A Belgian experiment with quiet zones on some of its trains has been (quietly) extended for another month, and may become a permanent feature.
The quiet zones went into effect on trains between Brussels and Luxembourg, and between Ostend and Eupen in late January, and were scheduled to end today, but a spokesperson for rail operator SNCB announced that “The trial continues until well into June, and the quiet zones will remain until a final decision is made based on the analysis.”
Passengers in the quiet zones, located at the front or rear of trains, are marked with ‘quiet zone’ stickers and do not require reservations or an extra charge. SNCB’s instruction to passengers say that “In order to maintain silence and tranquillity in this carriage, it is recommended not to talk loudly to each other or talk on the phone, not to set the volume of headphones or earphones too loud and to put mobile phones in silent mode.”
