between trains from different companies, you might forget or not realize that you must check out using the earlier company's pole and then check in at the normally adjacent new company's pole. So what to do if any of that happens? If you forget to check in, get off ASAP, check in and get back onto the train/metro. You may be able to get into the same one again if you're quick. If you've forgotten to check out, and have a personal card (one which has your picture on it and can be automatically topped up), you can log into your account and request a chargeback for the extra costs you incurred. I don't know if you have any options with an anonymous card.

[@alestane2]

There is a special price for kids under 12 in Japan, it's around half price. You can get them a rechargeable card too, like a SUICA or similar, but you have to get it done by the station staff (you need to show ID and the card will be to their name). When you pass the gate, a white light and a beep will signal if you used a child ticket, so adults doing that can be spotted.

[@ChrisWar666]

Gosh, I wish we had zoning or unlimited travel in Rio de Janeiro, our system is "simple", but it can cost a lot to get around, coz there may only be one option to go somewhere, but more options to get somewhere with more buses..

[@TokyoXtreme]

You can use it longer than five years; the card only stops working ten years after its last use - not ten years from its time of purchase. Yes, it's "ten", not "five".

[@michael_pilot]

There is something like that in Paris too, it's called the Navigo Liberté +.

[@medschoolresources2222]

Save yourself the hassle and get the reloadable Navigo card with the photo and put the weekly unlimited plan. It covers all the zones (even the airports, Versailles and Disney). Even if you don't use the full value (EUR 30-35), it's great insurance against getting a fine. On my last trip, there was a lot of metro police at a particular stop. Everyone with tickets got pulled over to get checked while I just flashed my Navigo card and they allowed me to proceed. It's definitely worth the money. Just walk with a passport photo to put on it.

[@robinps52]

Thanks, that’s very helpful!

[@heathermichael3987]

Yes that is very helpful. Now I’m not as scared .

[@boli4203]

And the price is certainly less than most of the fines. Good advice.

[@pamelawing5747]

Actually it's smaller than the passport photo. I reduced mine on my copier and make three copies to take with me. We got to Gare de Nord, went downstairs and immediately got the passes on our arrival in the city. A very nice man at the window did it all for my friend and I.

[@RobertGannon-x4u]

I got one last week when in Paris, it worked once, thereafter not at all waste of money in my case!!

[@lautrufend]

Visiting London and New York, I was impressed that you can simply use your contactless payment method (credit card or Apple Pay, for example), and the system will automatically calculate the correct fare - and they even have fare capping. In other words, you don’t need to worry about buying a day pass or a week pass. If you use the same card/device each time, the system will automatically charge you the price of the unlimited day/week pass at most. More cities are implementing these systems to take the guesswork out of zones, validation, day passes, etc. which encourages public transportation and is friendly to tourists.

[@charredUtensil]

The NYC subway system is and has for a very long time been a single-zone fare system: It's currently $2.90 to go from any stop to any other stop, with transfers available between the subway and bus. The precursor to OMNY - the MetroCard did this very well with technology designed to work on dialup internet, and on buses which _did not have internet access at all_ during transit. We do have light rail systems that have zoned pricing though, and none of those currently work with OMNY. I believe both London's Oyster card and the NYC OMNY card are run by the same company.

[@DayleDiamond]

My metropolis, Los Angeles, has a prepaid card that automatically calculates everything between three dozen local agencies, including transfers and discounts. We have our share of problems, but the pricing structure is as tourist-friendly as can be.

[@Canleaf08]

Tourist friendly pricing. But not so tourist friendly frequency of service. You can wait up to 25 minutes for a train going from Union Station to Hollywood. Bus lines can be looooonnnngggg in LA.

[@DayleDiamond]

@@Canleaf08 I'm not sure what you're saying. The Union Station to Hollywood subway headways slow down late at night, yes. But aren't the long distance busses a good thing?

[@900stx7]

The busses and street cars are slow in New Orleans but you can buy a three dollar "day pass" and it's good for 24 hours of unlimited riding.

[@jakemartinez6894]

@@Canleaf08 Doesn’t change the fact that the Paris station is rife with incompetence of dishonesty…

[@tatianaschoenfield9819]

The system is bureaucratically complicated and overwhelming. It sets tourists up to make mistakes.

[@user-bz1cl5uq1b]

Don't travel to Europe..I'm European and I beg people not to visit Europe..I'm in Uzbekistan and a metro ticket costs 0.17€ . Yes you read well

[@Pidalin]

Exactly, this is madness, especially those stupid gates everywhere. In Central Europe, most of countries have honest system where you have just random checks, no annoying gates everywhere. These gate systems cost more then you earn on tickets, it makes no sense, public transportation is heavily donated everywhere and investing that much money to gates and ticket infrastructure is pointless. Our German/Czech/Austrian/Polish....honest systems are the best for easy using of public transportation.

[@rainyoctober4683]

@@Pidalin wait until your government imports more diversity and honest system goes away. Paris put those up out of necessity

[@rainyoctober4683]

@@user-bz1cl5uq1b lol, Uzbekistan is not exactly France, I wouldn't go there if I got paid money to ride the metro

[@user-bz1cl5uq1b]

@@rainyoctober4683 its a very safe place I'm sure you don't know much about places. Just because it ends with I Stan you seem to be scared or not attracted. Did you ever hear of Samarkand, the silk road, Bukhara? Very civilised , very clean, very low crime.

[@doublasm2]

I recommend everyone to get informed about tickets being demagnetised when close to a mobile phone. This will make you waste loads of time trying to access, or trying to exchange them for working ones at the ticket offices (long queues), etc. It happens much too easily and you waste several tickets until you realise what's happening. No one tells you.

[@Former_Texan]

Magsafe has caused me so many headaches...

[@Pidalin]

These e-tickets are absolute nonsense, I hate it, you don't even see what is loaded in that stupid ticket, you can have more of them in your pocket and you don't know which one is active, completely stupid system. When I look for example to Warsaw, I see that even when you want gates, you can make it that it can read normal paper tickets, it works, so I don't understand why so many cities are switching to those stupid e-tickets. Also, idea of loading them again is nice in theory, but in practice, nobody does that, local people have their year pass and tourists just throw it away after one use and that partly plastic card with chip inside is definitely worse for nature then simple paper tickets. These systems are pointless. Here in Czechia, we already buy tickets in phone apps, but you can't do that with your stupid gates. 😀

[@jaybee2337]

So annoying! I kept mine separated from my phone but still had trouble with it.

[@spenmac]

Thats just a crap and outdated design then, not the responsibility of a traveler.

[@FalkonNightsdale]

​@@PidalinYou can - just it may need to use different sensors. I mean, even if gates are installed tomorrow, there could be an update to Lítačka, that'll display ticket as QR code - similarly to train tickets in MůjVlak

[@patxooo6974]

I’m Parisian. Never have I ever heard about getting fined for putting your feet on a seat. But I guess yes that is an unspoken rule (that is an overt one as you demonstrated). Nobody does that, in case someone comes and takes a seat. I’m guessing this is also a thing because in the Metro, you car could be empty, and in the next station there comes in a wave of people and you find yourself “serrés comme des sardines”, and therefore seats have to be used by those who need them. Great video!!!

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

Than you!!

[@anirbanmookherjee938]

I have seen it happen a couple of times in the metro during off hours and regularly on the RER. On the RER its aweful as they pretend (or actually) sleeping and there is a huge number of people standing.

[@joanne_ft]

Why would people be so rude as to put their dirty feet onto a seat where other people will sit?!

[@VivianRents]

Sadly that happened to me when I went to Paris. But I didn’t put the whole foot in the chair because is ridiculous, y just crossed my legs and support the end of the shoe at another chair, lesson learned, even though the name of the fine is “detriment or damage to property”, they check if the state of the chair and if it’s okay is a 60 euro fine… but if the chair is damaged is a 150 euro fine. A different souvenir from Paris, definitely

[@l.c.6282]

I see it all the time in Toronto. Mostly from young women. And they also put their bags on the seat next to them. Or they go on without paying - the last one is on the streetcar ( tramway).

[@JustAGrl007]

Thank you all for making these videos! One of your videos helped me ride the metro when I was there in December. I found it fairly easy to navigate even easier than New York. And the €60 fine for putting your feet on the seat makes sense because I noticed that Paris subways are a lot cleaner than New York too.

[@richardsinger01]

Meanwhile London adopted the Oyster card system over 20 years ago which means you are automatically charged the correct fare. And it works with contctkess bank cards, credit cards and phone payment methods so no need to pre pay anything unless you want to. A down side is the closure of a lot of ticket offices.

[@jeffreykorn5142]

We just finished a 5 day stay in Paris and your videos are great .. made the trip much less stressful and offers super advice. We also always purchase weekly unlimited transit passes no matter our original plans .. especially in complicated systems like Paris, Prague and Budapest. Have seen countless Transit Police interactions with tourists trying to explain why they didn't have the proper fare .. and the cost of the fine always exceeds the weekly unlimited cost. It also allows you total flexibility when your plans change and you are covered no matter what. On our trip to Versailles on the RER two young 20 years old girls were sitting with their feet up on the seats .. this caught the eye of a controller at the end of the car and he approached them and... yep, you guessed it .. they had the wrong ticket. I saw this coming and had our Navajo passes out and the controllers partner glanced at them and smiled. To the controllers credit, the girls were polite, embarrassed but totally lost ...and he allowed them to get off at the next stop and correct their error .. with a reminder to not put your feet on the seats! Your guides to Paris are a must have to really enjoy all the city has to offer Thank You

[@JamesKanze]

With regards to making sure that you show the right ticket when controlled: when I lived in Paris, I used to keep my unused tickets in my right jacket pocket, and the used ones in the left. When I was controlled, I'd pull out a wad of used tickets, sometimes as many as 15 or 20, and tell the controller that is must be one of these. They'd always laugh a bit, and help me find the right one. I've always found the controllers to be remarkably friendly and helpful. But it might not be the same if you don't speak French.

[@honeypath]

No, it's not as now they get to keep part of the fine. I did not know about having to show it at the end, and had a receipt, but was quickly surrounded, asked for my ID and a fine was demanded. It was traumatic.

[@ianchmp]

Our first time in Paris we did the same. The attendants were not sympathetic, We were fined.

[@fuglbird]

It is the same. I speak very, very little French and the controllers have always been very nice to me.

[@hippiemuslim]

@@honeypath What will they do If you just won't pay, call the police, write you a ticket then call the INTERPOL to enforce it?

[@q_branch_]

I think the Swiss have the simplest app that I’ve used in Europe. Type you destination and you get options for departures, pick the departure, pick the ticket fare, and you’re done. The ticket is automatically validated - usually it is valid for 24 hours to the destination because things happen.

[@sylviege7534]

I don't know about this app, but when you buy a ticket for the streetcar in Geneva, it's complicated. I am always helping people. I guess it's the same in any big city !

[@jakob7116]

Where I live you buy a ticket for the entire county and there are no zones so it’s valid everywhere but only for 90 minutes.

[@dieseldragon6756]

Validation systems often confuse us British because (Oyster aside) we don't normally have to validate anything before travelling on it - It's usually valid for travel from point of issue, or the date printed on it (Whichever's later). I still remember my first time using _Un Obliterateur_ on a Parisian bus in 1996. That was something many in this country will never experience today... 🙃

[@dieseldragon6756]

@@jakob7116 France would never use that system unless the ticket prices were raised to match. Do you know _just _*_how_*_ far_ a TGV can travel in 90 minutes? 🚄🇫🇷💨💨💨💯❤‍🔥👍 (Certainly a lot further than British trains can manage. 🚈🇬🇧🐌 And in the U.S. such tickets would need to be valid for 90 _days,_ not minutes... 🐌💨🚂🇺🇸😉)

[@Pidalin]

We use app here in Czechia too, but it's not that simple, not all regions with their integrated systems have good app + some places are not integrated at all, so you have to buy oldschool train tickets (but you can use app too). But in Prague and surroundings (which is already like half of the country, because PID system is constantly growing), it's super simple, app will show you what ticket you need, or you can select other ticket that you want and validate it later or now as you need. The best tourist ticket is full PID ticket for all zones for 24 hours, as I already said, PID system (Prague integrated transporation) already covers almost half of the country and all zone 24 hours ticket is for like 10 eur, which is a really good price for unlimited traveling in buses, trains + whole Prague ofcourse. A lot of people don't know about this ticket, or they are lazy to find informations and then buy classic train tickets and pay several times more than they have to. BTW, in PID app, it's always better to buy tickets when you are at home and then just validate them later, that prevents some problem with paying outside, it can happen that google pay has a siesta for now or something. 😀 I am really glad that they didn't install some stupid gates here like it was trend like 10-20 years ago (and they were really talking about it in Prague) because our today apps would not work with that, maybe it could work somehow with NFC chip in your phone or maybe not......

[@stiglet_mcg]

We found a number of gates were open that were tempting to go through as it was easy, very glad we didn't now! Thank you

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

Glad I could help!

[@takix2007]

If by chance all the doors are open and you have no way to validate your ticket, controllers will usually be receptive if you explain the situation by being as descriptive as possible ("all the turnstiles at this specific entrance at station xxx were not functional"). At least, I've managed to get out of a pickle more than once.

[@petercomfort9651]

Quite frankly if it is a rare occurrence it is the tourists fault. If it is a common occurrence then it is the systems fault and should be fixed rather than fining people for booking on zone 5 and confusing it with line 5 for example. Something like "not signing your pass" could be fixed quite easily by printing the passes with peoples name on it.

[@aquilegus]

Personally, I've never heard of anyone making 'Zone 5, Line 5' type of mistake.

[@nox8730]

@@aquilegus Yeah, it is like buying 5 carrots instead of 5 tomatoes.

[@brentsummers7377]

Or by having plastic cards with no names or photos as they do in Sydney, Brisbane, London, etc.

[@paulashe61]

Or learning not to be stupid.

[@MoonieLovegood]

@@brentsummers7377or just pop ur bankcard (debit) in the scanner like u can do in the netherlands and london. You don’t even really need a ticket anymore. Every time I take the bus in Sloterdijk (amsterdam) there’s toursists at one specific stop and they ALWAYS bought the wrong tickets. It’s those ppl that think that 15 year olds count as a small child. I’m not saying every tourist thinks that, its just the ones at that stop. There’s so many fixes available but the tourist still needs to have basic reading comprehension.

[@willx9352]

This ticketing system is ridiculously complicated for these days.

[@testman9541]

There is a reason : underlying complexity and cost. Īle de France transportation system is a conglomerate of multiple transport company some state owned some provate. Having a single T+ ticket set up id quite a miracle 🎉

[@dianafromaustralia3244]

No! We’ve been going to Paris for over 30 years - METRO tickets are easy! 10 tickets = 10 journeys!

[@willx9352]

@@dianafromaustralia3244 But the tickets come with all sorts of caveats as does the Navigo. These tickets cannot be used without restriction on the RER. If you get it wrong, you can be fined. Furthermore, you actually have to purchase a ticket or a pass in the first place. Many other cities allow you to use a contactless credit card.

[@elmwalt162]

I have been there several times with school classes ... no problem Maybe us americans just dont understand rules apply to them as well

[@willx9352]

@@elmwalt162 I am not American and have travelled extensively using public transport in many European countries over many years. Many cities these days either have a single transport card covering all lublic tramsport where you just tap on and off and the fare is automatically calculated and/or the ability to do this with a credit card. You do not heed to prepurchase tickets, you don’t have to worry about whether it is a bus, tram, metro or regional rail or even worry about having the correct fare in advance. It seems that Paris is still stuck in the past in some respects when it comes to ticketing.

[@sharonfrede6791]

I was told that as a foreign senior citizen I could not buy a senior ticket. Why is that? Last year we rode the 94 bus quite a lot. At least four times the ticket checkers boarded our bus checking everyone’s ticket. Once I had given my ticket to my friend to scan for me. She had her own ticket. Before she could get it back to me they boarded the bus. I was trying to explain to a lady that my friend had my ticket. She didn’t speak English and I didn’t speak French. Luckily, one of them did speak English. Whew. It was all good when she showed him two tickets.

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

It can be very stressful. The reason the tickets are just available for locals is that they are supplemented by taxes (paid by locals)

[@paulfarthing2807]

Quick tip. Don't put your ticket in your phone case, the magnetic field can wipe it. This is a known issue and staff may warn you when you buy your tickets. I've not had the problem on the Paris metro (forewarned is forearmed) but it did once happen to me with a hotel key card here in the UK.

[@Pidalin]

They lie to you to make it your mistake, but it's not your mistake and you didn't wiped it, it just died for no reason. It happened to me also with hotel card several times and I kept it far from my phone and other electronics, so it's not about phones, it's just outdated not realiable technology and they lie to you when they say you wiped it with your phone. BTW, talking about phones, here in Czechia, we already buy tickets in apps, these e-tickets and gates are absolute bizar for me, I saw it in Lisbon and I would buy a car if they installed it here.

[@ariko90]

@@Pidalinomg this literally just happened to me today while trying to exited the station. I was so confused and couldn’t find anyone to help me for a while. Until a staff member came out of nowhere and open a gate for me, telling me that I wiped my card cause I put it next to my phone. I thought using a train would be easy but I guess it wasn’t. 😭

[@Pidalin]

@@ariko90 I absolutely hate these e-tickets they have in some cities. Fortunatelly, here in Czechia, most of cities still use classic paper tickets and it's always as option for trains. We completely skipped that time when everyone else was switching to these e-ticket nonsenses, we kept our paper tickets and adopted directly phone apps as alternative.

[@thomascuvillier7250]

Even people from Paris forget about RER zoning sometimes, especially when the station is really close to Paris. Stade de France RER exit is gonna be fun during the Olympics xD xD

[@Obeox]

No they don’t, bcuz they have a personal navigo card with all 5 zones included.

[@RaptorFromWeegee]

No, see, I think its probably NOT going to be "fun" at all.

[@olgameyel7753]

​@@Obeox corret! Even tourists can by one, we visit Paris last year and get one in airport for 5eur plus 30eur for 6 or 7 days i think, and we use it every day in all zones multiple times, this is the best chois for everyone!! Just note, you need to have a small foto, like IDsize foto to place on travel card

[@MrBaymeric]

There are international events such as football, rugby world cup happening in stade de France since 20 years...

[@Pidalin]

It's really a weird system you have in Paris, in Prague, all tickets are valid for whole city (4 zones), so you don't have to care about some zones inside of city, that's important only for commuters who live on edge of the city and commut out of the city or vice versa, they can buy cheaper pass becuase of more zones, but all basic tickets are for 4 zones, so if you buy random time ticket for 30 or 90 minutes, you don't have to care about that. And when you are leaving the city, you recognize it easily - in train, stations don't have Prague in front of local station name and only buses 300+ go out of the city and you have to go around driver in them, which should stop you from going there accidentaly. But our zone system is also mess, there are I think 13 zones around Prague, but for trains, you still can buy oldschool ticket from place A to B, but it can be more expensive.

[@castcrus]

Okay, guess I will avoid Paris then. In Sydney you just use a credit/debit card to tap on from where you start and tap off at your destination. It works on all trains/lightrail/metro/ferries/busses. And if you transfering, like taking the train then the ferry, just tap on and off each time, the system will automatically calculate the fee into a single fare(there will be $2 discount for each mode of transport). And there's a cap on how much you pay daily: $17.80 Mon-Thur, $8.9 Fri-Sun, then a weekly cap of $50, and off peak hours are 30% off. Especially, there's no "cattle" gate like that 02:17, because there's almost no one jumping over the gates or tailgating except poor kids, which is understandable. Why Paris, just come and visit Sydney. Oh, it's winter here now. LOL

[@pattym.doolittle6038]

Each big city with public transportation is different. Most are pretty easy to figure out. Some are not. Yes, we found Sydney’s “all-in-one” style of public transport really easy to figure out and fairly convenient to use. London’s Oyster card was pretty good and the system was VERY extensive (though our Oyster card didn’t work on the busses). Dublin’s Leap card was easy to use and worked on pretty much everything. Chicago and NYC were both OK. Basically, not everything works the same way, but I personally wouldn’t choose to visit/not visit a place based solely on how easy it is to use their public transportation. Paris and Sydney both have great stuff to see & do, but it’s not the same stuff. If you are concerned about the public transportation system of a place (like Paris), but still would like to visit, you can book a tour and let your tour company handle your transport…just don’t move there.

[@JHRO9000]

Yeah, even the big Romanian cities just accept a normal bank card for all forms of public transit. Wtf is France doing?

[@RD-tu7tp]

I'm a french fan of the Paris transport system, and I honestly still find the ticket system so confusing. It should really get simplified !

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

that's the truth but I'm not very optimistic

[@n0rmal953]

I’m parisian and still got my rer destination wrong the other day. Swiped my easy pass and forgot that my exit was outside of zone 1. When you have the annual navigo pass you don’t tend to think much, So… when you don’t have it anymore, it’s a struggle.

[@RD-tu7tp]

@@LesFrenchiesTravel I have a hope that with the Grand Paris Express metro project they change the ticketing options and make it easier to nvigate the region

[@Lodai974]

@@RD-tu7tp Unlikely... I think that the metro 15-16-17-18 which are only in the suburbs will have the same fare specifications as the RER and Transilien trains. Line 14 will even have a special price for its opening at Orly airport.

[@RobertGannon-x4u]

Absolutely. I found the metro as a whole very confusing and unclear. It does not compare favourably with the Barcelona metro, which is really easy to to get to grips with.

[@CKLee-rs4kl]

I've had my ticket requested when leaving the metro and these checks used to be (?) quite common so don't discard your validated ticket until you leave the metro (I keep the validated ticket in a separate pocket).

[@JBoy340a]

Thanks for info. We found the Paris metro very useful and one of the best subway systems around.

[@Sharad20072008]

I am glad you did because for me the experience with the Paris Metro was never positive. Comparisons are odious but in contrast to London's Tube, the Parisian Metro seemed like a cavernous warren of multiple entrances/exits, innumerable turnstiles, poor directions, non-functioning toilets and unrecognizable street level signs

[@JBoy340a]

@@Sharad20072008 I like the London Underground also.

[@AlphineWolf]

Um not really. They don't have exit ticket machines installed in case people buy the wrong zone worth of fare.

[@MrBaymeric]

Because your ticket only for Paris metro won't work in rer

[@brentsummers7377]

The Metro trains & frequency are excellent. But the ticket systems....

[@suebock4680]

Thanks!

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

Thank YOU!

[@iamhandy-man]

We almost got fined when my wife and I both shoved through the turnstiles on her one ticket, because mine stopped working. The métro cops made me get my paper ticket fixed at the booth. I only later realized I'd been wiping the magnetic strip by keeping it in my magnetic-clasp wallet. Oops!

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

yes they do de-magnetize all the time!!

[@iamhandy-man]

@@LesFrenchiesTravel I didn't put 2 and 2 together until after I'd wiped a second ticket and had to get it replaced. I no longer use that wallet!

[@cavgrey8]

@@LesFrenchiesTravelHow are Controllers identified? Badge? Clothing?

[@VivianRents]

@@cavgrey8clothing, they have a vest and identification

[@Teri_Berk]

@@cavgrey8 Hello from Turkey. I traveled in and around Paris for about 16 days using the navigo découverte. During that period only once did I come across Controllers while I was changing the metro lines (M6 to M13) They wore dark blue uniforms as far as I can remember but I identified them not by their looks but by their saying "here you won't be using the turnstyles, you will swipe your card over here" They were holding portable ticket reading devices in their hands.

[@erich9111]

When I buy a ticket, can I just get a 5-zone ticket, or do I have to specify the stations?

[@WendyH10]

Thank you for all the videos. I’ve been watching them for months. We are currently in Paris having a blast!

[@Nigellagirl99]

Bonjour ❤ Thank you for all your amazing and enjoyable videos - you two are inspiring 🎉

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

Thank you! 😃

[@firesurfer]

Thankfully only if you jump the turnstile in NY do you get stopped sometimes. Once you are in, that's it. You can go anywhere in the system. Lots of people try the 24 hour race. 462 stations in 24 hours.

[@ICONICPARIS]

That's messed up

[@duhovnik]

@@ICONICPARIS possibly but must be fun. There is similar competition in London Underground, too. I just saw youtube documentary about it, didn't participate.

[@dailodai9586]

I was fined for not having my photo on my 7 day navigate pass. it was so disappointing. please make sure to attach photo right after you get the navigo

[@Henoik]

As a Norwegian, our public transport works like this: 1. Download the app 2. Write where you want to go. 3. Buy the ticket that automatically comes up. 4. Go on the bus/tram/train/ferry indicated by the app - no validation non-sense required

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

Wow, that's convenient!

[@xmj6830]

Actually, the Navigo app can also be installed on your phone and top up. You can buy the desired ticket and destination and pay on the spot. Just needs to be known...

[@estebanselva3667]

For that you have to have a smartphone and a bank card or some way to pay online. This is not something that everyone has.

[@Henoik]

@@estebanselva3667 Perhaps not, but Norway in general is a fairly cashless society. Some stores don't even accept cash, even when they're legally obligated to. Furthermore, getting to Norway as a tourist without paying with a debit or credit card is probably impossible. I at least don't know of any airline that takes cash anymore when booking tickets.

[@xmj6830]

@@estebanselva3667 Which planet are you living on?!

[@ianmp1416]

Why wont Zone 5 tickets work in Zone1? In Montréal, if you purchase a ticket for lets say Zone D, which is the cities further away from the city (Rigaud St Hyacinthe etc.) , it will work in every zones for every modes of transportation.

[@ClarkJ2265]

Great info for newbies! My first time riding SNCF in the Nord - straight out of college- I didn’t know about compostez le billet and paid 50 FF - cash! When I took my niece to Paris 5 years ago, I reminded her to keep her ticket when we were going back to CDG. When the control came, she couldn’t find it and had so many old tickets in her pocket. She paid a 40€ fine. Poor thing was so embarrassed.

[@honeypath]

I was fined as well as I could not find the ticket, but only the receipt. They show NO mercy as instead a raises they keep fines. FYI I contacted VISA and they credited me for the fine.

[@dieseldragon6756]

Just for reference: 50FF is about 6€25 when converted at the ECB rate (About 8FF per Euro) and the penalty today is 50 *Euro.* Work that out in Francs, and you got off _pretty darn lightly_ compared to todays penalty rates! 😁 Mind you: I live in a country where the money is still named after non-metric units of weight. Back then it was roughly 10FF to the lb, but thanks to « _Un change petit-peut au l'accords Europeén en 2016-20_ 💩 » one FF is easily worth several kilos of pounds today! 💷📉😉

[@dieseldragon6756]

@@honeypath Err, check they *credited* you for that and didn't *charge back* the fine. If the latter applies, you've potentially committed an offence against a French official body and you might end up with a criminal record in France for it. ⚠

[@honeypath]

If anyone should be "charged' it's they officials for harassment. I had both the ticket and receipt. I did not have in hard when they came by. They said they had NO TIME for me to look, had another 'offficial' come- they are masters at intimidation.. All to line their pockets. One llady have FIVE gang up on her. A 70+ old woman. Really?

[@ClarkJ2265]

@@dieseldragon6756 the rate was worse back then. It was a lot for a college student. May have been more

[@gabrielaroca8366]

I was in Paris in January with a group of 18 students. It was very difficult to get a Navigo Easy although we were at St Lazare (big station!). We could buy only two and the machines did not sell them and -of course- when we asked for help every employee said it was not their duty to assist passengers. Any tips? I’m travelling again next year. The Navigo does not demagnetise!

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

I would get everybody a Navigo card loaded with 10 trips each

[@robinps52]

This video is certainly an eye-opener: you’ve made me appreciate my NYC transit system a bit more, if only for the ease of payment! I’ll be reviewing all of your Metro-related videos before visiting later this year & hopefully I’ll stay out of trouble. Merci Colleen et Antoine for another very helpful video!

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

You're welcome!!

[@WOK-YT-handle]

The new tap & go with CC and automatic maximum each week in NYC is SO GOOD. The MTA did a great job with that!

[@HazewinDog]

I just bought tickets in the app. That way you can validate (check in) using NFC from your phone. Easy peasy. The only confusing thing for me was that the metro station I started at had all gates open. So I held my phone up to the scanner, heard a noise and continued. Turns out the noise I heard was an error noise. My mistake turned out to be putting my phone face down on the scanner, like I have to in my country. Due to this I ended up stuck at the gates at my destination station. In the end I found out that putting it backside down does work and sounds a more friendly sound. I don't know why they don't have a digital display. Text accompanied with a green or red background is a lot more helpful than a sound, which you can barely hear anyway.

[@tiranito3715]

How different must french people be for them to make error sounds sound like success sounds to everyone else on the planet? I thought thatk ind of accessibility features had been standardized like 50 years ago, but turns out there are still some places on planet Earth that still live in the stone age.

[@kylecampion9668]

It’d be great if the paper tickets worked… we bought a dozen or so, kept them in a pocket away from credit cards and cell phones, and I think maybe 4 of them actually validated properly. Thankfully the info centers were helpful in replacing them but even those ones often failed had to repeat the process again. No one ever gave us any issue about them not being signed or having our names on them tho! Definitely did not know that until this video!

[@danielfrancis4799]

How often have your tickets been checked by a Controller within a station or on a train? The reason I ask as a Londoner who uses the London Underground we never have Ticket Revenue Officers or Inspectors on a Tube Train only as the Ticket Barrier.

[@mannyreyes9602]

I must admit that I've never written my name on the Paris Visite ticket. The Metro ticket sellers never say anything about writing one's name on the small ticket. Thanks for pointing out this oversight in your video.

[@dieseldragon6756]

Are you sure you're buying tickets from legitimate RATP outlets? I've bought _Paris Visite_ passes both from station windows and machines, and in both cases have received very clear instruction to write my details on the ticket to validate it. ✍

[@mannyreyes9602]

@@dieseldragon6756 Yes, I've always purchased them from the Paris Metro ticket booth and I've never encountered a seller who instructed me to write my name on the Paris Visite ticket.

[@fuglbird]

Traveling in Paris on the Metro is very easy. Once I had some problems getting a large suitcase trough the ticket gate and I had to climb over. An inspector smiled and winked me through. Just take your time while deciding which ticket to buy.

[@jayd4481]

We were very satisfied with the Navigo Decouverte weekly pass. We didn't want to worry about reloading tickets and it seemed the best option for us. We took the RoissyBus from the airport and used the metro so much it paid for itself within a couple days. We also like it because it's valid for 10 years and we plan to be back in a few more years and just have to load the weekly pass on it next time!

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

that's the way to do it

[@greggross8856]

Do you have to be a local to qualify for the senior discount ticket?

[@joanreynolds955]

Last summer my partner, Andy, and I were on the train to Versailles. Andy, despite his efforts, ended up buying us the wrong tickets. He ended up have to pay a fine. The woman sitting across the row from us was a tour guide at Versailles. She said what a scam it was and the same happened to tourists all the time. You can’t be careful enough.

[@nox8730]

Feels like the tour guide was pretty entitled. Was she french? It may be unpractical for some, but there is weight behind calling such a thing a scam. That is what rude people are like. Did she never take public transportations? Makes no sense. It makes even less sense since the transportation service went out of his way to translate all the shebang in several languages to make sure foreigners had the all the same informations as us (10 languages it seems). While the system may be convoluted at times, it is the same system for everyone.

[@joanreynolds955]

@@nox8730 We were on the RER, which is public transportation, so, yes, obviously she takes public transportation to work. She was French if her accent was an indicator. Her job is guiding tours of Versailles. She seemed to see tourists ticketed often. So you’re wrong on all those counts.

[@nox8730]

@@joanreynolds955 I asked questions, i didn't assume things. I don't care who is right or wrong, this is not a debate of opinions. I am not interested in playing along. Calling it a scam implies that it is designed this way intentionally with the goal of trapping people. But, at the risk of repeating myself, the fact that rules are translated in 10 languages, and other factors make the idea of it being an intentional scam pretty unlikely. Nobody should claim such things without anything to back it up. And while we french may say that kind of thing lightly at times, it is generally a "manner of speech" that foreigners won't necessarily identify as such. A tour operator should pay attention to such things.

[@ICONICPARIS]

​@@nox8730it's a scam

[@kiinara8670]

@@nox8730 it is a scam and it is designed intentionally with the goal of trapping people. there are dozens of train employees standing by nowhere but at the gate hurriedly bringing the tap to pay machines to trap you. I have even heard that they get commission out of fining people thats why they are so desperate.

[@kaelakeluskar]

That last one is how I got fined. Bought a ticket for the RER thinking it's valid to gob all the way to Versailles. When I asked why my ticket wasn't opening the gate, they told me why and charged me a €40 fine (this was back in 2010). I was livid!

[@groundnoiseindustrie]

Just a money maker to pay for all the socialist who don’t work. I thank the French for helping us Yanks in our revolution. We should have helped them more during theirs. We saved the French in WWI & WWII (along with the rest of the Allied soldiers. We are even.

[@Leebpascal1]

Hard to believe, there are no « rer tickets ». Either you bought a t+ ticket, wich clearly indicates for RER that in Paris only, or you bought a « origine-destination » ticket but for the wrong station.

[@jackieeng6293]

All the other metro systems will ask you to pay for the difference, not a fine.

[@jmdesp]

This changes from 1 January 2025, all RER tickets will have a fixed price now.

[@CB-gc1me]

Recently visited Versailles from central Paris and watched DOZENS of people get fined as the RER pulled into the station. Honestly the whole thing felt so scammy and mean-spirited. The control agents were borderline gleeful about fining all the clueless tourists. They make commission on fines, right? That route must be the golden goose. The ticketing system in Paris is so so so so unnecessarily complicated and feels deliberately set up to confuse and then fine tourists. I live in London and TFL do such a better job creating a simple, customer-friendly system. Thanks for making these videos

[@stephengraham1153]

"TFL do such a better job creating a simple, customer-friendly system" I like the fact that I can use contactless Visa cards on TfL routes. It means that I don't have to queue at ticket machines at rush hour or worry about paying the correct fare for the zone I'm travelling to.

[@nox8730]

Yes, they have a commission on fines. But it is negligible. And it is not "per controller". But "per group of controllers".

[@richardlo4867]

Interesting. Over 20 years ago we took the (RER?) train from Paris to Versailles and return. Just recalled a smooth, not too crowded journey - don't even remember anyone checking tickers. Definitely no fines.

[@Valentin359]

Can you buy a ticket with student discount if you have a student card from another EU country or ISIC?

[@waynemansfield1527]

the Paris ticketing system seems to be insanely complicated, here in Sydney Australia, there are no tickets people "tap on" with a credit card or with an adult transport NSW Opal card or concession card for seniors, disabled or children and "tap off" at the destination. No queuing for tickets etc, and the Opal system works seamlessly for Buses, Trams, Metro rail, Heavy rail and Ferries,

[@futurecanadian]

and as long as you're using the same credit card, the total daily fare will max out. I did get on a train from Sydney to Kiama (for that blow hole) and the ticket guy was checking tickets. I told him I did a tap on so he scanned by credit card and said have a nice day.

[@rafaelrivera9346]

The Italian subway / trains in Rome is just like that. My American cheap friend did not validated to save money and I told him to do it and while on the train the attendant came by asking to see the ticket. He got fine 100 euros each plus the shame as he was fine and escorted out of the train at the next stop.

[@kgws2663]

We were in Paris using the Metro and RER trains. Twice our trains were boarded by ticket controllers. They had only a blue jacket with a small RER logo, not really much of an official looking uniform. We watched a group of Americans refusing to show their tickets and arguing with the controller. We showed them our Navigo decouverte cards, thanks to your advice. They scanned them, no problem. There were 4 RER controllers in our train who converged on the Americans creating a scene. Luckiky, our stop came se we missed what happened. We brought our own postage stamp sizeed photos for our cards. Thanks for you tip on where to buy the card at CDG Paris.

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

It can certainly be stressful

[@danielm1383]

This happens so quickly. I went to the counter specifically to buy a ticket, only to have problems at the destination because it was the wrong one. Thank God I didn't have to pay. The Navigo easy card with 10 trips is the best card for visiting Paris (only for trips in the city).

[@marybois-byrne6729]

Is a senior 65 and older, or, does senior ticket prices start at a different age?

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

Senior starts at 60 in France. But I would recommend buying your ticket at the booth with an attendant to make sure there are no restrictions on when you can use it.

[@carryerd]

The last one happened to my wife and I a few years back. We were exiting at La Defense and chose the wrong exit for our tickets. Strangely at that station there used to be 2 exits, one was in zone 1 and it seems one was in zone 2.

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

ouch, that sucks

[@GarthLurvey]

We got fined last year for not validating a couple tickets. We sent them through a few times but the machine was broken. The doors were open so we went through thinking that we were good to go. The metro cop didn't believe us but we were fined 35 Euros each. They were nice but still were very firm with us. She ultimately gave us a ticket to get to our destination. We made no attempt to flee. They caught us because we were standing in front of the map on the wall trying to figure out our route. Travel and learn.

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

Sorry!

[@ICONICPARIS]

That's messed up

[@rodgonzalez2367]

I'm planning a day trip to Paris this coming June. I'm taking the train from London. Would the Navigo card be better than the paper tickets. We are only going to be there for just 12 hours. What sights would you recommend. Thanks Rod

[@Lodai974]

If you are considering a lot of transportation or security. Navigo easy and day pass (unlimited) zone 1/2 (Paris only, no Versailles or other). Otherwise Navigo easy with T+ ticket loaded inside (no more paper support, tickets are loaded into the card).

[@Slotomnet]

Friendly advice - Do not go, ...trust me. Paris will disappoint you, it is not what you expect.

[@lavieenfrance5175]

When my ticket doesnt work i go to the nearest information booth to check first..to make sure❤

[@tassilokarge1281]

Which is closed for many stations…

[@adelineng7883]

Would appreciate more info on riding the metro and tickets available for the Olympic period.

[@SkipperJane]

I’ve ridden the metro in London, Paris, and Amsterdam. The Paris system just seems willfully confusing at this point.

[@thierrydesu]

That's because Paris is far smaller than other capital cities but has a huge surburb and as a consequence, it has a big regional train system that must not be confused with the subway system.

[@barrieshepherd7694]

​@@thierrydesuNo different to London.

[@thierrydesu]

@@barrieshepherd7694 London is much bigger than Paris.

[@barrieshepherd7694]

@@thierrydesu That was my point! London is as big/bigger than Paris but has managed a sensible ticketing system.

[@dees3179]

Finally, someone who explains what people mean by the word validate. I’ve never been able to figure it out in this context. No wonder everyone is so confused.

[@shughes5725]

Might be easier and cheaper to walk! How can you keep all of this straight?

[@Blueulla]

Hey Frenchies 😊 Thank You so much for tips and tricks - we have learned so much from you 🙏 we are going to Paris in two weeks. 🤗 we have a question. Do you know where we can buy the book The little Prince in the original language? Thank you so much. We look forward to follow you 🤗Niels and Ulla.❤

[@jivprod9871]

Je suis parisien mais j'ai regardé ca comme si j'étais tokyoïte ! Je vous adore !

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

Dōmo arigatōgozaimasu

[@jivprod9871]

@@LesFrenchiesTravel 🤣🤣🤣

[@Scott-ll2rl]

If I’m visiting from the US and get a fine in Paris, why would I pay it if I’m not returning anytime soon?

[@warrenwolf4690]

Bonjour Antoine and Colleen. Great info. 😃

[@creativeexpletives]

Thanks for the detailed video. I have a 9 hour layover at CDG airport and I’ll be there next Thursday. I want to visit central Paris. Can you tell if the Mobilis Pass for the full day, I think it costs €20, cover express train from CDG Airport (zone 5) to central paris and back to Airport. Can I also take bus service between Eiffel tower to Louvre museum, Montmartre, Arc de Triomphe using the same Mobilis Pass?

[@numismatajaime7974]

One time the machine did not validate the paper ticket, but the turnstile was released. No one from security at the turnstiles to advise what to do.

[@Slotomnet]

I have had such experience. They were literally waiting for the tourists to force them to pay the fine. Legal crime from RATP.

[@me-myself-i787]

And to make it even worse, you can't even wear a body camera to prove you were following the law because the body camera will pick up copyrighted building designs. And even if you black out the buildings, that won't protect you because the video used to contain the copyrighted designs.

[@Gabriella242]

Bonjour! I just need a little help in understanding the train schedule. For example if it says leaving Paris at 10h04 does this mean 10:04 am? Arriving Lourdes at 14h53 means at 2:53pm? Merci

[@camiller4916]

Hi, I’m not Les Frenchies but yes you are correct. You have to subtract 1200 to get the time in PM. To use your example: 1453 - 1200 = 253pm

[@pi-sx3mb]

What you want to do, if you're in charge of a mass transit system, is make the entire process so convoluted that it will entrap ordinary people just trying to do the right thing and get from A to B. Even in New York, as inept as that train-wreck of a city is, once you hop the turnstile you're in! Done and done.

[@CathyS_Bx]

We are ept!

[@pi-sx3mb]

@@CathyS_Bx 😜

[@CineSoar]

2:38 So, the four of them clearly were trying to get through on 2 passes (3 of them made it, but the littlest was too slow). I wonder if the Metro's own cameras caught what you were able to catch so plainly?

[@RogerAckroid]

07:00 it also applies to La Défense and it's absolutely crazy that they didn't fix it. I think they do it on purpose to trick tourists. If you go to La Défense with metro line 1, you can use a normal ticket. But if you go to the same place in RER you need a more expensive ticket. This is absolutely infuriating.

[@aquilegus]

To be fair, it isn't (wasn't ?) a mistake. The idea was to allow people travelling in from further afield to use the RER, and encourage those within Paris to use the metro Line 1. But as it was easy to make the mistake, there were suggestion years ago to change it. Not sure that they did though.

[@RogerAckroid]

@@aquilegus it's way too complicated for anyone who doesn't go there to know. The problem was raised years ago and it's still not fixed because it's a good way to steal money from tourists in the form of fines.

[@cr10001]

@@aquilegus I don't think they've changed it. I went to La Defense on Metro Ligne 1, no trouble. What, do you want them to make tickets on Line 1 *more* expensive? I think the rule is that on a Metro line (NOT RER!) a single t+ ticket is valid anywhere even outside Zone 1. On the RER (which runs much further out) a t+ ticket only 'works' to the end of Zone 1 - and a little black line across the RER on the map emphasises where that is! So - at the fringes - you can get further out on the Metro than on RER with the same ticket. Of course nothing stops you getting on RER in the city with a t+ ticket then riding far out beyond the fare zone limit - except the exit barriers at the RER station gates.

[@themutekiununbi4932]

Thank you. Very useful info

[@iamatransporter]

What an absolute pain compared to London.

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

true

[@Mishima505]

Or even Tokyo.

[@TheJase8566]

Not really. Its 31 Euros for an all zone weekly. cheap!

[@fuglbird]

@iamatransporter Not really. You can have a nice time in Paris without being rubbed. Not so in London.

[@hippiemuslim]

@@TheJase8566 Which must start in a monday. So stupid.

[@anthonymarkus6341]

In my city Jakarta Indonesia, subway train doesn't need to know your destination as long as you have e-wallet card. Tap when enter gate at origin station, tap again when exit gate at destination station. All around Jakarta is about 40 cent dollar per trip, you can refill e-wallet card at any nearest ATM. Ah, almost forgot, Indonesian ATMs accept credit card too as long as it's Alto, Mastercard and Visa provider.

[@mikeymike1843]

The best way to avoid these fines, is not going to Paris in the first place. Easy.

[@rafaelrivera9346]

It’s same thing in Rome. Got to be smart and learn.

[@gabrieled.r427]

​@@rafaelrivera9346 I was in Rome for 4 years and never I got fined. Istructions are clear and put in full display kinda everywhere on Metro station, bus station and trains. If the avarage tourist is not able to read an english sign then that's their problem..

[@Historybluff1986]

I’ve seen more issues with us transit cops so Paris wasn’t as bad in my experience. People need to slow down and understand what they’re doing.

[@markreid7]

So I guess we will get three navago passes. We are going to Versailles once and two of us are going to Disney twice. So how do you put those on the navago card or should we buy individual tickets for these two locations? And if it’s the latter, you must buy them within 90 minutes if the trip?

[@garthf9609]

Well this video has put me off getting on a train in Paris, why does everything have to be so complex.

[@dieseldragon6756]

If you think Paris is bad, try London. The Underground is a place where - If you're unfortunate enough to be gay and work for the company - You find yourself getting abused and harmed to the point you lose the ability to work. 🚇🇬🇧💥🙅 At least RATP have the decency to accept that homosexuals are just as human as everybody else... 🚈🏳‍🌈🇫🇷👍

[@beverlywilcox4349]

Making it simple for tourists is, and should be, a lower priority than making an equitable public transport system that distributes its costs fairly between the well-to-do and the people who perform the work we all need. Please go on the Metro at least a couple of times and do some people-watching -- it's an inexpensive, educational, enjoyable eye-opener. I wish we could take care of our essential workers here in the US this well.

[@jodiehebert8285]

Bravo for explaining this! I experienced wasting money for buying wrong tickets (dates) on Nice metro as well as accidents buying ZOU train instead of SNCF ticket. 😐. I’m sure not as complex as Paris. I noticed the machines had British flag that I pressed BUT but not all options were in English. 😮

[@ClarkJ2265]

I have a feeling it’s going to be crazy on the metro during the Olympics.

[@thierrydesu]

Of course it is. It's done on purpose. People have done what it takes to make France look more ridiculous than usually for a few years.

[@garthf9609]

I bet they are already recruiting more ticket inspectors

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

I have the same feeling

[@Canleaf08]

@@garthf9609 « Operation Titre inspection »

[@shennabay9111]

The only thing that happened to me the turnstile in LES COURTILLES STATION doesn’t print the validation at the back of paper ticket. And I bought the t plus 10 pcs ticket ! Your info helps me a lot going around Paris !! Thanks guys !!

[@monichat]

My husband threw away his ticked, got caught and was fined. He was quite angry. Also, first time we traveled to Paris, we got in a car that was less crowded than the others. Turned out it was ''first class'' car. Someone warned us and we didn't get caught. I wonder if there are still ''first class' 'cars in Paris metro, like on airplanes. In the country of Égalité, Fraternité, Liberté 😘

[@thierrydesu]

No more classes on the subway since August 1st 1991.

[@Lodai974]

@@thierrydesu and 1999 in the RER/Transilien

[@monichat]

@@thierrydesu Merci pour cette information

[@monichat]

@@Lodai974 Merci beaucoup

[@77ladentelliere]

Thank you for this video that is useful even for parisians ! One precision : you speak about RER and metro tickets and give for example the station "Versailles" . There is something more subtle : In station "La Défense" and "Issy val de Seine" (may be others ?) if you come with the metro you are in zone 1, but if you come with the RER you are in zone 2 and the fee is not the same ! I personaly had the problem in "Issy val de Seine" a few years ago and was lucky enough to talk to an understanding controller who didn’t fine me...

[@Leebpascal1]

- La defense is in zone 3, not 2, whatever the network may be. - a t+ ticket is valid for all the metro network, without zone limit (like for bus and tram network), it only lilits to zone 1 for RER. - a pass including zone 1 allows to use all metro, but that doesn’t mean all metro is in zone 1, for exemple, a zone 2-3 pass allows you to use the metro but outside of paris. - how the hell did you get to issy val de seine in metro when this is not a metro station ?

[@77ladentelliere]

@@Leebpascal1 I used RER inside Paris to get to Issy Val de Seine that's why. It was some 20 years ago so things may have changed...

[@cr10001]

@@77ladentelliere You can get on a RER in Paris with a zone1 t+ ticket (same ticket that works for the Metro and trams), that doesn't mean that the extended RER network outside Paris is Metro or Zone 1.

[@andreyivanov7193]

My spouse and I just returned from Paris, and our experience with the ticket controllers was very unpleasant. We entered Pigalle station where the turnstiles were undergoing maintenance, and the doors were open for everyone. When the controllers approached us on the trains, we presented a bunch of newly purchased tickets. However, they began to act intimidatingly, as they were swiping our tickets on their machine and repeating that they were all invalid. Our initial confusion stemmed from the fact that we had just bought them. Despite our obvious confusion, the controllers didn't bother to explain the situation, even though it was clear we were tourists who might not fully understand. Instead, they continued to escalate the situation, insisting that this was a serious matter in Europe. Fortunately, my wife mentioned that the station we entered was undergoing maintenance. They then contacted that station and verified our story, proving we were not lying. We thought that persons who perform public service should have a better people's skills and don't embarrase the esteblishment they represent.

[@dieseldragon6756]

The issue here is that your tickets hadn't been *validated* prior to travel, as given in the video and in accordance with the conditions of carriage for the RATP Métro. Even if the gates are open you should validate your tickets by inserting them into any gate that displays the message « _Introducez votre Billet_ » (Insert your ticket) as this will mark the ticket with the date, time and station you entered at. 👍 In many countries the acts of _buying_ and _using_ tickets are legally separate functions so simply _buying_ a ticket from the machine at the station doesn't necessarily mean that you _used_ it from that station, as you might buy a ticket at station A to commence a journey from nearby station B where the ticket machines aren't working (Which is the expected behavior where that situation applies). That's why you need to validate your ticket at the point where you actually _use_ it, and is why non-validated tickets aren't considered valid for travel. 👮 (N.B: The above doesn't usually apply in countries like the UK where validation isn't normally used, but if in any doubt it's always best to check the rules *before* commencing your first journey. Staff at any station will be happy to explain how their system works, whether tickets need to be validated (And how one validates them) before travel, and any other important things you need to know as a first-timer. 😇)

[@Slotomnet]

I had the same experience a few weeks ago - the door not working. The controllers behaved like the Gestapo. My son was crying, they threatened us with the police. RATP - disgusting!!!

[@Slotomnet]

@@dieseldragon6756 According to your explanation, every tourist should also be a lawyer with a PhD. I UNDERSTAND that they punish people who travel without tickets, and rightly so. However, it is inadmissible and unacceptable that they legally "steal" from people who honestly bought tickets, but due to a confusing and dysfunctional system, they do not find their way and unknowingly and unintentionally commit an offence. There should be a tolerance for these cases. The Gestapo - controller could simply tell us to walk up to the WORKING gate and validate the tickets. That's what I call simple humanity. I hope you understand.

Hello, being a parisien, I love your videos. May I suggest you release a video on how to take line 14 from Orly. And how to buy a ticket there. There's a lot of confusion on this topic, especially due to the fact you cannot have a t+ on your phone app or easy pass and buy an Orly ticket.

[@Pammellam]

Goodness this is so complicated. The Tokyo metro is so much easier to use.

[@garthf9609]

Yes agree, its fantastic

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

no doubt

[@alanjameson8664]

Yes, very easy. Railway station signs in romaji (latin letters) as well as Japanese, and the names of stations before and after. The bus systems are not designed for use by foreigners, though. It has been a long time since I was in Japan, but back then there were not a lot of accommodations (e.g. elevators) for disabled people.

[@futurecanadian]

i am glad I got a Navigo pass a few years ago. Makes uses the Metro/RER a snap.

[@beverlywilcox4349]

Yes, as long as you have a local address (even an AirBnB), you can buy a Navigo pass that's good for several years, and just buy a monthly or weekly pass each time you visit Paris. Bring an ID photo that the clerk in the ticket booth can seal into the card. That's what the photo booths we saw in Amelie were for. 🙂

[@Redlions-b7w]

Great video

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

thank you

[@willemfendon2333]

Love the video!!! Great job on this!

[@LesFrenchiesTravel]

Thank you so much!!

[@diamonddave2622]

In my country this is called fare dodging. A hefty fine seems reasonable to me

[@honeypath]

Not so fast. Many PAY for tickets, but did not realize they had to have it at an exit. There is no way I could have snuck through the barrrier. So this is preying on others. Workers get to keep fines. After spending thousand on airfare and hotel, you think I want to risk sneaking on a train with a ten dollar fare. Don't think so.

[@cheapworldtraveller]

I'm probarly really lucky, but I've been to Paris countless times and I've never been checked by control. Didn't even know this was a serious thing. Didn't know about the writing your name on the ticket. So Thank You!

[@PalmBeachDog]

Could you imagine these rules on the NYC subway?

[@CathyS_Bx]

There would be pickets and general outrage! But it's fantastic that you can theoretically get on a train at the tippy top of the Bronx and ride all the way to Coney Island at the south of Brooklyn for one fare.

[@anaharaf9458]

Hi .. does anyone knows how can i make sure the ticket is valid beyond zone 1? Let's say i want to travel to VDG AIRPORT from Gare du nord

[@anaharaf9458]

Typo..CDG AIRPORT

[@johnnemeth6913]

I like the fine for putting your feet on the seat. That is extremely rude and very discourteous to the next person to sit in the seat. Behave yourself like a civilized person or else! For the rest of the fines, they should go easy on tourists. Wacking tourists for an honest mistake when you have an overly complex system doesn't exactly give a good impression of your city.

[@testman9541]

When traveling outsode zone 1, pay attention to the location of your destination. If the whole route is Metro line only you can go there with a T+ ticket. If not you need a "orogine-destination Ticket" a ticket with the name of the depart station/zone and the name of the destination station. Default origine is Paris (meaning here any station of zone1). Also there are some corner cases for odd routes, there you will be asked the "via"(going thri where) to get more precise tarrif. Be sure to get the exact origine-destination withe the right via (and not taking the other via eoute) or you can ger a fine. Last point you can ask for reclamation to try to get your fine away. You will have to explain why you were in "good faith" and think you should not be fined 🎉 I had an issue once where I forgot to have a ticket destination for La Defense via RER, en route, close to aroval, I noticed my mistake and knew I could not exit. I went thru all the station to find a ticket booth inside the RER station to get me the right ticket but none. On one exit I saw some controler and went to them to ask for help "hello I have the wrong ticket T+ how can I get the right one" I asked. The guy answere "control, your valid ticket please"🤦 I explained my mistake and my quest andasked again for help and the guy asked again for a valid ticket🤦🤦 He gave me a fine 🤦 I filled a reclamation describing everything and giving my T+ ticket as a proof of my mistake. Some week later they wrote back explaining the rules but trashing the fine 🎉

[@pascalolivier4458]

Controllers don't check tickets in metros. They are most of the time posted in one-way tunnels. You would get spotted if you decide to go the other way.

[@julienboyer]

But they will in RER. You will see a complete squad embark and sweep the train.

[@franc9111]

@@julienboyer Absolutely right.

[@ianchmp]

Airport trains are checked; tourists may get extra scrutiny.

[@beverlywilcox4349]

Not true, pascalolivier. They hang around near the exits. They are rare on the quais or in the cars, that's true. But let's not give people the idea that there are no controlleurs in the Metro.

[@isashax]

So there are still paper tickets! I will be in Paris for 3 days only and I need to figure out what's the best ticket for me. Also if there are combined tickets for bus and metro/rer. And for getting to and from Orly airport.

[@itsrainingcatsanddogs2651]

If they had a system like in Singapore, there would not be a reason for checking them in the train station. 1 reason for me not to visit Paris anymore.

[@cezilleramsey5225]

Im still here in USA , heading to Paris . Planning to have a day trip to Lisieux and another day trip to Vannes at St. Pierre Cathedral. Should I buy my train tickets now ? Or is theres a better and safer way to go in this places ? Specially if I have my Mom in here late 80s with me. Appreciate recommendations

[@colin.d]

I guess times have changed. Back in the 1980's I recollect they were quite relaxed about who used the Metro and certainly didn't have armies of Inspectors. Nowadays its all about money.

[@Durga695]

I did get 2 fines in the 80's and my Maman paid the fines, I was a student and not yet adult.

[@Halorose182]

I had an all zone day pass and it stopped working, as did my partners and my sons (at different times ) ended up needing to pay 15€ more just to get back to our hotel. The barriers just kept buzzing and showing a red X and no one was around to help. 😩