Paris trains, crowded beyond comprehension, not safe in Covid times

We’ve had no problems with the RER or the Métro in Paris, we’ve been here now for 9 days. What time of day were you on the RER from CDG? Rush hour maybe? We wear a mask on public transport, some others do as well, but most don’t.

We were in Paris last week, and as Susan commented the hour of day makes a different.
We were staying in Massy, visiting our son at the University, and we went back and forth most day. Going into Paris mid morning (10:30 ish) the Rer were pretty empty. Going back late in the the evening, 10pm ish they were also empty. The one time we went around rush time, it was as you describe for most of the ride.

“there is a major issue with trains in Paris right now.”

I’ve seen zero evidence of that in the 9 days i’ve been here.

Sounds like a rush hour encounter in a major city.

what time was the trip?

That was my question in my first post Nigel, i suspect it was rush hour but who knows… maybe a sports event. But it is not an all day, every day occurence here by any stretch. Title is misleading imo.

Sounds like Paris is back to normal these days. COVID19 is mutating and less deadly.
I have had COVID19 (two months after my booster) and not worried about it any more. We are traveling again.

geo, Very back to normal, just like the US.

AI, my thought exactly.

If someone is from a car culture and has never commuted in rush hour trains, they would be surprised and shocked. But it's a normal RER rush hour run.
We were talking last night about my commute when I was young: the RER B to the A, to the metro to get to the 17th, 1.5 hours. Back when the A was first built, we used to smell the sewers while stuffed in the car, shoulder to shoulder, trapped from Châtelet to Auber. Wasn't for claustrophobics who had good noses.

being jostled by 4 people is pretty normal if standing on the RER or even the London Underground or commuter trains anywhere including in New York. 8 people is more squish than I can imagine. I find it hard to imagine the angles we'd have to make to create 9 person knots.

Back from 7 days in Paris staying out at Marriott near Disney and Val d’Europe. Rode RER and Metro a lot each day and only found it and busses crowded during rush time. Like pre Covid! Only some people wore masks and we only wore ours sometimes. None of the 4 of us got Covid and we were sometimes in crowds in trains, busses, museums some street activities and airports and airplanes. This was our third trip to Europe this year ( making up for lost travel), and nobody in our group got covid, and I know lots of people that don’t travel that got covid here.

I was there three weeks ago the trains were only jammed during rush hour. However on the way to the airport from the main station in Paris we caught the 10 AM and it was quite jammed with other people going to the airport I was lucky to snag a seat.

There's full, crowded, and finally jammed. We all have our own definitions, but if you are still able to move to the only empty seat, I call that full. Crowded, means moving away from the door to the back is difficult but doable. Jammed means you're like a sardine.

Your definitions are correct Bets!

If you can get on a train, it’s not crowded! Crowded is when you have to wait for the next train as there’s no physical room. Then again, I have been a London commuter for years so I am used to squashing into tight spaces.

People can’t keep 2m distance on public transport. Rush hour will be busier.

It sounds like OP rode at rush hour when it's standing room only. While on vacation, I try never to use public transit at rush hour due to the crowded conditions. Welcome to big city commuting.

Precise language is important: the pandemic may be over but COVID is still around.

No, the pandemic in Europe was not over last summer. We had health passes and required tests that allowed us to have confidence in our fellow citizens. That's what gave us the freedom to live normal lives without too much fear. Everyone complied

No, it wasn't over in Europe --I got Delta in November despite the health pass and a lot of people I know in Europe had Omicron, including my extended family at Christmas.