Train catering carriage - do you leave bags behind or take them with you?

Posted by BeanyCudger@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 16 comments

Dear fellow unfortunates who have to put up with our wonderful rail system - what's the common habit if you're feeling particularly wealthy one day and want to actually buy something from the on board catering service in (on Avanti) coach C? If you have luggage or bags, do you become a bold risk-taker and leave them all behind while you go off foraging? Like a lioness leaving her cubs behind in the hopes there are no hyenas watching, and scurry back as fast as you can? Or do you drag everything you own with you and hope your seat is still empty when you return, not stolen by the jackals?

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16 Comments

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Otherwise_Koala4289@reddit

I leave them. Only exception would be if I have my work laptop with me, which I'd bring. Other than that, anything particular valuable is probably already on me. My bags will just be clothes. Don't think anyone would bother stealing them and if they did it would be more annoying inconvenience than major issue.

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BeanyCudger@reddit (OP)

Interesting. For me if it's an overnight bag it will typically contain some valuable(ish) items, like jewellery (sentimental more than costly), hair straighteners and the like. Not a major issue to lose, but definitely not that easy to replace. Wonder if there's a different approach to this between men and women, or those travelling for work or pleasure, etc.

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Otherwise_Koala4289@reddit

May well be a gender difference. The only jewellery I wear is my wedding ring, which again will be on me. I just can't think of anything that may be in my bag that is valuable. My fragrance would probably be the most expensive thing!

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BeanyCudger@reddit (OP)

I think I might use your approach from now on. Don't pack anything I'd be sad to lose, unless it's on me rather than in the luggage. Strategic packing!

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Timely_Egg_6827@reddit

I have a seperate handbag/laptop bag and jewellery would be in that not in the case.

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Timely_Egg_6827@reddit

Generally take anything really valuable like a laptop/phone but if someone really wants my underwear, well ... Theft on intercity trains fairly low because it can be a long stop between stations and a lot of bored, nosy people about.

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thelastthesaurus@reddit

I make sure I'm not away from my backpack at a station stop, other than that I don't really care so much.

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throwawaypopsticks@reddit

I strategically plan to go just after a stop and long before another stop so no one can get off the train with my stuff and then leave my stuff in the hope that if something was missing I could alert someone before a stop.

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BeanyCudger@reddit (OP)

This makes me glad I'm clearly not the only one who has invested time into thinking about this.

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thehealingprocess@reddit

Train toilet and cafe car strategy is really important!

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DeapVally@reddit

Just order to your seat. There's no need to get up anymore. It's not like you can sit in the café bit anyway.

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BeanyCudger@reddit (OP)

This is still click and collect though, no? So you'd still have to go to the catering carriage and pick it up

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ben_jamin_h@reddit

I time my shop visit so that it's just after the train has left a station, and I have time before we get to the next station so I can come back and check that my stuff is still there. Obviously, if my stuff went missing, I'd go on a Jason Statham style rampage through the train, possibly chasing the fugitive thief out through a window for a high speed train roof fight, where I would distract them just in time for them to be whisked off the train by a bridge as I grab my backpack full of dirty clothes from between their legs as I slide under them and the bridge. But, in 25 years of train travel, I've always left my bag where I'm sat to keep my seat, and nobody has yet tried to nick it

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Rubberfootman@reddit

I’d usually ask a nearby passenger to keep an eye on it.

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zombiezmaj@reddit

I choose a time between stops But if the app is still working I use that to order on

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