Toilet Issues are a very important subject that can "ruin some peoples trips" and affects all of us to some degree.  A lot of discomfort can be eliminated in this area with a little planning and information ahead of time. I will start with a reader's question about train toilets--then move on to using Toilets in general throughout Europe--including some useful "Toilet Language" skills.  

One of our readers discreetly raised the following question on behalf of their three generation traveling group.

Hi Mele,

Have one more question thought you might be able to answer, if you don't laugh too much! I have to be ready to explain this as I'm the leader of our gang. You know grandma and grandpa are traveling with us. I have limited training experience from my one trip to Switzerland 5 yrs ago. I noticed the toilets on the trains emptied directly onto the tracks. There were no holding tanks or whatever, thus no need for flush toilets. They were automatic and air-cooled, if you know what I mean.

Question: are all of the European train toilets like that? Don't they have any environmental laws on that sort of thing? I'm a little concerned that grandma and grandpa won't use the train toilets simply because of this. You know how these older folks are on things of this sort. They're pretty traditional.

So, now you can stop laughing and give me an answer!

Mele's Answer:    I'm smiling a lot at your question--more out of self recognition of being in "your" and "grandma and grandpa's" shoes at one time or another. To answer your question, YES from my experience, all European train toilets are as you described and flush onto the tracks. I'm not aware of any environmental laws re limitations on this practice anywhere in Europe. The official rule is: WAIT TO USE TOILETS TILL THE TRAIN HAS LEFT THE STATION. You may have noticed the white pieces of paper strewn all over the station tracks--which means  that many people don't follow this rule. You may have even seen custodians walking the tracks "spearing TP" with a long stick with spike on end. --Thus the explanation for why they continue to use "TUFF - SCRATCHY toilet paper on trains. Soft American toilet paper--used through out the rest of Western Europe--dissolves too easily to be used on trains.

An additional trauma for your group may be the "squat toilets" you might run into in small village stations along your route. Ladies wearing panty hose and long pants may find these difficult to use in a hurry.  I've been surprised a few times to discover I had rushed into a "toilette"  that was co-ed--"Wheh , I really wasn't in the MENS by mistake!"  Restaurants, on trains and a few Paris metro station toilettes seem to be co-ed.  Also remember it costs to use toilets most places in Europe--keep change ready. (Trains are free--stations often aren't) You are wise to start preparing your group now--making their adjustment quicker there. And Mother Nature turns us all into Europeans eventually.

An extra note--Pack your favorite control for diarrhea--The 11-12 hour time change plus differences in water, food etc, means some one in your group is going to need help sometime. And if you run out of medication, European Pharmacies are helpful and usually have someone who speaks English.     Hope this answers your questions.   Mele

Mele,  Thanks for your note. It confirms what I'd suspected all along about train toilets. But I could never find an answer in any guidebook or other reference, even Rick Steves books. Guess it's just something they prefer not to address. Anyway, thanks for clarifying the issue for me. Now I can prepare the senior citizens & teens in our group for the reality of using toilets on Europe's trains.

Merci very much! (or whatever it is!!)

Mele's last comment:  Europe Through the Back Door book has a very helpful section on "Toilet Trauma".  I continue to giggle because it was this chapter that got me to buy this --then unknown author's book in 1986, which eventually lead me to this business and life style.

See European "Toilet Trivia and Tips" from other Readers and Mele

I would like to add my Comments.   Let Mele know how discreet you want her to be in identifying you.