Barb

Has anyone had their luggage stolen or broken into on a train in Italy? I am always so paranoid about leaving my suitcase at the end of the car in those luggage storage areas, which are sometimes out of sight. I have even cabled bags together, but that's kind of a hassle when you are trying to get on and off in a hurry. It's too hard to lift a 22" over my head into the bin above the seat. If the train is not too full, I have sometimes been able to keep my suitcase with me, especially in a compartment, but that's not always possible. Anyone experienced any problems? I am going to be taking the train from Rome to Naples in Sept.

Alice Twain

I am 31, I have lived in italy all my life (except for a few holidays and trips) and I have never learned to drive, therefore I travel by train regularly. The only time I have had luggage stolen on a train was when I forgot a bag of (dirty) clothes on the top rack of the train's compartment at the last stop and went back for it several minutes later. When all the people left the train, someone went through it and checked for forgotten bags. In a sense he didn't steal it, he found it and forgot to give it back.

sera

On first-class cars, the doors to the luggage have big windows from what I remember, so you can clearly see what's going on. I've done the Rome-Naples train route plenty of times and have never had a problem leaving my suitcase in the storage area. Just keep it locked!

sandi

I had a large, family-siazed toiletry bag stolen from the first-class train from Verona to Venice. It was in the storage area by the door. We stepped off the train w/ our other bags and then got back on w/ in minutes to find it gone. We went to the train station numerous times to see if it had been turned in, but we never got it back.<BR><BR>

Marilyn

This sort of security is one of the biggest hassles of traveling alone. I was on a couple of trains in Italy last month and I always tried to leave my suitcase where I could keep an eye on it. I had small locks on all FIVE of the zippered compartments (those little zips on the front are sure easy to rummage through).<BR><BR>I did not have any problems, but on one train (to the airport)I was warned by an Italian woman not to leave my luggage at the end of the car. She insisted that I put it on the seat next to me, which I could do since the train was not at all crowded. It was on this train that we saw a girl robbed by a 5-year-old boy, who grabbed her entire money purse when she got it out to give the little beggar some change. Ouch!

Marilyn

PS Any bags small enough to be easily walked off with, like a backpack or carry on, should obviously be kept with you at all times. (Sorry, Sandi, I guess you learned that the hard way.)

Barb

That's my concern as I am traveling solo. Hopefully the train won't be too crowded and I will be able to keep my bag beside me.

gac

On one occasion, I sat in the corridor seat of a Eurostar train in Italy, directly facing the luggage racks at the end of the rail car. I kept a periodic watch over the rack, particularly during stops at intermediate stations. I encountered no problem. However, for peace of mind, it is always preferable to keep the luggage in the overhead rack over your seat (if not too heavy or bulky), or (on Eurostar trains), in the narrow area between the seat rows (but don't forget it when you reach your destination). If you travel on the intercity train (IC) between Rome and Naples, by all means keep the luggage in your compartment (even if this means pushed against your legs). If it bothers others, there is a very good chance that a fellow traveller will place it on the overhead rack for you. If you travel first class, there is a reasonable chance that some compartments will not be fully occupied.

Lee

Be very cautious on this part of your trip. Don't trust anyone on the train, as they will chat you up and set you up at the same time. Don't trust children either. Stay with your luggage if you can, and don't go to the toilet or meal car. Just be aware and you will be fine.

Denise

I have never had any problems but on one trip to Italy a Japanese man staying at our hotel told us his luggage was stolen while on the Eurostar. He left it alone while going to get something to eat.<BR>My niece also had her backpack stolen enroute to Rome.<BR>I always keep the luggage above our heads.<BR><BR>Denise

Steve

When we rode the Eurostar in Italy our luggage was too large to fit above the seats so we had to keep them at the end of the car. Are seats were too far from the end to keep our eyes on them so at each stop I got up and walked to the end and watched to make sure that no one grabbed them. It was an inconvenience but if you have no choice but to keep them at the end of the car then just make sure they are locked and keep your eye on them at each stop.

Barb

Yes, that's a good idea, I wonder how many stops the Eurostar makes between Rome and Naples.

Pam

Barb, watch them between stops too. They can take them to another car and take them off the train, or just to another car or bathroom and cut them open. That is the main thorofare for gypsies to travel by train.

GAC

The Eurostar does not stop between Rome and Naples.

jon

If you are traveling with companions, or have more than one bag, get a bicycle chain or cable lock and fasten the bags together - this at least makes it far less likely they will "walk off" as the combined load will be more than a little awkward. On some cars there's a rail or post that you can attach the chain to as well. We used this system all through Italy on IC trains and were pretty free to leave the car, move around, and not try to keep an eye on the luggage at the same time.

Alice Twain

sandi:<BR><BR>What happened to you is very tipical and it happened to me too the only time anything was stolen from me on an Italian train (and I travel on Italian trains at least 3-4 times every month!). Luggage usually gets stolen like that: you leave something unattended on the train and you find it no more. These kind of things happen usually at the last stop of the train: as the train pulls into the station and people leave it, the thieves can climb on the train and check if there is any unattended bag. Sometimes a fellow passenger will notice the unattended bag and take it to a train conductor, but sometimes bags just get stolen.<BR><BR>Lee and Denise:<BR><BR>The only occasion when you should't leave your things unattended is when leaving the train. In any other case, if you are afraid of thieves, just ask any person in the compartment to watch your bags while you are at the toilet or at the restaurant. Moreover, thieves do not usually work on Eurostar or Intercity trains (except those entering the trains at the stations as I said above), they rather work on night trains, in particular night Espresso trains, where they can look for sleeping people with big bags. Just do not worry overmuch: I repeat, having travelled for my whole life on Italian trains and several times a month I have never had problems with thieves, except for one single time (and I left my bag unattended, that single time).

linda

easiest answer is to pack light enough to put in the rack overhead. since the train configurations vary so much, one never really knows what your will have to choose from, ie. glass doors to compartment etc. we always take too much, pack lighter, and heft it up over your head! if alone and have to go to barthroom, then i would suggest a small chain with lock (magellans, travelsmith sell them) just for peace of mind. we didn't have any problems, but were vigilant and had more than one traveling at once. enjoy the trains, such an easy way to get around without driving!

Alice Twain

On locks and chains<BR><BR>Linda, what good is a lock on an average backpack or bag? Unless you are alone in the compartment, the other travellers will ask the complete stranger who is moving your bag who he or she is and waht's he doing woth your bags. On the other hand, if the compartment is empty, a chain will not stop a thief because all he has to do is cut off the bag or backpack: he will leave the empty chian dangling from the empty rack.

Jon

Just had to jump back in: Re using a chain and lock - most thieves are opportunists, few are going to spend the several minutes working away in public view while cutting through a good metal/leather handle or nylon webbing strap; most probably aren't carrying bolt cutters. It's a "pick this up and move along like it's yours to begin with" operation. <BR><BR>If somebody wants to steal the whole d--n train and is equipped, what good will anything do? The idea is to make YOUR stuff just that much less inconspicuous to grab and more inconvenient to take.

Barb

Well, I think the simplest solution is to keep your bag with you at all times. If the Eurostar from Rome to Naples has compartments, that should not be a problem as they usually are not full in early Oct. on first class. There is just no way I can lift my bag over my head, besides I don't think a 22" would fit on most of those overhead bins anyway. The cable locks worked well last time, but I had a travel partner and we could cable our bags together. Sounds like this is a dilemma for lots of other people too. Thanks for all your responses.