Meals in dining cars on trains

Use a lock like this and you're good to go:

http://tinyurl.com/ndffhub

We do this all the time. We time our meals for between stops so we don't need to worry about someone grabbing our stuff as they exit. I do take my purse and we take any backpacks that have a computer or iPad in them.

We shop the day before for food for long train trips. A bit of bread, and cheese a box of cookies to share, and of course our reusable water bottles (Nalgene) filled with water for the trip.

If we have time before the train leaves, we'll purchase a pre-made panini at a cafe before we get to the train station.

Some trains have a food cart that comes down the aisle...but that food is a bit pricey....but in a pinch, it would be good. Not sure if your train will have that...so be prepared and bring your own lunch/dinner.

Sometimes the "dining car" has nothing but drinks and packaged snacks, sandwiches and salads, maybe some fruit. On other trains it's much better, just depends.

I traveled both regional coach and inter-city/high speed first class for four months thru Italy last year, and I don't remember any dining car, and no food cart ever came down the aisle either. I and other passengers had our own water bottles and food with us. Or none.

I tend to agree with the crowd that thinks at best you will be dissapointed with any dining car, more likely that there will not be one. The trips within Italy tend to be too short to make them worthwhile. Maybe a leg that is part of an international train may have one. Best bet may be to bring your own.

eracah,

I don't normally like to leave my large Pack "unattended" when going to the dining car, unless I'm with a group and someone else can watch it while I'm away. While I could lock it to the rack, it's "soft" luggage so it would be easy for a thief to cut the strap or whatever, and disappear with it (especially if there's a stop during the time I'm away dining, which Laurel mentioned).

There are several ways you could deal with this issue.....

• Go to the dining car separately. The first person could always bring back a snack for the person that stays with the luggage. I often travel solo, so that's not something I can do.
• Take all your luggage with you (this is the least preferable option).
• Buy a snack from the mobile food cart that will undoubtedly stop by your seat at some point in the journey. The sandwiches are pre-packaged, but on the rare occasions that I've bought one they seemed to be quite fresh.
• Grab a sandwich and beverages at the station before you leave. Stations in Europe have an excellent choice in food vendors, so you won't have any problems finding something to take on the train.

If there is a bar car or fancier dining car scheduled on your train, it will be mentioned in the detailed view of train schedules from DB. I have always preferred the value and variety of bringing my own picnic, whether I shopped at a regular grocery store or at used resources at a train station. Bigger stations have more choices.

While it probably is safe for both of you to leave your luggage and go to the dining car, I personally would not tempt fate. We have used trains quite a bit in Italy and I only recall one train having a snack bar and my husband stayed with our luggage in our seats while I went and got us both food. On another train, someone came by selling salami sandwiches but that was it. For longer train rides, we pick up sandwiches or snacks in the train station before boarding our train. The food you purchase at the train station will probably be less expensive than on the dining car; I seem to remember that the prices were really high on the train but we didn't have a choice on that ride because we hadn't brought food. Our philosophy is to never leave our luggage unattended whether it's here, in Italy or anywhere! Why ask for problems! Have a great trip.