Use of non-English languages on the rail network

[thenorthern]

Whenever I am abroad I often find it strange how many foreign train companies provide at least some information in English which makes foreign travel for British and American tourists much easier.

This information can be in the form of leaflets, some signage, bi-lingual displays and finally a complete bi-lingual network. From personal experience Germanic countries such as The Netherlands and Germany are the best for this.

In the United Kingdom however apart from Arriva Trains Wales which is almost completely bi-lingual in English and Welsh, Scotrail and Northern Ireland Railways which provide a very limited amount of services in Scottish and Irish Gaelic respectfully.

Other than this I think there are a few signs in English and French at Airport Stations and I think there is some in French and German at York and a couple of "token" bi-lingual station signs in specific areas but other than that it seems almost impossible to navigate anywhere on the UK rail network if one doesn't speak English.

Does anyone know of any other parts of the railways that contains languages that isn't English? Also does anyone think the lack of other languages is affecting the amount of foreign tourists on UK trains?

 

[telstarbox]

Every airport I've seen in Europe has the main signs in English as well as the local language(s).

The old slammers on what is now Southeastern had some interior signs in French and German - maybe for the benefit of passengers arriving by ferry and travelling onwards from the Channel ports by train.

 

[OxtedL]

There is a strong overlap here with this thread:
Bi-Linugal Branding/station signs.
(and probably a couple of older ones too...)

 

[306024]

No excuse for Japanese tourists flushing the toilet in the station on an AGA 321 (at least I think the sign is in Japanese)

Back in the day (1980 ish) when boat trains used to run from Liverpool St to Tilbury Riverside for the odd cruise ship there was a sign in Russian at Liverpool St to direct folks.

 

[Mojo]

Bicester North has some signs in Chinese and Arabic due to the large number of customers visiting from abroad going to the DOV. I remember the old Bicester Town station also having some signs in Chinese.

Westbourne Park on the LU has "Way out" signs in English, French, and German.

 

[Bletchleyite]

No excuse for Japanese tourists flushing the toilet in the station on an AGA 321 (at least I think the sign is in Japanese)

In latter BR days (1980s stock, certainly) it seemed standard for signs to be in English, French, German and Japanese.

 

[DEE-DE]

The sleepers still have multilingual safety advice, I think with French and German. The translations don't seem to be of a high quality though (German is Native to me and I had French in school).

 

[thenorthern]

There is a strong overlap here with this thread:
Bi-Linugal Branding/station signs.
(and probably a couple of older ones too...)

Indeed there is but this thread is more about information and services rather than just bi-lingual station signs.

Transport for London provide online services in a number of other Languages although the information they do provide is very little. I think Heathrow Express provide services in French and I know they used to accept Euros and US Dollars which they may still do.

Has there ever been any announcements on trains that aren't in English?

I suppose a big problem for the TOCs/DFT/Network Rail is what languages do you provide services in as the most logical ones are.

French and German - The most common first languages for Tourists.

Polish - Most common non-native first language in the United Kingdom.

South Asian Languages (i.e. Urdu and Punjabi) - Cumulatively have the largest number of speakers of a first language that isn't English in the United Kingdom.

Chinese - Chinese Citizens apply for more UK tourist visas than anyone else.

 

[jopsuk]

Paris Metro has some safety stickers (particularly those warning about acceleration and braking!) that are in five languages!

 

[charley_17/7]

Class 323s based at Longsight certainly had English, French, German and Japanese interior signage in ex-works/original condition.

 

[theironroad]

Has there ever been any announcements on trains that aren't in English?

i think some of the automated announcements on the gatwick express are in a a couple of other european languages.

with the advent of google translate and other smart phone apps, translating written material is easier.

 

[thenorthern]

I am told that some parts of Schiphol Airport have signs that are only in English however in the Netherlands something like 93% of people speak English so its not much of an issue.

I suppose providing rail information in languages that aren't English is not in the interests of rail companies as they are private companies at the end of the day and translation services cost a lot of money for something of little benefit.

I know Arriva Trains Wales publish some timetables in Welsh but do ScotRail publish any in Gaelic?

 

[subject1]

Whenever I am abroad I often find it strange how many foreign train companies provide at least some information in English which makes foreign travel for British and American tourists much easier.

Not exclusively for British/American tourists. Given that English is the lingua franca for most of the world, having English as well as the native language probably provides information for people (particularly Europeans and South Americans) who have a basic understanding for English.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Not exclusively for British/American tourists. Given that English is the lingua franca for most of the world, having English as well as the native language probably provides information for people (particularly Europeans and South Americans) who have a basic understanding for English.

English tends to be used as the bridge between different language areas in countries where multiple languages are spoken, e.g. Switzerland, Belgium and for that matter India.

 

[pemma]

Not exclusively for British/American tourists. Given that English is the lingua franca for most of the world, having English as well as the native language probably provides information for people (particularly Europeans and South Americans) who have a basic understanding for English.

Indeed. When I was in Germany some confused Eastern European tourists got on the wrong tram and couldn't speak any German so I finished up telling them they'd boarded a tram in the wrong direction from where they wanted to go.

On the railways in Germany I've heard customer facing staff have to speak either English or French so if you know English and French but not German you shouldn't have any issues.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I know Arriva Trains Wales publish some timetables in Welsh but do ScotRail publish any in Gaelic?

Everything ATW publish seems to be in both languages. They put bilingual timetables at English stations and when a 175 finishes up on a service which doesn't go in to Wales it still shows the destination in both languages.

 

[atillathehunn]

The sign requesting that you do not flush the toilet in the station nailed to the wall in the MKII on the 17.20 Waverley - Cardenden was in English, German, French, Mandarin and possibly one other. This was last Thursday.

Actually for that matter it was the same in the toilet of the 158 on the Tweedbank line the day before.

While not a regular occurrence, I was sat in the FLounge at Euston a few weeks ago when an announcement was made for a Hungarian speaker to make themselves known to station staff. Evidently one came forward, as an announcement was made shortly after in Hungarian. In my limited grasp I understood a child was lost and spoke only Hungarian.

 

[TheEdge]

Everything ATW publish seems to be in both languages. They put bilingual timetables at English stations and when a 175 finishes up on a service which doesn't go in to Wales it still shows the destination in both languages.

Because the Welsh Language Act 1993 enshrined in law the companies and the public sector providing a public service must treat Welsh and English on an equal footing.

 

[thenorthern]

Because the Welsh Language Act 1993 enshrined in law the companies and the public sector providing a public service must treat Welsh and English on an equal footing.

I don't think it does as its not a public company although I think there may be a franchise commitment to provide more bi-lingual services which keeps people happy.

I don't think Wales and Borders provided much in Welsh although I think there was a small amount. I don't recall First North Western or Central Trains providing anything in Welsh when they operated services in Wales. I dont think First Great Western ~ GWR, Virgin Trains or CrossCountry provide anything in Welsh at present.

 

[TheEdge]

I don't think it does as its not a public company although I think there may be a franchise commitment to provide more bi-lingual services which keeps people happy.

Without going too far off topic;

Meaning of "public body"
(o)any person (whether or not a body corporate or unincorporate)—
(i)who appears to the Secretary of State to be exercising functions of a public nature, or
(ii)all or substantially all of whose activities appear to the Secretary of State to be conducted under an agreement, or in accordance with arrangements, made with a public body within paragraphs (a) to (n) or sub-paragraph (i) above or a person acting as servant or agent of the Crown,

I would assume that would cover something like a TOC.

 

[Iskra]

There are signs in French at St. Pancras, but that is kind of expected...

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Going back a few years, quite a few 150s around Manchester had Welsh language notices due to North Wales services formerly being part of FNW. I think a few had French/German/Spanish because of Manchester Airport services but this was limited only to safety-critical notices (glass hammers etc.).

 

[GatwickDepress]

Hampden Park has multilingual signage at the end of platform 1 warning of the third rail and not to cross the line. It's visible in the image here.

 

[cav1975]

Southall has signs in Punjabi and English

 

[hassaanhc]

Southall has both English and Punjabi on the name signs on platforms and outside the front entrance, installed by Thames Trains all those years ago. I seem to recall some safety signs having a range of South Asian languages, like Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi, Gujarati etc.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Southall has signs in Punjabi and English

Grrr, can't believe I got beaten to adding my local station! :P

 

[yorksrob]

Every airport I've seen in Europe has the main signs in English as well as the local language(s).

The old slammers on what is now Southeastern had some interior signs in French and German - maybe for the benefit of passengers arriving by ferry and travelling onwards from the Channel ports by train.

The refurbished CEP's had these as they were most likely to be used on boat trains to Folkestone and Dover. Think these were the only ones though.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The sign requesting that you do not flush the toilet in the station nailed to the wall in the MKII on the 17.20 Waverley - Cardenden was in English, German, French, Mandarin and possibly one other. This was last Thursday.

Guessing it might have been used on the Gatwick Express shuttles.

 

[backontrack]

Southall has signage in both English and Punjabi.

EDIT: Darn, beaten to it!

 

[HugePilchard]

Wallsend on the Tyne & Wear Metro is reputed to be the only station in the UK with Latin signage!

 

[gray1404]

The thing about English, when its provided on other overseas rail networks, its not just for the benefits of British and American travellers (and those from other English speaking nations who speak English as their first language). The fact is English is the international language of the world and therefore most tourists, regardless of which nation they are from, will speak English when they are overseas in any of nation - and not just when in nations that happen to speak Englush by default.

 

[ag51ruk]

Gatwick Express used to have announcements in a number of foreign languages - not sure if they still do. Pictograms on signs were supposed to make language irrelevant (the same excuse for why you only see English on signs in UK airports while virtually every other country in the world manages at least two languages - even the US often has English and Spanish at many airports)

And to the OP - I don't think many people in the Netherlands would appreciate it being called a Germanic country - Germanic language perhaps (although most Dutch people I know are very offended if you compare Dutch to German) but English is also a Germanic language.

 

[silverfoxcc]

Stanstead Express has multi language announcements