Overnight Train Venice to Paris - Sleeper T4
 

We are 3 women traveling on overnight train from Venice to Paris in June. We've been advised to go with the first-class T4 rail car for sleeping and also told that usually any 4th person placed in our T4 unit will also be female.

Is there space for 1 large and 1 medium bag each in the T4, or will we be leaving them out in the normal luggage compartments?

Do you recommend locks for our bags and backpacks that are in the T4 with us?

Are money pouches safe under the pillow?

Any other tips would be much appreciated?

Thanks.

Hi,

www.volareweb.com will fly you from Venice to Paris Orly for about 40E.

It is faster, cheaper and more convenient.

Check their luggage weight restrictions.

Yes, the 4th person will be a woman.

All your luggage has to be carried by you, and stored in your compartment. I think you will have trouble getting that much luggage in there. Is this your only train trip? Seriously consider packing MUCH lighter, esp. if you are traveling by train, althought I would imagine you would have trouble getting that much luggagde for 3 in a car, too.

A group of us (4 women) took the Venice to Paris overnight train a few weeks ago.

We were in the T4, and we each had 1 suitcase (mine was the smallest at 24", the other 3 were 26") and one carryon sized bag (not the type with wheels). It was a tight squeeze fitting all 4 suitcases under the bottom bunks, but we did it.

There's a shelf running across the cabin above the top bunks, and the two in the top bunk stored their overnight bags, purses, etc. up there. The bottom bunk occupants left theirs on the floor between the bunks.

I recommend putting everything you need in your carryon bag, as there is no room to pull out your suitcase to access the contents.

I'm not sure how large your bags are, but I would pack as lightly as possible - there is not much room in there.

The door to your cabin locks from the inside, but we still kept everything locked anyway. I wore my money pouch while sleeping.

Take plenty of water with you - the water in the washroom is not potable. The dining car is expensive, so you may want to bring something to eat, too.

That's an awful lot of luggage to be hauling around anyway (IMO)! Can you each get it down to just 1 medium bag apiece? Besides the cramped space within the sleeping car, realize you'll be having to deal with it yourself to and from hotels, possibly up and down stairs, and definitely loading it onto the train. I'm not sure that amount would even fit into a taxi cab (3 large, 3 medium bags, and 3 people?).

I would either have your money on your person (money belt or neck pouch) or leave it in your pocketbook and sleep on that. To leave money loose in a pouch under your pillow seems like an accident waiting to happen (not that it would likely be stolen, but that you might lose track of it or misplace it, pouch falls behind the bunk, whatever).

Best train tip: Take along a nice picnic dinner, dessert or snacks and plenty of bottled water, even wine if you like. Makes the trip much more enjoyable.