The vast majority of passengers probably don’t even know about most of these rules, and might explain why quite a few people ignore them.

But here’s a list of things you could receive a fine for if the transport police catch you:

Not paying for a ticket

Forcing your way into the Metro station by jumping the barriers (something that you will almost certainly have seen several people doing in Paris) will cost you a €60 fine on the spot, and will go up to €110 for the following 3 months if you are caught twice.

If you are caught travelling without a valid ticket you’ll have to pay €50 on the spot, or €100 if you decide to pay later, so make sure you hold on to that tiny piece of paper throughout your journey.

Transport operator RATP has stepped up on controls in the past few years, declaring a war on train fare dodgers who cost the transport network a whopping €1 million a day, with 8.9 percent of passengers not paying the correct fare or not paying at all.

Forgetting your luggage

Leaving a bag or a suitcase on the Metro will cost you a €60 fine on the spot, or €110 if you pay within the following two months. Lost or abandoned luggage is a regular cause of service halts as it triggers a security alert.

Putting your feet up on the seat

This is also susceptible of a fine

Being loud and disturbing other passengers

This one may seem surprising, given that the Metro is hardly a peaceful place. Most of the time it’s noisy with buskers or people playing loud music. But only those with an authorisation are allowed to play in the Metro’s passageways. They must gain their spot by first passing an audition for Metro Musicians.

For everyone else, what the RATP calls trouble de la tranquilité (disturbing the peace of others) incurs a €60 fine and this includes aggressive begging.

Smoking

Breaking the no-smoking rules is slightly heftier fine of €68.

Failing to wear a mask

Masks have been compulsory on all public transport in France since May 11th last year. However, in Paris and other French towns and cities people are required to wear masks on the street at all times.

Fines for not wearing a mask start at €135, and you can also be fined for not wearing one correctly ie covering both your mouth and nose.

Bringing your bicycle

Bicycles are generally not allowed on the Metro, except on Line 1 on Sundays and public holidays until 4:30pm. Taking them on the escalators is forbidden, so even if you decide to do this, you may have to carry it up quite a few stairs since not all stations have lifts.

Scooters are allowed but should be folded and should definitely not be ridden at speed along the platforms (although you will see people do this).

On the other hand, you are allowed to take your bicycle on the RER trains, but only outside peak hours, so not between 6:30am and 9am or between 4:30pm and 7pm. 

Distributing leaflets

The distribution of leaflets or flyers, whether political or commercial, should be done in Metro trains or stations.

Praying

As a public place, laïcité rules (the view that religion should be exercised in private) apply on public transport. Praying on the Metro is therefore not allowed. 

Talking

Ok this is not actually prohibited, but the Académie de médecine recently suggested commuters avoid speaking and answering the telephone when using public transport, even with a mask on, to avoid infecting other passengers with Covid.

Since the 2 metre physical distancing rule is practically impossible to follow in the Metro on January 22nd the Académie suggested replacing this with the simple precaution of keeping your mouth shut, in order to prevent further spread of the virus variants.

The recommendation received mixed reactions from passengers, but the question of how this would be enforced is a whole other debate.