72 yr old and luggage on Italian trains

“ Before your trip, put everything you plan to take on top of your bed. Then reduce the amount by half.”
40 pounds is way, way too much.

Hi and welcome to the forum!
First recommendation (and I see I'm not the only one to suggest this) is not to take 40 pounds! :O)
I am 68 and can travel for 3 weeks with a checked 24" bag weighing a little over 20 (plus a carryon). Many other folks here travel happily with less than I do for trips of the same length or even longer.

So how long is your trip, how large is your suitcase, and what are you taking that's adding so much weight? Not all bags will fit overhead (mine won't) but there are places at the ends of the carriages for stowing larger bags.

Wow as a 67 yr old I see I’ve found the right group!

Serious question. Why does your bag way 40 lbs?

Your age. Spent a month in Italy a few years back. Had a carry on which I lifted onto train luggage racks. Was in Rome, Florence, Milan and Venice.

Packing for a month no matter what season does not necessitate a 40 pound bag.

40lb? Are you kidding? What are you carrying? Dumbbells to become a body builder? 💪
Carry only what you can fit in a 22” rolling suitcase 🧳 plus a small backpack 🎒. That’s all you need. You can use laundry service in those cities. There are plenty of laundromats or full service laundry shops in all those cities, even if your hotels don’t provide that service. Also carry garments you plan to get rid of (like old t-shirts) and replace them with new ones as you travel.

Totally agree with cutting down on your luggage.. Just returned from month long trip and we had a weekend carry-on bag and a small gym bag my husband could carry and I had a small tote bag for items needed on the plane. Try eliminating half of what you were planning on taking and I think you will still be comfortable. Good luck. We are a little older than you and we managed just fine.

We just got back from a trip to Italy that included lots of trains. I may be remembering things wrong, but I believe it was the fast trains (Frecce or Italo) that had steps up into the carriage, and Regionale trains that had level entry from the platform.

And then there are the stairs at many stations, going down to the access tunnel that crosses under the tracks, or back up. Those stations will often have elevators as an alternative, but they may be out of service . . . Or very crowded.

So there are more challenges than simply lifting your bag to an overhead rack on the train.

You need to take seriously the comments by others about lightening up. Most of us here travel happily and successfully with a 22 inch roller bag in the 20-25 pound range. I made the mistake of violating that rule on our most recent trip, carrying books, maps and lots of paperwork (long story) that brought my bag weight up to 30 pounds, and I truly regretted it. I am also 5’2, older than you, but very fit—-we work out every day at home and do a lot of fairly strenuous hiking when we travel. But that 30-pound bag was truly a struggle for me, especially getting on and off the trains that had steps.

Another option to help with shedding weight is to make sure that the suitcase itself is a light but sturdy model.

Already on trip. Traveled to Prague, Bratislava,Vienna. Heading to Venice, Florence and Rome then trans Atlantic cruise. No way to lighten the load. This was light compared to original

"No way to lighten the load. This was light compared to original"

Oh my word. Well, what I can advise is that you bookmark this forum so the next time you travel we can help you cut down before you are en route.

Do you have any idea how much your suitcase weighs on it's own? Unless it has sentimental value, I might stop at one of the many luggage stores near a train station and see if you can decant your stuff into a smaller, lighter bag. What size is your current bag? If it's larger than 24 inches you might get it down to that.

Or see if you can leave some of what you are carrying behind.

Ask a kind looking taller person to help. Or stack your bag at the end of the car in the low racks.

Sorry to be rude, but why do you need a 40 lb suitcase? Like others who subscribe to “traveling light” philosophy, I don’t understand. If you need ideas for cutting weight and size, review the posts in the Packing Forum. Lots of good ideas to help your. I have no practical solution for your 40 lb albatross.

I’m 72, soon to be 73. I travel with a 20 lb RS Rolling Carry-on plus a 6 lb tote. It’s taken me a couple trips to pare the weight down from a total of 30 lb (carry-on and tote). I can lift everything into/onto plane and train overhead bins, carry them up and down stairs, and haul them onto busses and trams.

If you can’t lift your suitcase (+ tote?) onto the train and into the luggage rack, there is no one there to help you. Also remember the bridges in Venice and vaporettos, how are you going to manage those?

EDIT: Just read your additional post. How did you manage traveling between your other stops? I was in Prague and Vienna in June. Took the train afterwards to Salzburg then Munich. I bought Christmas ornaments and gifts that filled the tote and had to use my backpack as a personal item. The weight was still under 30 lbs total. Checked the suitcase on the flight home. Never again! Too much to carry and United decided to delay the suitcase a day. More stress than I want!

Enjoy the rest of your trip!

Hire a porter. That's what we do when we're traveling with too much, but in our case we were moving family items from one person's home to our own by train. 🤔

Will there be someone to help me with my luggage on the train?

There are porters at some stations who can be hired to help passengers with luggage. Porters can be hired at Roma Termini, Milano Centrale, Bologna Centrale, and Firenze SMN.
These porters will typically lift your bags onto your train, and often they'll stow them for you in the baggage storage section of your car. Unless you're traveling to a station with a similar service—and enough time to locate a porter while the train is stopped—you'll be responsible for getting your bags off the train at your destination.
https://www.italiarail.com/packing-luggage-trains

Not sure the 'hire a porter' suggestion will work for OP for the Venice to Florence leg.

If you do rely on a stranger to help, be sure to warn them of the weight.

I use a bike cable and lock, then you can leave your bag near the door. Watch the stops and the time so you can be at the door with your bag unlocked and ready to go. 40 pounds is not that much stuff. I just got back from a trip that included Italy, we are both in our 60's. This is the first trip ever that playing the "old lady" card worked for me. So many young men helped us carry our bags or lift our bags, it was wonderful. You will be just fine. J

I have never seen a porter on an Italian train, but honestly I haven't been looking for one. Getting on and off trains with luggage isn't all that easy for the old and the short - I can say that because I am old and short!

If you can afford it, consider using a car service instead of a train. We used MyDayTrip in 2022.

https://mydaytrip.com/

@Estimated Prophet...that is a brilliant idea. My mind was just stuck on the train travel bit but a car service would be much easier as would a private water taxi in Venice.

It was definitely a shock to this 77-year-old solo traveler that you were asking this question while you're on your trip. I'm guessing that you've already experienced the issues people have raised about train travel with luggage that weighs twice as much as it should. Frankly, I doubt that anyone would put a 40 pound bag on an overhead rack on any train. It's too dangerous.

Assuming that it's both large (bigger than 22"x14"x9") and heavy, your only option is likely to be the racks close to the doors or maybe the triangle /\ that is created between the backs of seats facing opposite directions. Those are also better locations for the vertically challenged.

I agree with those who say you might try paring down what you have in that suitcase to half and shopping for a smaller and lighter bag in Italy to take what you keep home. That sounds like a fun local experience to have there.

For possible future reference:

My last trip was for 5 weeks in the summer of 2022 and as usual, I packed for a week and did laundry along the way. I used a 4.5 pounds empty bag with a capacity of 38L. I kept the weight down to 20 pounds fully packed so I could manage it on my own. I wore my heaviest clothes and shoes on the plane, ferry, buses and trains I used to get around. A small backpack that went below the seat in front of me on the plane was big enough for essentials and to put the very small purse I use in-country inside. It was with me the whole time I traveled by public transportation from place to place.

Bottom line for me is that if I can't manage my bags on my own, I shouldn't be traveling. And I can, but being 5'8" tall definitely helps. Having said that, I will accept help if it is offered. And the grayer I get the more help is offered. 😉

Cutting back by 50% like many have mentioned is a good goal to have. Packing for a week and doing laundry along the way is also good advice. A wardrobe coordinated so well that you could wear any top with any bottom increases the number of outfits. Although often recommended, I'm not a neutral person, so my clothes are always inspired by a scarf I love and never boring. Coordinated around that scarf, I typically have 3 pairs of pants and 6-8 tops which equals 18-24 different outfits. The tops are different kinds and have layering ability so they can be combined to make even more outfits. Having only two pairs of shoes, the heaviest of which is on my feet when on public transportation cuts down bag weight considerably.

@Estimated Prophet...that is a brilliant idea.

Thanks Pam! I shortened our 2022 trip to Italy from 18 to 10 days, due to concerns about Covid exposure. With 8 fewer nights, we could afford private guides and car services. It turned out to be an excellent trade off. Less time, but more luxury.

Welcome. My best suggestion is to ask for help. Porters or just stand there looking a bit helpless. No guarantees, but there are a lot of kind people around. No use to scold you about your luggage, it what it is and you are learning through traveling everything you need to know about heavy bags. I would definitely look for the racks at the ends of the train cars.

It hope you enjoy the rest of your trip.

One thing you can do is board the trains from Venice as early as possible to grab one of those luggage spots at the train entrance at floor level. That should not be a problem at Venice, since all the fast trains to Florence originate there. That is generally not the case going from Florene to Rome, where almost all of the trains are coming from Venice or Milan and continuing on to Rome. The exceptions are the first trains of the day at 6:00 and 7:05, which originate in Florence. The 7:05 makes only one other stop on the way to Rome Termini, at Rome Tiburtina.

Several years ago while travelling on trains in Italy, my spouse was the strong tall one asked to help with luggage by an ‘older’ woman. Her 2 suitcases were very heavy. He jokingly asked her if her husband was in one of them. Luckily she had a good sense of humour and understood English (and answered that he wasn’t).:)

One of my few [yeah right] pet peeves is women who choose to rely on some random stranger to help with their bags. IMHO, that reinforces many negative stereotypes about women - especially older ones. When I fly alone, I check my bag since I can't lift it high enough by myself. On our latest train trip, my husband could stow both of our bags. But if it had been just me, I would have had a hard time getting on and off the train with my fairly small and light carry-on, let alone stowing it.

Know your physical limitations, and plan accordingly.

This needs to be a warning to people: when traveling on trains, don't take any luggage you can't handle by yourself. Do not assume that there will be porters or Good Samaritans available to help you.

Hi, I am concerned that you are going to wrench your back on this trip which will prevent any future ones. I’m going to make an assumption that there’s several pairs of shoes in that suitcase. Donate all but the one you’re wearing and one other pair. Also donate a few outfits. People don’t care that you’re wearing an outfit you wore a few days ago. Your health is much more important.

I’m afraid you are going to have to pay the $$ to hire a private taxi at Venice to take you to & from your hotel. There’s no way you are going to be able to go up & down all of the stairs of the bridges with 40 lbs. There won’t be people volunteering to help in that situation because they could be hurt themselves.

Now a comment as a fellow train passenger. Please place your suitcase at the first rack in the train car as you enter it. Then move quickly to your seat. I’ve been in situations where someone brings on a large suitcase, pauses at the racks, starts to take the suitcase to the seat area and realizes it won’t fit, and then stops to figure out what to do. In the meantime, the rest of the people behind them are scrambling to get into the train car and are now stuck.

There are a couple of steps to climb on a high speed train (see below)
https://images.app.goo.gl/yatNAoVpUpPx13nG7

Regional (commuter) train are generally more leveled with the platform:
https://images.app.goo.gl/UUtc3kdQ1SnJdTQU6

If you travel by air, luggage weight is only a matter of price and ticket. A taxi can bring you to the airport entrance, the check-in area is usually near the entrance; on the arrival side, the pickup belt is near the exit and the taxi stand. By the time you are in your hotel room, you may realize that your luggage traveled mostly on its own, you had to lug it around only for a few short stretches. When you are on a train, you have to take care of your luggage, this means that weight and dimensions become suddenly important.

Provided that you should better have a small piece of luggage for train travel, there are just a few things you could do if stuck with a large one, and most are inconvenient. You could just take a cardboard box and ship back home part of your luggage (expensive). You can try to send your luggage in advance to your next destination; Trenitalia offer this option with a third party service but I never tried it (look at https://www.trenitalia.com/en/services/luggage_transportservices.html ); this could be done also through a courier, try asking your hotel, but I understand that Venice, having no roads, is a very peculiar city concerning services and the thing may be overly difficult.

Another option could be getting rid of the big luggage and buying two smaller pieces that will be lighter; but I do not know if you can manage two pieces. A way could be a small baggage on wheels and a bag stacking on it.

The key to this thread is the knowledge that the OP is already traveling in Europe and states she has pared down as much as she can for this trip.

Certainly, packing differently would have made a difference. Certainly, one should aim for always being able to manage one’s own luggage. However, she asked for options to help with her current situation.

Besides the excellent suggestion to buy a lighter-weight suitcase, start planning for "take-and-toss." Those clothes you are tired of and thinking about donating (assuming they don't look too ratty) - pack them for the trip, wear them a few times, than leave them for recycling or donation.

Already on trip. Traveled to Prague, Bratislava,Vienna. Heading to Venice, Florence and Rome

Brings up the question of why is dealing with the baggage an issue in Italy, but was not for the 1st part the trip?

Will just add a reminder that OP keep her valuables well secured as she would make a prime target for pickpockets as she struggles with her bag(s).

"Brings up the question of why is dealing with the baggage an issue in Italy, but was not for the 1st part the trip?"

Maybe they were on a tour and luggage was being handled for them?

Heading to Venice, Florence and Rome then trans Atlantic cruise.

And I suspect that the trans Atlantic cruise is the part that precludes sending stuff home.

“I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.”

At Costco I buy Scoop Away cat litter in 42 lb packages - they are heavy. The thought of someone 5' 2" navigating across Europe with a Costco Scoop Away package is mind boggling.

Challenging situation. Just a thought, a new one on this thread, it seems. Maybe the 40 pounds includes either things you have accumulated during the earlier stops on your trip, or things you will especially need on the cruise. Could you arrange to use FedEx, UPS or another shipping service to send the things you will NOT need during your stops in Italy. You would send these from where you are (Vienna?) to your cruise line at the port in Rome. Be sure to advise, and get addressing instructions, from your cruise line. Good luck!

Of course, if that cat litter bag had wheels and a handle, it might be a bit easier.

Thank you for all the replies. Yes there are things I need for the cruise. My daughter was with me for the first part of the trip and getting on/off the train from Prague to Bratislava was the key to problems with trains. Took a car from Bratislava and will bite the bullet and do the same in Italy

We are all breathing a sigh of relief after the OP's last post. I hope she has a great time in Italy.

Thank you for coming back! I was afraid we'd scared you off.

Throwing money at a problem is often the easiest way to get out of a difficult situation. I'm glad you are going with the car service.

Have you looked into taking a bus?

It will take longer than train and I’m not really familiar with routes and availability but your luggage will be stowed below so no worries about getting on and off.

It will certainly be less expensive than private car.

https://www.flixbus.com

Guys, get off this woman's back. Stop being rude and judgemental. None of you know why the lady is travelling with a larger suitcase. Maybe she's got medical equipment, orthopedic shoes, or something other than too many clothes. The answer to her question about how to wrangle a heavy suitcase should not include a criticism of the weight or size of her luggage. It should not include chastising her for not weighing her belongings before setting out. She doesn't need her nose rubbed in what many of you consider a mortal sin of travelling with more than a carry-on. She asked for advice on how to handle her bag. That's it. Speaking from personal experience, there are plenty of things -- evening clothes, bag, shoes, pool wear, gym clothes, summer wear for the ports at the end of a transatlantic cruise, etc -- that one doesn't need on a vacation where she is at this time of year. Perhaps many of you don't know this. Yes, hindsight is always 20/20, and she may reevaluate for the next voyage. If I had had the opportunity to a make a suggestion before she travelled, I would have mentioned the possibility of a luggage delivery service that would deliver all her cruise accoutrements directly to her stateroom. This relatively inexpensive option resolves an enormous amount of en-route hassle.

I gave the OP the same advice I would have proffered if she had asked months in advance - if you can't manage your luggage, use a car service, which is what she did.

This thread is an example why OPs need to give all pertinent details. We had no way to know she was already traveling, her daughter was helping her during the first leg or that she was taking a cruise after the land portion. Had we known that information, our answers would have been quite different.

We had no way to know she was already traveling....Had we known that
information, our answers would have been quite different.

Yep. It was sort of a big detail to have left out?

But no matter at this point. If new to them, there can be a learning curve to productive forum discussions, eh? The more people know, the better they can help. :O)

lsf44, I'm just happy that you seem to have gotten the problem sorted, and hope you stick around to share your travel knowledge with folks who may have questions you can answer. Have a great rest of your trip!

The issue is that hauling a suitcase that heavy on and off a train (and through the train station) is very difficult for a lot of us at any age to handle. Just getting around the train station can involve steps both down and back up. Sometimes there are elevators, but they can be hard to find. And then when the train pulls into the station, you've got to be ready to hop on, sometimes across a gap and almost always up several steps. I can't imagine that a 5'2" woman could handle that 40 pound suitcase herself. There were many times on our train rides last summer when we (in our 70s) were either being helped or were helping someone else because you don't want to hold up everyone else trying to get on or off.

Well we were recently on trains in Italy and there were very young girls with HUGE I mean HUGE suitcases that they just kept in the Isle next to them, no concern for any other passengers and very entitled. A train employee did tell them, with a very disgusted look on her face, to move them to the upper racks and to clear the isle, to which they totally ignored. My husband is always very quick to help anyone who needs a hand in getting their luggage up, but I told him don't you dare!. Since you obviously cannot lift the case over your head and if no one will help you, I can't imagine no one helping you but then you would also need someone to help take it down, so that could be an option for you, also if there is an empty seat next to you, you could just place it there. But even then you have to navigate getting it up onto the train, possibly maneuvering it down stairs. Since you are not able or willing to lighten your load, I guess just try go and figure it out on the way.

Interesting thread. I did read and skim through it all.

I have gone on two cruises (admittedly that's not many) and I can't really think of how being on a cruise will necessarily make that much of a difference versus travelling but not going on a cruise. Perhaps with the whole cruise thing, some people think of packing fancier dresses / suits? Hmm...oh well.

I came back from an 8 day trip to Portugal recently and this was my first trip ever going abroad (and not to my family home) where I only had a carry-on and personal item. We opted to try to travel without checked baggage and OMG, it actually works! It actually works. I have never packed a lot but in all my international travels (where I"m not travelling back home) I would have checked bags. This time I was unwilling to pay for checked bags and we opted just to do carry-on. Husband and I did it and we even had room to spare on the return trip! I tossed out some old underwear and things like that for the return trip, clothing that were already so ratty I could just discard.

Hopefully for the next trip OP consider if they could continue to lighten their load? I agree it would be more difficult if something like a CPAP machine and other large medical devices need to be lugged along. But still, that wouldn't amount to 40 pounds, would it?

Even on cruises, you can have laundry done. Its not cheap, but as you can see, there's false economy in not getting it done.

.S, F, 75+, travel one month at a time, solo, carryon only. Leave for Paris on Monday for the month and suitcase does weigh 26lb. Staying in one apt for the month w/washer but have 4 tops, 2 shoes in suitcase which is one more than I usually bring, 3 pants. Washer is great but length of drying time is the reason for number of pants. Although I plan for rain, smallest umbrella and $1 rain ponchos take up space. Personal items, meds, consumables take up space but that leaves rooms for purchased items on the return.