A LOUD PHONE CALL COULD COST YOU €150 — AND IN SOME PLACES, EVEN MORE. A case in France sparked a major debate after a passenger at Nantes train station was fined for using his phone on speaker. Staff reportedly warned him that the loud conversation was disturbing others, but he continued the call. He was then fined €150, with the amount later rising to €200 when he didn’t pay immediately.

The incident quickly went viral because loud phone conversations are one of those everyday annoyances almost everyone has experienced. Some people praised the fine, saying public transport should be a shared space where passengers respect one another. Others argued that €150 was far too harsh for something they considered ordinary behavior. The debate quickly became less about one passenger and more about where the line between bad manners and punishable behavior should be drawn.

France isn’t the only place where noise rules can apply on public transport. In parts of Europe, regulations can prohibit sounds that disturb other passengers, while countries such as Japan have long discouraged phone calls on trains through strong social expectations. Quiet carriages and requests to use headphones are also becoming increasingly common. 📵

So, what should travelers do? Keep your phone volume low, use headphones when possible, and avoid speakerphone calls in crowded shared spaces. Rules and enforcement can vary by country, city, and transport system, so don’t assume something tolerated at home will be acceptable elsewhere. Sometimes the easiest way to avoid a €150 surprise is simply to remember that your phone conversation isn’t necessarily private once you’re in public.