Weird dragging along a suitcase in train and metro?

[misery1001]

Hi,

 

I am planning to stay in Barcelona for a few days before the cruise and is planning to take the train to my hotel (still haven't book it yet). Then on the cruise day, I am planning to take the Metro to the port.... is it weird/unsafe to drag along a suitcase in the metro? I am planning to do the same for london and paris (pre and post cruise trips)... dragging my suitcase from the airport the the hotel..... What do you think??

[CruisinGerman]

There are people who don't mind dragging around their suitcases while on vacation in Europe. However, there are more compelling reasons for doing this in cities such as London, Paris and Rome, than in Barcelona.

 

In Barcelona, you can take a taxi from the airport to any hotel in central Barcelona and it will cost only 20-25 euros (as opposed to hundreds in cities like London, Rome, Paris because the airports there are very far away from the cities and the taxis, in general, are more expensive in those countries than in Spain).

 

Barcelona cruise port is also right inside the central city, as opposed to hours away in cities such as Paris (Le Havre), Rome (Civitavecchia), London (Southampton, Dover, etc.). A taxi from your hotel in central Barcelona to the cruise pier should only cost you about 10-12 euros.

 

Because the cost is minimal, my personal preference would be to take a taxi. However, this is a personal choice which is up to you.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[Susan-M]

No, there is nothing weird about travelling on local transportation in Europe with luggage.

 

We took the airport bus to our hotel and walked the two blocks to our hotel ... very easy and at 3.6E/pp, very reasonable.

 

We had planned to take the metro to the ship, but after using the metro when sightseeing, we realized that taking luggage on it could be a bit of a process .... there are some long and steep staircases and not all have escalators. The metro doesn't get you to the port, so you would probably need to take the shuttle bus or taxi the rest of the way. For 11E plus tip, we took a taxi from our hotel (Continental Palacete) to the pier.

[cruisemom42]

I don't think you'll be out of place as many other travellers do this as well. I dragged my suitcase through the Barcelona Gothic quarter to my hotel last year and no one gave me a second look. Later when I was out walking, I noticed other people doing the same.

 

Metros and trains are used for trips far more in many European cities and you will always find travelers with luggage, backpacks, etc. on them. My only advice is to travel as light as you can, since you may have to negotiate, stairs, narrow passageways, overhead bins, and crowds while keeping track of your luggage.

[SaylorGirl]

There is nothing wierd at all in Europe having your suitcase on the Metro or the trains. That is the way of life in Europe. We travel with ours there all the time.

[jmb4534]

As the other posters have said, carrying your luggage around in Europe is quite common and easy.

 

When we sailed out of Barcelona a few years ago we took a cab to the dock. A young couple who were our table-mates on the cruise did not take a cab and were mugged coming out of the subway on the way to the ship. Someone "bumped" into him and suddenly he had no money, credit cards or passports. RCCL gave him a line of credit until his Dad could wire money to him.

 

Word to the wise...don't get so caught up with your luggage that you lose track of your real valuables.

 

In Barcelon we stayed at a Best Western about a block off Las Ramblas that was very nice and reasonably priced. I can't remember the name of it, but it seems like it started with a "G".

 

Good luck, Janelle

[Eclipsepearl]

I used to be a Flight Attendant. Those uniforms might as well had a neon sign above our heads saying "passports! money! right here!!" Be aware that theives are more into stealing passports of any "western" country. They're worth major money on the Black Market, much more so than the cash you have.

 

Do not put anything in your back pocket. Have it attached to your body, in front, in some way. Keep your eye on it.

 

I'm not into taxis either. They always seem to get stuck in traffic. Too many passports nipped on the métro and most of the victims were French.

 

Another alternative to both are buses, specifically shuttles to the airport. The buses don't have to be with an airline but usually they're "sealed", basically meaning all the traffic is going to the airport. I used to take the Air France bus to work. The tricky thing with the métro and RER in Paris is that it stops all along the way. They want to nab your stuff and scram. They don't want to be sitting there on the bus when you realize your stuff has been lifted.

 

I sometimes take a purse but only put lipstick, etc. in it. Once in a market in Madrid they knifed it in a crowd. My camera (not a great one) was left untouched while my money was tucked safely away. I was more weirded out with the idea of a knife that close but these guys are only motivated by moolah and aren't generally dangerous.

 

The other advantage with airport-specific buses (for lack of a better term) is that the drivers talk to each other on the radio and avoid traffic. Technically possible with a cab but less likely. I mean, these guys only go back and forth all day and they know every back street and alternative route.

 

Many, like Luftansa's in Frankfurt, have toilets!! Another plus...

 

I recently took a cab to Stanstead Airport thinking it would be more convenient. Big mistake! As predicted, stuck in traffic...we only didn't miss the flight because I had set aside a lot of time, wanting to hit a few shops before leaving the U.K. That idea was scrapped...

[Globaliser]

is it weird/unsafe to drag along a suitcase in the metro? I am planning to do the same for london and paris

In London, nobody will look twice. I do this myself for up to a dozen trips a year.

[Mike Andrews]

You won't look out of place in either London,Paris or Barcelona and just your bags within easy reach

[Nonna and Papa]

Several years ago we took a 2 month land trip throughout Europe with a Eurail Pass. The trains in Europe aren't anything like we, in the US, are used to. They are very punctual and reliable - unless Italy call for an unexpected strike for a day! They are also suprisingly easy to negotiate with a schedule in hand. Most trains are very clean and the faster ones such as the Intercity or Eurostar trains are comfortable, and can even can be luxurious.

 

Most everyone in Europe uses trains to travel - locals and tourists alike - so you certainly won't be out of place. Most folks even buy a sandwich and a drink prior to boarding and have lunch on the train. It saves time. If you are going to be in a city for a few days and will come and go via train, there are left luggage areas where you can store extra suitcases for a few dollars a day for each suitcase. We did this several times and all went without a hitch. It makes it easier to negotiate the many, many steps of the metros.

 

A word of warning in the metros or on a city bus. This is where pickpockets are notoriously busy. Use a moneybelt! I can't stress this enough. Keep all valuables (money, tickets and passports) securely hidden. We never had a bit of trouble and if you are vigilent and use common sense, you'll be fine.

 

Good Luck,

 

Mary

[flyingboy]

Believe me you won't be the only one doing this-there's always tons of people with luggage. I would recommend, however, you store your luggage at the airport or train station and just put what you need for a few days in a carry on bag. DH and I did this this past May in Rome. Left the bulk of our luggage at the airport for a few bucks and took what we needed in our carry-ons for a few days. It was great and judging by the lineups, alot of people were doing this too.