Let people exit before you enter: the rule that fixes everything
Let passengers exit the metro before you board. Why alighting first is faster for everyone, and what every Indian metro's official guidelines say.
Public transport, elevators, escalators
Metros, buses, trains, autos, cabs, escalators, elevators. The shared spaces that move us. Indian transit etiquette is rapidly evolving (the metro generation behaves differently from the bus generation). We document where it's going.
16 lessons 46 min in total
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Token vs smart card vs UPI: the 30-second decision
Token, smart card or UPI on the metro: which payment suits which rider, why a smart card is cheaper per trip, and how to skip the counter queue.
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Stand right, walk left: the rule and its exceptions
Stand right, walk left on an escalator: the simple rule, when standing on the right is the right call, and how one polite line clears a blockage.
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The elevator: the 4 unspoken rules
The four unspoken lift rules: let people exit first, move to the back, take button duty by the panel, and why the overload buzzer means one person steps off.
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Holding the door, calling another car, and the 8-floor rule
Holding a lift door freezes the whole building's wait. When it is fair to hold it, why pressing both up and down wastes a car, and the 8-floor stairs rule.
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The bus rush, the line solution
The bus door is the bottleneck, not the bus. Why a scrum slows everyone, how single-file boarding works, and keeping your pass or change ready.
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The window-seat economy of the long-route bus
On a booked long-route bus the seat is allotted, not first-come. How to claim your printed seat number politely, and the etiquette of swapping the window.
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AC coach conduct: lights, blanket, the 3-AM cough
AC coach etiquette after 10 pm: lights off except the night lamp, phone audio only on earphones, and how to travel considerately with a cough or cold.
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Sleeper class: the upper berth, the lower berth, the side
Sleeper class berth etiquette: the lower berth is shared seating by day, sleeping hours run 10 pm to 6 am, and who gets first claim on the lower berths.
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Priority seats: who, when, how to give it up
Who priority seats on Indian metros and buses are for, when an able-bodied passenger should vacate one, and how to give it up without making it awkward.
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Your bag is not a passenger
On a crowded bus or metro, a bag on the seat beside you keeps a standing passenger on their feet. Why baggage belongs on your lap or the floor, not a seat.
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Eating on the metro: India, Singapore, Tokyo, London
Can you eat on the metro? The rules across India, Singapore, Tokyo and London, the fines for getting it wrong, and what food travels well where it's allowed.
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The speakerphone problem: the headphones answer
Playing videos on speakerphone in a metro or bus broadcasts your audio to everyone nearby. Why your sound should stay in your head, and the cheap fix.
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The auto driver as fellow human
An auto driver ending a long shift is a person, not a fare machine. Why settling the fare upfront, skipping the harsh haggle, and basic courtesy cost nothing.
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The cab driver, the meter, and the route
App cab fares and routes are set by the platform, not the driver. Why trusting the route, paying as agreed, and rating honestly protect a driver's livelihood.
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E-scooters and shared bikes: parking, lanes, helmets
Where you leave a shared e-scooter matters as much as how you ride it. Park clear of footpaths and ramps, ride in the right lane, and wear the helmet.
