janisj

>>And the OP seems to have disappeared.<<

Give him/her a chance. The OP only registered and posted yesterday -- unfortunately some newbies assume they will receive e-mail notification of responses on their threads and don't realize they have to keep checking.

scrb11

How much does it cost to mail your dirty laundry?

I accumulate a kilo or more of laundry in a week. Have to admit, I never hand wash and line dry laundry so I take enough for a week and then I do the laundry.

As for trains, I've lugged my 27-inch suitcase on many trains. They won't fit on the overhead luggage racks. So I just leave them on the end of the cars. Some trains have lower level luggage racks big enough for bigger cases.

I understand people who don't want to check bags, just so they don't have to go through baggage claim. But there are many items you're not going to be able to put in a carry on bag. One time, I had to pull a traveler's tripod -- about 2 pounds and 14 inches folded -- out of my carryon and put in my checked bag. This was in Paris.

Other times, I'd have a little Leatherman foldable pocket knife/scissors confiscated from my carryon.

So if there are items you're going to have to check anyways, you might as well take a bigger checked suitcase and just carry the expensive stuff in your carryon bag and personal item backpack.

MmePerdu

"So if there are items you're going to have to check anyways, you might as well take a bigger checked suitcase..."

This sort of false reasoning leaves me (nearly) speechless. The checking or not checking part of a trip is the least of. I use a carryon size bag and always check it. It has nothing to do with the possibility of having items confiscated Checking my bag is simply letting the airline handle it for me. Baggage claim has never seemed a trial to me.

I pack light to ease my way day to day. Perfectly simple. I could carry it on and have no objection to those who bring a sensibly-sized bag, only to the oversized bags of the clueless and the airlines that make it more difficult for the rest of us by not enforcing rules at the gate.

BillT

In first class trains your large bags will fit in the overhead racks. Storing them at the end of the cars is not always an option as this space fills up. Throwing out clothes as you go along is not a crazy idea but a clever one to free up space/weight in your bag. We have done this on many trips and it works fine.

giro

You have gotten a ton of good advice.
A 28 inch bag can hold 50 lb. - way too much.
A 24 inch bag should be sufficient. Take a look at packinglight.net and click on video. Demonstration will show you how to pack a lot of clothes into a 21 inch carryon.
I have purchased 24 inch TravelPro for $64 at Marshalls. Go there or Ross or TJ Maxx and you should find something.
I have packed a small foldable duffel bag into my luggage and if i need to use it for souvenirs i can use it as my carryon on the way home.
Enjoy your trip!

Gothampc

"How much does it cost to mail your dirty laundry?"

Depends on many factors. The point is that you take your souveniers with you and mail your dirty laundry because custom agents aren't going to keep your dirty clothes around. If they open the box and see dirty underwear, they're going to push it on through the mail.

RM67

If you are using any budget airlines during the trip you will probably want to ensure your bag is less than 22 inches as the max length allowed for many is 55cm, so even a 24 inch case would be too big (for cabin baggage). Also, I have found that 22 inches is pretty much the maximum size that will fit in an overhead luggage rack on most trains.

I prefer hard sided cases as they offer slightly better protection for any electricals or fragile items, plus they stop you overpacking.

RM67

PS Samsonite Inova is my recommendation.

flpab

22 inch bag. Mine is hard on one side soft on the other. A heys bag. I tore up on of those lightest bags on a trip with cobblestones. Many trains you have to carry your bags up and down many steps to the right platform. It is a workout. Feel bad for the 100 pound girlies on your trip trying to carry those big cases. I like my spinner wheels. Buy magnets, small prints, scarves etc for gifts. Small flat packable stuff. You taking s small carry on back pack? Good for headphones, sweatshirt, stuff for bus, train and bus.

scrb11

I can't imagine say a weeks worth of clothes would be that light and cheap to mail back to the US. Underwear, socks, several shirts, maybe a pair of jeans or two.

Then what, you have to have more clothes for the rest of the trip.

As for packing light, more and more people are taking technology -- phones, iPads, cameras, chargers, batteries, hard drives, cables, etc.

This isn't 20th century travel any more.

aliced

<Throw away clothes as you go....> Seriously?? Who would want to take a trip, to France of all places, in clothes you're ready to 'throw out' (not even in condition to donate??) I am wearing my Mountain Hard Wear pants that zip off to capris; they will be the heaviest pants I take. So I may wear them on Days 1 or 20 of my trip, depending on locale. So I will have thrown them away when we left Paris, and then hope that the weather gets warmer and stays sunny? I bring my techno-best sportswear & travelwear that are quick-dry, um, these are not exactly 'throwaway' caliber. Is a student not going to bring her favorite jeans? Well, if I get sloppy during dinner in Paris, my consolation is oh well, I'll just throw out this top tonight? Ridiculous. And think mailing home dirty clothes is even sillier. Clothes go in the suitcase, the electronics go into our carry-ons. Laundry sheets do a load here or there & dry overnight on a tiny rubber line. It is all so easy.

29FEB

Alice, do think outside the box a bit; your travel preferences are not for everyone.

I do not donate underthings, but give them one last trip; the oldest ones do not come home.

If I have a silk blouse with a cigarette burn in the sleeve, whyever not wear it under a jacket on vacation? No one will see it, and I'm not going to donate that item either.

Yes, students will take their favorite jeans and possibly one pair will develop a huge rip.
Leave that pair behind. It is all so easy.

My guess is you travel to the tune of Van Morrison's
"All the girls walk by
Dressed up for each other"

MmePerdu

"<Throw away clothes as you go....> Seriously?? Who would want to take a trip, to France of all places, in clothes you're ready to 'throw out' "

Thank you aliced. This is one of those idiotic suggestions that people spout, and I suspect, never actually do. But just in case, I'll be on the look-out for the guy on the first class train in a holey t-shirt.

Christina

I think it's kind of disgusting to put used clothes, especially underwear, for the hotel staff to have to deal with. It's unecological, also. Creates work for the hotel staff to deal with your refuse clothes.

I wonder why this school group is going to be dragging luggage over cobblestones for so long. I've been to Europe many times and have never had to do that as whatever transportation method you use, you should end up fairly near your hotel, not be wandering around the streets dragging luggage for a long time.

I think the presumption that only American chain hotels have elevators is from an unreliable source. I've never stayed in any hotel in Europe that didn't have an elevator except once and that was a 2-3 story country inn, not a hotel in a city. I've never stayed in a 1* city hotel, though, they might not. But certainly European chain or large business hotels (if that's what you think a chain is) have elevators, also, by the way. I've stayed in plenty of nice, big modern European hotels and they had elevators. To be honest, school groups usually stay in those kind of places, and very small family-run hotels wouldn't allow them, usually.

The teacher imparting this wisdom doesn't know what he or she is talking about, especially when it comes to the idea to take a 28-30 inch suitcase to Europe!!! I don't even own such a thing. For heaven's sake, this trip is only 15 days.

BillT

Ok let's try's this again. in order to create space in your bag pack some clothes that are FINE but that you just don't wear much anymore. Also underwear, socks tee shirts are cheap to buy at home so take those along and toss them each day. It's not crazy and I have done this on several trips. We like to buy things in each city we visit (not magnets). The items that I toss are not worn out, do not have holes, look fine it's just that I have and I suspect many do, have items that they do nt wear much anymore. While this many not be everyone's cup of tea it will work for those who see the beauty in this simple solution. By the way it gives you a great excuse for buying some news ones when you get home!

apersuader65

I would not even consider bringing anything back sic as souvenirs. Your itinerary shows 10 cities in three countries in 15 days. You won't have time to shop, you'll wrung g from place to place.

But the itinerary does highlight why a small, light bag will be vital. Keep it small, pack only easily rinsed and hung dry clothing. You can wash out your daily wear and hang to dry for in the morning. It'll save you space in the bag, and make it lighter. Again how you look is not going to be that important since you're going to be in each city for hours, not days.

WeisserTee

"so even a 24 inch case would be too big (for cabin baggage)."

I don't know anyone who thinks a 24" would be cabin size. A suitcase that size is obviously too big for carry-on.

However, as the OP is traveling in a group, there is no advantage time-wise for taking carry-on only. Somebody in that group will be checking luggage -- esp with the teacher's lousy advice to bring a large 28-30 inch bag. So the whole group will have to wait at baggage claim anyway. And a 24-inch spinner is as easy to manage as any 22-incher but does give you extra packing space.

FWIW, we've made more than a dozen overnight trips by train (first class) in the past year to Italy, Belgium, Germany, France, Austria and through Switzerland and never had to put our main bags (one 24" and one 26") in the overhead racks -- there was always room behind the seats (in the parts of the compartment where the seats are back to back) or in the luggage racks at the end of the compartment. In second class, it's much more likely the bags will have to go over your head.

RM67

'I don't know anyone who thinks a 24" would be cabin size. A suitcase that size is obviously too big for carry-on.'

Plenty of people on here have been recommending them without asking the OP whether they are using any budget airlines or travelling by train at any point. So its useful for them to know that actually that size could be a hindrance, depending on the methods of onward travel. In reference to your comments about the train, the luggage racks at the end of the carriage always fill up very quickly so there's every chance it'll have to go in an overhead rack if the OP is using any trains. I'm not sure how your experience travelling first class is going to be a whole lot of use to a student.

As for them having to wait for anyone who has checked luggage, it's always an advantage not to have to surrender your bag in case of loss or damage, not to mention the times it will have to be carried (up and down steps/escalators that aren't working etc etc) so any sensible person would think it prudent to limit the size and weight as much as possible rather than go down the route of 'oh well someone else is likely to overpack and cause us to wait, so I might as well too'.

WeisserTee

I've traveled with a 24" for years. It's certainly no harder to maneuver on the ground or train than a 22" -- I gave up my 22" for ground travel for just that reason.

"I'm not sure how your experience travelling first class is going to be a whole lot of use to a student."

I DID point out that in second class there was a much higher chance that the overhead racks would need to be used -- I guess you missed that sentence. ("In second class, it's much more likely the bags will have to go over your head.") My first class reference was in response to BillT who said he usually needed to use the overhead racks in First class.

There are budget airlines that will make you check a 22" inch bag (had that experience on Ryanair). I only said there would be no TIME advantage on this particular group trip. Why did you twist that into meaning 'oh well someone else is likely to overpack and cause us to wait, so I might as well too'. Since when does having a modest 24" bag fall into the category of "OVERPACKING"?

Yes, it is nice to keep your bag with you if you can, but it's not essential. And if someone packs a 22" bag because they assume they can always keep it with them, they might be disappointed. (Last year, a colleague had to gate check her 21" carryon bag because the airline decided not to allow any wheeled bags in carryon. Practically everyone in economy had a 21" or 22" wheeled carryon and the staff knew there wasn't enough storage, so they decided to make everyone with those bags gate check)

RM67

Nothing is being twisted. You are offering advice that seems to be based on travelling experiences that are nothing like a student trip and you are downplaying the disadvantages of a larger heavier case. Having used luggage of a variety of sizes on a a multitude of trips, no way would I go back to a larger case, difficult to lift into luggage racks, carry up stairs, fit through narrow gaps, store in tiny rooms, and with no chance whatsoever of ever being used as carry on. I really don't follow your reasoning that because a few people will inevitably have to have a checked bag (meaning the vast majority wont) there's no point in even trying to pack light. We will have to agree to differ - though I sincerely hope the OP takes more notice of those who have suggested a smaller case, because it will make their life easier.