I'll be travelling from Venice to Paris at the end of May with 2 other friends and the only available SMART PRICE tickets left are for the C6 couchettes. Will my stuff be safe? Is there a possiblity that no one else would occupy the rest of the beds? This is our first time in Europe so we don't know how things are over there.

Thanks!!

It is possible that the three of you will be the only people in the couchette but not a certainty. Usually men and women are given different compartments, if possible but this does not always happen.

When traveling on trains/vaporetti, etc. do not bring lots of bags or large bags as they will be difficult to manage. Try to pack only one small roller bag and a carry on.

On the night train, store your luggage under the bottom berths behind the ladder and behind the ladder itself. Keep your purses with you all the time, even when sleeping. Never hang anything on the hooks near the compartment door, even for a minute as you will forget it's there. Try for upper berths as they are more secure.

Bring some snacks and water on the train as the food on trains (if there is a buffet car) will be expensive and not that great. You'll also need bottled water to brush your teeth as train water in the bathrooms is not potable.

Remember to validate your tickets at the beginning of the train platforms. I forget if the validation boxes are orange or yellow in Italy (I think they are orange). You'll see others validating their tickets. Just stick one end of the ticket into the machine so you get a date/time stamp.

Your ticket will give the car number and couchette number. Do not get on the train in the first car but walk along the platform looking for your car and get on that one (enter the car on the end closest to your compartment). That way you don't have to drag your luggage throughout the train.

The wagonlit conductor will ask for tickets shortly after departure. He may also ask for your passport (don't know if they still check passports between Italy and France on night trains). If asked for your passport it will be kept overnight and returned to you the next morning. Don't be alarmed if this happens.

Have a great time. I love night trains. You go to sleep looking at a particular landscape and wake the next morning in a completely different place. It's a great experience!

I've taken the Artesia Night Trains several times from Italy to Paris and back - always in a C6 or C4 couchette - i've had no problems and i've seen none on those trains. there are attendants who monitor who boards the train - only folks with reservations can come aborad

that said conductors will inevitably tell you to keep all of the three or so locks locked from the inside - a couple of bolt locks so even the train staff can't come in without you opening them.

But the problem i've seen is that others may go out at night to the loo or whatever and not lock the locks when they return - if awake i lock the door.

but my advice is to get an upper bunk of the three tiers if possible - put all your bags up there because there is a lot of room there and keep your valuables on your in a money belt or have the money belt in bed with your.

Lower bunks you have to put your bags on the floor - under the seats and it's easy for someone to snatch one by opening an unlocked door - unlikely but always possible.

and keep your valuables in bed with you.

Chances of not being full - nil IME - with the cheap online fares these trains are fuller and fuller IME - and also they merged some of these trains so there are fewer of them serving more destinations.

For lots of info on European trains, including overnight trains three great sites: www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com - lots of great info and not just pass prices many sites have.

bon Voyage

any i tend to take my moneybelt with me when i go to the loo at night - though i don't think my fellow passengers are suspects but you never know. If you have two people then one can keep an eye on things when one is gone.

I was also wondering if I bought my tickets now will they assign us seats that are togethr in the same coach? If not are we allowed to change seats when we arrive at the station and take any avaiable seats together? We want to stay together if possible on the train.

Your tickets should show the train number and the car (voiture) number and a berth number for the exact couchette berth you have. Couchettes are in six-person compartments - three stacked berths on each side of the compartment - it will usually say upper, middle or lower - if you have two middles you will be at least opposite each other - preferable to any other arrangement IMO. If the berth numbers are consecutive or the next number either way chances are you will be in the same compartment but unless you have a chart you cannot tell this i believe.

couchettes are a crap shoot IME of taking literally hundreds of them - you may have friendly or unfriendly folk - folk with tons of luggage blocking the aisle between the bunks - folks who snore, even on occasion some with body odors - generally they will be middle class Europeans but i've been in one recently full of Albanian immigrants eating greasy chicken and garlic smelling food - nothing against them but they were rather messy - they were kicked off the train by Swiss border police and we had the compartment to ourselves.

But i would encourage you to pay more for a T-2 private double as you really do not realize what a T6 couchette could end up being - no one really knows until you show up.

I am willing to put up with anything and if you are that type then take the Smart fare C6 - if not the smart fare may not be the smart ticket for you.

bee - your last reply mentioned "seats" but you originally stated you're buying tickets with couchette supplements. There are no seats. You're getting couchette berths for sleeping.

If you order 3 tickets together and specify which berths you want you will probably get 3 couchettes in the same compartment. Does the web site you're using show the composition of the train cars and compartments? It is possible to change when you get on the train (if there are any non-reserved couchettes) but you will have to see the wagonlit conductor before doing this.

I was going to try to book through Trenitalia (yes I know of the problems many have had with their website, but I wanted to try at least since some have been successful). On their website it doesn't show anything other than the coach # and the seat #s. I'm just worried that the 3 of us might get separated even though the assigned seat/couchettes #s look like they're next to each other but you never know.

It's quite likely that there will be strangers in the compartment with you. You need to be sure of a couple things:

Do not leave others alone in the compartment with your things - take turrns leaving it

Be sure all of your valuables (money, credit cards, passport, camera etc) is in your bunk with you - preferably under your head or someplace it can;t be taken

If any of the unfamiliar compartment mates leaves be sure to lock the door behind them. Better to be awakened to let them back in than have a stranger wander in and take who knows what.

Frankly - this is something I would not do - theft is too easy. Isn;t is possible to get a low-cost flight?