Whether you're taking a short trip or embarking on a long journey, it's important to know what to do with your luggage while you're travelling.
There are a few different options available, and the best option for you will depend on your individual needs and preferences.
In a nutshell, here is what you can do with your luggage while travelling in Europe ?
In Europe while travelling, you can investigate the following options :
- Leave your luggage in a locker or storage place to travel light
- Organise a luggage shipment to travel luggage free
- Pack smart your suitcase to avoid check-in bags for multi destination travels
We will be expand on each the following options for you to choose from.
1. Luggage storage or Locker while travelling in Europe
Is there luggage storage in Europe ?
Yes, luggage storage options exist everywhere in Europe. You will find different options to choose from, that offer more or less flexibility or safety for your belongings. Two main options are available to you : luggage lockers in airports and train station and luggage storage service offered by companies like NannyBag or Stasher.
What is the different between a luggage storage and a luggage locker ?
The difference between a luggage storage and a luggage locker is simply the equipment used or not, to secure your luggage in a safe place. A locker will be an automatic cabinet, with a personal pin code to close or open it, for the duration of your choice. A luggage storage service refers to a place or a room, managed usually by human beings.
Is luggage storage or locker safe ?
No matter how or where you store luggage, the risk of theft is always there.
However, the safest option is luggage lockers found in airports and train stations, as they are public places, under constant camera and police surveillance. You are not able to store any items and all belongings are scanned before entrance.
Another option is to use storage companies like NannyBag or Stasher, which are great and easy options to choose. Nonetheless, be aware the luggages will be dropped off in shops and small businesses facilities that are usually not equipped or organised to professionally store and guard items. Secondly, they might not agree on keeping your belongings overnight and you will be dependant of opening hours.
Last option, is to use self-storage facility. This is not commonly used by travelers but could be a good option. Check-out this option if you are storing luggage while travelling for more than 3 or 4 days OR if you are in need to storage lots of luggage. Their facilities are under surveillance and so, your belongings will be safely store while you travel.
How much does luggage storage or locker cost ?
If you store your luggages with a storage company, the average price per item and per day will be 12€. Hourly rate can apply as well, which could be a cheap options. If you wish to store your belongings in a Train stations or an Airport in Europe, the luggage lockers will cost around 8€ a day for an middle sized bag. Prices may vary depending on the locker size.
How to store luggage while travelling in Europe ?
To store luggage while travelling in Europe you will need to organise your trip and plan according to your agenda.
Storing luggage in Europe is easy, but finding availability and a convenient place to store your belongings is another story. It is advised you look at options and decide of a Plan A and a Plan B in case something goes wrong.
Plan A could be to use a luggage locker but when you arrive, it is closed or no space are available. What is your plan B and how far is it ?
Secondly, make sure you lock your luggage. It is a basic, yet important measure, as your luggage will be left unattended.
Thirdly, put a label with your contact details. If anything goes wrong while you are away and someone needs to keep in touch with you, it is very important you can be contacted. You will understand why with next reason below.
Lastly and above all, do not store anything that is not permitted by the storage place policy or is inflammable (like batteries). If a forbidden item sets fire to the locker room or is found in your bag through X-rays, it is no joke in Europe. Your luggage may be destroyed by a demining squad and you may be hold accountable for safety hazard by local police.
Where to store or lock luggage in Europe ?
One option for storing luggage while you're travelling is to use a luggage storage service. There are a number of companies that offer this service, and they typically have locations in major cities around the world. This can be a convenient option if you're travelling with a lot of luggage or if you're planning to stay in a city for an extended period of time. However, take note that 5 different types of storage exist and may want consider them all, to know which option is best.
To store luggages in Europe, you have 5 options to consider:
- Store at a hotel or airbnb
- Luggage storage company
- Luggage lockers at train stations or airports
- Self-storage facility
- All-in-one service : luggage storage and door-to-door delivery service.
Option 1 : Hotel or Airbnb Luggage storage
Can i leave my luggage to the airbnb or hotel before check-in ?
Usually, hotels accept to hold your luggage prior to check-in as a free service. However, please note this needs to be agreed before your arrival. They may not have the space or availability if you show up unanounced.
Airbnb like accommodation may or may not offer luggage storage prior to check-in. It will depend on who manages the accomodation. Private owners may accept for free and if it is not a fuss for them. Others won't. Sometimes, for accomodation managed by Concierge companies, the option will be available at an additionnal costs (around 50 euros). They will send an agent to take your luggage and put them in the accomodation or store it for you.
Can i leave my luggage to the airbnb or hotel after check-out ?
Hotels usually accept to hold your luggage after check-out for a few hours but not more. You can ask the reception desk if that is possible on arrival, so you have time to find alternative if not.
Airbnb like accommodation most of the times refuse or at additional costs. The option is most of the time made available by Concierge companies trying to enhance the travelling experience.
Will a hotel store my bags if i'm not staying there or while travelling ?
Hotels won't store or hold your luggage even for a few hours, if you are not a customer of theirs. In case you are customer, very little chance the hotel will store your luggage a few days while travelling but it is worth the try. Some places will, especially privatly owned hotels. Please note however that hotels, not being storage companies, may not be allowed to store bags or luggages, without the owner presence. Their liability in case something goes wrong with the left luggage will be engaged. That is why, most places don't allow it for more than a few hours.
Can I send my luggage ahead to hotel?
You can send luggage ahead to hotel, before check-in. The luggage delivery service, as offered by Alfred for instance, will however require the hotel acceptance. The same way if you were to leave it yourself to the hotel, availability must be checked prior to delivery.
Where do hotels usually store luggage?
Usually, hotel have at their disposal locker rooms for luggage, right beside the Desk. Often, they will be able to store between 10 to 40 luggages per day, at a time.
Is it safe to leave luggage at hotel?
Yes, it is usually very safe to leave luggage at a hotel as most hotels have security cameras and staff who can keep an eye on your belongings. Make sure however to avoid any mistake, to label your luggage with contact details and give it a recognisable sign. Biggest risk is that suitcase is confused with another one.
What is left luggage procedure in hotel ?
To leave your luggage in a hotel, you will need to label your luggage, give away contact detail, indicate room number and the date and hours you will be collecting your belongings. Because you are most certainly customer of the hotel, identity papers and other administrative requirement will already be done.
Can you storage luggage at a hotel between stays ?
It is very rare hotels accept to keep your luggage between stays or layovers. This is because of local regulation and insurance. They may not be legally able to hold it for you, nor are they insured if anything goes wrong. You may ask, with little chance of success. In such cases, please refers to other option in this article, like de luggage transport and storage services.
How much do you tip for storing luggage at a hotel ?
It is not expected in France, to receive tips although it is very much appreciated. Employees doing luggage porterage or delivery are low based salary, and a little tip is always welcome.
Option 2 : Use a storage company
Storage companies are widely spread in Europe. You will find on the internet many offers, in various cities you may visit.
Where to store my suitcases ?
Storage companies are present almost everywhere from city centres, to train stations or airports. Check a few of them online, you can check their price, availability and opening hours on their website.
Make sure however you check throuroughly it is a fit to your needs. You will need to consider time to pick them up and opening hours. In addition, availability. Check out our article about it here for more detail.
How do you store multiple suitcases while travelling ?
To store many luggage while travelling, consider placing bookings way in advance. From one to 10 luggages, you may find solution. Above, it may be tricky. Storage places may not have the possibility to store them all. You best bet is to move on to next option proposed below as of "Self-storage facility" or to a All-in-one service including luggage storage and door-to-door delivery.
Option 3: Luggage lockers at train stations or airports
Is there luggage storage in airport in Europe ?
Yes, luggage storage are found in all airports in Europe, at least major ones. They usually are an electronic locker.
Is there luggage locker in train stations in Europe ?
Yes, luggage storage are found in most of major train station in Europe. They usually take the shape and form of a electronic locker, but also be a left luggage storage area.
How does luggage locker work ?
A luggage locker is very simple to use. You identify the chosen locker number, then go to the electronic pad where you will select a pin code and pay for the duration of the storage. You will then put your luggage in the locker and close it with your individual pin number.
One thing to benoted about locker rooms in train stations and airport is, the maximum duration allowed. It may be forbidden to store luggage for one night in some places. Be sure to check the airport or train station website for more info.
How many luggage can fit into a locker ?
This will depend on the size of the locker you choose or is available to you. XL size locker allow usually a XL suitcase + a small bag. It must be noted that sizes may vary from one airport or train station to another.
How much costs a luggage locker ?
A locker will cost approximaetly 8€ per day.The price will vary depending on duration, places and locker size. It is only an indicative price.
Option 4 : Self-storage facility
Another option for storing luggage while you're travelling is to use a self-storage facility. This is a good option if you're travelling with a lot of luggage or if you need to store your luggage for an extended period of time. Self-storage facilities typically have a wide range of unit sizes, so you can choose the one that's best for your needs.
What is a self-storage facility ?
A self-storage facility is usually managed by a company renting private, closed and secured square meters to the public, for a short-long period of time. It is every suited option to store multiple luggage for a week or more. Below that amount of days, the option may be more expensive than existing alternatives.
How many luggage can a self-storage take ?
The number of luggage is not limited, only the available square meters is.
How much does a self-storage cost ?
A self-storage facility costs around 5€ per square meter per day. You will have to be advised by one of the service offerer to get a precise quote for your need.
Option 5 : All-in-One service : luggage transport and storage services
What is a luggage transport and storage service, all in one ?
Luggage transport is defined by a pick-up and drop-off luggage service, when and where needed by the customer. It is esentially a luggage shipment service. When a luggage shipment is Combined with a storage service, it is called an all-in one. It means the customer will benefit from a door-to-door delivery, including storage while travelling. No need to go to a storage place, it is the company that moves to the customer.
Can you ship luggage in Europe ?
Yes you can ship a luggage in Europe. However, it is subject to legislation, limitations on the items allowed to travel without its owner, weight and size. Also, some countries like Switzerland or UK, are difficult place to ship luggages as customs is much stricter.
What is the best service to send luggage Europe ?
There are a few companies offering the service on the internet. To make your choice, it will be a trade-off between delivery lead-time and price.
Most companies will offer a low rate but will not guarantee less than a 48H delivery. They will also hardly be able to deliver you right at the hour of your choice.
Other companies like Alfred, are speciliased in same day delivery. It could be a more expensive option if the number of luggage is below a certain number. Shipping the same day luggage in Europe, require to dedicate a driver or to have multiple pick-up delivery the same day and place. It is usually billed at a fixed price. Wether you decide to ship 2 or 50 luggage, chances are, price will not be very much different.
2. Organise a luggage shipment to travel luggage free
A luggage shipment in Europe may be the best option to choose from in certain cases. Travelling with lots of bags or suitcase for instance, may imply luggage allowances fee or simply the impossibility to take a train.
In such cases, few solution exists to ship luggage in Europe. However, only a few companies are available to do a same day delivery.
How does a luggage shipment work ?
Companies such as Alfred can pick up luggage at the hotel, train station or airport and deliver it wherever you want.
Before the pick-up, we will ask you the number, approximate size and weight of the luggage you wish to transport. This is a legal requirement to establish the transport documents. To transport luggage, a transportation license is required and this information is necessary.
At the time of pick-up, a label will be affixed to each piece of luggage and scanned as it is loaded into the truck. This is to keep track of the number of pieces collected, and to ensure their presence in the vehicle from departure to arrival.
When to use a luggage transport service
Luggage transport and shipment service in Europe is used commonly in 10 situations:
- Train or Flight luggage allowance fee is exceeded
- Inability to carry around luggage for health and safety reasons
- Luggage don't fit into a taxi or Uber
- Travel free of luggage before check-in or after check-out
- Flight or train hopping and need to store and deliver luggage
- Luggage transfer between hotels
- Luggage transfer between airports
- Luggage transport to accommodate families with lots of luggage
- Luggage transfer while attending a congress or sport event directly at arrival without checking in
- Storage is not available and delivery is needed
How far in advance should I book a luggage delivery service ?
To book a luggage delivery service, we recommend that you book at least 5 days in advance in low season and 15 days in high season.
3. Pack smart your suitcase to avoid check-in bags for multi destination travels
Packing for a multi-destination trip in Europe
Deciding what to pack for a multi-destination trip can be daunting. You need to pack smart to avoid as much as possible, check-in bags. That is the best way to travel Europe and avoid storing bags while travelling. We wrote a complete article about it here.
Why travel light in Europe is a good choice ?
In Europe, there is luggage storage in almost all airports and train stations to leave your suitcase. However, luggage storage may be a bit of fuss during a multi destination travel, to drop-off and pick-up your belongings.
The easiest way to travel Europe by any means of transport is to travel light. Europe is not equipped with lift and excalators everywhere meaning you 'll have to lug your luggage up and down stairs. In addition, train limitation in bags can be a problem.
Check out this article to know more about.
How do you pack for a trip to Europe in 5 steps ?
Step 1 : Make a list of the essentials
Make a list of things, you can't be travelling without AND/OR you can't find at destination.
What you can buy in Europe, don't put in your suitcase at first, only if there is sufficient room. The objective is not to clutter your suitcase with "just in case" items.
Step 2: Pack clothes that are appropriate for the weather conditions in each destination
A good habit is to choose clothes that you can mix and match to suit any climate. Leggings, for example, are a good option. They will serve for a "mid-warm" climate as a stand alone, but also for harsh winter temperatures, worn under pants. Do the same with your upper body clothing. Try to mix and match very light weight garnments.
Step 3: Chase the empty space
An old trick is to roll up your clothes instead of folding them. You save space. Next, put heavy items at the bottom of your bag. This works for both suitcases and backpacks. A simple but effective tip.
Step 4: Optimise the items and toiletry
The essentials you listed in step 1 and the toiletry you need (avoid the "just in case"), will take space in your bag. To reduce that space to a minimum, split the number of items across your traveling buddies if you are not alone. One traveler takes the tooth paste, another shampoo etc.
Step 5: Choose the type of bag and how many bags to bring
Wether you travel in Europe for one or two weeks, prefer taking with you a One Large Backpack (45 or 65L max). This will allow you to travel any train, metro or flight in Europe, without problem. Alternatively, take one small back-pack and one carry on maximum per person.
If you think you won't have enough clothes for your trip, do a laundry during your travel. It is very easy to do and to find, at a hotel or in laundry shops.
Conclusion
No matter what option you choose, it's important to make sure that your luggage is properly labelled with your contact information. This will help ensure that you can be reunited with your luggage if it's temporarily lost or stolen.
