Train aisle width
 

We will be travelling by train from Rome to various parts of Italy in May and recall that the last time we were in Europe our suitcase would not fit down the aisle. Does anyone know how wide the train aisles are on both Eurostar and local trains? Thanks, Swern

The luggage normally belongs in the storage area at the end of the car so you shouldn't have to schlepp it up and down the aisles. But if you had that much trouble, I'd definitely downsize. Train travel w/ huge bags is pretty difficult.

Trains haven't gotten any wider, so if it didn't fit last time I'm willing to bet it won't fit this time.

Last time I took a Eurostar (November), the aisles seemed even narrower than that. Everybody was struggling.

I have only had a 21 inch suitcase on the trains in Italy swern, I didn't have a problem with the aisle width. But if your luggage is bigger you probably will have a problem. For train travel the smaller the suitcase the easier the trip.

No trouble getting 20 and 21" rollers down the aisle of the Eurostar last month. Larger than that would need to go in the storage area at the end of the car.

If you have a large suitcase you will probably need to turn it lengthwise to get it down the aisle. (Make sure any large bag can be dragged in either direction). And you may also have trouble finding a place to put it by your seat - unless you're going first or the train is quite empty.

My 22inch could barely navigate between aisle in the 2nd class. It got stuck when passengers carrying large suitcases kept their luggage on the floor and stuck out into the corridor. I often had to schlep my luggage over these blockages.

But the train cars aren't all that long. So it's not a life-changing experience to get your suitcase to your seat, if that's what you want to do.

Why would you want your suitcase at your seat? If it's big, it won't go in the overhead rack anyway.

If I have a big bag, I just put it at whichever end of the car my seat is facing, so that I can see what is happening (nothing has ever happened).

Big bags go on the luggage rack at the end of the car; there's no room for something that large at your seat anyways.

Of course, in 1st class at least, there is also a big luggage rack in the middle of the car, but it just makes it more difficult to get on and off the train if you use it.