Luggage security on train coaches and couchettes

You don't say where. If you are found chaining luggage to a British train you may well cause a security alert. It won't be taken well.

Well, dangggggggggggggg, Nigel! Thanks for that tip! Seriously! :) I never woulda thought of that! I certainly don't want to start an international incident! Mostly I was thinking about my lunatic idea of using my one-month Eurailpass next April to go from somewhere in Germany to Istanbul and back, via Budapest and Bucharest. If I did it the way the man in seat 61 suggests, I'd use sleepers on the Budapest-Bucharest and Bucharest-Istanbul legs each way. Beyond that, I haven't given the matter much thought so I'm just wondering how it all would shake out. To expand a bit on my concern: In any coach setting, assuming all I've done with my roll-aboard bag is put it up on the shelf above my seat, what do I do when I want to go to the bar car or the diner? Surely, I don't lug the luggage with me, do I?! I know I'd take my day pack along but what about the bag above my seat?

Tom, I have a few comments to add as well. Regarding Padlocks, if you're going to be staying in Hostels, you'll need a good quality Padlock for the Lockers as these are usually not supplied. I'd suggest a robust "small medium" sized Lock with "heel & toe" locking. Visit your local Locksmith and they can point out a good model. Eagle Creek offers a small Padlock and Cable set, but the Padlock is not very secure. Aside from the aspect of causing an "incident" as Nigel described, I wouldn't suggest locking your luggage to the rack and then going to the Bar car! Especially given the countries you'll be travelling in, you could very well return to your compartment and find nothing left but the wheels and frame! You can minimize "opportunistic theft" but snapping the bag to the rail car using one of the straps (without a lock). That type of theft is most likely to occur when the train is in a station. I observed a good example of how FAST theft can occur during a trip through Switzerland and Germany last year. A young couple from China found that their huge wheeled bag "disappeared" when they went to the dining car (it was out-of-sight between the seats). The Police in both countries searched the train thoroughly, but the bag was GONE! As someone who frequently travels "solo", I can tell you that the only realistic option for going to the Bar / Restaurant car is to take all of your kit with you. I'll sometimes "take a chance" and leave my main Pack locked to the rack if I go to the WC for a few minutes when the train is moving, but I always take my Camera bag and Daypack with me. It's a bit awkward, but I don't really have a choice. Good luck and happy travels!

We used a retractable cable padlock (combination lock) which was fairly small and light but does have a metal cable. We stashed the bags in the luggage bins near the train door and secured them together and to the rack with the cable. A serious thief carrying some kind of wire cutters might have been able to cut it, we felt that it was more to discourage a crime of opportunity. You could look into the different models of the retractables to see if they are available with a heavy cable to offer more security.

I have a Pac Safe combination lock with a retractable cable which has worked very well for me. Use your small locks to secure the zippers on your bag. If you share a couchette with other travelers, take your valuables to bed with you.

Interesting remarks about securing luggage in European trains, but no one, yet, has touched my problem. Which is: I have a retractable thin cable gadget which can secure one or more bags above the seats, but that as well others mentioned so far are metal, ot have some metal. If you check a bag, fine. Put your gadget inside it. But will a padlock-and-chain or anything with metal be allowed through security when flying between North America and Europe with only a carry-on, and no checked bags? Would appreciate comments from people who either had their gadget seized, or were allowed through with it. Thank you.

guy, I can't answer your question completely, but have a few thoughts on the subject. I normally pack along This Lock set when heading for Europe, but it's usually in my checked luggage. I use a more robust and far better quality Padlock similar to This Model, rather than the one supplied in the Eagle Creek set (the Padlock is mainly used for Hostel Lockers). The Padlock by itself should be perfectly acceptable for carry-on luggage, but I'm not sure about the steel Cable? It's fairly small and unobtrusive, so it's possible it would also be allowed. Cheers!

We purchased a cable type lock for train travel several years ago for our trip. We placed it in the checked luggage but when we needed to use it we found that TSA had removed it. There was no note that TSA usually leaves in the luggage. It was not a really thick cable-a simple one with a combination lock which we had set to the same code as our other locks.

I usually don't use a lock since my bag is big and dirty looking. I have all my valuables in my backpacks and i don't leave it on the rack - I always have food/water in it as well so I just put it under my seat or the table. Most thieves are smart enough to not bother with big bags, so if they're not out of your sight for too long, you'll be ok without a lock. also depending on where you go, trains in some countries have overhead racks, if you can lift your bag put it there you'll be ok.