Just a friendly question here, Ben. While I agree with you generally, how does one keep his valuables in a hotel safe when traveling from one city to another?

Also, I'm a bit amused by your comment, "it is very hard to stay awake on a train at night". I've often disagreed with you and others about night trains, because for me it's very hard to SLEEP on a train at night.

Unless is an emergency or something behind my control, I never take the overnight train...I like to travel in daytime and enjoy the scenery.
Feel much safer this way.

I *love* overnight trains, but do pay the extra for a private sleeper. I normally can't sleep on planes or in cars, but overnight, on a train, in a normal bed, I do OK. You can lock the door from inside the compartment.

On those long trains where I might sleep, I've used a strong bike lock to lock my pack to my seat, and lock the zippered compartments separately, but don't leave anything valuable there anyway. Also, Dockers has a pretty new line of "mobile" pants that have discrete zippered pockets on each leg at mid-thigh and a hidden zippered pocket inside the normal front pants pocket. So, that's an alternative to the moneybelt, I think. I'll try them out in Barcelona soon

Within a country, I have about a hundred euros of cash in my trouser pocket. Credit cards, debit card, passport, tickets, and other money are in a cardboard folder of papers inside my suitcase. On busses this suitcase goes into the boot beneath the passengers. On trains it goes onto a rack above my head. I travel in a compartment or saloon which has other passengers, so it is not clear to a passing thief whether the owner is sitting under it. If I go to the restaurant car and it is very empty I get the waiter?s permission to bring my suitcase into the car. But usually I leave it in the compartment, and ask fellow travellers to keep an eye on it while I eat. The suitcase has no locks, chains, or other devices to suggest I am carrying the crown jewels.

Crossing a non-Schengen frontier I travel in the same way, but have cash for both countries in my trousers pocket, and my passport in the top pocket of my pyjama jacket, easy to hand over to assorted frontier staff. Crossing a Schengen frontier the passport is with the sleeping car conductor by night and in my suitcase by day..

People do indeed vary as to night trains. Some sleep: some do not. And once they are convinced they will not sleep people do not sleep: it is a matter of mindset. Infants sleep well. Children start excited, so take a time to drop off, and if their parents have told them that they cannot sleep in trains the children will not (mindset again), but otherwise they sleep well. You and I are agreed in saying that you do not sleep on trains and I do. We know no way to change this.

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Ben, I think you are wonderful (and I have the same feeling about hotel safes and money belts), but believe me, sleeping at night has nothing to do with mindset--if it did, I would be able to sleep at home. But unless I stay up till at least 1:00am, I wake after two hours. This situation doesn't change abroad. (maybe this has something to do with clear consciences)

Thank you for your kind opening. The word mindset may be ambiguous. I do not mean that you or I can control our mental position. Rather, I agree with you that one s mind has a setting, which usually one cannot alter.

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Hi y'all. I know you've explained this to me before, but it must be the arteries hardening or something. At any rate, please elucidate. Ben recommends the safety of both couchettes and sleeping compartments because of the locks. BTike writes "I won't. . . . couchettes, but always reserve a sleeping compartment instead" (I don't think my quote is accurate, but the letter is up near the top.) Sooooo, for this slow coach, one more time. Is a couchette as safe as a private sleeping compartment? Thanks for your patience, J.

If you are traveling with friends/family and you take the entire couchette compartment yourselves, then it's as safe as a private sleeping compartment. However, if you're traveling alone or with just one other person, then you're sleeping with strangers and trusting/hoping they're as honest as you (and also that they remember to keep the door locked; you could pay for someone else's carelessness). It's *unlikely* for someone else in your couchette to rob you but it *has* happened. The safest way to take a night train is to have a private sleeping compartment and keep the door locked.

ahah, got it; thanks.

Hi all,

A long time ago, when I couldn't afford a sleeper, I was traveling in a compartment with three other people. We all knew each other although we weren't trveling together.

Sometime in the night I fell asleep. I was awakened when the train stopped in the morning. My companions had gotten off somewhere, and I found myself stretched out on the seat alone except for a man who was reaching above me to remove my suitcase from the rack.

Taking him by the cojones, I asked "May I help you?".

We engaged in fitful conversation until the train started off and gained some speed, when he indicated that he would like to go to a different compartment.

I have always wondered how he explained to the conductor why he didn't have a ticket.

a good example of "you can never be too careful". I had my back pack unzipped as I got off the train in Riomaggiore. A woman in front of me stopped in the exit and acted odd-bouncing around like she was looking for someone b4 getting off the train. I realized later this was to delay me so someone behind could get into the pack. Luckily I got moving b4 anything was actually taken out!

Nice one, Ira! (but what happened to the guy's ticket?)

*very* funny, but I too wonder what happened to the guy's ticket? did i miss something in the story??

thanks Ira!!

Caledonia Sleeper, just took. First-class single was 39 pounds (includes nice snack and coffee or tea for breakfast), about 30 i think in second-class doubles. Also regular seats at no extra charge, but need to be reserved in advance as do sleepers. In person can only be done in Euston (departure) station. Train fare is extra. For bargains reserve ahead on web - limited number of berths including rail fare advertised as low as 40 pounds! Euston-Glasgow, Fort William, Inverness, Edinburgh and points in between these stations. My train had a nice restaurant/bar car.

For G Steed. Yes, such figures ould be useful. The travel notes by consuls are relevant in that they draw on their experience if various kinds of theft, including theft of cards. You can find their advice
from Australia on http://www.dfat.gov.au/consular/advice
from Britain on http://193.114.50.10/travel and on http://www.fco.gov.uk/travel/countryadvice.asp
from Canada on http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/menu-e.asp, under "Research your trip"
from France on http://www.dfae.diplomatie.fr/voyage...s/alphabet.asp
from the USA on http://travel.state.gov, under "travel warnings"

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Many years ago when on Inter-rail and therefore on a budget we used to figure in overnight trains because they avoided the cost of a hotel.I sewed a pocket into my sleeping bag and at night slept on top of all my belongings.
Last year when my daughter went to Greece and reckoned it was too hot for a sleeping bag she took a duvet cover and when travelling overnight on boats she put her valuables and herself inside the cover.It then closed around her neck with the poppers. It was also used as a sheet sleeping bag in hostels.
In case you think this all sounds too smug the same daughter is currently flying back from Thailand having had £100 stolen on a state run bus!

This whole thing is so five minutes ago! As long as there are travelers who are unprepared (by their uninterested parents or otherwise) there will be robberies.

Anecdote. Conductor on Krakow to Bratislava train told my wife that thieves preferred 'premium class trains'. On our last train trip, curtains had been removed from interior windows and soldiers were patrolling the wagons. Europeans do not consider pickpocketing a crime. Reread Oliver Twist. Where did the word, 'cutpurse' originate? Successful bandits target their victims. They see them at ATM's or in a shop displaying money. Make plans for yourself considering that you have lost passport, money and credit cards. Check with AX about emergency funds. Where is the nearest US Embassy? How do you get there? Memorize card numbers or have copies of them hidden. Be sure to have telephone codes with them. Happy Travelling!

"Europeans do not consider pickpocketing a crime."

Jeez Louise, GSteed, do you truly think this is a fact? Or is this just your opinion? Of course pickpocketing is a crime, all over Europe.