passport collection by conductors on international trains

Hello everyone,

Is it true that conductors on international trains collect all passports at the commencement of the journey and return them to you when you arrive at your destination. The sectors we are travelling are Paris to Florence on an overnight train.

Thanks.

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They took our passports as soon as we boarded our overnight train to Venice last summer. I had known about it in advance so was prepared for it. Our passports were returned the next morning when our coffee was brought to us.

This procedure may have changed recently because of the Schengen arrangement, since I understand there are no longer passport checks at the borders. Maybe someone with more recent experience can comment.

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In both France and Italy, hotels are required to record details about their guests, and usually ask for the passport to enable them to do this. As the passengers sleep on an overnight train, maybe the same rules apply.

French and Italian law also requires that everyone must carry an official identity document issued by their national government so, in theory, you should be carrying your passport at all times anyway.

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I think the conductor took our passports on a Rome-Venice overnight (sleeper) train, so it%26#39;s not just international itineraries.

On the other hand, on daytime international trains between Switzerland and Italy (both directions) we%26#39;ve never had our passports so much as looked at.

My conclusion is that it%26#39;s the overnight train rather than the international itinerary.

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We travelled from Rome to Nice on the overnight train 18 months ago. Just after we left Rome the conductor asked for our tickets and passports.

He checked our passport photos to confirm our identity and then checked that the names on the passports and tickets matched. Then he returned our passports. He wrote something from the ticket into the folder he was carrying and then placed our tickets in the folder before leaving our cabin.

Early the next morning he came back through the carriage and returned everyone%26#39;s tickets.

Prior to the Schengen agreement it was normal for the passport to be retained overnight as well as the ticket. Switzerland is only a recent addition to the Schengen area and I don%26#39;t know whether they will have changed their procedure or whether they still collect the passports as well.

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As long as I%26#39;ve been taking overnight trains, since the early 70s, they%26#39;ve done it. I%26#39;ve taken tons of trains and have never had a problem getting it back though. Happy Travels!

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Thanks everyone for taking the time to answer my question.

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In Italy hotels are required to record details of guests for the authorities, but not in France.