sandi_travelnut

Five of us w/ luggage are passign through London on the way to Paris. We may have a couple of hours to kill and could find a few things to see that are close to Waterloo/Waterloo Int'l station before catching the channel tunnel train. Where do we store our bags, is it an area that'll be large enough for 5 suitcases? What does it cost?

111op

There's luggage service near the Eurostar train checkin counters that charged me something like 5 pounds for a small bag. It's very easy to find and you can ask around.

I think that there could be another place that's near the tube part of the station, but I didn't investigate.

sandi_travelnut

wow, for 5 suitcases plus a backpack or so..that could really add up just to kill a couple of hours.

Kayb95

Check out the Left Luggage service at: <b>www.excess-baggage.com</b>

sandi_travelnut

what am I missing here Kayb95? I looked at the map for waterloo and all other info and saw the &quot;left baggage&quot; info. What were you wanting me to see?

obxgirl

sandi, I agree the left luggage service is pricey. Another poster once suggested leaving one of the group behind with the luggage at Waterloo while the others went off for a bit. Within a 10 minute walk from the station is the London Eye. A walk across Westminister Bridge will give you a close up look at Big Ben, Parliament and Westminister Abbey.

111op

It's true -- but in this case, the money is probably worth it. I mean, who wants to be stuck watching bags while the rest wanders in London? It doesn't seem fair at all.

Another option is to check if other stations have cheaper service -- Victoria, etc.? I'm not familiar enough to really know though.

sandi_travelnut

thanks, I guess I didn't see the information about leaving your bags in the &quot;left luggage&quot; area. Thanks for the insight though and another station is not an option because time will be short and we must depart from Waterloo international.

obxgirl

111op, I think that Excess Baggage has a lock on left luggage services in London railway stations. I agree that leaving a bag guard behind isn't optimal...just an alternative suggestion.

111op

Hm.... Not that this will necessarily help, but how about giving us the full context, that is, where are you coming from, how much time do you have in Waterloo, etc., that sort of thing?

I don't think that I'll have any brilliant ideas, but this knowledgeable group may. You never know.

And I assume the bags are big bags? (i.e. you can't just carry them?)

Kayb95

Sorry, Sandi... Click on the Rail Services link and it will give you info on the Left Luggage service at the rail stations. Then click on the Waterloo link.

flanneruk

I'm not 100% sure this works, because I use the dodge only for minor things. Possibly someone else may have tried it.

Waterloo Stations are immediately adjacent to a number of subsidised theatres, concert halls and art galleries. Most have proper cloakrooms, which accept - well certainly my briefcase when it's full of stuff and I'm too mean to pay &pound;5 at the monopoly Excess Baggage place. And they're free. And they're usually open in the afternoon - especially the Royal Festival Hall and the National Theatre (all signposted to and from the station)

They're not that accessible from Waterloo with heavy bags. And they might refuse to accept 15 suitcases.

But they really are the only alternative in the area I know of to forking out to Excess Baggage.

Possibly someone else might have tried this.

sandi_travelnut

I've gone over this a few times but here goes for anyone interested. We originally were going to spend a couple of days in London before moving on to Paris, but later changed the plan...after the tickets were purchased. &quot;We&quot; will be myself, husband and 16yr old son (we've traveeled to Italy and Pris before) and my almost 70yr old parents who have never been to Europe and will celebrate their 50th ann. just after this trip.

We arrive from Dallas to Gatwick aroung 9:50am and I have excellent information on the best and cheapest way to get to Waterloo. I have not yet purchased our channel tunnel train tickets yet (the trip is in December) but am thinking about the 3pm (approx) ride to Paris which will give us just a bit of free time if we feel up to it.

There you go..

111op

Does someone know if the size of the bag matters in terms of how much it costs at the luggage service?

I suppose if money is of an issue, perhaps you can find five different places to check five different bags.

sandi_travelnut

..also.. the bags will be fairly small rolling bags and then we'll each have a smaller carry on size bag. Nothing huge though.