On a long trip 5-12 hours, where does one put their luggage? How much total luggage can a family get away with on a train? Are there any extras I need to pay to take alot of luggage? Thanks.

Hi Matt,<BR>if you think of travcel by train in europe watch out for this:<BR>1. look for ICE/IC/EC connections, than<BR>it's comfortable and you got space for your luggage, ambe think to reserve a "compartement" for your own.<BR>2. think of taking "ICN/ECN" trains(overnight) so you save time and money on hotels and can store your luggage safely.<BR>3. You will find on all german and many<BR>major central or northern european main stations luggage area, whether they are automatic or taken by staff to store. It s not much per day(ca. EUR 3-6)<BR>4. In germany you can send your luggae with german railways way ahead to your next destination.<BR>More infoes needed/email me<BR>Shain/eu/de/d&uuml;sseldorf

Matt, there are overhead, open racks to put your luggage. Remember, each traveler will have to carry their luggage up a few steps into the train, then down a narrow aisle, and the trains don't make long stops, so pack light.

Hi Matt,<BR>have forgotton to tell you that<BR>Highspeed trains offer more space and<BR>also have lockers for cabin luggage.<BR>In central europe families go regulary<BR>with ski-packs by train to their holiday destinations.And you know how much luggage that can be.<BR>For your understanding:<BR>IC = intercity trains (national train)<BR>EC = Euro-City (F.e.: AMS-Vienna or so)<BR>ICE= Inter-City-Express (German Highsp.)<BR>AVE= spanish high speed<BR>Thalys= belgian/dutch/french highspeed<BR>TGV= french highspeed<BR>Eurostar=french/british/belgian highsp.<BR> conecting continent with UK<BR>X2000=swedish highspeed<BR>Metropolitan=very comfortable IC<BR>ICN/EC= Inter/Euro Night train<BR> f.e.: Cologne-vienna/berlin<BR>Need more info/email me<BR>Shain/eu/de/d&uuml;sseldorf

First, it is best if each carry only a carry on size luggage.<BR><BR>Now the specifics. There are overhead racks of varying sizes. We were always able to find carry on size luggages without wheels on them. The gotcha here is that someone in your group must be able to lift luggages overhead to accomplish this.<BR><BR>First class trains have more luggage rooms around your seat than the second class.<BR><BR>There "may be" a wedge shaped space for larger luggage on trains that have back to back seat arrangement. I found more of this type on UK trains.<BR><BR>Next are luggage bin at end of the car. Not supervised. Not all trains have these, nor are they always large enough for large luggages carried by American.<BR><BR>Failing these places, you can use the exit passage way at the end of the train, again, unsupervised, easy for someone to just to grab them as they get off the train. <BR><BR>On a train with compartments, any space in the compartment is a fair game. However, trying to find an empty compartment to take over can be a chore if you are travelling busy route or during busy time.<BR><BR>Someone already pointed out carrying them up and down stairs.<BR><BR>These are intangible cost, not overt extra "fee" cost, you have to pay for carrying too much luggages.

It is not the length of the trip that matters so much, it is the weight and bulk of the luggage! I didn't take people's advice seriously about taking small, light luggage. You have a few minutes to run down the side of the train to find your car, have to lift your luggage up about six feet high to get into the car, then pull it down narrow aisles, then into a storage area. This is all while other passengers are getting off the train and you are getting jostled and poked!<BR>You may have to leave your luggage in a storage area by the train exits, where someone may just take it off at any stop. Heed the warnings. <BR>

I must say you have answered my questions honestly, however you have not calmed me, rather the opposite effect! How am I supposed to travel by train with my wife and 2 kids (5 & 2)? Are you sure I can't pay to have our luggage checked? Do I just need to stand by our luggage when the train stops?

Matt, I stood by the luggage at everyt every stop until I got so tired that I left them to Fate. I don't know about paying for storage, but I am sure someone else does. I have also heard of people locking them to the storage area with cords.

Why not busses? They have a luggage compartment Low Down. It seems a lot easier to me

hello

Matt, as long as you don't overpack, you'll have your luggage safely above your seats, or in your compartment. If it doesn't fit, you've brought too much, and getting TO your seat is going to be a big hassle. As much as I like trains, with kids as young as yours, a car might be best.

One thing that we brought with us to make our luggage a bit safer was one of those flexible cables (you see them frequently locking bicycles to the wheels) and a padlock. If you take the cable and wind it through your luggage handles and then lock it either to a post or just to itself, you will prevent it being stolen.

How much luggage is TOO much? My wife and I are 30 and our 2 kids are 5& 2. I like the idea of the flexible cable, I will try to buy one or two with a padlock. We will not drive as we have an apartment in the center of Rome. Does anyone know about checking in luggage on a train? Thanks

<BR><BR>I take trains in western and central Europe about five weeks a year, and my experience does not wholly tally with the points that people have made.<BR><BR>In general: you've no worries.<BR><BR>In detail. Trains naturally stop at stations long enough for you and your luggage to get on or off. It's true that if you've booked seats you need to know where on the platform they are. In most large stations o Europe a board on each platform gives you a "map" of the train (in German a wagon-row-ing, Wagenreihing), so you can check this without haste. Such a board is illustrated on http://www.bahn.de/pv/int_guest/true..._comfort.shtml. If you find no such board you look for rail staff, show your reservation slip, and ask where to stand. Once stood in place, I look for a muscular lad, ideally accompanied by a young woman who fancies him, and ask for help getting luggage on board, and later up onto the luggage racks. It's true, too, that you want to know when you board what time the train reaches your destination, so you can begin to load luggage at a car door while the train is slowing down. Again, you can easily find help.<BR><BR>Most large stations have luggage trolleys at entrances and on platforms, and many have lifts to and from platforms.<BR><BR>I don't think high speed trains have more luggage space than normal express trains. Both kinds of train have more space than countryside stopping trains and commuter locals, but even those have never given me a problem.<BR><BR>Four of you cannot reserve a day train compartment of your own, since a compartment takes six people. By night you can indeed book a 4-berth couchette compartment to yourselves alone, first class in France, and second class in trains within, to and from Germany. Also, Spanish Hotel trains have 4-berth sleepers between Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Lisbon, Paris, Zurich, and Milan. German InterCity Night (ICN) trains have 4-berth sleepers between Dortmund and Vienna, Hamburg and Zurich, and Berlin or Dresden and Zurich. More trains have type T2 sleepers, second class sleepers with 2 berths each, so you can book two of those and be private. Nearly all night expresses have 3-berth second class sleepers, so if the husband will sleep next door with two other men the children and wife have a compartment to themselves. Out of peak season if you book that way and reach your train a bit early the conductor can often juggle things to give you two 3-berth compartments to ourselves. In old cars these have a connecting door, as in Agatha Christie.<BR><BR>The railways of France, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and South Tirol (only) in Italy run a registered baggage service that collects your bags from any address and delivers it to any other. I rather think the railways of central Europe run a registered baggage service between big stations. These services work Monday to Friday only.<BR><BR>Please write if I can help further. Welcome to Europe, whatever your luggage.<BR><BR>Ben Haines<BR> <BR>

<BR><BR>I take trains in western and central Europe about five weeks a year, and my experience does not tally with all the points that people have made.<BR><BR>In general: you?ve no worries.<BR><BR>In detail. Trains naturally stop at stations long enough for you and your luggage to get on or off. It?s true that if you?ve booked seats you need to know where on the platform they are. In most large stations o Europe a board on each platform gives you a ?map? of the train (in German a wagon-row-ing, Wagenreihing), so you can check this without haste. Such a board is illustrated on http://www.bahn.de/pv/int_guest/true..._comfort.shtml. If you find no such board you look for rail staff, show your reservation slip, and ask where to stand. Once stood in place, I look for a muscular lad, ideally accompanied by a young woman who fancies him, and ask for help getting luggage on board, and later up onto the luggage racks. It?s true, too, that you want to know when you board what time the train reaches your destination, so you can begin to load luggage at a car door while the train is slowing down. Again, you can easily find help.<BR><BR>Most large stations have luggage trolleys at entrances and on platforms, and many have lifts to and from platforms.<BR><BR>I don?t think high speed trains have more luggage space than normal express trains. Both kinds of train have more space than countryside stopping trains and commuter locals, but even those have never given me a problem.<BR><BR>Four of you cannot reserve a day train compartment of your own, since a compartment takes six people. By night you can indeed book a 4-berth couchette compartment to yourselves alone, first class in France, and second class in trains within, to and from Germany. Also, Spanish Hotel trains have 4-berth sleepers between Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Lisbon, Paris, Zurich, and Milan. German InterCity Night (ICN) trains have 4-berth sleepers between Dortmund and Vienna, Hamburg and Zurich, and Berlin or Dresden and Zurich. More trains have type T2 sleepers, second class sleepers with 2 berths each, so you can book two of those and be private. Nearly all night expresses have 3-berth second class sleepers, so if the husband will sleep next door with two other men the children and wife have a compartment to themselves. Out of peak season if you book that way and reach your train a bit early the conductor can often juggle things to give you two 3-berth compartments to ourselves. In old cars these have a connecting door, as in Agatha Christie.<BR><BR>The railways of France, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and South Tirol (only) in Italy run a registered baggage service that collects your bags from any address and delivers it to any other. I rather think the railways of central Europe run a registered baggage service between big stations. These services work Monday to Friday only.<BR><BR>Please write if I can help further. Welcome to Europe, whatever your luggage.<BR><BR>Ben Haines<BR> <BR>

<BR><BR>I take trains in western and central Europe about five weeks a year, and my experience does not wholly tally with the points that people have made.<BR><BR>In general: you've no worries.<BR><BR>In detail. Trains naturally stop at stations long enough for you and your luggage to get on or off. It's true that if you've booked seats you need to know where on the platform they are. In most large stations o Europe a board on each platform gives you a "map" of the train (in German a wagon-row-ing, Wagenreihing), so you can check this without haste. Such a board is illustrated on http://www.bahn.de/pv/int_guest/true..._comfort.shtml. If you find no such board you look for rail staff, show your reservation slip, and ask where to stand. Once stood in place, I look for a muscular lad, ideally accompanied by a young woman who fancies him, and ask for help getting luggage on board, and later up onto the luggage racks. It's true, too, that you want to know when you board what time the train reaches your destination, so you can begin to load luggage at a car door while the train is slowing down. Again, you can easily find help.<BR><BR>Most large stations have luggage trolleys at entrances and on platforms, and many have lifts to and from platforms.<BR><BR>I don't think high speed trains have more luggage space than normal express trains. Both kinds of train have more space than countryside stopping trains and commuter locals, but even those have never given me a problem.<BR><BR>Four of you cannot reserve a day train compartment of your own, since a compartment takes six people. By night you can indeed book a 4-berth couchette compartment to yourselves alone, first class in France, and second class in trains within, to and from Germany. Also, Spanish Hotel trains have 4-berth sleepers between Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Lisbon, Paris, Zurich, and Milan. German InterCity Night (ICN) trains have 4-berth sleepers between Dortmund and Vienna, Hamburg and Zurich, and Berlin or Dresden and Zurich. More trains have type T2 sleepers, second class sleepers with 2 berths each, so you can book two of those and be private. Nearly all night expresses have 3-berth second class sleepers, so if the husband will sleep next door with two other men the children and wife have a compartment to themselves. Out of peak season if you book that way and reach your train a bit early the conductor can often juggle things to give you two 3-berth compartments to ourselves. In old cars these have a connecting door, as in Agatha Christie.<BR><BR>The railways of France, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and South Tirol (only) in Italy run a registered baggage service that collects your bags from any address and delivers it to any other. I rather think the railways of central Europe run a registered baggage service between big stations. These services work Monday to Friday only.<BR><BR>Please write if I can help further. Welcome to Europe, whatever your luggage.<BR><BR>Ben Haines<BR> <BR>

<BR><BR>I take trains in western and central Europe about five weeks a year, and my experience does not tally with all the points that people have made.<BR><BR>In general: you?ve no worries.<BR><BR>In detail. Trains naturally stop at stations long enough for you and your luggage to get on or off. It?s true that if you?ve booked seats you need to know where on the platform they are. In most large stations o Europe a board on each platform gives you a ?map? of the train (in German a wagon-row-ing, Wagenreihing), so you can check this without haste. Such a board is illustrated on http://www.bahn.de/pv/int_guest/true..._comfort.shtml. If you find no such board you look for rail staff, show your reservation slip, and ask where to stand. Once stood in place, I look for a muscular lad, ideally accompanied by a young woman who fancies him, and ask for help getting luggage on board, and later up onto the luggage racks. It?s true, too, that you want to know when you board what time the train reaches your destination, so you can begin to load luggage at a car door while the train is slowing down. Again, you can easily find help.<BR><BR>Most large stations have luggage trolleys at entrances and on platforms, and many have lifts to and from platforms.<BR><BR>I don?t think high speed trains have more luggage space than normal express trains. Both kinds of train have more space than countryside stopping trains and commuter locals, but even those have never given me a problem.<BR><BR>Four of you cannot reserve a day train compartment of your own, since a compartment takes six people. By night you can indeed book a 4-berth couchette compartment to yourselves alone, first class in France, and second class in trains within, to and from Germany. Also, Spanish Hotel trains have 4-berth sleepers between Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Lisbon, Paris, Zurich, and Milan. German InterCity Night (ICN) trains have 4-berth sleepers between Dortmund and Vienna, Hamburg and Zurich, and Berlin or Dresden and Zurich. More trains have type T2 sleepers, second class sleepers with 2 berths each, so you can book two of those and be private. Nearly all night expresses have 3-berth second class sleepers, so if the husband will sleep next door with two other men the children and wife have a compartment to themselves. Out of peak season if you book that way and reach your train a bit early the conductor can often juggle things to give you two 3-berth compartments to ourselves. In old cars these have a connecting door, as in Agatha Christie.<BR><BR>The railways of France, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and South Tirol (only) in Italy run a registered baggage service that collects your bags from any address and delivers it to any other. I rather think the railways of central Europe run a registered baggage service between big stations. These services work Monday to Friday only.<BR><BR>Please write if I can help further. Welcome to Europe, whatever your luggage.<BR><BR>Ben Haines<BR> <BR>

Hi Matt,<BR>I have to fully agree with Haines.<BR>It is well organized, and as I said a lot of families are travelling by train throughout europe.<BR>Also it is quiete safe, even if you annot lock the suitcases to some certain places on the train.<BR>I fyou want to go for sure, you also can buy first a train ticket from one to another station and than, apart,<BR>you make a six seat reservation for a complete compartement. That is just a small amout. Also there are actually no<BR>check-in counters. Indeed you have to wait at the platform at your section<BR>(shown on the map). On main stations<BR>normally those train have a stopping time of two minutes - even in rush hour times it is enough. Don't worry about <BR>120sec. if you need longer, the railstaff does not let run the train before every passenger is inside.<BR>Also most of the travellers are helpful, because when they are not on business trips, they might need you help to-so it's a give and take.<BR>Most trains in central europe on normal weather conditions are on-time, means<BR>within a delay of ten minutes. And if you have to change from one IC to the other, on the same platform (lets say<BR>hamburg cologne chg to cologne munich)<BR>even if trains are delayed, the ongoing train waits for a reasonable time, so in many cases you get your connection.<BR>So relax - even with young it's you should manage to do all this.<BR>More questions - email me<BR>Shain/eu/de/d&uuml;sseldorf<BR>

Matt,<BR><BR>I fully agree that trains are the fun and convenient way to travel, even with "family" luggage. It may take some effort, but be prepared and you'll be well rewarded.<BR><BR>I don't have any specific advice to add, just one funny scene. I recently came back from a trip in Austria, and for one of my day-trips I was returning to Salzburg from Kitzbuehel. I found a seat in a first-class compartment that held three passengers and 24 (I'm not kidding; I counted . . . repeatedly) pieces of luggage and bags of all sizes and shapes that were crammed onto the overhead racks and filling up most of the floor space. The passengers were one couple and one young woman, not travelling together. I never figured out who had what, but I really wondered how they managed to get on the train at all!<BR><BR>So even those folks found a way to make the train work. I do hope, though, that you can manage to travel without 24 pieces. You may want to get backpacks instead of rolling luggage for the carry-ons just to decrease the number of bags that your hands have to handle. Your five-year-old may be able to handle one of the very small and light backpacks too. Then, you may want to do a dry run to be sure that you and your wife can carry & heft everything else.<BR><BR>Well, I guess I did have some advice after all!<BR><BR>s

Hi Matt, although I agree with Ben, traveling with small children and juggling luggage can be overwhelming. I get overwhelmed just with my own luggage, and I am not usually overwhelmable. I would not count on people helping you, I have had grown men turn away when my luggage was stuck on the steps of the train door and I was struggling with it. I have been pushed aside and jabbed when I hesitated while looking for my seat. <BR>It is not just me, my friends who travel separately have had the same problems, not all the time but often enough. If I had to watch two toddlers at the same time, I would rent a car or take a bus. <BR>But from your original post it seems like you are facing just one long train ride, so that shouldnt be a problem, if you have the cables to tie down your luggage. Once you are on the train and settled in, it is great.