Train travel and luggage

There is space for luggage in the rack above your seat, so 21-22” size at most. Some trains have racks at the end of cars, first come, first served., out of your sight. You do not want to travel on trains with large pieces of luggage. The train fare has no bearing on this. You have more room in First Class but luggage situation similar.

Yes Super Economy tickets just have have restrictions on whether or not you can exchange or get a refund; they have absolutely no bearing on where you can put your luggage in 2nd class. It depends on the train design but most have space overhead the seat.

You'll have the same seat and the same luggage rack as the fellow passengers who bought their tickets last minute at full price.

ma,

The fare level has no bearing on luggage limits. Each coach normally has a rack at one end for larger luggage, as well as an overhead rack for smaller items. The luggage racks tend to fill up quickly on busy days, so it's a good idea to board as soon as you can. You can sometimes place smaller items at your feet or on the seat beside you, but in the latter case be prepared to move it as passengers come and go at each stop.

If you place items on the luggage racks at the end of the car, keep an eye on them so they don't "disappear" at one of the stops. On one trip in Italy, some inconsiderate twit tossed my backpack out into the foyer (where it was a tripping hazard), in order to make room for his bicycle. I was really annoyed!

Your post caught my attention because I'll be doing a lot of train travel in Italy too........and I've decided to limit myself to a 21" carry-on sized bag (I don't know that I'll actually carry it on the flights, but it will be that small). Between train trips and staying in a few places without an elevator, I think carry-on sized will have to be my limit.

There is a third place to store luggage. Where two seats are back-to-back, there is an A-shaped space between them, suitable for bigger bags than will fit in the overhead racks. Click here for photo.

And, to add to the chorus, your ticket type makes no difference to the luggage storage. Note there is nobody to organise your boarding of the trains. You find the correct platform, get on the correct train, store your luggage and sit in the correct seat without any assistance, totally self-service.
Absolutely no possibility of discrimination.

Is it possible to sit by the luggage rack to keep eye on your luggage?

Is it possible to sit by the luggage rack to keep eye on your luggage?

Judy, on Italian High Speed trains you have a reserved seat (listed on your ticket). You can only sit in that seat.
On local trains you can sit in any free seat. There may or may not be a free seat by the luggage rack.

Worries about luggage are overhyped. Italians don't worry, nobody wants your dirty clothes. Your valuables (money, cards, tickets, passport) will be presumably in your day bag/handbag/coat pockets with you. If your bags will fit in the overhead racks, no issue.

I second Chris’s recommendation to use the A-shaped space between rows of seats. In my observation these are used mostly by locals, who know about them, and not so frequently by tourists; hence, they are often empty.

The price you pay makes zero difference in luggage space availability

But not all cars have the "A" space. In some cars all the seats face the middle so the only A space will be the last row at either end of the car. We have never had any luggage concerns. Always use the bins near the car entrance. But, please do not put your luggage on the seats next to you or across. The the height of ugly tourist. And as the others have posted, there are no assigned seats for luggage. The one thing we do do that some argue that we should not is that we cable our bags together with the idea is that if someone grabbed one of our bags the other might to a surprising anchor. My sense is that if luggage goes missing it is mostly likely a mistake as opposed to theft. With so many bags looking the same, it is easy to grab the wrong bag. Thinking the cable would prevent that.

Yes, if you store your luggage in the train foyers, definitely keep an ion it. I witnessed a robbery attempt a few years ago. Whenever the train stops, anyone can hop on, grab a suitcase and hop off. I try to get a seat facing that area if my suitcase is too big to fit in between the seats. Then every time the train stops, I get up and stand with my suitcase. It’s a hassle, but I’ve seen firsthand what can happen and it’s a small price to pay for keeping my things safe!

I always worry about storing my luggage at the designated luggage spaces on trains. It's not always possible to keep an eye in it. Plus, it's very easy for someone to walk off the train with it at the last moment. So, what I now do is bring along a 4' thin cable and a lock and secure my luggage to a pole or to my wife's luggage. This has definitely given me more peace of mind and allows me to enjoy the scenery outside rather than staring at my luggage. The lock and cable combination can be purchased on Amazon.

I also get a seat facing the end of the car where my suitcase is, so I can see it.
And I also get up at every stop to make sure no one takes mine by mistake....or otherwise.
One of the staff on the Gare du Nord platform in Paris told me to do this, as he was boarding us all for Amsterdam.
I already did do it; but it was interesting to hear that the train staff warn people.

If you cable your bags together, first make sure to arrange them so that they are using the least amount of space possible, out of consideration for your fellow travelers. And be sure to allow PLENTY of time to release them from the cable before you arrive at your destination.

As for that "A" space, I've found them to be more common in first class, which is what I believe that photo is showing. We store our bags overhead, if there's room. (There isn't always, which is why it's always a good idea to show up a little early for your train.)

...be sure to allow PLENTY of time to release them from the cable before you arrive at your destination..... That is not necessary since the bags are only attached to each other. They are not attached to anything in the luggage bin. I can carry both bags in one hand if necessary and I have. Lot of times, I just take them off the train and remove the cable on the platform. Twenty plus years ago we used to attach the cable to the bin but realized one day how stupid that was should the lock fail. Slow learner but fortunately no problems. We have never been very concerned about our luggage. Just throw it in the corner of the bin.

Where two seats are back-to-back, there is an A-shaped space between
them

If you use a spinner keep an eye on it. I have seen spinners leave the A-shaped space in a curve due to centrifugal forces. It managed to travel about two meters down the aisle before anyone caught it - lol

That is not necessary since the bags are only attached to each other.

Frank, don't assume that others do things the way you do. The way you describe means the bags can be removed from the train very quickly, which kind of defeats the whole purpose of doing the cable thing. Anyway, my advice still stands: IF you choose to cable them together, allow plenty of time to uncable them.

In my experience Michael is correct about getting your luggage ready well before reaching your destination. I once observed an older man and his daughter miss their stop because they took too much time retrieving their large piece of luggage and then the train door wouldn't open. They ended up having to go to the next stop. Unexpected things can happen so I think it is best to be prepared.

In response to the question about whether one can sit near ones luggage if it's stored near the end of the car: More than once in France (July) I was unable to find space for my 23" bag on a rack. I had to leave it in an unofficial spot in the entryway. Since I had to be present at every stop to be sure the bag was on the side of the car where the door wasn't going to open, I sat in one of the flip-down seats in the area. Many rail cars do have such seats.

OP-With that much train travel I would seriously consider taking a case no bigger than 21", along with your backpacks. Speaking from experience, these bags will easily fit overhead of your assigned seat. They will be easier to lift on and off the train, carry up/down stairs (not all stations have escalators). We once had to switch to another track which required going down stairs, walking a long underground hallway, then up stairs to the next track, in 7 min! I have traveled 21 days in a 21' and a carry on and I am not super high maintenance but kinda medium maintenance and it was fine. Buy the super economy tickets ASAP!