Bir-Hakeim — Local services in Paris

Worst Experience as a first-time tourist in Paris – Ticket controllers/inspectors were rude, aggressive, unhelpful and had no mercy. I was travelling with my family – five of us (2 adults and 3 kids) at 10pm. The experience was so bad that my kids cried at the station. The inspectors were yelling at us. All I was asking from the ticket inspectors was for identification and reason for charging us 60 euros x 3. I had all the tickets with me (Paid for at the station) and I used the disabled gate for my kids, so they do not get stuck or scared. I was told to pay 180 euros on the spot, or they will call the police, even the embassy. Treated as fare dodgers and criminals for one small mistake of using a disabled access for my kids. Even not allowed google on my phone to check if the 60 euros were legit, they blamed me for trying to film the situation. I believe the right amount/fine for not validating the tickets should have been 35 euros instead of 60 euros as ‘Franchissement illicite’. Felt helpless at that time, an experience I will not forget. No need to pick on tourists especially when they do not speak the language fluently. Felt Bullied and harassed by them. Never Ever. My advice is to get a breakdown of the fine you are paying, don’t just go with their words and get their identification (Name and department). Don’t get scammed in Metro Paris, inspectors might be working on commissions so good luck...

Warning for tourists & families with strollers! Our experience at the metro entrance near the Eiffel Tower was very unpleasant. We were a family with one child and a stroller. My wife was specifically targeted while I was just a few meters away. Inspectors spoke little English and seemed to be looking for immediately payable fines. Three children were crying during the inspection of other also inspected families, creating a highly stressful situation.

Although our weekly tickets were valid (just without a photo) and we were told at the ticket counter that we had two days to add a photo, the inspectors initially demanded €75 per ticket, later “generously” reduced to €50 after discussion. Threatening to involve the police would have made it even more expensive. The lead inspector was very aggressive.

The system is complicated and seems to exploit weaknesses deliberately – especially for families, strollers. On buses, tickets must be validated too; boarding at the back with a stroller makes validation in the front difficult, especially on crowded tourist routes.

We felt unwelcome as tourists in Paris. We have never experienced such aggressive treatment in other major cities worldwide.

Conclusion: Be cautious, allow extra time, and pay special attention to stroller and...

The station is quite nice but we were on the way to visit the Eiffel Tower and it was our second time in Paris. We got off the train and went down the stairs and there were two ticket checkers and we queued up to check our tickets and there were 3 of us and the woman said that one of the tickets weren't validated and we wanted to argue but there was no point. But seriously, how can the ticket not be validated if we put the ticket in the barrier machine, we took it from the other side and it opened, then they told us to pay a fine of 35€ and go to the kiosk and replace the faulty ticket, the woman checking those tickets, I know she was doing her job but she wasn't even trying to understand the situation from our perspective. NOTE TO to TOURISTS: MAKE SURE YOU CHECK THAT YOUR TICKET HAS BEEN VALIDATED WITH A TIMESTAMP AT THE BACK OF YOUR TICKET, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK PEOPLE...