Is checking luggage an option (or requirement)? How much does it cost and how much lead time is required? Going from Rome to Florence and then Florence to Venice. At least 3 of the 4 of us will have large suitcases.
Gratzie.
Posted by
Dallas, TX, USA
1170 posts
No checking of luggage, drag them onto the train and stash them in the luggage rack at the end of the car or in the space allotted. Lash them together or to the rack if possible if they are someplace where you can't keep an eye on them. My very first trip to Europe, I took a HUGE 30" rolling piece of luggage and it was a very definite hindrance to getting on and off of the train and to finding a place to put it. I have since learned my lesson and now take the smallest bag possible that will hold my stuff. I no longer bring the kitchen sink with me. As I don't do laundry while on vacation, I still have a fairly decent sized bag for a long trip, but much, much smaller.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23626 posts
Scott is correct. You need to be able to handle you own luggage. Two medium weight bags are much easier to handle than one large, heavy bag. There will be two or three steep, narrow steps getting into the train car and you are competing with people trying to leave. Be careful if someone offers to assist in loading luggage into a train car. Sometimes, not always, it can be a diversion for a pickpocket. Just be alert.
Posted by
York, Pa, USA
49 posts
Agree with everyone. Just took family for three weeks rail pass in the summer. We all had one medium suitcase and a backpack. The medium suitcase was really heavy enough putting it up on the rack and dragging it on and off the train. Take less clothes, and either do self serve wash or where you stay in hotels for three nights, get your wash done. Bring washable clothes that you can do in your room. Don't be an American tourist with lots of luggage. Trains only stop for a few minutes to get on and off.
Dean
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32353 posts
Howard,
As the others mentioned, you won't need to "check" luggage on the ES/AV. Each of the trips you're taking is relatively short (as I recall, Rome to Florence is only about 1H:35M).
Where to store the luggage will depend to some extent on the circumstances at the time. If there are few passengers on the train, I normally just keep my Backpacks with me, with the larger one on the floor between the seats and the Daypack on a vacant seat. If there are lots of passengers, the Backpack goes on the overhead rack and the Daypack sits between my feet.
If there's a luggage rack, these are often close to a door, so as someone else suggested it's a good idea to at least clip them to the rack. This tends to minimize the possibility that a thief can grab the bag just before the door closes and the train departs.
Cheers!
Posted by
Richmond, Ky, USA
278 posts
The last post was spot on. If you can't run up steps with all your bags, then rethink what you are taking. Keep in mind that everything you will need, except for personal meds will be available over there. The luggage can be the key to having a miserable time, or a great time with little stress. Enjoy! Jeff
Posted by
Chicago, IL, US
127 posts
Keep in mind that each train's luggage rack seems to be different. We found some that were spacious and others that were tiny. I'd suggest getting to your train early to snag space! At some of the stops we had that weren't the beginning of the line, it was a challenge finding a place to put the bags. They are always at one end of each car, but for the life of us we could never remember how to determine which end it would be at- I'd suggest having someone in your group run up the steps before you lug the bags up onto the car. I don't think you should run into trains changing tracks at the last minute at your stoprs, but we definitely encountered that in smaller towns and it was NOT fun with the luggage, having to run back down and up the stairs to the right platform. I did not have a good overall experience with the Italian trains, can you tell? :)
Posted by
Singapore
354 posts
the Eurostar trains have luggage racks at the end of each carriage. I agree about getting on the train early to snag a space for your bag. If you have a narrow suitcase or pack, they can also be stashed in between the seat backs. Be as 'portable' as possible, but when you get off the train, be prepared to see other people's luggage stacked on top of yours! I had to shift a couple of 32" suitcases off my bag last year. Keep everything that you need on the train journey with you in your seat.