Luggage on Trains - question?

mercedes10

What do you guys do with your luggage when you go to the toilet on the train?? I'm going to be travelling alone, and wonder what the best thing to do is? Obviously I would take my day pack (containing passport, money etc.) with me, but what about my rucksack? Is a cable lock the way forward? Is there usually something you can attach it to? Last time I was on an overnight sleeper train I don't remember there being all that much room. Advice appreciated! I suspect this is always going to be one of the big downsides of solo travel! No-one to leave your luggage with whilst you pop in to negotiate with a hotel or use a loo or something. Don't much fancy stopping off to use a squat somewhere with a huge rucksack on my back!

soulfood

Ask the guy sitting next to us or across us to look after it while we're gone.

BWINDI

Buy a chain to lock your luggage on the sits. most indians do the same because of much theft.

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mercedes10

That's assuming the person next to you isn't the type of person who might steal from it?

mercedes10

Unless you're actually at a station I don't suppose there's much chance of someone running off with your whole bag anyway, but I suppose locks will be needed on all the compartments then or people could help themselves to some of the contents.

soulfood

If the person has a reservation, you don't need to fear him. It's not the travellers who steal, it's the little boys and vedors who come and go.

Jorge Reverter

Hi Mercedes 10,

I'm actually in Delhi after a month travelling mostly by train. Sometimes I've have blocked my luggages with a chain and a locker, and sometimes only spending few minutes in the toilet..., normally I travel in Sleeper 2AC and you are with somebody, so, no reason to panic. I have also travelled in ACChair and no problems at all, as everybody sees what is going on. In any case best thing to do is to have a chain and a locker in hand.

All the best

mercedes10

Thanks for your help! :-)

camelgirl

A really light weight cable lock would be good. Here is one kind:
http://www.ems.com/products/product_...1&emssrclnk=01

Here's another kind, which I think is better than the above because it's all one piece and there is nothing to get lost.

http://www.magellans.com/store/Packi...sS L226?Args=

Mostly places that sell travel related products stock these kind of locks.

usha

Not necessary..
It happend with one of my friend ..travelling from mumbai to Delhi, in 3 tier ac..first day itself he became friends with the person sitting next to him. They spend their time talking and by evening they became frind kind..in the Evening the co passenger offered coffee to my friend..he had.. next morning neither the co passenger was there nor my friend's luggage..all gone..including the Identity card ..The co passenger was having reservation upto Delhi..but he got down somewhere.
Now how can u prevent such things? Ok dont accept anything from co passengers?..U C In mumabi-pune trains many coffee vendors are also involved..
It is sad to mention incidents like this happends in India too..But since it is the truth..we have to be bit over concious
cheers
take care and keep smiling

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crvlvr

i know a lot more people who have had their stuff stolen in Italy than in India. Relax. Its not that bad.. really.

thirdreel

Be aware of who's around you and what's going on. I think if you ask someone to look after your bag, you can trust them to a certain extent; that is, when you ask them, you make a point of remembering who they are, and they know it.

There are people who will make a point and go out of their way to rob foreigners. However, the average person isn't an opportunist there (in my experience). That is, if someone robs a foreigner on the train, it's because he got on the train with the intent to rob a foreigner, not because he happened to notice that the person in Seat 35 left an unguarded rucksack.

Chandra

Exactly!

It's not like I never worry, like I never wake up and look down to see if my backpack's still there. But I try to tell myself that it's only stuff - if I lose it I'll first be really frustrated and then deal with it. Missing out on fun and interesting experiences is worse than loosing material memories.

Relax more...

C

rangss

I spend 50% of my train journeys (Non AC Sleeper Class) standing by the door. I care a shit about my luggage and prefer it stolen...so that I may go home with less weight to carry. Nha! just joking about the stolen luggage part...but the other half is true...I never lost anything so far.

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