Hoofhearted
Member
My son and I have just returned from a gruelling 15 day rail tour of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland Slovakia and Hungary. Due to the relatively cheap cost of rail travel in these countries we chose to book first class, when available. However, we were taken by surprise to discover that alcohol is banned on trains throughout the three Baltic states, and alcohol on Polish trains can only be consumed in the restaurant car, and only if purchased at the restaurant car. There were no issues in Slovakia and Hungary. We travel a lot by train throughout Europe and it is noticeable that the alcohol ban is spreading. Two years ago we had an uncomfortable confrontation with a ticket inspector on a Romanian train, when he marched me up to the toilet area to pour our cans down the sink. We've also noticed in the UK that alcohol is banned in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The alcohol ban appears to be spreading, and I can only assume that it must be due to drunkenness and assaults on railway staff, which I can quite understand. We had no problem with the ban, and adhered to it.
On another note, having booked first class on Latvian trains, whilst adhering to the no alcohol rule, my son and I were conversing whilst watching the scenery pass by leaving Riga. Next thing, the man sitting next to my son told us to stop talking, as this was the quiet coach! We were gobsmacked! Now our understanding of quiet coach in the UK, is no playing of music and movies, without headphones, no use of mobile phones, and no boisterous behaviour in that coach. But to ban a general conversation is simply ludicrous, in my opinion. Anyway, tension escalated, and the Train Manager was called. After a long discussion he offered us two seats in second class, whilst retaining first class privileges (tea/snacks etc). He was excellent in fact, and admitted that the rule is simply ridiculous, but must be enforced if someone complains.
I would pose this question - What if a family of four, with two very young children, choose to purchase first class tickets, and throughout the journey the children were screaming and bawling, as they do? How would that situation be resolved?
On another note, having booked first class on Latvian trains, whilst adhering to the no alcohol rule, my son and I were conversing whilst watching the scenery pass by leaving Riga. Next thing, the man sitting next to my son told us to stop talking, as this was the quiet coach! We were gobsmacked! Now our understanding of quiet coach in the UK, is no playing of music and movies, without headphones, no use of mobile phones, and no boisterous behaviour in that coach. But to ban a general conversation is simply ludicrous, in my opinion. Anyway, tension escalated, and the Train Manager was called. After a long discussion he offered us two seats in second class, whilst retaining first class privileges (tea/snacks etc). He was excellent in fact, and admitted that the rule is simply ridiculous, but must be enforced if someone complains.
I would pose this question - What if a family of four, with two very young children, choose to purchase first class tickets, and throughout the journey the children were screaming and bawling, as they do? How would that situation be resolved?
