what to do with luggage with an early airport arrival and an afternoon check-in time in edinburgh?

First you probably do not need a months worth of luggage . I travel for two months with same stuff I take for a week. Comes out to about 15 - 17 lbs in one carry-on. Reevaluate what you need. Read about packing light you may just love it.

This issue doesn't much happen to people staying in hotels, but does with the new trend toward booking unstaffed rentals. Both the Waverly train station and the bus station (two blocks north) have bag storage available.

i know it's a good idea to pack light. but there will be three of us and i have some medical things to bring along -i use a cane - i'm not going to be able to carry things around all day as we wait to be able to get into the apartment. also we will be in some pretty cold areas, and may need winter coats as well as lighter things. so maybe the waverly station would work. thank you.! it is a relief just to know there is an option even if it's not an easy one. so taxi from airport to station, store bags and then taxi to the castle, and tour bus from the castle! I think we have a workable plan now!

When I was younger and more energetic, I used to park myself at a cafe for a few hours with my luggage sitting next to me. Now, I try for flights that don't arrive in the early a.m. Barring that, I've started trying to make sure my arrival-city lodging is early-arrival friendly to the extent that I can. In Paris this year, I specifically rented from an agency that would give me early access as long as my apartment was empty the night before, and happily it was.

I know that there's common advice on here to store your bags...i.e. arrive by plane, transit to the train station, store bags, explore, go back and get bags and then check in to your apartment. But I really find that to be a lot of work and you mention that you've got some mobility limitations.

It might be worth considering renting the apartment yourself for the night before. How much is it per night? Do you get to split it between 3 people? I truly am a budget traveler, but in the same way that I spring for Premium Economy for a long flight and I figure the $150 is worth it, I might spring for the extra apartment night if it means that I can arrive in Edinburgh at 7am and not have to sit around/walk around tired, in need of a shower etc. for 7 hours. Do you arrive that early?

If I had 6 or 7 hours to wait, and it was only going to be $50 per person to gain immediate access to the apartment and the private bathroom and the nice warm shower and a place to sit down for a few minutes, I'd certainly consider it.

thanks valerie - i will re-check the price, but i think it was pretty expensive. edinburgh just is expensive. i wish i had thought of this ahead of time, but i didn't and here we are. too late to turn back now : ) we arrive at airport at 8 a.m. and i know it will take awhile to gather luggage, find taxi, get phone taken care of, etc. we really had no choice in our timing of flights. it was the only flight offered, or the only one that worked. this is only the second trip i've ever planned, so if this is the only glitchy thing we have, we will be lucky! i've checked and re-checked ferries and driving times and whether we have to find a cashpoint for payment at the next place or they take credit cards. I can't do the Rick Steve's tours because of mobility and health issues - that would be a much easier way to go!

Here's the info on the left luggage (as it's called in British English) at Waverley station. This is the same company that holds the concessions at St Pancras, Paddington, and other stations across the UK. Note that the fee is PER BAG/item, so if you can smush say a backpack into a bigger suitcase, you'll pay less than if you check both pieces separately.

They scan your bag(s) through an x-ray before storing them, give you a receipt, and then you pay when you pick the bags back up. A bit expensive, but often a necessary evil in traveling, I find.

http://www.left-baggage.co.uk

Edinburgh Waverley Station
Left Luggage | Edinburgh Waverley
Excess Baggage Company
Left Luggage - Baggage Storage (Lockers)
Platform (Track) 19
Edinburgh Waverley Station
Waverley Bridge
Edinburgh
EH1 1BB

Opening Hours
Mon-Sat 07:00 - 23:00
Sun 07:00 - 23:00
0131 558 3829
[email protected]

there is a left luggage area at the train station , it is not cheap and there always seems to be a long queue when I pass.
more information here.
http://www.left-baggage.co.uk/stations

Kim and I must have been typing at the same time but at least the advice is the same.Good luck.

Great minds think alike, Unclegus!