Public transport etiquette

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As anyone that regularly travels on public transport will tell you, there is a certain etiquette to abide by which helps to make what can be a packed and unpleasant experience a little bit easier to manage. It is hard to know what the do’s and don’ts are for someone who does not use public transport often which can make it even more intimidating. Here is all that you need to know.

Keep Conversation to a Minimum 

First, you should always try to keep conversations to a minimum especially if you are on a packed train/tube/bus. People do not want to hear your conversations when in a cramped environment like this, so it is best to stay quiet. While it is okay to listen to music on headphones, you should avoid having a conversation on your phone or playing music through your phone without headphones.

Keep Bags Out the Way 

It is frustrating when you are on packed public transport when somebody is taking up a huge amount of space with their bag. This is why you need to keep it out the way as much as possible and never place the bag on a seat which someone could be sitting on.

Respect Privacy 

As with any situation, you should always respect people’s privacy while on public transport. This means not staring at people, being respectful and not initiating unsolicited conversations.

Give Up Seats 

If you have a seat on public transport but there is someone that gets on that needs it more than you, such as an elderly person, pregnant woman or someone on crutches, you should always offer your seat to them.

 Keep a Clear Walkway 

If possible you should try to avoid being in the aisle so that there is always a clear walkway. This can be challenging during rush hour during which you simply need to be willing to move out the way and help people to get on/off if they are struggling.

Let People Off First 

One of the biggest gripes that people have when using transport is people trying to get on before people get off. This is because these people need to get off at that destination and also because it means that there are more people on the transport than need to be which takes up more space.

Short & Long Distance 

You may find that the etiquette changes depending on the type of transport and the length of the journey. For a short 20-minute train journey from Hatfield Herts to Stevenage, for example, you should try to get a seat near the door, keep quiet, avoid eating and give up seats to those that need them more.

It is important to learn the proper public transport etiquette as not to annoy others while travelling. Generally, using common sense and decency is key and it is easy to quickly get the hang of things after a few trips.

Photo caption Roman Fox via Unsplash