Bucharest doesn’t have an official manual for riding the metro, but it does have an unofficial school of urban survival, with daily lessons, no announcements, and no written exams. Here, diplomas don’t matter — only how quickly you learn the unwritten rules, those reflexes that save you from elbows, sighs, and dagger-like glares. Seasoned commuters know them by heart and follow them instinctively, while “newbies” discover them the hard way — sometimes quite literally. It’s a social code that’s never taught but is learned fast, because no one forgets the first time they blocked the escalator or tried to get into the carriage before everyone else got out.

1. Stand on the right on the escalator
The right side is for standing, the left is for those sprinting as if they’re catching the last train to freedom. Block the left, and prepare for an avalanche of sighs and passive-aggressive “excuse me”s.

2. Let people exit before you enter
Yes, it’s tempting to leap into the carriage like it’s the last lifeboat. But if you don’t make way for those getting off, you’ll quickly learn how creative Bucharest locals can be with whispered insults.

3. Don’t block the doors
Holding the door is heroic only in the movies. On the metro, it’s just an efficient way to delay the whole train and collect stares sharp enough to cut steel.

4. Keep it down
We’re all curious about what your aunt from Ploiești is telling you, but trust us — we can live without it. Headphones aren’t expensive, and they save human relationships.

5. Personal space is real
Even at rush hour, there’s an art to not pressing your face into someone’s shoulder. Those who master the urban “buffer” are already a step ahead in the metro hierarchy.

6. Don’t turn the carriage into your living room
Seats are for people, not for your oversized backpack. And if you put your groceries on a seat, don’t be surprised when someone sits on them without apologizing.

In Bucharest, taking the metro isn’t just about getting from A to B. It’s a daily test of patience, coordination, and diplomacy. Follow the unwritten rules and you might just make it through with your nerves (mostly) intact.

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