On "Dry" trains....

[kristiang85]

Good news for those who want to bring alcoholic souvenirs back from France/Belgium - Eurostar have updated their website: https://twitter.com/seatsixtyone/status/1143896272954413057

Typically, we limit consumption on board to:

• 4 bottles / cans of beer or 1 bottle of wine per person
• No large bottles of spirits

We appreciate that passengers often want to bring a few bottles back from their trip and we are happy for customers to bring unopened bottles of alcohol to take on to their destination. Any passengers with large quantities can use EuroDespatch, our registered luggage service.

That's far more sensible. It seems the second paragraph was omitted from the website originally, which started this furore.

 

[Spurs]

Good news for those who want to bring alcoholic souvenirs back from France/Belgium - Eurostar have updated their website: https://twitter.com/seatsixtyone/status/1143896272954413057



That's far more sensible. It seems the second paragraph was omitted from the website originally, which started this furore.

Now that makes sense. It also means that someone e.g. having a 5th can, or a small amount of spirits, is highly unlikely to be picked up on so long as they're not causing trouble, but there's a clear rule in place they can use to stop anyone who is

 

[sheff1]

No, as there is no national "dry train" policy, and the two "TOCs" who do have that policy, LO and Merseyrail, permit carrying unopened alcohol as long as it remains unopened.

On Scotrail, you cannot drink alcohol on board between 2100 or 1000. "Visible" unopened alcohol is also banned.

 

[Spurs]

On Scotrail, you cannot drink alcohol on board between 2100 or 1000. "Visible" unopened alcohol is also banned.

Well, a ban on invisible alcohol would certainly be entertaining to enforce!

 

[Matt_pool]

Good news for those who want to bring alcoholic souvenirs back from France/Belgium - Eurostar have updated their website: https://twitter.com/seatsixtyone/status/1143896272954413057



That's far more sensible. It seems the second paragraph was omitted from the website originally, which started this furore.

But how big can the bottle of beer be? I assume I will be able to take 4 x 75cl bottles of strong, 8.5% abv Belgian beer on the train. But I will only be allowed 1 x 75cl bottle of wine!

 

[johnnychips]

No you can bring back what you like as long as it’s unopened. But on the train you can only drink four bottles/cans of beer or a bottle of wine. Much more sensible policy.

 

[kristiang85]

But how big can the bottle of beer be? I assume I will be able to take 4 x 75cl bottles of strong, 8.5% abv Belgian beer on the train. But I will only be allowed 1 x 75cl bottle of wine!

If you can drink 3 litres of 8.5% beer in two hours then there is more of an issue than the train rules!

 

[Spurs]

If you can drink 3 litres of 8.5% beer in two hours then there is more of an issue than the train rules!

But on a three hour train to Brussels or a five hour train to Amsterdam or a seven-and-a-half hour train to Marseille...

 

[kristiang85]

But on a three hour train to Brussels or a five hour train to Amsterdam or a seven-and-a-half hour train to Marseille...

I'm sure Brussels is only two hours?

But yes I forgot they went to Amsterdam.

Surely to Marseille the passenger changes in Paris, and thus will be on SNCF/TGV rules thereafter?

 

[i4n]

Surely to Marseille the passenger changes in Paris, and thus will be on SNCF/TGV rules thereafter?

There's direct E* trains

 

[kristiang85]

There's direct E* trains

Really? Every day is a school day.

 

[Indigo Soup]

There's direct E* trains

Well, directish - everyone has to get off at Lille with all their luggage to do border checks, then get back on. In effect it's London to Lille and Lille to Marseilles, which happen to use the same train.

 

[kristiang85]

Well, directish - everyone has to get off at Lille with all their luggage to do border checks, then get back on. In effect it's London to Lille and Lille to Marseilles, which happen to use the same train.

Absoutely off topic I know, but I'm sure there's a quick answer: why do these checks happen for Marseille and not when it leaves Lille for Brussels or Paris?

 

[Indigo Soup]

Absoutely off topic I know, but I'm sure there's a quick answer: why do these checks happen for Marseille and not when it leaves Lille for Brussels or Paris?

Brussels and Paris have border facilities, Marseilles (and intermediate stations) don't.

 

[kristiang85]

Brussels and Paris have border facilities, Marseilles (and intermediate stations) don't.

Ah OK. I thought the border was done in London, but I don't want to drift this off topic anymore.

 

[Matt_pool]

If you can drink 3 litres of 8.5% beer in two hours then there is more of an issue than the train rules!

Not to drink on the train!

 

[duffield]

Well, a ban on invisible alcohol would certainly be entertaining to enforce!

Now that's a good word pair - Visible/Invisible. They sound like exact opposites, but that's not how they are used. I would say the opposite of 'visible' is actually 'non-visible' (or 'not visible'), and 'non-visible' would describe either of two things - hidden (could be seen if exposed), and invisible (cannot be seen even if in front of your eyes).
E.g. Harry Potter is both not visible, and also invisible if wearing 'the cloak'; however he is not visible, but also *not invisible* when he merely hides round the corner from Professor Snape.
If he's in the 'room of requirement' it gets more complicated!

 

[Hadders]

Well, directish - everyone has to get off at Lille with all their luggage to do border checks, then get back on. In effect it's London to Lille and Lille to Marseilles, which happen to use the same train.

If it's like the Amsterdam train outwards it goes direct as both UK and French border controls are done at STP. Coming back there's no border controls at Marseilles so everyone has to get off to go through border control at Lille.

 

[woodhouse122]

On Scotrail, you cannot drink alcohol on board between 2100 or 1000. "Visible" unopened alcohol is also banned.

i was in Glasgow last week and saw plenty of people drinking on trains late at night ( i saw a few neds downimg cans of Dragon soop on the traim coming back from Wemyys bay )

 

[Mojo]

No, as there is no national "dry train" policy, and the two "TOCs" who do have that policy, LO and Merseyrail, permit carrying unopened alcohol as long as it remains unopened.

Being slightly pedantic, but shouldn’t it be three, because TfL Rail is technically a separate Toc to London Overground?

There is however a difference between what the byelaws applicable to all other National Rail trains, and the byelaws that are applicable to services controlled by TfL and also Merseyrail. Both Merseyrail and TfL Railway byelaws prohibit only an open container of alcohol from being carried on a station or train service, thus meaning that carrying a sealed container is fine. This differs from the byelaws for other Tocs whereby Tocs may only restrict alcohol from being carried on a train, but no distinction is made whether the container is open or not.

 

[Bletchleyite]

i was in Glasgow last week and saw plenty of people drinking on trains late at night ( i saw a few neds downimg cans of Dragon soop on the traim coming back from Wemyys bay )

Some people still drink on LU as well, though not as many as did. Of course, nobody will know if you've actually got an Irish coffee in your coffee mug (or somesuch).

 

[Bletchleyite]

Being slightly pedantic, but shouldn’t it be three, because TfL Rail is technically a separate Toc to London Overground.

Good (if picky) point

 

[Mojo]

Good (if picky) point

Sorry, I accidentally clicked “send,” I’ve finished typing my message now, above.

 

[Alanko]

Non-drinkers (and @Alanko sounds like one) will never understand the pleasure of a drink.
Drinkers will never understand how intimidating a drunk person can be even if they have no bad intentions.

I like to drink, but there is a time and a place for it. I also don't drink just to pass the time, or because I have nothing better to do.

In terms of intimidation, if I'm drinking with people then generally there is a sort of group or 'hive' level of drunkness. You can anticipate an average level of drunk among the patrons of a Wetherspoons at 11:00 on a Friday night. Drunks on a train are an unknown quantity. My irrational fear here is getting vomited on, primarily! Following that I'm usually just wanting to get home without upset or incident, and with drunks there is that unknown factor at play.

That is why it feels odd to me to have a small corner of hard-drinking pub culture permitted on trains. If everybody left it at one or two bottles or cans then it wouldn't be an issue.

 

[island]

Well, directish - everyone has to get off at Lille with all their luggage to do border checks, then get back on. In effect it's London to Lille and Lille to Marseilles, which happen to use the same train.

Actually, it calls at Lille for a crew change and continues onwards. No need to get off southbound, French border formalities having been sorted at the UK end. Northbound they do chuck everyone off to go through security and French/UK border controls before reboarding.

 

[island]

Absoutely off topic I know, but I'm sure there's a quick answer: why do these checks happen for Marseille and not when it leaves Lille for Brussels or Paris?

Well, Eurostar does not have service from Lille to Paris for one thing

 

[County School]

What happens at York on a Saturday evening where there are plenty of shoppers/tourists catching trains and may well have unopened wine/spirits with them, particularly now York has a distillery and distillery shop?

 

[GodAtum]

Slightly off topic, but is taking legal highs Ok on the train?

 

[greyman42]

What happens at York on a Saturday evening where there are plenty of shoppers/tourists catching trains and may well have unopened wine/spirits with them, particularly now York has a distillery and distillery shop?

I think common sense is applied and shoppers/tourists are allowed to board their trains with their alcohol.

 

[robbeech]

Byelaw 4 generally mentions intoxicating liquor but at the same time mentions being unfit to enter or remain on the railway and doesn’t give any specific. As such if the person is deemed unfit to be on the railway for (I guess) any reason then they can and should be removed.