Incroyable!

French TGV trains become smoke-free zones December 1

White Plains, New York, December 1, 2004 - Starting this month, smoking is no longer allowed anywhere on France’s Trains à Grande Vitesse (TGVs), not even in the bar car.

While there have always been non-smoking carriages on trains throughout Europe, the smoke-free train concept has been gradually introduced in the past few years on other high-speed, so-called “Premier Trains” such as Eurostar (London-Paris/Brussels), Thalys (links France-Belgium-Netherlands-Germany), Elipsos overnight trains (Spain-Italy-Switzerland), and Eurostar Italia (no relation to Eurostar Chunnel service.) Some TGV lines within France have also been non-smoking for some time.

“It may surprise some North Americans that in a country where smoking seems so pervasive the best trains are now smoke-free zones,” notes Fabrice Morel, President of Rail Europe. “But it’s all about competing with the airlines and making trains as attractive a transportation option as possible.”

Owned in part by the French National Railroads (SNCF), Rail Europe is the largest North American distributor of European rail passes, tickets and related products. For more information or to book a ticket or railpass, contact a travel agent or Rail Europe at 1-888-382-7245 in the U.S., 1-800-361-7245 in Canada or log on to www.raileurope.com, the most comprehensive European rail travel site.

# # #

Photos: members of the press may download high-res photos of Eurostar and other European trains at www.raileurope.com/presspix