As of Jan 18, 2005 all Italian trains have become non-smoking - joining the previou IC and Eurostar trains that had snuffed out smoking previously.

CAVEAT: Eurocity (EC), Eurocity Night (EN), Cisalpino (CIS) and Artesia trains within Italy have smoking areas. These are international trains which are not subject to exclusive Italian jurisdiction. All other trains in Italy are indeed nonsmoking.

Thank god - we only did one lengthy train trip in Italy - and it was hell. Even though we had a first class compartment - clearly non-smoking some locals got on in florence and procedded to light up. they at first pretended not to understand when we asked them to stop - then became quite rude - making several derisive remarks about americans and smoking mania.

We eventually had to get a conductor - who removed them only after we strongly insisted (like give me your name and badge # and we;re going to make a complaint in the station and insist on a refund if they're not out of here now).

I don't think they even had first class tickets - they never showed them - but just thought they could get over on the dumb tourists.

GAC: I thereby assume that these int'l trains are becoming crowded with domestic traffic of smokers forced off other trains? I've seen in France on TGVs, before smoking has been banned recently on these, that even smokers booked non-smoking seats and then would go to the smoking section to smoke - even they didn't want to sit in smoking. Maybe these int'l trains are becoming overcrowded?

GAC: do you know if the Artesia Day trains are all non-smoking - is int'l train but since France and Italy have banned smoking on trains (France TGVs only) but seems on this TGV-like service smoking would be banned?

CORRECTION: My posting of 2/11 is INCORRECT: Trenitalia has now announced on its website that smoking is ALSO banned on all international trains within Italian territory, even in railcars or areas marked as for "smokers".

So, even if you're travelling on a Eurocity (EC) train (e.g. Rome to Munich via Florence, Bologna, Verona, Trento, Bolzano), smoking will be banned at least all the way to the BRENNER PASS. Once over the Italian border, the rules of a different nation (e.g. Austria, Switzerland, France, Slovenia) will apply.

Hence, both the Cisalpino and the Artesia trains will be totally non-smoking once in Italian territory!

Perhaps crossing a national boundary within the EEC will once again signify something!