Best mode of travel between Italian cities to avoid theft
Jan 6th, 2012, 07:12 PM
#22
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Johnnlilian: yes, there are usually overhead racks for luggage (I know if I say "always", someone is going to point out the one Italian train that doesn't have an overhead luggage rack 
)
If you carry a small suitcase like a 20-22" (no larger than 22") you can usually put the luggage in the overhead rack or even between the seats.
The reason that you can fit the suitcase between the seats is because some seats are back-to-back, so one seat is facing forward and the seat behind it is facing backward. In between these two opposite facing seats is a space where you can fit your suitcase.
There are tons of videos on youtube if you feel the need to see what the interior of some Italian trains look like. Notice the baggage compartment and the overhead bins in these youtube segments:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqLO9...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpq9c...eature=related
I believe there are pictures of the interior of trains on seat61.com
)If you carry a small suitcase like a 20-22" (no larger than 22") you can usually put the luggage in the overhead rack or even between the seats.
The reason that you can fit the suitcase between the seats is because some seats are back-to-back, so one seat is facing forward and the seat behind it is facing backward. In between these two opposite facing seats is a space where you can fit your suitcase.
There are tons of videos on youtube if you feel the need to see what the interior of some Italian trains look like. Notice the baggage compartment and the overhead bins in these youtube segments:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqLO9...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpq9c...eature=related
I believe there are pictures of the interior of trains on seat61.com
Jan 6th, 2012, 07:25 PM
#23
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Jan Lee : <i>"Perhaps I am being paranoid? I wasn't too concerned until I started receiving feedback from friends who said they felt that the petty theft in Italy was a bigger problem for tourists today than 15-20 years ago.</i>
Rightly or wrongly, you might want to read up a bit on the "Romani" people who have poured across the unrestricted borders of the EU from "Eastern" Europe to "Western" Europe.
Here's one article:
http://culturemagazine.ca/politics/c...to_the_eu.html
Rightly or wrongly, you might want to read up a bit on the "Romani" people who have poured across the unrestricted borders of the EU from "Eastern" Europe to "Western" Europe.
Here's one article:
http://culturemagazine.ca/politics/c...to_the_eu.html
Jan 7th, 2012, 10:52 AM
#24
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easytraveler: thank you for youtube videos, they were very helpful. We were thinking about renting a car but after reading all posts about trains, it sounds like the way to go. I will definitely pack light!
thanks again!
thanks again!
Jan 9th, 2012, 07:28 PM
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If you travel by train spring for First Class seats and then make sure you know whether the front or the back of the train comes into the station first. Then be sure that you push your way through the crowd to get to your reserved seats. Unfortunately, most times you'll find those seats already taken by someone hoping you'll be too polite to protest while waiting for the conductor to check tickets and hustle them to the back of the train. LOL!
Jan 10th, 2012, 02:30 AM
#26
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JenLee, certainly the threat of losing your cash, credit cards, and identification in a foreign country can be worrisome. My wife and I have lived overseas for 20+ years and only once have we - unfortunately - encountered a pickpocket.
And it was not on a train or the #64 bus in Rome, or even in Italy... but a Zara store in downtown Granada, Spain! You can read about that unfortunate incident - and some "security options and tools" to protect yourself - here: http://tinyurl.com/pkpt-Rome
You can also do many things to protect yourself and your vacation before you even come overseas. Living in Spain, Italy, and Denmark, we took the same steps before many of our “side-trips” to other parts of Europe. And when we did have the “incident” in Grenada, we were prepared and it enabled us to continue our vacation without concern (Frustration and anger, yes… but fortunately, we had protected our trip). You might read this article for some helpful hints: http://tinyurl.com/prepare-Italy
As many folks have assured you, the trains are far safer than projected on many travel sites. Probably being aware of your surroundings is the best advice I could give you. That and pack light!
Many, many years ago in our travels from the USA, we had Platinum Skymiles privileges. That allowed us to “check” and bring three bags of up to 70 lbs. each. Because we could… my wife DID! Hauling all that luggage up and into the trains lasted ONE trip. Now, having lived in the EU for years, and utilizing the smaller Euro-airliners with luggage restrictions, she can go a week in a carry-on. I’d suggest traveling as light as possible and that will limit any distractions and potential issues.
For some more photos and videos of train interiors, and the experience of riding in a train in Italy, you might look at these two posts. They offer some examples of luggage and storage options: http://tinyurl.com/riding-trains and http://tinyurl.com/Frecciarossa-new.
We rarely ride 1st class but if you are concerned about security, this might be a better option for you. There is less “traffic” in first class, fewer people sitting in first class, and thus probably more storage area available. To see many photos of the differences between 1st and 2nd class, GAC has written an excellent article: http://tinyurl.com/1st-or-2nd
I think with some preparations you’ll thoroughly enjoy your train experience. Because we travel often on short “hops” through Europe, we prefer the train to the plane. No security hassles, less time wasted “waiting,” few if any weather delays, and actually far more leg room and comfort! Be prepared and you’ll enjoy it too! Good Luck!
And it was not on a train or the #64 bus in Rome, or even in Italy... but a Zara store in downtown Granada, Spain! You can read about that unfortunate incident - and some "security options and tools" to protect yourself - here: http://tinyurl.com/pkpt-Rome
You can also do many things to protect yourself and your vacation before you even come overseas. Living in Spain, Italy, and Denmark, we took the same steps before many of our “side-trips” to other parts of Europe. And when we did have the “incident” in Grenada, we were prepared and it enabled us to continue our vacation without concern (Frustration and anger, yes… but fortunately, we had protected our trip). You might read this article for some helpful hints: http://tinyurl.com/prepare-Italy
As many folks have assured you, the trains are far safer than projected on many travel sites. Probably being aware of your surroundings is the best advice I could give you. That and pack light!
Many, many years ago in our travels from the USA, we had Platinum Skymiles privileges. That allowed us to “check” and bring three bags of up to 70 lbs. each. Because we could… my wife DID! Hauling all that luggage up and into the trains lasted ONE trip. Now, having lived in the EU for years, and utilizing the smaller Euro-airliners with luggage restrictions, she can go a week in a carry-on. I’d suggest traveling as light as possible and that will limit any distractions and potential issues.
For some more photos and videos of train interiors, and the experience of riding in a train in Italy, you might look at these two posts. They offer some examples of luggage and storage options: http://tinyurl.com/riding-trains and http://tinyurl.com/Frecciarossa-new.
We rarely ride 1st class but if you are concerned about security, this might be a better option for you. There is less “traffic” in first class, fewer people sitting in first class, and thus probably more storage area available. To see many photos of the differences between 1st and 2nd class, GAC has written an excellent article: http://tinyurl.com/1st-or-2nd
I think with some preparations you’ll thoroughly enjoy your train experience. Because we travel often on short “hops” through Europe, we prefer the train to the plane. No security hassles, less time wasted “waiting,” few if any weather delays, and actually far more leg room and comfort! Be prepared and you’ll enjoy it too! Good Luck!
Jan 10th, 2012, 04:27 AM
#27
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Just two days ago I made a 5-6 hour train journey, 2nd class Eurostar. I had two suitcase that were too large and heavy for the overhead rack. I made sure I got on the train pretty quickly and was able to find an empty cubby hole for my smaller bag. The cubbies will hold a large carry-on but nothing bigger. So my larger bag had to stay on the floor next to the last seat in the car, which is a single, not two seats next to each other like all the others, and thus did not block the aisle. Since the seats were assigned, I couldn't sit near my luggage. But at every stop I would keep an eye on it to make sure no one carried it off. I don't recall seeing anywhere to chain a bag.
Jan 10th, 2012, 05:15 AM
#28
I've never seen anyone use a luggage lock on a train in Italy. If you intend to do this, I would only do it on the fast AV or ES trains. The slower IC and R trains don't stop long enough for you to fool with a lock (some stops are only 1 minute).
The fast trains make very few stops between major cities and some make none (Florence/Rome). You can look up the stops on Trenitalia. Enter your cities, select your train, below your selection click details by selection. That info will appear below and you then click the info box. The stops for that train will be listed below.
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...0080a3e90aRCRD
>>>Is it true the luggage gets put on a separate car? <<<
There are no luggage cars in Italy. Your luggage gets put where you put it. There is space behind your seat to slide a good size suitcase on the faster trains (AV/ES). In this picture of one of the Italian fast trains, the white part of the seat behind the lady with the boots, shows where you can slide your luggage in (will hold about a 25" case). There is also the overhead storage, larger storage bins at the end of the car and sometimes large bins in the center of the car.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ssainterno.jpg
This picture shows an older ES train and you can see the luggage area behind the seat a bit better.
http://www.railgallery.info/photo_sh...+copy.jpg.html
The fast trains make very few stops between major cities and some make none (Florence/Rome). You can look up the stops on Trenitalia. Enter your cities, select your train, below your selection click details by selection. That info will appear below and you then click the info box. The stops for that train will be listed below.
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...0080a3e90aRCRD
>>>Is it true the luggage gets put on a separate car? <<<
There are no luggage cars in Italy. Your luggage gets put where you put it. There is space behind your seat to slide a good size suitcase on the faster trains (AV/ES). In this picture of one of the Italian fast trains, the white part of the seat behind the lady with the boots, shows where you can slide your luggage in (will hold about a 25" case). There is also the overhead storage, larger storage bins at the end of the car and sometimes large bins in the center of the car.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ssainterno.jpg
This picture shows an older ES train and you can see the luggage area behind the seat a bit better.
http://www.railgallery.info/photo_sh...+copy.jpg.html
Jan 10th, 2012, 05:57 AM
#29
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We have taken the high speed train between Rome and Naples on several occassions (2nd class) and have never felt uneasy about pickpocketing on that train. In fact, the only train where I've felt concerned is the Circumvesuviana "commuter train" which runs between Naples and Sorrento. We still ride it every time we are in the region, but we are cautious with our things and stand with our luggage if need be rather than leave it at the end of the car. But for the other trains, not a concern
Jan 10th, 2012, 12:10 PM
#30
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I don't know if I missed it, but if you are worried about standing on the train, get a reserved seat!! It costs a little more, but is worth it. the hard part is finding out where to stand on the platform so you can get on your train car quickly because of the short stops. If you show your ticket to someone (Italian) on the platform the can probably tell you where to go.
As for all the theft problems: crime is everywhere. Remember the stories you read were on a thread devoted to it. All the rest of us haven't posted anything there. (We have been to Europe and Italy about 15 times and never had a problem on trains.) Just be sensible and aware, not paranoid or terrified.
As for all the theft problems: crime is everywhere. Remember the stories you read were on a thread devoted to it. All the rest of us haven't posted anything there. (We have been to Europe and Italy about 15 times and never had a problem on trains.) Just be sensible and aware, not paranoid or terrified.
