Clearly you haven’t travelled that much. Bag-on-the-empty-seat is ubiquitous wherever you go. I recall it being a bone of contention even on the local commuter train I used in the UK. People also got a bit pissy if a mum of a toddler didn’t move the child to her lap from the seat if it was rush hour.
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Well in trams or buses the floor is so filthy. Who wants to put the bag there. If the transport is full then I simply put the bag on my lap. What pisses me off is these handy users and the arse holes eating their shit smelling kebabs!
It absolutely isn’t a uniquely Swiss thing, it’s pretty much a universal thing and has been for years.
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My solution to the bag on seat issue is, given a choice of empty seats, to always choose the one with a bag on it.
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I’m fine with people putting the bag on the seat next to them so long as there is an abundance of empty seats otherwise. It’s the arrogance of those who steadfastly sit there with a bag on the seat while there are other passengers forced to stand because it’s busy. Preparing to lower my backside onto their precious handbag / bag of shopping is usually enough to get them to hastily pick it up.
Sleeping, how dare they to repose in complete silence? Talking very loud, how dare they making noise?
Just wondering about the proper level of movement and noise a person should do in the train.
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No more noise than the occasional rustle of their broadsheet newspaper, and no movement beyond an approving twitch of the moustache when reading excerpts of Montgomery’s rousing speech to the troops, old boy!
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I guess minding my own business while listening to music with headphones is also not proper train etiquette 
A youngish lad (clearly working in IT in Switzerland) was in the train speaking loudly to his indian mom (& family) in a mix of some indian language and English. No earphones. I was sitting about 3 seat rows behind, and I could hear him and his family perfectly (and see his mom’s face on the mobile) I held for 5 minutes. Then I just moved and sat next to him, leaned over so the family could see me, and started talking to the mom in English, about the conversation theme they were having. He was in shock. Then I turned to him, and suggested he holds this calls in a more private place. He apologized, and ended the call.
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You’ve never been on an Indian train !
In many countries, journeys can take many hours, or even days. Not sure how people can survive that long without eating and sleeping.
I’d love to know what train journeys in other countries you’ve actually been on because your post suggests not very many.
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The train is only the last leg to get home. After looking at the flights arriving to Zurich or Geneva airport is easy to understand that people may have been traveling for 24+ hours across different time zones. Wondering why people may eat or sleep.
The Latinos are the worst on the Handy