ooodsie

Can't seem to find this information online..
We are taking the train in Sept, and I have asthma and want to prepare for there being smoking around me or not.

adrienne

I can tell you that that train was non smoking in 1993. I haven't seen smoking allowed on western European trains in years. You can't even smoke in a French train station.

If there's no option for smoking/non smoking compartments I would bet that the train is entirely non smoking (still).

PalenQ

U would not bet my life however on folks at night not going out and smoking say between the compartments.

ooodsie

Thanks - I wasn't sure. I had read a review online that said "the hallways were full of people smoking" and I didn't know if it was allowed, or if those people were just sneaking a cigarette in during the middle of the night.

PalenQ

what is legal and what is allowed may be different - recently on a Eurostar train to London some French kids were openly smoking in between the cars

and once not long ago in Italy a conductor was puffing away whilst checking tickets in a non-snoking car - now as all trains are non-smoking I do not think he may do this

But also recently in a Paris train station where no-smoking signs are ubiquitous I saw two ticket checkers smoking although they were quite caution about this, having their lit cigarettes down in a small hole and periodically taking a puff on them.

You should not whiff any smoke on the Artesia train but I would not bet my life on it - especially late at night when the conductor is not around and folks may sneak a smoke in the hallways.

ooodsie

Do you happen to know if you can exit your sleeper car and go to regular seats should you not be able to sleep/feel claustrophobic & want a change of scenary?

adrienne

French night trains are couchette/sleeper only but you can walk around from car to car. There should be a buffet car to sit in although I don't know how late it stays open.

PalenQ

Many night trains and the Artesia is one I believe do not have regular seats - just sleeping cars and couchette cars - sleeping cars with private singles, doubles and triples - couchette chars all 4- or 6- person couchettes. On domestic Frrench trains I believe there are no sleeping cars just couchette wagons and I believe there may at most be a small snack bar but maybe not even that - would not count on it. Domestic French trains I think also all couchette cars and no regular seated cars.

easytraveler

You really don't want to go too far away from your own "wagon", because different wagons may be going to different destinations. Even though when they decouple and recouple those wagons, the clatter could wake up the dead, I wouldn't want to be in a wagon headed for Timbucktoo instead of Venice.

If you get too claustrophobic, there are fold down seats in the hallway and you can just sit outside your compartment and watch the trees flash by in the dark. Really, most people get on the night train to do one thing - sleep. Some even will bring their pajamas and change into their pajamas - so don't get embarrassed either if a man in your compartment starts getting into his PJs.