Only Pay Toilets in Bern train station

Pay toilets in train stations of Europe are pretty standard. That's why you always use the one in the train. Just don't don't while you are stopped in a Swiss station, as the multi-lingual sign implores you not to. When the train is moving, open the toilet lid and look down and watch the railroad ties whizzing by.

And look at the toilet paper on the tracks alongside your train.

I agree that pay toilets in train stations in Europe are pretty standard and I don't remember having an option of free toilets, except maybe in a restaurant within the station. I don't know anyone who would not travel to Switzerland or encourage others to not go there simply because they had to pay for things they expect (and get) for free at home; so I don't see how it's going to hurt them in the long run. Paying for things like this is part of the cost of traveling in other countries. At least most of the pay toilets I have encountered in Europe are attended and clean. I would much rather pay for a clean toilet than to use a free one that's just a hole in the floor. There must be more important things to complain about.

Paying to use the toilet is common in Europe almost anywhere. The Swiss just charge more than the usual .50 EUR, but everything is more expensive in Switzerland.

Depending on where you are, you may have to put a coin in a slot. Or there may be an attendant to take the money. Or you may have to go into a bar and buy something and use the receipt to use the bar's facilities. We carry cash and change in the local currency at all times to avoid any emergencies. It's been that way as long as I can remember and I made my first trip in 1977. In fact, not having to pay is the unusual thing.

Everybody has to use the toilet. Everybody has to pay. It hasn't hurt them yet. I doubt that they will change anytime soon.

When I lived in Germany (82-85) the gas stations along the autobahns had two options. Use a toilet without a seat and pay for toilet paper or bring your own, or pay to use one with a seat and with toilet paper. That's why we saw so many cars with toilet paper rolls sitting in the rear window with little knitted covers over them.

At least most of Europe has western toilets, unlike many places in Greece and other countries. It's really annoying to have to stand up or squat and pay an attendant. But when you gotta go, you gotta go.

and places in the former soviet block tend to have people whose job it is to sit in the women's room and collect the money, oh dear god I'm grateful I have other employment options.

We love the McClean restrooms. Spotless, great toilet paper, smell nice. Wish they had them in Italy. My wife actually likes having a clean toilet seat to sit on and not having to carry her own toilet paper.

elaine,

The McClean washroom facilities are fairly standard in Switzerland, and I've encountered them in Basel and other stations as well. That's nothing new and common in other countries as well. You'll find similar facilities at Milano Centrale and other stations in Italy. It seems that not only the washrooms but also baggage storage facilities are being farmed out to private firms.

It doesn't matter if RS or anyone else complains, this is just the way it is and one of the "differences" one has to deal with when travelling in Europe. The pay washrooms are almost always clean and well maintained, so I don't have a problem with the small cost.

I'd rather pay to use a clean restroom than to have to face a nasty one that's free. Every time.

I agree, it's a better option to pay and have a clean restroom (often with music piped in). The price varies from .50-1€ in most places, but Switzerland is pricier on almost everything.

In Italy, I always tipped the attendant anyway, so pay-to-go has been standard for quite a while.

Forgot, some selected restaurants and shops will sell you half-price tickets for the loo, these are advertised on posters in the restroom.

The OP said he always thought of Switzerland as having " great toilets". I have never before heard a first world country judged by its toilets. In fact, " great toilets" is not a phrase I have come across before either.

Compared to some of the filthy public toilets I've encountered in the US, I'll gladly pay the small fee for a clean, well-stocked European restroom anytime.

Non-issue here...

They have had pay toilets for the "long run" and it hasn't hurt them. The Swiss have high standards of service and are willing to pay for them. The free toilets in US facilities are paid for by you, indirectly, anyway.

Yes, paying for toilets is the norm throughout Europe and always has been. Objections by tourists from foreign countries (a small minority of the users) are not going to change it.

There is an old euphemism used in Britain, you say you want to "spend a penny". When I was a child most public toilets you had to put a coin in to open the cubicle door, but even then it was more than 1d (one 'old' penny, £1 = 240d), So the system must have been going long before that.

Some fast food places have a way to prevent non-customers using the toilets. The toilet has a key-code lock, where you have to type in a number to get in. They either print the code automatically on receipts, or you have to ask for it, and they change it periodically.

You do have the opportunity to use the toilet on the train, either before you arrive in Bern or after you leave. All Swiss trains (virtually) have toilets which are included in the price of the train ticket.

They are unattended, and cleaned from time to time, but after a lot of train toilets you might prefer to spend that CHF1.50 in the station....

Your choice, really.

Toilets are very important to me (unfortunately) and it didn't bother me that I had to pay a small amount in Swiss train stations to use clean, pleasant restrooms. Why shouldn't McClean charge for providing a service? Just because in America we can usually find a free restroom (often pretty funky) doesn't mean that should be the case in Europe. Remember, they're not crazy about ice cubes there either.

And as noted, in some train station restaurants where folks try to game the system, there's a combination lock on the door but the code will be posted either near the register or on your receipt. That seems pretty fair too, since they have to maintain it.

I just read that in Paris they are trying to change over the restroom attendant system and letting go all the dames pipi who have worked there for all these years. Not going so well.

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-zarestsky-dames-pipi-20150823-story.html

It seems short sighted to say the least. I would love to see someone powerful and a friend of Swiss travel....RS...let them know that in the long run it will hurt them.

What really is hurting Switzerland is an overvalued currency, ask any Swiss manufacturer or hotelier. But as long as other countries continue to devalue their money and their wealthy citizens want to hold Swiss assets, it looks like it is going to stay that way, a least for a while. In the meantime, those of us who want to experience it's Alpine splendors are just going to have to pay up, including the cost of waste disposal.

Yep, those Europeans know how to keep their toilets clean. You may have to shift left or right while standing at the urinal while the cleaning lady mops the floor around you :-)

I should also add that Japanese restrooms often have cleaning ladies in them, and as noted they will be cleaning right next to you as you're trying not to notice while using the urinal. Once you realize they really don't care about you, it's almost OK.