1) Masks may be "required" in Italy, but about 30% of people wear them
2) If you have TSA Pre, you don't take out your liquids. But no one else uses TSA Pre. So if you take a lot of liquids due to TSA Pre, you may be caught in Europe. We landed at CDG, and went thru Immigration, and then back into the secure zone.
Why would you think TSA was universal?
Gotcha, and thanks for the memory jogger. "no one else" = other countries besides the US. (We knew what you meant!) This is helpful for those of us on autopilot who are used to traveling only in the US and have to readjust our planning to being in Europe again.
And I believe you don’t take off your shoes with the TSAprecheck. Correct?
Yes, TSA Pre includes the "shoes remain on". In the few experiences I have had in Europe, shoes stay on. However, my shoes were scanned while on my feet at CDG.
Correct ... no shoes off, no laptop or electronics out, no liquids out, no belt off, etc... and you (usually) go through just the metal detector and not the full body scanner ... best part is you get to use the short line (even though I have seen, though rarely, where the TSA line is longer than the general public line ... and the TSA agent taking 2-3 pre-check people before the next person in the general public line ... nice subliminal message to the non-TSA pre-checkers that if you want to get through quicker, pony up the $85 and get pre-check)
Masking has been virtually universal on my Italian trains so far: Bologna to Ravenna and Ravena to Padua. Today there were announcements about mandatory masking after every stop on my regional trains from Ravenna to Ferrara to Padua. I'm seeing quite a few masks worn by hotel, restaurant and museum personnel in this part of Italy, too. It' s not the majority, but it's a lot more masks, percentage-wise, than I saw in Norway, Sweden, Finland and England.
Paul, thanks for the report! When you went thru security again at CDG did they make you put liquid stuff in "their" ziplock bag? I had that happen flying out of Paris last time but when he looked at my standard Ziplock he let me pass.
Someone else mentioned that chapstick had to go in the 3-1-1 which it does not for the US. Also, hand gel. Any experience with either of those items?
Thanks so much!
Thank you for the info Paul. I travel just enough to "think" I have everything figured out, but mostly I never do. :) I hope you'll share more observations during your Italy trip. That's why I come to this forum. Happy and safe travels to you!
Our experience in Italy (northern) is that mask compliance on trains and buses is excellent and usually enforced.
In Milan, on the M1 metro line, no masks except maybe 10%.
On the train to Bologna, masks are required and crew get testy if you don't have one on.
