Why France banned kissing on railway platforms in 1910

If you have ever said goodbye to someone dear at a station, you know how hard it is to let go. In those moments, every second feels precious. Yet in 1910, France decided that this romantic ritual was getting in the way: kisses on platforms were delaying departures. In the unforgiving world of railway schedules, minutes matter. That is how one of the era’s most curious rules appeared — a ban on kissing at railway stations.

The early twentieth century was a boom time for rail travel. Trains were becoming ever more popular, and rigid timetables were critical. Tender farewells on the platform turned into a real headache. Drivers, moved by human sympathy, often waited while couples wrapped up their emotional scenes. The consequences were predictable: departures slipped, and other passengers grew irritated.

To deal with the problem, the French authorities took a radical step: they prohibited kissing on station platforms. The measure was designed to maintain order and keep the timetable intact.

The finer points of how the rule was enforced have not made it to us. What is known suggests it was largely preventative: there was unlikely to be any special “station police” patrolling platforms in search of offenders. Far more plausibly, the ban acted as a signal that public order came first — a tone-setting gesture rather than heavy-handed enforcement.

Over time, with new technology and changing social norms, the law slipped from memory. Today it is rarely mentioned and, by all indications, no longer applied. It survives as a quirky historical attempt to regulate everyday behavior.

Even so, romance at the station has not disappeared. Some French stations have introduced so‑called “kissing zones” — dedicated spots where couples can say goodbye without rushing. It is a neat compromise between timetable discipline and the human need to show affection.