OMG, what a train travel day!!
Of course, when I think of epically bad train rides, number one on the list is the train in Egypt. But I’d have to say that this day runs a close second, at least the last two hours of it.
Getting to the Station
Our goal was to travel from Bologna, Italy to Nice, France. Our first mistake was choosing to go on a Saturday because the bus from near our apartment to the train station didn’t run on Saturday. So, we stood at the bus stop for a while until someone told us that the bus wasn’t coming.
At this point, we have all of our luggage in a pedestrian zone so there is no chance of finding a taxi. So, we drag our bags over the cobbles for 10+ minutes to get to another bus stop. That bus finally arrives and we manage to get ourselves and all of our luggage on the bus. But when it was time to get off, we knew we didn’t have much time to make our train so I tried to pull one of our suitcases out of the gutter while Mike got the rest of the bags off of the bus. Unfortunately, the force I used caused me to go backward and fall on my ass. My head barely missed smashing into a pole. But, like all experienced travelers, I shook it off.
Once we walked across the street to the train station, we had to find the right track for our train to Milan. Since we had some experience at this train station before, we knew we had to go down, down, down to get to our track. Fortunately, there are elevators in the station. From our observation of other trains, we knew we only had a few minutes to get all of our stuff and ourselves onto the train once it arrived.
I should probably tell you what our luggage consisted of on this trip. Our usual two carry-ons, two backpacks, our larger checked bag, and a really full large grocery bag full of food.
Boarding the Train
The next problem was caused by an open can of Diet Coke. Mike had the Coke and at least one bag in his hands while I waited on the platform. But it took home what seemed like forever to return and I was really worried that the train would leave without me. Finally, he returned and we grabbed the rest of the bags and got on the train just as it got underway.
I asked what happened and why he took so long getting back and he said that he couldn’t find the seats and then the can of Coke spilled onto the seat. It actually turned out that we had our own little compartment so the Coke was on someone else’s seat. We decided on a new travel rule. No open cans when we are getting on and off of any type of vehicle.
Oh No, Where is Mike’s Suitcase?
Once we got help and found our private enclave, we realized that we didn’t have Mike’s suitcase. So, we both started freaking out and sweating. We looked in our car and the adjoining car… nothing. Then we asked the conductor to call back to the Bologna station and see if we left a bag on the platform. She said she would notify the police but we started trying to figure out if we should wait in Milan until the bag arrived assuming there was another train later.
After about 10 minutes of panic, Mike said, let’s check the Apple AirTag. At first, I wasn’t sure what I was looking at but then I realized that the bag was moving very quickly. After expanding the map, I figured out that the bag had to be on the train with us. So, we each took off in opposite directions searching for the bag. After a few minutes, Mike located the bag on an overhead rack, behind someone else’s bag.
It took us a good 15 minutes to calm down, which didn’t give us much time to enjoy the cute private area that we had booked. Before we had even really calmed down we arrived in Milan, where we counted the bags as we got off of the train.
Changing Trains in Milan
First, the station and platforms were packed with people, being August in Italy. Then, there was no place to sit while we waited to figure out what platform we were leaving from. They don’t post the track until very shortly before the train arrives. So, we stood holding our bags, in the mass of humanity for more than 30 minutes.
Once we learned the track, we had to get through the crowds with our luggage in time to board the next train to Ventimiglia, Italy. The last train station in Italy where we had to transfer to the French local train to Nice.
The second train was ok but not great like the first one had been. The air conditioning was also having a difficult time keeping up with the summer heat.
The Train from Ventimiglia to Nice
When we exited the Italian train we had to walk a short way to the French-bound track where we were to board the train to Nice. We knew the ride wasn’t too long, maybe a little over an hour.
First, when we got on we had to get the bags up a few steps in the train besides the ones getting on. Then there were no seats or air conditioning on the train. At each stop, and there were a lot of stops, more people got on but no one got off. We were packed onto the train like sardines. It is honestly really hard to describe how tight it was. It made me think of the pushers that they have in Japan, whose job it is to push more people onto the subway trains before the doors close.
As we got closer to Nice, I saw a few people try to get off the train. One family actually failed to get off before the doors closed missing their station altogether. At the next stop, the people who wanted to get off started yelling loudly in French. The problem was that there was literally no place to move to. Before our stop, I tried to work my way back towards the door with 2 of our six pieces of luggage.
That was when Mike and I got separated. Fortunately, we both speak French and we could always get off at the next station if we couldn’t get off at the one we wanted but we had already been traveling for at least eight hours and I so wanted to get off of that train.
How to Get Off the Train
When the time came, I started yelling in French for people to move. I was also determined to block the train door until Mike could get off the train with the rest of our bags. I was more than a little panicked about actually getting off of the train but Mike finally emerged from the throng, with our bags. What a relief. At this point, all I wanted to do was get to the hotel and cook-off.
Then we took an overpriced Uber/taxi to the hotel but I couldn’t take any more that day. By overpriced I mean 20 Euros to go six blocks (I did feel bad about it afterward). I think the last train was extra packed because it was the weekend in the summer. It was clear that people were just coming back to Nice from a day at the beaches closer to Italy.
How We Finished the Hellish Day
By eating and drinking, we were in France, of course. Because we have spent a lot of time in Nice we decided to go to a nice little restaurant that we recalled being very good. Mike got a beer and I got a gin fizz. Then there was duck breast and shrimp risotto. All of which helped us forget what an awful day we had. However, we knew at the time that it would make an interesting article. Our traveling lifestyle isn’t always fun, but we try to consider that our challenges are adventures.
For those of you keeping score at home, that was one fall, one near-heart attack about losing a bag, and one near-heart attack about getting off the train in one piece. Good times!
Notes to Self
No train travel in Europe on the weekends in the summer. No open soda cans when traveling. Try to book an assigned seat or just a seat.
What would you have done differently?
2 comments
What an ordeal! I feel your pain because we’ve all had disasters while traveling.
Jerry left me on the train in Dubai, when he left the train (without telling me)and went outside checking some mechanical engineering equipment and left me on the train for hours with no cell phone WiFi , no money, but at least I had my all day train pass and knew the way back to the hotel. It was a long train, going far out into the desert, and I tried to find him, but I knew he was somewhere talking to someone, because he would never leave me! I went back to my seat, which I had saved by my leftovers in the seat. When I finallyentered the hotel, the people at the desk said your husband is looking for you and I said oh yeah, and I am definitely looking for him! 🤬 Obviously the train had left quicker than Jerry thought it was going to leave. He thought I would stop at the next stop, but I had no idea that he was off the train! I was busy deleting and cropping some photos in my camera with my head down. It was kind of frightening being in a country where they think a lot less of women. On the way back, I found a “ladies only” car and felt safe there. I had to go through an alleyway, which might not have been the best choice, but it was the only way I knew back to the hotel. Traveling is so much fun!
A friend calls this Type 2 fun. It wasn’t fun at the time but talking about it is fun.