SNCB introduces silent carriages to intercity trains

Belgian rail operator SNCB is introducing quiet zones on intercity (IC) trains from this week, following a successful pilot of the initiative.

Quiet zones will be made on a large proportion of trains in the form of one or more designated carriages after first testing the idea on IC trains between Eupen and Ostend and between Brussels and Luxembourg.

“The reaction from passengers was very positive, both among commuters and leisure travellers,” SNCB said.

“Nine out of 10 passengers who sat in a quiet zone were satisfied with the concept. More than half of them said they would take the train more often as a result.”

On double-decker trains, quiet zones will always be on the lower deck, labelled with stickers and pictograms.

In a quiet zone, passengers are advised not to speak loudly, to be discreet with their phone use, to put their mobiles on silent mode and not to set the volume of their headphones or earphones too high.

There is no extra charge for sitting in a quiet zone and no special ticket designation is required.