Food & Drink on National Railways

Sure. Just don't bring anything too, um, aromatic.

I'm traveling now from Malmö to Stockholm. It's amazing how many rude nitwits are eating raw onions on this route. In 1st class, no less.

That makes perfect sense. I just didn't know if the locals would frown upon it. I just want to be respectful.

Would including a glass of wine be pushing the limit?

Cold food is in general great, a sandwich or a salad e.g. Easy to bring and doesn't smell much. Hot food generally smell more and hence has a greater potential to annoy your fellow travellers. Although as always there are exceptions, I don't think anyone will mind if you bring a cup of coffee and there is cold food that you might not want to eat on a train.

Use common sense and be considerate and it will be fine.

Would including a glass of wine be pushing the limit?

Many national railways won't allow you to consume alcohol that you bring onboard. Sweden is an example. France I don't know; suggest checking the SNCF website.

Would including a glass of wine be pushing the limit?

On a French train? Only if the wine didn't pair well with the food you have. (LOL)

I have been on trains in France watching my fellow travelers open their picnics and quite often there were alcoholic beverages, beer or wine, involved. Now I don’t know if it’s legal I’m just telling you what I saw.

I also know that on any car that has a dining car those beverages are being sold

Alcohol on trains depends very much on the specific local situation. For example, in Britain, drinking alcohol is generally allowed on trains but not on the London Underground, however certain long-distance trains may have alcohol bans on specific days if football supporters are expected to be travelling. Shouldn't be any problem on SNCF but keep an eye out for any notices.

I always take food and a drink on my SNCF train trips. Even if there's supposed to be food service on the train, it could be a food cart that doesn't arrive in my carriage until almost the end of my trip, or a bar car that's too crowded or located
many cars away from my seat. Just take something simple to manage like a wrapped sandwich or cheese and fruit, because those seat trays are too small to lay out anything complex.

Thank you so much for the responses.

For example, in Britain, drinking alcohol is generally allowed on trains

Not in Scotland. You are not allowed to drink on any Scotrail train, or carry alcohol openly on any station or train- even if it is un-opened.

Man in Seat 61 says yes....

https://www.seat61.com/train-travel-in-france.htm#travel-tips

The SNCF website offers the menus on their TGV trains which include what selections they have for beer and wine for sale

https://www.sncf-connect.com/assets/media/2023-10/fr-tgvinoui1023-cartenum.pdf

I've also seen people on a TGV crack open small bottles of champagne!

You can easily pick up food at the station before you board. It looks like the routes to Cahors with the TGV leave from Montparnasse and there are a number of food kiosks there.

Yes, we bring sandwiches, bottles of water, fruit, and a box of cookies, usually Petit Beurre or something similar that's not messy. Sometimes, a chunk of cheese, whatever is leftover in the fridge. No, we've never packed wine. Glass bottles are heavy, we need glasses, bottle opener, and we can drink with food at other meals. Don't forget paper towels or napkins.

Personally, I've never noticed what anyone drinks but mostly see water bottles.