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4X4 · 11-22-2008, 02:38 PM

It's kinda weird how things can be so different in other places. I found it really strange how punctual everything is in Switzerland. Like the OP said, to the minute. I had to get from one city to another and had to transfer trains three times. My friend bought me the ticket and explained to me that it was imperative that I found the right platform immediately. Boy was she right. I would pull into a station at 8:03 (just like the ticket says) and then have to find platform 20 in three minutes because my connecting train would leave at 8:06. Not 8:05 and not 8:07. 8:06.

Of course it was such a contrast because I was coming from Italy, where they only wear watches for the bling factor. Nobody is on time for anything there. Hell, you don't even make official time reservations when meeting a friend. You just agree to meet in either the morning, the afternoon or the evening. Then you just sort of call around that time and refine a meeting time.

Busses and metro don't even run on a schedule. They just sort of increase service and decrease service depending on the time of day or the day.

And as for inter city trains, woo hoo. Have fun meeting a connecting train in Switzerland. Train drivers go on strike at the drop of a hat and then get back to work two hours later. Or two days later. Or just whenever. It's hilarious. I'd be standing at the train station watching the schedules (not for fun, because I had to) and suddenly all the train arrival times would change to 'sopresso'. That means that the drivers decided to go on strike and the trains aint moving until they feel like coming off strike.

Sometimes they would plan it in advance and there'd be an article in the newspaper saying that there was going to be a strike the next day.

And as for general customer service in Italy, fuhgeddaboudit. Either your server liked you or he/she didn't. So you either got good service or not. Or maybe none at all. I've sat in pubs and been served three or four times and the table next to me is completely ignored. And that happened to me as well until I learned to be very clear that I was canadian and not american. Boy they hate the yanks over there.

11-22-2008, 02:38 PM	#5
4X4 One of the Nine Join Date: Dec 2004 Exp:	It's kinda weird how things can be so different in other places. I found it really strange how punctual everything is in Switzerland. Like the OP said, to the minute. I had to get from one city to another and had to transfer trains three times. My friend bought me the ticket and explained to me that it was imperative that I found the right platform immediately. Boy was she right. I would pull into a station at 8:03 (just like the ticket says) and then have to find platform 20 in three minutes because my connecting train would leave at 8:06. Not 8:05 and not 8:07. 8:06. Of course it was such a contrast because I was coming from Italy, where they only wear watches for the bling factor. Nobody is on time for anything there. Hell, you don't even make official time reservations when meeting a friend. You just agree to meet in either the morning, the afternoon or the evening. Then you just sort of call around that time and refine a meeting time. Busses and metro don't even run on a schedule. They just sort of increase service and decrease service depending on the time of day or the day. And as for inter city trains, woo hoo. Have fun meeting a connecting train in Switzerland. Train drivers go on strike at the drop of a hat and then get back to work two hours later. Or two days later. Or just whenever. It's hilarious. I'd be standing at the train station watching the schedules (not for fun, because I had to) and suddenly all the train arrival times would change to 'sopresso'. That means that the drivers decided to go on strike and the trains aint moving until they feel like coming off strike. Sometimes they would plan it in advance and there'd be an article in the newspaper saying that there was going to be a strike the next day. And as for general customer service in Italy, fuhgeddaboudit. Either your server liked you or he/she didn't. So you either got good service or not. Or maybe none at all. I've sat in pubs and been served three or four times and the table next to me is completely ignored. And that happened to me as well until I learned to be very clear that I was canadian and not american. Boy they hate the yanks over there. Last edited by 4X4; 11-22-2008 at 02:40 PM.