RATP: €150 fine for taking a TV on the Métro

After buying a television, a passenger was issued with a €150 fine, reigniting the debate on social media.

Last year, a 24-year-old woman was fined by RATP for carrying a plant deemed too large. The case attracted such widespread attention that RATP eventually reversed its position, reimbursed the passenger and even amended the rules on its website. Nevertheless, uncertainty remains. This weekend, a 27-year-old Parisian was unpleasantly surprised to receive a €150 penalty because of a television.

A year after the plant-on-the-Métro controversy, it appears RATP may not have learned from its mistakes. This fine for “carrying a ‘dangerous or cumbersome’ object” is already prompting considerable discussion and highlighting the real paradox faced by people in the Île-de-France region.

€150 for taking a TV on the Métro

Some Sundays are better than others. For this Parisian, Sunday 28 June 2026 proved to be an expensive one. Having just bought a new television from Fnac, he was travelling home by public transport when RATP officers stopped him at Concorde Métro station. They considered the box - 150 cm long, 90 cm wide and 15 cm deep - too bulky. The outcome was a €150 fine. The passenger has shared his disbelief on social media.

RATP rules on bulky items remain unclear

Following the “plant controversy”, RATP changed the rules displayed on its website. They had been seen as overly rigid, as the precise permitted luggage dimensions prevented people from taking large suitcases with them. RATP’s rules now rely on common sense, but remain vague enough to create uncertainty. In writing, “packages, bags or luggage that you can carry alone are permitted, provided they do not inconvenience other passengers or obstruct their movement”.

Although the examples mention a gas cylinder, an unfolded bicycle and household appliances without much detail, it is still unclear what size is actually classed as cumbersome.

RATP’s position may be understandable during peak periods. In this particular case, however, the man was fined at 4 pm on a Sunday, when passenger numbers were not at their highest.

Passengers can challenge a RATP fine

RATP stresses that its rules “address a genuine concern”, because “bulky objects are a real source of irritation for [its] passengers, who complain about them regularly”. Even so, it points out that the passenger can challenge the fine through customer services within the next three months.

In any event, this latest controversy exposes a genuine paradox for people in the Île-de-France region: while they are being encouraged to give up their cars, they are also made to face difficulties when using the Métro to take home all of their purchases.