europe2011

Just curious about this one. A heard that a few people do this and now I am wondering if we need to. My husband and I will be traveling from Bern to Zermatt, Zermatt to Milan, Milan to Cinque Terre, CT to Rome, and Rome to Ancona. We will have 2 large duffle bags that we will need to store on the trains. Is it imperative to bring a cable lock to secure them? This sounds a bit absurd to me, but having not been in those areas, I want to know what would be best for us.

Would it be a big pain to do that? Would we be the only ones doing that? Seriuosly, I don't want to sound naive, but do people do that?

viveknyc

we did not....

scatcat

I have been on a gazillion trains through Switzerland and Italy-never secured my luggage. In Italy I do keep an eye on them at stops if they are near a door. I have heard rumors of luggage being snatched off the train at stops mainly Italy. I've never had it done nor have I seen it done.

europe2011

We would definitely keep our eye on our bags. It just seems like locking them down is a bit much for us.

PalenQ

Just yes keep an eye on them when the train stops and the doorways get crowded - some folks use the chain and a problem with that is that others who have bags behind yours perhaps can't move your bags to get theirs out so if doing the cable put the bags in a place not hindering access for others to their bags.

In Switzerland you will always IME find lots of room for luggage in overhead racks or by your seats but in Italy things can be more crowded in overhead luggage racks, especially in 2nd class - 1st class has much more room for luggage by your seat and there are IME often empty seats by you where you can put your bags. Indeed in years of travel with a first-class railpass in Italy I have always always found places on adjoining seats for my backpack and never have a problem.

Just one of many reasons IMO to go first class in Italy - not in Switzerland because Swiss trains are rarely packed in 2nd class.

check out these great European rail sites to see what they say - www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

Again a little prudence is all you really need - leave the cable lock at home IMO.

travelgourmet

No...

quokka

The cable lock will alert any potential bag snatcher that this particular piece contains something like the crown jewels and is especially worth taking. A cable lock is a piece of cake for a professional.
Keep an eye on your luggage but no paranoia please.

Besides - what do you do if you lose or break the key or the lock is stuck...? (I just heard a very entertaining story about a friend's bike that did a lengthy tour on board a commuter train because she had tied it to a rail with the lock to prevent it from falling over, and then noticed that she forgot the key at home...)

lindy27

We each had a larger backpack and a day bag and there was always room on the trains in Italy for our bags to be above us in the storage racks of 2nd class. We brought locks and never used them.

swandav2000

Hi europe2011,

I travel in France, German, and Switzerland. Once I did lock my case, and folks looked at me like I was a circus clown.

My case is nondescript black, doesn't look noteworthy, and I haven't locked it since that incident.

s

europe2011

Thanks for everyone's thoughts. I never even thought of using locks until I read that someone did, so I thought I would get a few opinions.

swandav2000 - I certainly would feel like a circus clown and thought people would look at is like we were crazy!

kleeblatt

The Swiss try to keep their suitcases near them. If they are in the entrance of the wagons, they will sit or stand near them. Theft does happen.