Tipping on the train

I%26#39;m booked for the 1st class sleeper compartment on the overnight train from Munich to Venice. This will be my first time, so I%26#39;m wondering about the protocol for tipping on the train. I know there will be a porter who turns down the beds and brings the food. How much and how often is the customary tip for this service? Should I tip the porter once at the end of the journey, every time he/she does something for me, or not at all? TIA!

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Not at all. This is Europe where people working are not dependent of the kindness of strangers.

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Do you tip at a bank teller? Do you give a tip to the airplane staff? Or what about tipping the forum members here?

The ocnductor is doing his job and is paid for it by his employer, which is CityNightLine Gmbh. You pay a part of his wages by buying a ticket. I don´t understand why he is supposed to receive additional money from you.

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Tipping people who deliver food or provide personal service is a part of our (American) custom. Yes, I realize that I won%26#39;t be in the U.S., but I also wanted to be sure I wouldn%26#39;t be unknowingly offending someone by not offering a gratuity when one is expected.

*I* think it%26#39;s best to ask, and risk having strangers on the internet think I%26#39;m silly for asking, rather than to make assumptions. Thanks :-)

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%26gt;I wouldn%26#39;t be unknowingly offending someone by not offering a gratuity when one is expected.

People will surely take the money you will offer, then wonder and smirk about the strange tourist who pays for every service twice. But _not tipping_ is never an insult, at least not in European countries.

Tip is an appreciation of extra services - those that are not required by job description.

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I quite agree with you. You should ask, as you haven%26#39;t done the trip before.

And if the porter does something %26quot;above and beyond%26quot;, what does one do then, I wonder?

I asked the question on a US forum and got told %26quot;don%26#39;t be a cheapskate%26quot; and %26quot;do what seems right%26quot;, neither of which helped one jot.

I think the answer is that the porter won%26#39;t expect anything (unless he/she%26#39;s used to people from the US tipping him/her!) so you only tip if you think he/she has done something special. It%26#39;s all the harder because there%26#39;s no bill, so you don%26#39;t know what to give. But 10 euro will buy him/her quite a large beer, so might be a good amount that won%26#39;t demean him/her- but only for special service or assistance.

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I%26#39;m an American who tips. I travel to Europe quite a bit and I know tipping is not customary. However, it is always appreciated.

Go with your gut feeling. If you feel you%26#39;ve been given great service...show your appreciation with a tip. Doesn%26#39;t need to be much. Say %26quot;thank you%26quot; in the native tongue. If you meet with any resistance...which I have, on occasion...just smile and say %26quot;Please, have a beer on us%26quot;. Never fails! hehehe

If it were me, I would wait until the end of the journey to tip the porter.

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Germans are not a tipping culture. Its very straightforward. If you feel you got excellent service then by all means tip but its not expected, but appreciated. I did the same train trip last year and didnt tip. The service was just fine but its what I paid for and 1st class isnt cheap. Just being polite in Germany and saying %26#39;Bitte%26#39; and %26#39;Danke%26#39; will be appreciate by most. If you start requesting a foot massage and an eggs over easy at 2am then tip away...