Eurostar Italia: Smoking Cars to be banned March 1st
 

Today's Corriere della Sera reports that, effective March 1, 2004, dedicated smoking railcars on all Eurostar Italia trains, and on certain newer Intercity (IC) trains, will be forever BANNED. It will no longer be necessary to request seating in non-smoking railcars of Eurostar Italia trains. No smoking will be allowed on any part of any Eurostar Italia train (this rule already affects all local trains in Italy: Regionale, Interregionale and Diretto).

Beginning on March 1st, smoking will continue be allowed only on dedicated cars on Espresso (long distance night) trains and on older-model Intercity (IC) trains. Smoking will be phased out, even on these select trains, over a two year period. In the meantime, non-smoking travelers should continue requesting seat reservations on NON-SMOKING cars of Intercity (IC) trains.

Travelers who ignore the new non-smoking rule and who "light up" where prohibited, can be fined 7 Euros per transgression.

Oh well. This means, of course, that people will smoke in the non-smoking cars.

Or at least they will all hover at the end of the cars smoking with the smoke wafting through the entire car.

Ira, I bet you are right. And now, people will try to smoke in ALL the non-smoking cars, because if you are going to break the rules, you may as well do it wherever the heck you feel like it.

And 7 Euros doesn't seem like much of a fine. I know lots of people who would pay ten bucks to have a cigarette in a place where they aren't allowed to smoke.

I think it is great. It is a major step for Europeans to ban smoking anywhere. I hope the restaurants are next so I can consider going to Europe in the colder months instead of always having to worry about dining outside. This definitely made my day!

HALLELUIAH!!

Of course, the pessimists will always have reason to complain.

No, Ira they won't and in my recent experience haven't been...AMERICANS will be the ones who are in the vestibules smoking!

And there was much rejoicing.

I was on a commuter train to Naples a few years ago when a conductor read a passenger the riot act when he lit up a cigarette -- and the other (Italian) passengers gave him a hard time too! So there is hope.

Weren't the smoking cars on the Eurostar trains placed so that non-smokers didn't have to pass thru them on the way to the dining car or the snackbar/drink car? I had thought I read or heard that somewhere? Regards, Walter

Paradise Lost: yes, this was the reported practice (which might not be followed 100% of the time if additional railcars were added at intermediate stops); however, on-board ticket agents ("Controllore") were still exposed to massive amounts of second-hand smoke so, like flight attendants, now directly benefit from the total ban on smoking. It also helps not having to sit in a non-smoking car which had previously been used as a smoking car (and the tobacco smell has soaked into the seats and carpet).

OK, its been a couple of months now - anybody have an update?

Just returned from Italy. Took a Eurostar from Verona Porta Nuova to Milano Centrale. No smoking anywhere on the train. No need to request a non-smoking compartment.

Ditto for all other trains in Italy excepting "traditional" Intercity trains, where there remain (until next year) at least one smoking car for both first and second class (you should specify non-smoking on Intercity trains).

Thanks for the update. Hope your trip to Italy was a good one.