Pickpocketing is the single most common crime against tourists, and crowded buses, metros, and trains are where it happens most. It isn't violent — it relies on the crush of bodies, a moment of distraction, and a wallet in an easy-to-reach pocket. Rome's bus 64, which runs from Termini station to the Vatican, is so notorious that locals nicknamed it for it. Here's exactly how transit pickpockets operate and the simple habits that beat them.
How Public Transport Pickpocketing Works
The crush is the cover. Pickpockets favor the moment a crowd surges at the doors of a bus or train, when everyone is pressed together and a bump goes unnoticed. They frequently work in teams: one person blocks or jostles you (sometimes pretending to lose balance or struggle with the doors), a second lifts your wallet or phone, and a third takes the item and walks off, so even if you sense something, the thief no longer has it. Distraction versions add a spilled item, a loud argument, or a friendly stranger asking a question. A subtler trick is the fake warning — a sign or a "helpful" local mentioning pickpockets, which makes travelers instinctively pat the pocket holding their wallet, revealing exactly where it is.
Where You'll Encounter It
On busy transit in every major tourist city, especially routes that connect the big sights:
- Rome: the 64 bus (Termini to the Vatican) and the 40 express, plus crowded Metro Line A toward the Spanish Steps and Vatican, and Termini station itself.
- Barcelona: the metro — particularly the green L3 line to the main sights — and the stops along La Rambla.
- Athens and Paris: the Athens metro to the Acropolis and the airport line; in Paris, Line 1 and the RER B from the airport.
The Red Flags
- A sudden, unnecessary crush against you when there's actually room.
- Someone blocking the door or fumbling right in front of you as you board.
- A commotion, spill, or stranger's question that pulls your attention.
- People standing too close on a not-very-full carriage.
- An unprompted "watch out for pickpockets" that makes you check your pocket.
How to Avoid It
Carry valuables in a front pocket or a zipped bag worn across your front — never in a back pocket, an open tote, or a jacket pocket you can't see. Keep a hand resting on your bag during the boarding and exiting crush, which is the highest-risk moment. Don't keep your phone and wallet together, and leave spare cards and your passport in the hotel safe. If there's a staged distraction, resist the urge to grab for your wallet (which shows a thief where it is) — instead, calmly hold your bag and create space. For a short, notorious route like Rome's bus 64, walking or taking a taxi sidesteps the problem entirely. On a travel day, when you have checked out but cannot check in yet, hauling luggage onto a packed metro or bus makes you a slow, obvious target; dropping your bags at a luggage-storage point lets you move light and stay alert.
What to Do if You're Pickpocketed
Get off at the next stop and move to a safe, busy place. Report the theft to local police (dial 112 across the EU) and get a written report — you'll need it for any travel-insurance or card claim. Call your bank and card issuers immediately to cancel stolen cards and flag charges. If your phone was taken, use another device to lock and erase it remotely. Back home, watch your accounts and, if your details were exposed, see our guides on what to do after a scam, how to report it, and freezing your credit. If you do not already have cover, a travel insurance policy is what actually reimburses a stolen phone or wallet, so it is worth arranging before any trip.
See the full destination guides for every scam you'll meet on the ground, area by area.
Tourist scams in Rome →Frequently Asked Questions
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