janisj

>>I doubt if kids that age will have their own suitcase - <<

Most 11 yo's I know DO travel w/ their own luggage. I'd think most 9yo's as well.

flpab

I am always impressed with the kids on trains in Europe and how well they manage their stuff. I had my eye on a mom with baby and stroller plus shopping. She had it under control but the ticket guy did grab one end to get over the gap for her.

nytraveler

Agree that an 11 year old can deal with their own luggage and probably a 9 year old as well (they won't be taking hug bags - but kid size luggage for kid size clothes). That leaves one adult to deal with the 5 year old and a carry-on and the other adult to deal with the rest of the luggage.

This can work if you pack light. If you have lots of luggage it won't.

And really most changes of trains are NOT 1 to 2 minutes. You usually get 9 or 10 minutes or so. That does mean being at the door of the incoming train with luggage, moving quickly in the right direction and boarding the next train expeditiously.

If there are any very short changes you can often elect to take the next train.

The key is number, size and weight of luggage. We once did see an older american couple miss a train connection - in Basel, a fairly large station. But they just had WAY too much luggage. Two large suitcases (30" or so), 2 large wheelies (23 or 24" that they seemed to think we carry-ons, then large tote bags and the woman also had a huge purse. Perhaps they were going on a cruise or something - but they were taking forever just to get off the first train - and we didn't even see them near the new platform when the ongoing train left about 12 minutes later.

PalenQ

>>I doubt if kids that age will have their own suitcase - <<>

well of course I mean large suitcase they could not handle but some kind of light back pack they easily could - kids that age will not be bringing much I think as parents will carry all the heavy stuff like shampoo, cameras, etc.

Christina

Many kids have their own roller-bag, not light backpack that they roll themselves from very young ages. I've seen kids probably as young as four in airports with their own suitcases. They are small suitcases, maybe an 18-20 inch one, but they are not backpacks.

tom18

Back in the day, the German railroad used to employ "Gepäckträger" (luggage carriers) to help riders with their baggage. Given that, as Pal said, the European railroads are so much superior to Amtrak, it's interesting that they haven't brought back porters in some guise.

janisj

PQ -- >>some kind of light back pack they easily could<<

I know you haven't had young kids in decades -- but no, I wasn't talking about 'My little pony back packs'. They sell regular rollaboards and luggage for children - and most kids DO carry all of their own stuff.

Ingo

I am surprised nobody knows about the "Gepäckträger" service that Deutsche Bahn offers at some railway stations. One of them is "my" station, Dresden Hauptbahnhof. See this link, in German only, unfortunately:

http://www.bahn.de/p/view/angebot/ge...rservice.shtml

Reservation required.

kerouac

Today I arrived in Paris after a holiday in Avignon, and I saw a number of men with small (very unofficial) baggage carts waiting for people getting off the train. All I could do was hope that nobody asked for their services. Back when there were real porters, the fees were displayed on a very visible notice on the baggage cart.

On the other hand, I saw at least half a dozen people coming to the various cars with wheelchairs, because this is an official SNCF service.

nytraveler

Agree tht kids that age can handle their own luggage. What do people think they do with the stuff they take to school every day? Of their clothes if they go away to summer camp?

My parents used to take a cottage in sag Harbor every summer for a few weeks and you needed to take linens and some household things with you as well as clothes and other belongings - so the car was full of stuff. And I recall my brother - about 8 or 9 years old - dragging a couple of full size suitcases into the cottage (separately of course) and since I was 12 I got the really heavy stuff - bags full of linens for 6 beds.

But I woudldn't suggest it if you're trying to catch a train - then you have to pack superlight.