Luggage storage lockers at different train stations - question

What will be in the suitcases you don't need for two or three days ? Are you sure you need it at all??

I was thinking leaving one suit case in the station and have everything we need in the other suitcase. Just so that we would not haul two suitcases on public transportation to the hotel. Will not do it at every station. Trip still in the planning stage.

Hi,

If you are using coin lockers, ie, if your luggage can be stored in a large or small one, the duration is 72 hours. That applies to lockers in Bitburg and Rothenburg. Salzburg Hbf has coin lockers (good luck in finding an empty one). I assume left luggage facilities (Gepäckaufbewahrung) are there too but wasn't looking for that.

This doesn't make sense. If you will be visiting Rothenburg ob der Tauber for three days, I think that means that you will have accommodations in the city. The station is not far from the inner city. Why would you want to leave your bags in a locker instead of taking them with you to your accommodations?

If you have so much luggage that transporting all of it to your hotel is a problem, anywhere, you need to rethink your packing.

et,

According to THIS website there were Lockers at Rothenburg ODT in 2009 (click on the "Train" tab and scroll down). It's a very small station so not sure if they are still there. THIS website provides information on Salzburg, but I'm not sure about the other stations you mentioned.

One point to mention about Amsterdam and area. Unless you have a true "Chip & PIN" credit card, keep cash on hand as they ONLY accept C&P cards.

I have the same question as Lee. It would probably be easier to just take all your luggage to the hotel, rather than storing it a the stations.

Et,

We are planning to travel with another couple this April to several destinations by train. To make it easier on us we are thinking about leaving one suitcase each at the station while visiting the city.

On my first trip to Europe I packed way more than I needed & regretted it since I was the one lugging it around, up & down.

Once, waiting for the train, there was an announcement regarding a track change & I had to literally run down the stairs then up another set of stairs, otherwise I'd have missed my train!

I learned my lesson & now I travel with a small carry-on sized suitcase.

Especially since you will be traveling by train, it would be so much easier for you to pack one small suitcase--one that you can maneuver easily by yourself. Keep in mind that some train stations don't have elevators & you will need to go up & down the stairs.

Keep in mind that you can always do laundry there.

Happy planning!

Agreed that it is better to keep your "ball and chain" small than to keep looking (and paying) for places to ditch it, even though those options exist.

How long is the trip?

I'm with just about everyone else. Each of you will travel much happier if you have no more than one carry-on (22"x14"x9" or smaller) and 1 personal item (tote or messenger bag or daypack or purse or equivalent) and that's it. You each need to be able to manage your own luggage in all the situations already mentioned, so having a bag that starts out light before packing is a real help.

I know it's hard to imagine, but you can travel for a very long time on just one week's worth of clothes. You can do laundry while there or have it done for you at a laundry facility, especially since you indicate that you will be in the places you list 2-3 days.

Go to the Travel Forum on packing here on this site -- https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/packing -- for lots of advice and discussions about this issue. You can also go to this Travel Talk about packing light -- http://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/video/travel-talks/packing-light-right-with-sarah-murdoch -- also here on this RS website.

Depending on exactly when you go in April, the weather could be cold and wet. Amazingly to me, I was able to pack less when we went to Belgium and the Netherlands in April, 2013 than on any other trip I've taken, and it was cold and rainy most of the time we were there.