Train Travel for older travelers.

I’m not sure what a red cap is. You won’t generally find porters to help with luggage unless you’re disabled and make a point of pre-booking assistance. Rail passengers are generally expected to manage their own baggage. http://www.irishrail.ie/travel-information/disabled-access

We are pass 75 and found the key is keeping luggage as light as possible. We see little advantage to using first class over second class. There is no additional service or priority with first class. Still have to climb the stairs and store your luggage regardless of the class. But a bit less crowd in first (fewer sears) but that is all.

Years ago we occasionally would see porters at the curb who would take you luggage and haul it to the platform for a tip. It was was irregular then. Haven't seen any porters anywhere recently. You are on you own for your luggage unless you prearrange something.

In the US, a Red Cap means a porter at a train station.

When was the last time someone saw a porter at a train station? Even a US one?

It is really essential to keep the baggage as light as possible. Even if, in theory, there's some sort of assistance available at one particular train station, what happens if it doesn't materialize when you need it?

The three of you can probably help one another getting on and off the trains with your luggage, and if you are very lucky, a nice person will offer help. Otherwise, you may want to consider a group tour. I have heard that Rick Steves offers such a service.

When I've traveled with someone who needed extra assistance with their bag I used my backpack rather than my rolling carry-on so I could be the one in the group with hands free, able to help others. Is there anyone in your group fit enough to do that to help others? Otherwise, I'm with Norma on this, perhaps a tour is the way to go.

One other thought: I know nothing about buses in Ireland, but if bus service is available on the travel legs you plan, it will make luggage-handling a lot easier. You just roll your suitcase to the side of the bus and it gets stowed in the hold. Even if the usual procedure is for travelers to lift their own luggage into the hold (the process varies), surely someone standing around will help if you can't manage even that yourselves.

You need to be aware that many European lodgings are in historic buildings. Some do not have elevators at all. Others have elevators but they don't completely obviate the need to climb some stairs. There may be 6-10 steps up from the street, or 8-10 steps up to a floor in a sort of split-level arrangement. I stayed in a Spanish hotel where I had to carry my suitcase up 4 steps, walk a few feet, then carry it down 4 steps.

A large/fancy hotel will probably have luggage assistance. If you're staying in smaller/less expensive places, you may be on your own, especially given that there are three of you. A lot of the reception staff in smaller places are not young.

Yes, you may need to help each other. My husband and I (both 70+) have a train routine -- we roll bags, with personal items on top, to the train door then he lifts the roller bags while I sling my Euro-tote over my shoulder, leaving one hand free to lift his personal item and the other to grip the handrail. (And if I manage to look frail enough, some nice person helps with the second bag.)

See if you can get trains with longer connection times so you're not sprinting between train platforms -- much better to spend 30 minutes extra in a train station than fall trying to connect in 8 minutes. On our current trip, we missed a scheduled connection because train #1 was 5 minutes late.

And, as noted above, PACK LIGHT!

You've gotten some good advice here so far. The best is to pack light. From your concern about luggage, I'd guess that may be a new concept for you.

As someone who will turn 72 in about a week and who has traveled carry-on for most of my trips, I highly recommend that you all watch this packing video by Sarah Murdock. You can also find lots of tips on the Packing forum under Tips and Trip Reports.

Personally, my trips are usually 4+ weeks and I pack the same way for all of them: everything coordinated, enough for 8 days including what I'm wearing, assuming l will need to do laundry along the way.

I also know that l will be responsible for my own luggage whether I'm totally alone or with a group. So that means one carry-on size roller bag (usually this one) weighing no more than 20 pounds fully packed and one cross-body tote (usually this one).

I am slower than I was even 10 years ago and the grayer my hair gets, the more people offer to help me. Sometimes I accept their offers, sometimes I don't. Mostly I allow enough time to get through the airport or train station on my own and keep my load light enough that I can pull, lift and carry it myself. If I can do it, anybody can.

"When was the last time someone saw a porter at a train station? Even a US one?"

I know this is not directly related to the original question, but there are indeed Red Caps at twelve of the major Amtrak stations. Here's the list: https://www.amtrak.com/onboard/baggage-policy/at-station-baggage-services.html

Although the service is "free," they work on tips, and should be tipped about $5 for 1-2 bags and more for more bags. They are invaluable, not only for baggage handling, but also for getting you onto a train before the herd (useful for any one with mobility impairment, as well as families wishing to sit together). This is especially useful in New York; the tracks are only posted about 15 minutes before departure and then everybody makes a mad dash for the boarding gate, but the Red Caps get the tracks much earlier and can take you onto the train before everyone else.

Amtrak's website and app have lists of the amenities available or not at each station (ATM's, Red Caps, Wi-Fi, number of parking spaces, etc). For example, here's the page for Pittsburgh's station: https://www.amtrak.com/stations/pgh.html

All that said, I've never seen a porter at a European train station. Certainly they're not available on the "walk up basis" they are in the US stations that have Red Caps. But that page linked for Irish Rail in Jane's post does indicate how to arrange assistance.

This is an idea that is "out of the box" but I thought I would put it out there anyway. Do you have a younger relative that would love to see Ireland but couldn't afford it on his/her own? Perhaps inviting an assistant along would give you some needed help and build family memories/relationships.

"Otherwise, you may want to consider a group tour. I have heard that Rick Steves offers such a service."

Actually if anyone reading this is considering a tour, part of the Rick Steves' tours is that you handle your luggage yourself. The bus driver loads it in to the hold but you have to take it in to the hotel and get it to your room and back down when the tour is ready to leave. There are times when the bus can't get very close to the lodging so the group walks their luggage. On the Ireland tour this involved a walk of between 1/4-1/2 a mile (googlemaps says .37mile/600 meters) - the bus had to park at the grocery store slightly outside the city center and we did not walk directly to the hotel.

There are tours that do handle luggage. The ones I've been on have been thru Road Scholar (used to be Elderhostel) which I recommend but there are others.

Pam you are right. I thought about that when I re-read my post the other day, but I was too dead lazy to edit it. The Seniors Discovery Tours is a tour company that does handle everything, transfers, baggage, insurance, you name it they look after it. The OP may not be interested in a tour for her threesome, however, and we have not heard back from her.

I've lived here 4 years.

Every train station I've gone through and needed assistance at, it was readily available. From helping get my bicycle up the 18 inches on the trains that were'n't the same height as the platform; to putting a suitcase in and then needing to go back to get another - always a helping hand. Even when I didn't have a broken shoulder! (which I had for 18 months). The staff are incredibly helpful. I've never seen a "porter" per se, but the Irish are generous and especially with elderly travelers!

Susan
Expat in Waterville