Is it rude to talk on the train in Europe?

Nobody else wants to hear your conversation on the train. This doesn't mean you have to stop talking unless you are in a designated quiet train, but be mindful of the volume of your voice. Europeans are generally not as loud as Americans, and unfortunately, this is one way that we Americans stand out as tourists.



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Guests are asked to limit conversation and speak in subdued tones. Phone calls are not allowed and all portable electronic devices must be muted or used with headphones (passengers using headphones must keep the volume low enough so that the audio cannot be heard by other passengers).

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Guests are asked to limit conversation and speak in subdued tones. Phone calls are not allowed and all portable electronic devices must be muted or used with headphones (passengers using headphones must keep the volume low enough so that the audio cannot be heard by other passengers).

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Stand back: Always stay behind the yellow lines at train stations. Enter or exit a station platform at designated areas. Stay off the tracks: Train tracks, bridges and yards are private property. Never walk, bike, skateboard or run on or along the tracks; it's illegal and dangerous.

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Train carriages are especially troublesome. They're not only made out of large continuous pieces of signal-blocking metal, but hurtle along at high speeds. Both of these factors make it more difficult for your smartphone to lock on to the signal from a mast or antenna.

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By the time a train operator sees you, it is too late to stop the train in time. An oncoming train is moving faster and is closer to you than it appears. Similar to an airplane traveling at 150 mph that appears to float onto the runway, it's hard to determine a train's speed and distance from you.

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It depends on what you're eating. Discrete, low key snacking is fine as long as you clean up after yourself and leave no trace that your food was ever there. But eating something messy and smelly is probably a bit much. No not rude at all, but be aware of your travel companions and if your food smells bad to them.

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Anyway, don't blame the engineer: They're required to blow that horn. The regulation in question is called the Final Rule on the Use of Locomotive Horns—a name that strongly implies they've had just about enough of your bitching—and it requires four blasts 15 to 20 seconds before every crossing.

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