Do you need to stay at an albergue to access their luggage transfer service?

[Oziboyz]

We already booked our private accom at S.Sebastián, but wish to have our luggage sent ahead. we understand that needs to be done from a Camino albergue - can we drop it there in the morning if we haven’t stayed at the albergue overnight? Thanks.

 

[trecile]

I would recommend staying at accommodation that accepts bags. Why would you expect an albergue to provide you a service (watching over your luggage) if you aren't staying there?

 

[Oziboyz]

I would recommend staying at accommodation that accepts bags. Why would you expect an albergue to provide you a service (watching over your luggage) if you aren't staying there?

Of course. We appreciate that. But will they accept, or no?

 

[GettingThere]

We already booked our private accom at S.Sebastián, but wish to have our luggage sent ahead. we understand that needs to be done from a Camino albergue - can we drop it there in the morning if we haven’t stayed at the albergue overnight? Thanks.

Bag transfer services can collect from all types of accommodation, not just albergues. Check with the transfer services whether they will pick up from your accommodation - or with the accommodation provider. There are several such services, eg Correos, the Spanish postal service, see https://www.elcaminoconcorreos.com/en/rucksack-transfer

 

[Oziboyz]

This is very helpful. Thank you.

 

[J Willhaus]

There is usually a list provided by your bag transport service or as a drop down on their website that tells you which places accept bag transport. I had to change reservations last year at least once as a result so consult the list and or your transport service in advance.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Of course. We appreciate that. But will they accept, or no?

It depends on the situation and in some cases yes. Each private albergue is (obviously) privately owned and there isn't a set of rules that covers every situation.

In one case I injured myself early in the morning, when I got to the next bar and stopped to rest I discovered that it was also an albergue and they had a pile of bags waiting for pick up.

I asked the albergue host if I could add my own bag and was told yes. In that case I had not stayed in that albergue that night and I hadn't even stayed in that town.

The bag pick up service doesn't call at every albergue, they only call in to pick up bags if someone has phoned them (or messaged them) the night before to request a pick up.

If you left your bag at an albergue where there were no other bags waiting and you hadn't specifically asked the bag company to pick up your bag from that albergue then you risk not having your bag with you that night.

The way that the service works is that the various bag transport companies distribute their own branded envelopes to the albergues. When you arrive at the albergue you pick up an envelope and contact the company saying that you want a pick up the next morning.

The next morning you write your name and phone number on the envelope along with the destination albergue. You put your payment into the envelope, seal it and attach it to your bag.

Later that morning the bag company calls in, picks up your bag and any others. Checks that you have paid the correct amount and then transports your bag to the destination albergue.

It is worth knowing that sometimes when they drop your bag off there is no one available to accept it and so there is a possibility that your bag will sit on the street until you turn up.



Here is a photo of a bag that was left outside on the street until the pilgrim turned up to claim it. You can see the blue, yellow and white envelope attached to the bag.

In general, albergues are not paid for managing bags and most will not take responsibility for anything that goes missing.

Some volunteer run albergues refuse to deal with bags at all. The bag above is outside one such albergue.

Some albergues will assist pilgrims by phoning in your pick up request for you but they are not obliged to do so and so if they do help you in this manner then I suggest that you be appreciative of that.

 

[Oziboyz]

This is great information. Much appreciated, Doughnut.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Which company are you using? I have used Caminofacil for years for my group trips. We stay in hotels, pensions, albergues with private rooms, casa rurales, and Caminofacil delivers and picks up our bags to all of those with no problems so far.

 

[dick bird]

We already booked our private accom at S.Sebastián, but wish to have our luggage sent ahead. we understand that needs to be done from a Camino albergue - can we drop it there in the morning if we haven’t stayed at the albergue overnight? Thanks.

Albergues do not a provide luggage transfer service. It is the luggage transfer company that does that. Having luggage delivered or collected creates work for the albergue. However, any private enterprise will allow pick up and collection if you are staying there, as will many albergues. Transport companies also usually have a drop off point such as a local café or bar where luggage can be dropped off if it can´t be delivered to a particular albergue.

you need to arrange where your bag is to be picked up and dropped off with the transport company.

 

[SantiagoCruzB]

Which company are you using? I have used Caminofacil for years for my group trips. We stay in hotels, pensions, albergues with private rooms, casa rurales, and Caminofacil delivers and picks up our bags to all of those with no problems so far.

We already booked our private accom at S.Sebastián, but wish to have our luggage sent ahead. we understand that needs to be done from a Camino albergue - can we drop it there in the morning if we haven’t stayed at the albergue overnight? Thanks.

I can also vouch for Caminofacil. Based on our experience, they are more expensive but they have an English-speaking contact that can be easily reached on Whatsapp, they're very efficient and will do their best to accommodate your request. We stayed mostly in private rooms, I just sent them the address where to pick up the luggage and where to deliver it. They also accept payments online.

 

[Bill's_Walking]

I've used Caminofacil as well, and the first year I used them I stayed in a hotel not on their list and they added it for me. I also booked in advance.

 

[willydp]

It is simple, look whatever provider you use on the list departure Village and hotel/etc pickup (drop down menu) --->arrival village/city and hotel/etc..., and so on...
Watch out what size you are allowed to use for transport!

 

[dfox]

Of course. We appreciate that. But will they accept, or no?

In my experience, some don't. But they would direct the luggage transfer service sending the luggage to a nearby bar/cafe for you to pick up from it. The bar/cafe has a specific place to "store" the luggages.

If the luggage is required to be delivered to next stage, it needs to be placed in a specific area in the bar/cafe to be picked up.

 

[RRat]

We already booked our private accom at S.Sebastián, but wish to have our luggage sent ahead. we understand that needs to be done from a Camino albergue - can we drop it there in the morning if we haven’t stayed at the albergue overnight? Thanks.

You have private accommodations booked. Pack transportation is inexpensive because it is a pick up and drop off service. You leave your item in a designated corner and it is dropped off in a corner. It is assumed that there is nothing of real value worth stealing. It is not a valet type service. Your accommodation likely has the envelopes and is on the transportation service.

 

[Tincatinker]

we understand that needs to be done from a Camino albergue

Your understanding is incorrect. You've been given useful information above.

 

[Lydia Gillen]

Oziboyz mentioned' luggage'
Somewhere, maybe this forum. I read about a group of Albergues along the Camino Frances who have decided that they will not take in Cases, only rucksacks, because the cases are so large and take up so much room in the dorm. I cannot be more exact then that.
However over the years since I started in 2007 I have noticed that gradually cases got bigger and bigger and people would dress up in the evening with lots of different outfits. In the early days putting on a clean teashirt was considered dressing up.!!!
I know I stayed once in a private albergue and 20 out of 24 in the dorm were accompanied by a coach and their cases were hugh. I could have fitted inside some of them myself !! They did walk every day. I know because I saw them day after day and was delighted one evening because they had a priest with them and I was able to attend Mass with them. Maybe they were touring other places in Europe also as they came from very far away. Their cases did take up a lot of space.
Buen Camino Oziboyz

 

[CWBuff]

To add to @Lydia Gillen s post above - many albergues now specifically exclude suitcases of any size and restrict the "luggage" to backpacks and duffel bags. I do not believe the size of those themselves matters as much as the weight cannot be more than 50 kg

 

[good_old_shoes]

Quite frankly, if you stay in private accommodation (hotel, hostal) please do not bother public albergues with your luggage. It is not fair to make them deal with your luggage while you stay in a hotel and not at the place that then has to handle the luggage of someone who isn't even a customer.

If the places you stay at are not on the list for luggage service, call a taxi and pay for a taxi shipping your luggage.

Most likely your hotels will be a valid pick-up point for the luggage service, though. Inquire at the luggage services if that is the case.

 

[ThompsonRG]

We already booked our private accom at S.Sebastián, but wish to have our luggage sent ahead. we understand that needs to be done from a Camino albergue - can we drop it there in the morning if we haven’t stayed at the albergue overnight? Thanks.

There were several times I stayed in private accommodations (AirBnB like). I called/texted the baggage transfer company and they identified a nearby albergue or hotel where I could drop off our pick up my pack.

 

[good_old_shoes]

There were several times I stayed in private accommodations (AirBnB like). I called/texted the baggage transfer company and they identified a nearby albergue or hotel where I could drop off our pick up my pack.

Yes, sometimes you can do so.

But if you can avoid it, please do.

It puts unnecessary pressure on the places that handle the luggage of people who are no customers.

Albergues have to deal with giant piles of suitcases and backpacks, often from people who do not stay at the place they ship their luggage to. Some of those places are even non-profit and run by volunteers who then have to deal with all that extra work.

The albergues do not get payed for the luggage service by the luggage company or the pilgrims who use them as a drop-off point but don't actually stay at the place. They get all the work but no reward for it.

So, sometimes it is possible to ship your luggage to a place you don't stay at, but it is not fair to do so, if you can avoid it.

 

[ShoshTrvls]

As noted above, most transfer services will let you know if they drop off/pick up from a particular accomodation. If they do not, then ask the accomodation directly -- in one case, the owner of an apartment I was staying at told me that he had an arrangement for bags to be accepted at a hotel a few doors down -- but I would never presume to have bags dropped/picked up not at my lodging if the arrangments were not made ahead of time as between the two businesses.

 

[willydp]

What was last year (and before) is perhaps not this year.
Have a look at Correos: only backpack and cabin suitcase 15kg max. Max 60km between 2 points.
I didn't checked other companies.
Buen Camino

 

[CWBuff]

What was last year (and before) is perhaps not this year.

YUp. I have alluded to that in other threads no matter what topic. If something happened any time pre-COVID it has a chance of 99% possibility of not being applicable anymore. Sad as it maybe - thats the hard truth of today's world. So, just to use this thread as an example, if someone were to answer: SURE! I done did drop my 100cm x 100cm x 100cm hard-shell 100kg suitcase at the albergue I didn't stay at with no problem in 2008,.....well....

With All Respect Due, I like @good_old_shoes suggestion. Sometimes in our lives just because we CAN do it, does not mean we SHOULD do it. Just sayin....

 

[Vacajoe]

If something happened any time pre-COVID it has a chance of 99% possibility of not being applicable anymore.

Really, this is true for any advice from someone who has not walked the route in question in over five years. I did the CF in 2018 and it’s truly changed since then per other forum participants and my friends who have since walked it. In the coming post-Covid years, it will still be true that Camino-advice does not age well. While this doesn’t pertain to all topics - geography, shoe choices, etc - think twice if contributing in areas that are far more dynamic (accommodation costs, trail conditions, albergue conditions, bus schedules).

We all want to provide advice and be of assistance, but sometimes the best thing we can do is to simply stay quiet if we do not have recent advice to share.

 

[willydp]

@CWBuff
I just wanted to mention that you have to check the companies in order to know the rules. Correos was a big suitcase before, this year it has changed, even the weight.
If you want to make something else of it...

 

[AussieSunnygirl]

This is great information. Much appreciated, Doughnut.

It's good to know also, that in my experience, bags must be at the collection point by 8:00am - the transport drivers are punctual.

 

[stevelm1]

I did not use a bag transfer service but I certainly saw bags being picked up at both albergues and hotels.

 

[CA_Pilgrim]

We already booked our private accom at S.Sebastián, but wish to have our luggage sent ahead. we understand that needs to be done from a Camino albergue - can we drop it there in the morning if we haven’t stayed at the albergue overnight? Thanks.

I've stayed at numerous hotels, pensions, and private albergues while hiking the CF in 2022. They all accepted my luggage. If you are worried, check with the transport company you plan to use. My experience is that they are usually quite responsive to these types of questions.

My wife and I are hiking the Portuguese Camino in April/May. I checked each of my accommodations against a large list list of accommodations to which they deliver and all but my first one appeared on their extensive list. I asked them about this and they responded that the property has a private access code to get into the building and I need to provide them the code once I get it so that they can pick up my luggage. It's the first one on our Camino (starting in Porto), so I should have the access code the day before we get there and I can email it to them.

 

[Kathie63119]

We stayed exclusively in Airbnbs. We used a service that our first stay was familiar with and they delivered our bags to each of our accommodations, all prearranged. I think it was RappiShark.

 

[Karlacola]

We already booked our private accom at S.Sebastián, but wish to have our luggage sent ahead. we understand that needs to be done from a Camino albergue - can we drop it there in the morning if we haven’t stayed at the albergue overnight? Thanks.

We stayed in private accommodation the entire time.And did the Camino from St. Jean Pied de Port all the way to Santiago. We used a luggage transfer company every day and there was never a problem.
We used Pilbeo. Buen Camino

 

[akane81]

I intend to use Caminofacil as all my accommodation appear in their list. However, I'm debating between using a small cabin luggage of less than 10kg or buying a proper rucksack for the camino. I'm getting the luggage transfer service daily and only doing Sarria to Santiago as I suddenly have the thought of doing the camino only a few weeks ago and my trip is in two months so that's basically dipping my toes in water to try a solo camino just by myself.

Will they accept a small cabin luggage for the transfer? And will I get odd looks bringing a luggage? I value privacy as this is my first solo trip to Europe, I've booked private rooms most of the days and only going to try out a mixed dorm after I reach Santiago.

 

[willydp]

My walking buddy has a back problem and can't support a lot off weight, so he used transfer service to Albergues (private room), Hostals and private accomodations. There was never any problem.

 

[trecile]

Will they accept a small cabin luggage for the transfer? And will I get odd looks bringing a luggage? I

I have read about one albergue that will only accept backpacks, but it's much further back on the Camino than Sarria.