Luggage on French and Italian Trains
 

Hi Folks,

My wife and I are headed out next month to Venice, Nice and Paris. We will fly into Venice and fly out of Paris, taking the trains between the three cities.

Our question is do we check our luggage on the trains, or lug it with us? We'll have two 'normal' large suitcases and one carry one size. Can't cut it down, I need special medical equipment.

If we have to lug it with us, do we need to lock it on the luggage area of the train? (Seems kinda rude.)

Thanks,
Jim

Lug it. No check in facility. Luggage bays at the ends of some types of carriages, or maybe overhead if in a compartment type. Might be interesting to see you get two large suitcases into the overhead option! Your main difficulty (Remember! You heard it here first!) will be getting the cases into the train through the quite narrow and often quite steep doors. Finally, I've never cable-locked my luggage in the end of compartment bins:
Occasionally it all needs rearranging so that all passengers can store their stuff there.

Ditto. Just be sure to get there in plenty of time, actually I hope you have reserved seats. I peronally will not travel in Europe for any distance without reserved seats. Sometimes the luggage is left at the entrance of the car you are in. Never had a problem with anyone taking it. Have you considered taking the overnite to Paris? We loved it, and then didn't give up any extra time.

Thanks for the assist. Yes, we have reserved seats already, first class except for the link fromm Milan to Nice. I think I'll look at 'middle' sized luggage.

We thought about the overnights, but part of the reason for taking the train is to watch the countryside.

Jim

When the train pulls in at the platform, there's a mad dash with everyone trying to get on/off. While you're waiting for the train to pull in, ask other passengers to help you stand in the right place, i.e. near the point on the platform where you're car will be. When everyone lunges for the door, we found it better to hang back and board when the crowd had thinned a bit. But keep in mind: there isn't much time.

As for boarding, we have one person climb the steps first, the other hands up the luggage from the platform.

We've always left our baggage stored at the end of the car. Never had a problem. And, yes, smaller luggage will make a big difference in how much you enjoy your train travel.

Do your suitcases have wheels? That's important. Not so much for boarding a train but for just about everywhere else.

^^^

I just wanted to add that most of the train stations in France and Italy have a substantial number of stairs to the tracks. Try to pack as lightly as possible or you'll really regret it! ( I did!)