It's always the little things that drive me crazy.<BR>considering that my only experience with trains is the boston subway system, please forgive this trivial question...<BR><BR>My husband and I are going to Italy in September and will be taking the train to Florence from Rome, and then to Venice from Florence. We have 2 rather large suitcases between us. What will be done with them while we are on the train? Do they stay with us or are they stored? If they are stored, how do I obtain them once I get to my destination?<BR><BR>Please set me straight...

There is a baggage rack near the door, much like on a rental car bus. If you are first on board, you can store your suitcase near the floor so you don't have to lift it up. Personally, I would suggest trying to pare down to a small carry-on to save yourself some hassle. We watched so many people struggle with large suitcases - it wasn't pretty.

I second Sue's opinion. Travelling on trains (and everywhere else) is much easier with smaller suitcases. Remember, you're going to have to haul them everywhere, including up and down stairs and probably over cobblestones (so don't count on a large suitcases having wheels to save you). Unless you are body builders this will get very heavy indeed.<BR><BR>You don't necessarily need to meet carry-on criteria for the plane, as you can check the bags easily for that part of the trip.

Melissa<BR>Ditto, what they said.<BR>My first trip to Italy I was on my own, had one large suitcase and one carry-on.<BR>I had a reserved seat and ticket.<BR>By the time I figured out which was the correct train car for me to be boarding, the luggage rack at the end of the car was almost full, I had to hoist it on to the upper level. I also had to get it from one end of the car to the other, and it was too wide for the train aisles. There was a smaller rack over my seat for my smaller bag.<BR><BR>By the way, even if you are first to board, the trai may be coming from someplace else and the rack could still be almost full, or full.<BR><BR>Someone on this message board has suggested in the past that you do a practice packing of your suitcases at home, and then take them outside and walk a few blocks with them and up and down a flight of stairs or two. You'll be surprised at what you decide then that you don't need to take with you.<BR><BR>My Italy files have some other tips on using the trains; if you'd like to see them, email me.<BR>

"two large suitcases" + train travel = misery.<BR><BR>You won't be first on board, I guarantee. The Italians will see to that. You may even find the luggage compartments already full or nearly full. Simply getting up into the train with a large suitcase can be a small nightmare,never mind hauling through the cars trying to find your seat (unless you are very savvy, or very lucky, you won't find two vacant seats the minute you get on your train - or if you have reservations, you won't find your reserved seats right away).<BR>I suggest you heed the warnings here or be prepared for some unpleasant travel days.

Not a silly question - actually a good one.<BR><BR>Regardless of the type of train you take, you will have to carry your own luggage on board. I just returned from Italy and would HIGHLY recommend you consider traveling a lot lighter (i.e., one small rollerboard suitcase each). There are overhead compartments above the seats. However, if your suitcases are heavy, you could hurt yourself or others trying to put it up. I saw this happen on two of my trips. There are also luggage racks on the end of each car. On the three trains I took, the luggage racks were usually full by the time I got on the train.<BR><BR>

I agree with all that has been said. We're not exagerating. I saw plenty of miserable people dragging their wheeled, not very small suitcases up and down steep, narrow train steps. With smaller bags, it's a breeze.

I can't only cast one more vote strongly AGAINST taking two large suitcases (especially for Italian train travel).<BR><BR>One small roller suitcase each and maybe one small typical carry-on shoulder bag to share. We cannot begin to tell you how much better this will make your entire trip.<BR><BR>You may very well have to hoist your own bag up onto an overhead rack at some point. And even a medium dufflebag was quite a challenge when boarding a vaporetto from the train station to my hotel in Venice. Ya gotta believe us, you only need 1/2 of what ever you are thinking of putting in those 2 suitcases! Most kindly, Susan

If you must take a large suitcase, take only one and make your husband deal with it. ;-)

Do what we always do: Rent a car. You do not need or want a car in Rome but you should rent a car to drive from Rome to Florence and up to Venice. Or take the one train to Florence and pick up the car there.<BR><BR>The driving is not that difficult, you can carry any lugguge you want, you are on your schedule and not the trains, the cities along the way you have never heard about are great to visit and enjoy and you don't have to worry about wearing the same jeans 7 days in a row because you carried only one small bag to get on and off all those trains.<BR><BR>We drive all over Europe and have a great time.

I had trouble getting a 22-inch suitcase through the narrow, steep entrance into the Italian trains. A large suitcase would be extremely difficult.

Melissa--this is the kind of priceless advice that this forum offers; listen to people who have been there, done that! My previous trips to Europe all involved staying in one city for a full week, so size of luggage was not much of an issue. This spring we traveled to Rome, Florence, and Venice for 12 days, using the trains.<BR>I can't tell you how glad I was that we packed light, using small rolling suitcases, one of which converted to a back pack. You'd be amazed at how little you really need to take for 2 weeks. <BR>Even if you're a careful shopper, there will be more to take home than you brought. I bought a nylon suitcase that totally folded down to about 8"x8"x1/2" and zipped up inside itself. I got it from Totes for under $10, and both American Tourister and Samsonite sell them in luggage stores. For the trip home, I put all the dirty laundry in the nylon bag, and the souvenirs in the rolling suitcase.

I agree with the previous advice. I have taken the train many times in Europe and you really need to keep baggage light. Not only is getting on the train a problem, but you will likely need to haul it up and down stairs in the station to make connections, and it is really tough with large suitcases.<BR><BR>Also, another point--European elevators are very small and large suitcases are difficult to maneuver through the door and then they take up all the space.

The only time we traveled by train extensively, we bought one of those steel wire combination-lock bicycle locks to "chain" our suitcases to the rack at the end of the car, just to assure that no one made off with them at intermediate stops. That may be overkill, but it eased our minds on trips.

We travel with a 22" and a 26". Guess who hauls the 26". It is a big pain to get up the steps onto the train. Then you can either put them on the racks near the door and send your husband to watch them at every stop. (the bike lock is a good idea.) or lift it over your head onto racks by your seat. I'm 6'2" and I could barely put the big suitcase in the shoulder high rack.<BR>On the other hand the train ride is very nice. Especially up by Florence.<BR>At the time my wife vowed never to take the big suitcase again but now the plan for this year is the same.<BR><BR>Have fun<BR>Doug

Hi Melissa. Not a silly question at all. On all the trains we took on our recent trip in Italy -- a Eurostar from Venice to Rome, and Direct/Rapid trains from Rome to Siena and Cinque Terre to Nice -- there was a luggage rack above the seats and we never had a problem finding room for our luggage there. You may have a space problem if the train is fairly full and a lot of the people have large suitcases but I don't think that would be too likely.

Another issue with large suitcases - trying to find room for them when you want to grab a quick coffee before hopping the train. There's never any room in those little cafes anyway, let alone trying to squeeze in two gigundo suitcases.<BR><BR>Two 22" rollaboards and a small totebag is about the max you should be thinking. Pack the suitcases, now hoist 'em over your heads several times. I guarantee you'll start unpacking.<BR><BR>Our method for getting suitcases on/off the train (works with two or more people). Getting on - one gets on board empty-handed, the other stands at the bottom of the stairs and hands up the suitcases. Do the reverse for deboarding. No chance for someone to trip going down/up the stairs with a suitcase; empty-handed person can quickly scout for space. We just find it's more efficient and easier than everyone trying to climb stairs with a suitcase.

The original quesion was related to train travel in Italy. We're using the train b/t Amsterdam-Brussels, then Thalys b/t Brussels-Paris. I'll have a 22" but my husband puts his clothes inside his hardcase golf carrier(wheeled). It isn't wide like a 26" but is obviously bulky. Will we have the same space issue on the lines between the 2 cities I mention (vs. Italian trains)? thanks.

Hi, I haven't taken the train in Italy, but the question of where your luggage will be stored may be dependent on the kind of train you ride. I'm mostly familiar with the Paris through Belgium to Amsterdam route. With the Thalys, our luggage was stored near the door, in open, large compartments -- nice! However, on a "regular" non-Thalys train (Thalys is a high-speed train), our luggage had to go on top, as if in an overhead door compartment, except that it was just a shelf. Also, for larger suitcases, there is room behind your seat between it and the seat behind you. However, I had a large suitcase which would fit nowhere, so guess where it went? Directly in front of me, and when anyone needed to get out, I had to move the suitcase.<BR><BR>I absolutely second the "smaller" luggage route. I've traveled enough I should know better, and yet each time, I think I desperately need lots of "gadgets" (it isn't even clothes that are taking up room for me!).<BR><BR>Jennifer

I hope your husband is strong..... Pack a suicase, haul it up and down your stairs at home and try to put it on the top of a cupboard which is higher than you are. Then take a good 10 minute walk outside with it. That is all. If you can do it, then no problem. Have a nice trip.