AVE Trains in Spain - Luggage Racks

The normal overhead for smaller bags and end of car for larger luggage.

Frank, thanks for the reply. I am trying to determine where to book seats. I want to be able to keep an eye on my luggage.... We are traveling from Malaga to Madrid. Which side is the end of the car where the racks are located. Madrid side or Malaga side?? thanks again

It doesn't matter which end of the car it's on, though typically there are racks on each end. The AVE has few stops but it's a good idea to keep an eye out when the train is at a station. Otherwise, keep the bags locked with a travel lock and you'll be fine. Besides, your bags will get buried under other people's that board after you.

Too much paranoia. Part of the problem with reading travel sites. Easy to develop a fear that everyone is out to get you since the focus is always on the things that can go wrong. We have never worried about luggage in the bins. We do use a light weight cable lock to secure the bags to something solid or to each other - my concession to paranoia. But if you notice most of the locals throw their bags in the bins without a second thought. Have never worried about watching my luggage.

Thanks. I am a bit paranoid because two years ago in Venice someone took my new camera and all the gear... I was a bit distracted and let my guard down.... Thankfully I had travel insurance and recovered the full cost... but lost my pictures from Venice... So my paranoia is based on experience.... I didn't let it ruin the trip, but I did learn a lesson...

While you should always keep an eye on your things and people are generally crappy to one another, the high-speed AVE trains in Spain are good, clean, comfortable trains, and I personally did not see anyone on there that cared one whit about stealing anything. I traveled with mostly professional people on there. Kept my stuff overhead and on the luggage rack at the end of the car. No worries from this traveler.