On another site there is a discussion about luggage, possibility of it being stolen. When I first started traveling I was concerned about putting my bags in the racks at the front of the car, far away from my seat. I purchased a cable lock and used it. I don't anymore - has any fellow traveler had their bags stolen from the luggage racks on a train? I was ripped off by a "porter" in the Naples train station - showed me to a seat, handling my bag which he had aggressively grabbed on the platform, and then demanded I pay him 5 E. The seat he showed me wasn't even mine! I hold my bags tighter now!

no, but I'm sure it does happen, I've seen reports of it in the media, I don't think they were making it up. I don't take trains in countries with higher crime rates that much, actually. The one time I did (in Egypt), I had a private room and locked the door, so it was with me. In other European trains, I do actually try to get a seat in view of the luggage OR put it in the space between the seat next to me (you can do that on some French TGVs, anyway). I have never brought a cable lock, and I know sometimes it isn't possible to bet within view of the rack. IN some other cars with compartments, it has been on a luggage rack directly over my seat, anyway, those are fairly big (in Poland I've had those). On POlish/Czech/French/Spaniosh trains I've taken when I had a 24 inch bag and it was quasi-heavy, that's when I put it in the racks at the end of the car or between the seats.

I would never have anything to with "porters" anyway, I don't allow strangers to make me do something nor grab my things, but I have never been on a train in Italy. they have a high petty crime rate it seems to me.

There was once a problem with luggage being left near the doorway, sometimes at a passenger's feet, on the trains into Amsterdam Schiphol airport. The trains would stop at the Sloterdijk station and a thief standing on the platform would reach in, grab a bag from the floor and run off with it.

We have taken trains in Europe for years. We've stored bags at the end of cars and over our seats and have never experienced a theft problem fortunately.

One other question I meant to ask, is there a specific area that you recommend for bike riding in the area?>

Likewise for decades and never had a problem but I always look at the door baggage storage when folks are getting on and off - try to put your luggage in back of luggage rack- thieves would snatch ones easiest to get. Locks and cables are OK but don't hnder other folks getting baggage out.

Suitcases are not the prime targets of thieves: briefcases and handbags can be more easily concealed and are more likely to contain valuable objects.

Long distance trains are not the prime territory for thievery. The stops are far apart and the tickets are expensive. You might spend two hours on the train, nab one suitcase, and find it full of dirty laundry. And you'd still have to get back home. Petty theft is much more likely to happen on the metro or on a commuter train, especially crowded ones.

I live in Italy and travel frequently by train. I've never had anything stolen, and furthermore, I've never heard anyone scream, "My suitcase! It's disappeared!" I do keep a close eye on my belongings. I also travel very light, so I usually don't need to leave anything at the end of the car. And I avoid expensive luggage, that seems to announce, "Lots of great loot here!"

One reason maybe to have a backpack on wheels - like bvlenci says high-speed trains at least make very few stops - Rome to Florence none on most.

bvlenci is a trusted source - a little prudence and no problem.

I've also travelled by train in Europe (mostly Germany, Switzerland, & to/from Paris) for decades and haven't ever had any problems.

One time I was coming back home to Garmisch from a trip to Paris on a Saturday evening, and I hadn't realized that it was during the Oktoberfest. The train from Munich to Garmisch was more than jam-packed, with folks standing around all the seats and in the aisle.... and the folks were merry and drunk and singing. There was no place to put my big bag near my seat, so it was at the other end of the car, near a group of young, singing, intoxicated, merry men. At first I was certain that the bag would disappear somewhere along the route (there are lots of stops at small towns between Munich and Garmisch), but the bag survived.

I've also used a cable lock on my bag once or twice. But I got some weird looks from the other passengers, and so I stopped doing that. These days, there are luggage racks in the middle of the train on high-speed trains, as well as at the ends of the cars, so it's likely you'll be able to keep your bag near you. On high-speed trains a few times I also saw luggage racks with integrated cable locks (with keys sticking out). I didn't use it, and they seem to have disappeared, so I guess not many folks used them either.

Fun thread!

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I'm not sure what use it is to sit where you can see your bag stowed on the main luggage racks at the ends of the cars nearest the doors where you can observe it as it disappears off the train in a thief's hand. How would it help? I've taken a cable lock, used it once or twice then didn't bother. The best bet, especially on a nice full train, is to get on early, then all the other bags gets piled on top of yours and as long as you can get it out when you get to your station, it'll be the least likely to be gone. In any case, lots of train rides and luggage racks later, so far so good.

This won't work if you get on at an intermediate station, and there are already lots of bags on the rack.

As for cable locks, I can just see myself fiddling with the lock at a brief stop, with other passengers trying to get their bags.

Cable locks are no problen for a professional, but they will alert any potential thief that this particular bag is of highest interest.

I travel on European trains all the time. I have never had anything stolen, nor have I ever known anyone to have anything stolen. I have read accounts of stolen luggage on trains, and I believe them, though. I get on a train as early as possible and park my tiny, very ordinary, rollaboard or small duffel in the rack above my seat where I can see it. I normally am carrying also a tote bag or computer-type case, which stays in the seat with me. My valuables are in that bag or case, or in my coat pockets (and the coat is also in my seat).

Cable locks are IMO a complete annoyance to oneself and everyone else. And yes, an indication that This Luggage Is Worth Something.

I wave away anyone who attempts to provide "porter" services or help me buy a ticket from a machine, or anything else.

Small bag on the rack above is always the best solution, let me count the ways. The difficulty is convincing anyone not already convinced that a small bag is enough. And yes, I agree absolutely that cable locks are not.

I own a cable lock, but I bought it for use in India, not Europe. I did notice that the express trains from Narita airport in Japan had built in locks for luggage but other high speed trains in Japan (a famously safe country) do not. I travel light and these days I can usually fit my bigger bag between seat backs on European trains. All the important stuff is in my daypack which would certainly not go at the end of the carriage.

Yup thursdayds and others say Pack Light on trains and put a lot of hassle behind you - use overhead luggage racks.

Our procedure, since I usually travel with my wife, is for one of us to stay in our seats watching our things, while the other wanders down to the luggage rack at stops to make sure our bags stowed there do not walk away with a new friend. Actually, though, that technique seldom is needed since we learned to pack small and place the bags on the shelf above our seats.

I'm waiting for the stories about the people on night train sleeping cars being gassed...

Well I have seen bags snatched out of couchette compartments twice - when folks inside left doors unlocked!

Someone mentioned a risk on an airport train that someone on the platform would reach inside and grab a bag at an intermediate stop.

I do think that airport trains would be much more attractive to a thief than a long-distance train. This warning also reminded me of another theft-avoiding tactic: On crowded commuter trains, metros, and buses, try to stay as far from the doors as possible. Most petty crime takes place near the door, and as a stop is imminent. The thief can do his dastardly deed and jump off before anyone notices a missing wallet.

Indeed. I vividly remember Fodorite DonTopaz's story here: Help -- wallet stolen, no cash, no credits cards

My small purse was stolen out of a larger tote bag while boarding a train in Colmar, France in 2015. A group of teenage girls started to board the train with us, and got in between my husband and I. They feigned ignorance of how to open the inside door of the compartment, and I reached between them and pushed the button (worrying that the train was going to depart any second). It wasn't until a half hour went by and I went looking for my purse for something that I realized I didn't have it. At first we thought I had left it in our rental apartment in Riquewihr. We eventually realized the strange acting teens must have stolen it. They never did get on the train (just so happened our train boarded at the most central track at the entrance to the station). Tricky little devils.

The GOOD PARTS: Our connection was Strasbourg - we went to the TI office and a wonderfully helpful (English speaking!) young man telephoned our rental agent for us - we only had a 1 hour layover - she ran to the apartment and called him back within that time (to say no purse). When we arrived in Cochem, Germany, I was frantic. My cellphone and credit cards were gone (I still had my passport). I had an Ipad and checked my email, and lo and behold, someone had FOUND my phone (on the ground behind the station, where her office was located). Without knowing me, (or whether I would really reimburse her) she agreed to ship the phone to our rental home in Brugges! None of my credit cards were used, and the phone arrived as promised, GET THIS: A week after I returned home to Florida, I got an email from the US Embassy in Paris. They had "one drivers license". I paid to open a FedEx account, and they overnighted my license, along with ALL my credit cards and even the pages of a small memo book (just the ones I had written on). Not the purse. So the only thing those girls kept was the cash (about $200 US and about $100 euros). So many helpful people in this story! Even our landlords in Cochem (who didn't speak one word of English) loaned us their phone and we communicated using Google Translate on their computer!