When my son and I visited Japan recently, we rode public transportation nearly everywhere we went. As a longtime travel writer, I always do my best to blend in and not stand out as a tourist.
But even after all these years, I still have embarrassing moments occasionally that scream, “I’m a tourist here.”
In Japan, that moment arrived one day after we hopped on a train in Tokyo on our way home from a museum. In our rush to catch the train, we didn’t look at the sign above the door of the train car we had stepped onto. As the train was leaving the station, I glanced around the car at our fellow passengers ― all of whom were women or girls. Many of them were looking at us wide-eyed. It was only then that I noticed the bright pink sticker above the train car door, which said “Women only,” much to my mortification.
Overlooking signage and local customs on public transportation is just one of the ways travelers inadvertently announce their status. Read on for a closer look at public transportation habits that separate travelers from locals.
Talking loudly.
For more than two years now, Wisconsin native Meredith Thomas, owner and lead writer for the blog “Two Packs and a Pup,” has been traveling around the world with her husband full-time. The couple has used public transportation across Europe, Asia and Latin America. And after all of that traveling, she said there’s one tourist habit on public transportation that’s a dead giveaway: talking loudly with your travel partner.
“While cultural norms for public transit vary, in most countries, they’re a relatively quiet space,” Thomas told HuffPost. “Locals are frequently commuting on their own, and will spend their ride on their phone or reading a book.”
Few things proclaim “I’m a tourist” more than a group of people chatting loudly, especially in a foreign language, added Thomas. In addition to making you stand out, speaking loudly is likely to earn you a few dirty looks from the locals.
Thomas’ advice? “Instead, know your route and respect the space by remaining quiet during the ride.”
Repeatedly studying route maps.
Raise your hand if you have a habit of double- and triple-checking a route map when using public transportation in another country. (Raising mine.) I look at the route map found above train car doors repeatedly when traveling in a new place. And if I’m not looking at the map above the door, I’m likely studying it on my phone, when it’s available electronically.
Florida resident Dawn Younts recently visited Istanbul with her family and said they were guilty of doing the same thing while in Turkey. “One of the easiest ways to tell we were tourists on the Metro was how much attention we were paying to everything,” said Younts, co-founder of the tour company Explore Egyptian Nile Adventures.
“We were studying the route maps inside the trains and on the platforms, counting stops, repeatedly checking station names and hesitating while we figured out which platform and direction we needed,” Younts added. “Local passengers weren’t doing any of that — they knew where they were going and just moved.”
Failing to follow escalator etiquette.
Just like in many cities in the U.S., the custom in Spain is to stand on the right side of an escalator if you plan to stand still ― that includes when entering or exiting a Metro station. But Allison Sicking, an American expat who relocated to Barcelona two years ago, said tourists don’t always follow this unspoken rule.
“In Spain, everyone knows that you stand on the right side of the escalator. This allows people who are in a hurry to pass you on the left. Not doing so is basically a cardinal sin,” said Sicking, founder of the travel website Splendidly Spain. “Whenever I see someone standing on the left side and blocking the passage, I instantly know they’re probably not from here. And it usually won’t be long before disgruntled locals holler at you to step aside.”
Guido Mieth via Getty Images
These habits don’t just make you stand out when you’re on public transportation. They could make you a prime target for scammers.
Forgetting to press the stop button.
Another common tourist habit when traveling in a new place, particularly throughout Europe, is forgetting to press the stop button on buses, according to Sicking
“In Spain and many places in Europe, buses don’t stop automatically at every stop. You actually have to press the stop button before your stop to let the driver know you want to get off,” Sicking explained.
This is also true in many cities in the U.S., like New York and Washington, D.C., as well.
“I’ve seen tourists realize too late that the bus isn’t slowing down, miss their stop completely, and then scramble to figure out where to get off and how to get back. It’s a pretty clear sign that someone isn’t familiar with how the local bus system works,” Sicking added.
Leaving your backpack on.
If you’ve used public transportation with any amount of regularity when traveling, you’ve likely witnessed this scene: Groups of travelers getting on a bus or train all wearing backpacks.
To be clear, using a backpack is not a bad thing, said Sarah Pardi, a travel adviser and American expat who lives in Paris. But it’s not unusual for out-of-towners to leave their backpacks on, something locals wouldn’t do.
“Tourists aren’t trying to get in the way or cause any issues; it’s just a matter of not being aware of the local etiquette,” Pardi said. “On the metro, if it’s busy, it’s best to take your backpack off and hold it in front of you, or put it on the floor between your legs, so you take up as little room as possible. If you’re sitting, you should always take your backpack off and put it in your lap, or between your feet on the ground.”
Still, Pardi doesn’t fault the traveler. “When the etiquette is unspoken, the only way to learn is to see it in action, or read it somewhere,” she said.
Holding your phone casually.
One last public transportation habit (faux pas) that’s common among travelers is pulled from my own life experiences: During a recent spring break, I took my son to London to introduce him to a city I’ve loved since my very first visit as a teenager. During the course of our 10-day stay, we took the Underground (subway) everywhere, crisscrossing the city to see Buckingham Palace, the Natural History Museum, the Tower of London and more. And, like I do at home in the United States, I fell into the habit of just slipping my cellphone in my pocket while on the train. You can probably see where this is going, right?
One afternoon, as we rode from South Kensington to Piccadilly Circus, an especially friendly stranger on the train began chatting up my son. And I happily leaned into the conversation to hear what the woman was saying and speak with her also. A few minutes later, we got off the train at Piccadilly Circus and I reached into my coat pocket to get my phone out. And as I’m sure you’ve guessed by now, it was no longer there.
I panicked (melted down really). I was totally embarrassed for making such a rookie mistake. I should have known better than to just slide my phone into my pocket. Instantly, I knew the stranger who spoke with my son was likely part of a pickpocketing team and her job was to distract us so the phone could be taken.
Sicking said she can spot tourists in Spain simply by how they carry their phones and bags on public transportation. “Barcelona is especially notorious for pickpocketing, and metro stations and buses are basically ground zero for pickpockets,” she explained.
“Most locals are very aware of their personal belongings, and it’s not uncommon to see people using a phone leash, tether, or strap to keep their phone secure,” Sicking continued. “Whenever I see someone casually holding their phone out in the open or carrying an open purse without paying much attention to it, I can usually tell they’re visiting. Locals know just how quickly a phone or wallet can disappear if you’re not careful.”
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