"Uneasy About Luggage Racks": Foreign Tourists Struggle with Suitcases on KTX

"The train aisle is crowded, so please place your suitcases in the storage area."

KORAIL's customer service department frequently receives complaints about the lack of space for luggage.

It is not difficult to see foreign tourists cramming large suitcases into the narrow gaps between seats or in the aisles of KTX trains, which travel at speeds of around 300 km/h, much like playing a game of Tetris.

Even with ample luggage racks available, they are choosing this "uncomfortable coexistence."

The reason lies in the severe "pickpocketing trauma" they experienced while traveling by train in Europe.

For those who have experienced their suitcases vanishing right before their eyes during a brief moment of distraction inside a train car, this reaction is perhaps natural.

While Koreans might wonder, "Who on earth would steal someone else's luggage on a KTX?", the perspective of those from across the globe is different.

To them, the luggage racks near the train doors are not a convenience facility, but a nerve-wracking place where their belongings could turn into "public property" if they let their guard down for even a moment.

In France or Italy, having a suitcase disappear into thin air while dozing off on a train is not just a ghost story.

Before blaming the excessive anxiety of foreigners, we must look at the structural shortcomings of the KTX.

Most luggage racks on KTX trains are located in the aisles or at the edges outside the passenger cabins, making it difficult to keep an eye on one's belongings from their seat.

Recently built trains like the KTX-Eum or KTX-Cheongryong have relatively spacious areas.

However, these newer trains are primarily deployed on lines such as the Jungang Line and are rare on the Gyeongbu Line, which is frequently used by foreign tourists.

Experts point out that the solution lies not in promoting public safety, but in "designing for peace of mind."

Anxiety could be significantly reduced by placing luggage racks inside the passenger cabins or simply providing basic wire locks.

However, placing luggage racks inside the cabin may be unfamiliar in the domestic context.

If changing the location of the luggage racks is difficult, some suggest that providing a CCTV feed of the luggage area via an app or offering an option to select "seats adjacent to luggage racks" during booking could be appropriate measures.

A train travel expert advised, "Removing some seats in older KTX cabins to create dedicated spaces for passengers with suitcases could also be an alternative."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.