high speed trains in Italy and any current luggage restrictions?

Trenitalia briefly introduced a restriction of maximum 2 suitcases per person but it was quickly rescinded by popular demand. The only restriction will be your ability to carry it by yourself, since on trains you are responsible for loading it on your own. At each end of train cars there is a luggage hold that can hold larger pieces than the overhead rack. Since those may not be within sight from where your seat is, I would secure it with a cable lock. Theft is not common on Frecciarossa trains but why make it easier for a thief?

PS: from Arezzo to Venice you will need to change trains at Florence Santa Maria Novella, so take that into consideration, that will be extra lifting work for you.

Check out some of the many Youtube videos from train vloggers on Italian trains, they'll show you the actual luggage area and discuss luggage policies.

There are luggage areas on each couch and over head storage for smaller bags. It's hard to say for sure because newer trains seem to have less overhead bag space than older cars. Older cars could easily fit anything that would fit in an airplane overhead and had some room between the back to back seats as well. If you get on the train early or where a lot of people get off there may be open space in the luggage area to place larger bags but there is no way to control that.

From Arezzo to Venice you will need to take a regionale (or other non-fast) train between Arezzo and Florence and the change to a fast train between Florence and Venice. Chances are a lot of people will be getting off in Florence and hopefully there will be space in the large luggage area when you get on board.

The bottom line is no one is going to forbid you access to the train because of your luggage but how much of a burden it will be may come down to how busy the train and luggage areas are. We usually travel only with carry-ons but last year we went for 2 months and both had to take computers as well. So we were those people we usually scoff at with way too much luggage, but it worked out getting space on the trains however embarrassing it might have been.

Tip: Work out ahead of time how it will work. Once person should probably be in the car and the other should hand up luggage to them. Also check the seating map of the train and see where the luggage area is on the car you are riding and get on where the luggage racks are not where your seats are. If you get in at the wrong end you'll have trouble getting to the racks because of everyone in the aisles.

It's Italy - don't worry too much just prepare as much as you can and figure it out as you go along,
=Tod

Thank you! This is all very helpful information. There seems to be a high speed train from Arezzo directly to Venice so that will help. I had not thought about taking into consideration where to board the train - that's very helpful.

Which train on what date and time are you looking at @ewasilau?

As far I can see with the current schedule there is only one through train from Arezzo to Venice leaving at 19:59 arriving at 22:55.
I'll admit I didn't know there a through train and I thought all trains required a change in Florence but there apparently is one. If this timing works for you that's great, but it is a late arrival in Venice. Maybe the summer schedule release will add more trains without a change in Florence but they are the exception and most will require a change.

Because you have assigned seats you'll know which coach you'll be on and most train stations will work to tell you where the different coaches will arrive at the platform. So you should have time to get to right place before the train arrives. The coach will generally say which end of the car to enter on for low rows and higher number rows but generally there is only luggage storage at one end. When you choose your seats during the ticketing process it will show you a lay out of the car so you can choose seats nearer the luggage rack if you want to. Before you ask - no there is no way to know which way the direction of travel will be when you book.

Hope that helps,
=Tod

Looking to travel on April 18 and we can't leave until the evening anyway. The late arrival into Venice isn't ideal, but it will be nice to have the direct train ride.

I have started the booking process through both Omio and the Trenitalia web site and neither show where the luggage storage is when you go to select seats - only where the bathrooms are. So that's why I'm wondering if luggage storage is on the same end as the bathroom or the opposite end. I've also watched a few you tube videos and they show the storage space but not where it is in relation to the bathrooms. We'd like to reserve seats closer to the luggage storage but I think the location of luggage storage might be a state secret!!

Thank you for trying to help!

Don't worry about it. No one and I mean, No one, wants your luggage. Generally the luggage storage is at the middle entrance of the car. Kind of a wall of big, steel bins. IT IS VERY OBVIOUS. Throw you big bags in this storage and take the smaller, carry-on size bags to the overhead rack about your seat. There is not a toilet on each card. More like every other car so don't go looking for bathrooms and luggage storage together. This is luggage storage on every car. Now pay attention to the stops on your route as get to the end. If getting off at "F"stop be sure to know the stop before -- "E stop". Once the train pulls out of "E" it time to get organize, gather your seat stuff and head to the luggage storage area. Others will be doing the same. Find and recover you luggage and ready to hop off when the train stop. Your luggage could be buried by other luggage in the bin but it will be there. When the train stops, hop off and move away from the flow and confirm you are at the correct stop. Look around for a station sign. If you see a conductor or someone -- ASK,, Is this E??.. If everything is good, just follow the flow to the station.

The luggage storage racks are generally at the opposite end of the car from the WCs. If you look in Premium class they have an additional luggage storage area marked in front of the WCs across from the special seat but that's opposite end from the usual storage. Since you are worried about luggage I would pay for the upgrade to Premium over Standard because it has more luggage provisions and may be less busy. (Assuming you're not thinking of upgrading even more.)

It looks like it will be an ETR500 slightly older train.
https://www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/frecciarossa.htm#frecciarossa-500 (also highlights the between the seats storage)
Layout is here - the text is fuzzy but you can see the layout.
https://www.seat61.com/reference/trainseatplans/Frecciarossa.pdf

AS you can see there are luggage storage areas when you enter the train for really large bags, overhead storage that will take anything that would fit in an airline overhead and between seat storage.

At about 4:18 this video has a view of getting into standard class and people using the luggage racks.
https://youtu.be/Wmh7VcJ9uA0?feature=shared

If you had seen the tourist luggage getting carted on and off the trains in high season I think you would be less worried about the luggage issue, but it's always best to be prepared.

=Tod

Thank you so much for all of this information. It is really helpful and I appreciate it!