Luggage storage in London

December 24, 2006 4:20 PM

I'm arriving in London on Thursday morning and will have 9 hours to spend in the city. Unfortunately, I will have three big, heavy pieces of luggage with me. I need a convenient place to drop it.

Apparently the tube stations don't have luggage storage. I don't really want to leave it at Heathrow. Rail stations? Are there lockers big enough to fit a LARGE suitcase and two duffle/backpacks?

FWIW, I will be leaving London (probably from Paddington) for Berkshire, so I'll want to stick to the west side of the city.

posted by BradNelson to Travel & Transportation around London, England (10 answers total)

Paddington has a left luggage office on platform 12. Contact them at 020 7262 0344 if you are worried about how LARGE your suitcase is. I've always found them to be more expensive than I would expect, but would still gladly pay it in your situation.
posted by grouse at 4:33 PM on December 24, 2006

No lockers for security reasons - you have to give the luggage to a surly operator. So size shouldn't be a problem.
posted by TrashyRambo at 4:47 PM on December 24, 2006

If, for whatever reasion you can't use the ones at Paddington, the service at Victoria Coach Station is generally highly regarded and operated by a different company to all the others. Tube to Victoria, follow the rail station then coach station signs, and turn right as you go in the main street entrance.
posted by cillit bang at 5:07 PM on December 24, 2006

I kept my luggage at the Royal National Hotel in Russell Square. Only cost me a few quid. I was staying there immediately prior to having them look after it, but they never checked that I was guest, so I assume anyone can leave it there if they ask nicely.
posted by TheOtherGuy at 4:13 AM on December 25, 2006

Another vote for the Paddington thing.
posted by wfc123 at 8:59 AM on December 25, 2006

There's luggage storage in one of the terminals (sorry I can't remember which one - not the international terminal, strangely, and I'm sure a quick Google search would turn it up). It's 5 pounds, flat fee, for 24 hours and is really very reliable and safe. I used it for a similar situation this past summer and was very pleased by how cheap and convenient it was. Plus, no lugging bags to & from Heathrow in order to store them - a huge bonus.
posted by AthenaPolias at 9:24 AM on December 25, 2006

Paddington. I've used the same facility at Kings Cross, and it's fine (if not a bargain). There can be queues at busy times, so arrive well in advance of your train to pick up your bags.
posted by holgate at 11:10 AM on December 25, 2006

I did this exact thing this year with my friend. We arrived at Heathrow and had about 8 hours to kill before catching a flight out of Luton. We ditched our luggage at Paddington and wandered around for a while, but I have to warn you that the Left Luggage fee is a lot more than the old lockers were and you have to go through security checks to leave them there, meaning it's not open 24-hours.
posted by atomly at 12:39 PM on December 25, 2006

Most London mainline stations have left luggage -- Holgate's link, though labeled Padington takes you to the list of locations of the company that seems to have the franchise. Also on the list are the terminals at Heathrow, so there's no need to drag your bags into London to a station.

What isn't on their site, if I remember correctly from looking carefully last summer, is the price. At Kings Cross last August I think it was six pounds per bag per 24 hours (or part thereof). They x-ray the bags and ask you about any battery powered devices within.
posted by Quinbus Flestrin at 2:48 PM on December 25, 2006

I've used the Excess Baggage at Paddington without hassle. They do x-ray your bags, and it wasn't cheap (about 6 quid a bag for a day), but it's perfect if you are leaving from heathrow: just across from the platforms.
posted by baggers at 3:51 PM on December 25, 2006