Lockers in train stations

Often you can get discounted rates for booking ahead, but usually only if you commit (with no refunds under any circumstances). That's probably not the best option for you on a trip with so much moving about. But December is an off-season month and places may give you off-season rates if you just show up; be sure to ask. Tripadvisor can be a good way to search for places to stay as they just have customer reviews. Use email or a hotel's own website to make reservations. I often like to reserve a night or two ahead just to take the stress off when arriving in a new city.

I know Amsterdam and Brugge have lockers, but I can't mentally picture them. Köln has a neat system where you place your luggage in a sort of elevator, then it gets stored underground. The machine issues a card and you use this to retrieve your bags upon return. As long as you're not traveling with steamer trunks, your luggage should fit, although you may need to divide the bags. "and all parts Bavaria" A rather vague statement, as Bavaria is the largest federal state in Germany by area... many smaller stations, however, do not have lockers.

You need to consider slowing down or at least planning for plan B since the weather can and may be a much larger factor in your travel plans at that time of year. We were in that area last Dec and constantly ran into train delays and re-routing due to snow and ice. Nearly all train stations have some time of storage either staffed or coin operated lockers. Prices vary greatly depending on the service provide. All will accept carryon size bags with the staffed storage taking bigger bags. If you are doing a marathon run, you should not have more than one, sub 25 lb, carryon size bag per person.

Most stations will have luggage storage of some sort as described above. But not all and sometimes they fill up (unlikely though in winter). Your hotel will store your bags before and after your stay for free. Both options are very safe. You don't say how long this trip will be or the ages of your children. Be sure to plan some down time and be flexible enough to account for bad weather, sickness or other issues that can pop up. Priorities on such a whirlwind trip often change from planning to execution. What seems like a must-see now might be worth skipping once you are on the road. Just be flexible. Will you return before Christmas? Some parts of Europe do totally shut down on Christmas, including transportation.

Ok, you've described maybe a 6 to 8 week trip. Please don't pack 8 weeks' worth of clothing for travel on so many trains. Less really is more. How many weeks will you be in Bayern? Its a big place. All parts surely must include: Fuessen, Ulm, Regensburg, Aschaffenburg, Bamburg, Nuremburg, Berchtesgaden, Kochel am See, Chiemsee, Würzburg, Rothenberg ob der Tauber, Oberammergau, Garmisch-Partenkirchen,
Oh, and Munich and many more I've been to but can't put my finger on at the moment. The less you have to carry the better. Pardon me asking, but both Innsbruck and Salzburg? If you go to fewer places and spend more time in each you and the kids will actually remember them. If you just bounce from one to the next like a ping pong ball you need to make really good notes for your photos so you can remember what they were. And a check off list of all the places so you check the box as you pass through. Please don't see that as a rant or lecture - its not. Its the voice of experience. Happy planning...

Here is a picture of the lockers at the Bahnhof in Fuessen. These are typical of lockers at stations in Germany that have them. I have no trouble fitting my regulation carryon into one of them. I think when my wife traveled with me we fit two RS convertibles bags (without wheels) in one small locker. I don't remember the price; I think it varies by station, but it's a few Euro. (In 2009, I spent €1 for a small locker in Prien, €2 for the same size in Fuessen. According to Bahn.de, in Munich the small lockers are €3, the large ones are €5.). They only take coins. All but the smallest stations have lockers. Big stations, like Munich, also have check rooms (Gepäckaufbewahrungen). Bavaria has layouts of all of their stations at www.bahnland-bayern.de/beg. Scroll to the bottom of the page to where is says "Die Stationsdatenbank" and click on "mehr". On the next page click on "zur Stationsdatenbank", then find your station on the pull down menu (or use the map), click "anzeigen". If the station has lockers, there will be an 'X' in the box in front of the word "Schließfächer". I know Innsbruck has lockers. Salzburg is renovating their Hbf, but there is a temporary service building out in front of the station where they sell tickets and I believe it has some lockers, too.

Thank you, for your replies. My "kids" are young adults, who will be able to keep up with my pace : ) Really though, I am going to try to be as flexible as I am capable of letting myself be. I have only so far reserved our first night stay in Amsterdam and Christmas Eve, Christmas day in Rome. We are on what you would consider, a backpackers budget. We have been seeking accommodations just above the dorm style hostels where possible. I have been looking through booking.com. This leads me to my next set of questions: If I did not book until the day before the needed accommodation, will I pay a higher price? Is it better to lock in now? This would limit the flexibility though. I have discovered a very basic fact, It would be so, so, so much easier to plan, if one had money! : )
Thank You again for your input, Deanna

Should you get to Italy, there are staffed "left luggage" facilities at the larger train stations only. To my knowledge, they removed the lockers years ago. The Italian train website www.trenitalia.com does list which stations have these facilities (Bigliotteries). It's in Italian and you need to know which region the city you are visiting is in. If you can provide a list of cities where you would need to leave luggage, I can message back with a yes or no. Here's a sample link to the facilities in Umbria. http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=50fd943d919da110VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD. Each region is listed on the website in a similar manner.

For Germany, in addition to booking websites, like booking.com, look at the town's own website, usually www.town_name.de. Often these websites will have an English side and the hotels, pensionen, etc will have English as well. Hotels on town websites usually have URLs and email addresses included; booking websites don't because they want to force you to book through them. I found that the town's website will often have 2-3 times as many listings as a booking website, and more of the less expensive places. Why? The places that can afford the 10% or more booking fee already charge more. The simple, less expensive places don't have the margin to pay a booking website, so aren't listed. Places that you find this way won't raise their prices as the date approaches, but best places might sell out and the lower priced rooms in a specific place might sell out.

Deanna, At the Munich train station (Hbf), coin locker areas do not have a change machine (Geldwechselautomat). Be sure to have enough 1 and 2 Euro coins handy. To answer your question on whether ALL stations have coin lockers in Germany, I've come across a few that do not, such as Rüdesheim am Rhein, and, as pointed out above, they are the smaller stations,.. generally. Berlin Hbf. is a definite exception in its lack of coin lockers.

Thank You All, so much. You have been very helpful. I am sure I will have many more questions in the next few weeks. Happy Trails!

Deanna, Since you say that you and your "kids" are traveling just above that of a dorm room budget traveler, the area around München Hbf has numerous small hotels and Pensionen as well as hostels, but some of those hostels have an age limit. The HI hostels, ie., DJH, in Munich no longer have an age limit. I stay in this immediate Hbf area in a Pension, very reasonable rates, well served by the U-Bahn (subway) and trams. It's good that the kids will be able to keep up with you.