Trapped Between the Doors of the Paris RER Train

The morning after our trip to Montmartre, Ellie and I decided to visit the majestic Palace of Versailles. To get to the there, we opted to take the RER, a ground level commuter train connecting the heart of Paris to outlying suburbs and popular destinations such as Disneyland. To do so, we first had to use the metro line that serves the city of Paris.

Ellie and I had no issues navigating the metro system or getting to the train station. In fact, we arrived with plenty of time to ensure that we were at the correct platform. Minutes before the next train arrived at the station a large crowd amassed. Hoping to be some of the first few people to board, Ellie and I stood just a few feet from the tracks. When the train pulled up, the closest door stopped a car ahead of us, so we couldn’t board as quickly as we anticipated. Less than a minute passed before the guard began hurrying passengers to board. With Ellie directly behind me, I quickly hopped on the train. Then suddenly, without any warning, the train doors forcefully slammed shut, pinning Ellie’s leg between them. She attempted extract her body from the doors to no avail. In my attempt to assist her, I tried opening the doors, but they would not budge.

No one inside the car made any motion remotely resembling an attempt to help us. To make matters worse, the train guard sternly demanded that Ellie board the train, as if he were unbothered (or simply unaware) of the fact that she was trapped in the door. Terrified that the train would begin to depart with her body partially exposed, Ellie desperately tried to free herself. But she couldn’t do it.

Finally, after witnessing Ellie, a man came forward and used his hulkish strength to pry the train doors open long enough for Ellie to free herself. Shocked and frightened by the turn of events, Ellie collapsed into my arms and burst into tears (likely releasing insane amounts of adrenaline). Still in disbelief of what happened and how terribly it could have ended, I held her tight.

Eventually, Ellie and I recovered. But, we will never forget that terrifying moment when she was trapped in the doors of the Paris RER train. I recommend that anyone using the Paris transit system (or any train for that matter) take extreme caution, especially given the reports of similar incidents in Paris.