Friday Funny: Masking the Smells of Public Transit

Stinky trains may become a thing of the past in Berlin, where officials are sniff-testing new fragrances to mask the odors of public transit.

1 minute read

September 5, 2008, 2:00 PM PDT

By Nate Berg


"The Berlin S-Bahn smells of many things, not all of them pleasant: wet umbrellas, body odor, unwashed dogs, kebab and currywurst, sometimes spilled beer or schnapps."

"But that may change. The Berlin Transportation Authority (BVG) has announced plans to lace the S-Bahn with its very own de-odoring odor."

"The initiative is loosely based on a similar project in the Paris Metro, which introduced a fragrance called "Madeleine" in 1999. Named after what was formerly the French capital's smelliest stop (and a delicious pastry), the perfume has notes of orange, lemon and lavender. Parisian stations are mopped with an estimated 1.5 tons of the stuff per year."

Friday, September 5, 2008 in Der Spiegel

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