Last year in Spain we were not allowed to carry pocket knives on our person or in our luggage while traveling on a train. We use a knife with a corkscrew to open bottles, cut fruit, cut cheese, and slice bread for lunch. Are there restrictions in Italy as to whether or not knives are allowed to be carried on one's person or in their luggage on trains?
Posted by
seattle
2147 posts
We have always gotten our smal corkscrew and cheese knives into Italian trains with no trouble. We may have gone through security gates, but I don’t remember anyone having problems.
Posted by
Corvallis OR
7175 posts
Do they x-ray your luggage on trains in Spain? I didn't know that. Otherwise, how would they know if you had a knife in your luggage? I don't think they do that in Italy.
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
4657 posts
Nancy, yes, they xray at a number of stations. Spain has been on high alert for several years. They have had their own internal tensions as well as just the global terrorism thing.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
Eurostar and Thalys trains prohibit blades longer than 75 mm or 3 inches, but that's still unusual. No problem on Trenitalia or Italo trains.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
AFAIK Spanish High Speed trains, Eurostar and Thalys trains departing Paris (but not in the other direction) are the only trains in Europe that have luggage scanning. Maybe somebody could confirm this?
Otherwise no special restrictions, just whatever the law says is legal to carry in the street. For example in the UK, carrying any knive over 3 inches (76 mm) counts as an offensive weapon and is illegal.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
My understanding about baggage screening is the same as Chris'.
Posted by
Portland, Oregon
5687 posts
Most of the trains I rode in Italy in May were regional trains. The one from Venice Mestre to Turin was a fast Frecciarossa train. But...no security screenings on any of them. No X-ray machines. No one would have had any idea what I was carrying.
Posted by
1535 posts
We used on the train from florence to Milan the knife I brought from home in my checked bag.... five inch blade round end table knife with light seration, perfect for a long baguette, only "weapon" in its length, and no one gave us a second look
We had our salami and cheese sliced by the vendor at market