Large luggage on European trains

[Daveller]

A silly story to tell you that... I was on the ICE train, my suitcase was big and heavy - about 28kg. So I saw the luggage storage was full and decided to put it in my aisle. Then a nice young muscular man helped me to lift the suitcase to the overhead bin. I didn't want to put it in the overhead bin because I was worried that it could break the overhead bin but he was local and had seen them many times. Then after a young man and his friend left early, then I was able to carry it back to the floor.

 

[Forg]

A silly story to tell you that... I was on the ICE train, my suitcase was big and heavy - about 28kg. So I saw the luggage storage was full and decided to put it in my aisle. Then a nice young muscular man helped me to lift the suitcase to the overhead bin. I didn't want to put it in the overhead bin because I was worried that it could break the overhead bin but he was local and had seen them many times. Then after a young man and his friend left early, then I was able to carry it back to the floor.

A mate used to semi-regularly catch an overnight flight to Tokyo on a Friday evening, travel ‘round (used & new) performance car parts shops & buy stuff that was <10% the price of here, fly home on the overnight Sunday night flight and go to work Monday in probably the same clothes he’d been wearing on Friday.

Having set the scene … they carried all sorts of stuff onboard, against the rules, and shoved it in the overhead bins. They had a bunch of brakes & other parts in a duffle-bag once, which someone weighed at over 50kg when they got home (and remember it was shoved into the overhead bin next to other heavy stuff - although not as heavy).
I wouldn’t have done it myself but those racks handle a lot more than you’re actually allowed to put in them! Although I can envisage all sorts of Bad Things happening in hefty turbulence …

 

[mel-world]

We have done a lot of train travel on Eurail passes, mainly around western Europe and the UK. Most of my comments concur with what has been reported early except the added challenge of platform heights, especially at regional stations where the train will only stop for a minute or two and you firstly have to hoist your bags up a metre or so and then scramble up after them.

As mentioned above, double-decker trains present another issue if you are not steady on your feet and have to negotiate heavy bags up a moving train before you even look for storage space. Joining a train at its starting station is obviously an advantage - mind the rush - and travelling 1st Class is a small advantage although some Europeans think is is okay to take 4 seats for 2 people spreading their possessions over all remaining space.

We tend to travel with a medium sized suitcase each, a backpack and a personal bag for valuables. Worse case some can go in the overhead racks and you are not overloaded for the inevitable pickpockets at busy stations. We nearly go robbed at Venice a year of so ago but the security catch on our bag defeated them.

 

[Quickstatus]

They had a bunch of brakes & other parts in a duffle-bag once, which someone weighed at over 50kg when they got home

I once had a ride -on- mower transmission along with chainsaw chains in a checked luggage coming back from the USA. So much cheaper in the US

 

[lovestotravel]

I once had a ride -on- mower transmission along with chainsaw chains in a checked luggage coming back from the USA. So much cheaper in the US

We used to bring in John Deere mowers from the USA in containers for personal use. Some may have been onsold.........

 

[747sp]

A small thing to aware of is that for some of the trains the platform is not level with the train. Therefore you may need to llift your bags 3 to 5 steps.
Our plan is Mrs 747 sp jumps on first and I lift and push while she pulls up.
Also one of us keeps an eye on the bags on the bags when other people got on and off.
We also found on one ICE train that the train changed directions so if one of you does not like travelling backwards make sure you have seats facing each way.
The other issue we had was that in some stations they dont tell you the platform number until the last 5 min.
It is a wonderful way to travel in Europe and we have more trains planned for our next trip to Europe in October

 

[Seat0B]

Ah, so it is not crazy to have lots of luggage.

Our record was approx 500kg not including carry on one time (winter too)

I thought we were doing well with 120kg between too, but we are clearly amateurs!

 

[Seat0B]

was on the ICE train, my suitcase was big and heavy - about 28kg.

I have had this a couple of times on Shinkansen in Japan with a 23kg bag. It does fit on the luggage rack and luggage forwarding wasn’t suitable due to timing issues. But getting the bag into the rack can be a challenge. As a 65 year old shortish woman, I now specifically train for this in the gym - my trainer and I call it “sumo squat to overhead luggage rack press” . Hey whatever motivates exercise is a good thing, right?

 

[Quickstatus]

120kg between too

The half tonne was for family of 5pax. You are doing well. The carry on would have raised to total to 600kg I think.