Michael Turner
Use the staffed left-baggage desk inside Waverley. The office on the main concourse (Princes Street side) provides secure short- and long-term storage, ID check and item tagging; expect opening hours covering early morning to late evening on most days. Typical tariffs start from around £6–8 for a small item per 24-hour period, with larger cases charged approximately £10–15 per day; card and contactless payments accepted in addition to cash.
How to proceed: present a valid ID, obtain a receipt and retention tag, note the closing time of the facility and keep the ticket for collection. Uncollected items incur daily overstay fees; oversized or hazardous articles may be refused. For groups, request consolidated tagging to simplify pickup and reduce cumulative cost.
If the on-site desk is closed or full, nearby alternatives include commercial locker providers on Princes Street, hotel concierges (fee-based holding, typically £4–10), and dedicated city-centre left-bag services that allow online pre-booking and 24/7 access. For time-sensitive plans, reserve online where possible and confirm hours on the official Waverley or operator website before arrival.
Store bags at Waverley – quick recommendation
Store bags using booked drop-off services within a five-minute walk of Waverley; typical rates run between £6 and £12 per item per 24-hour period, with walk-in locker options rarer and often pricier.
Where to deposit items
Options near the mainline hub: local staffed drop-off shops (search for Excess Baggage or independent storage points), peer-to-peer networks such as Stasher and Bounce (pre-book online for the best rates), and a small number of automated lockers in surrounding streets. Most providers accept large suitcases (combined dimensions up to ~160 cm) and backpacks; confirm exact size/weight limits on booking page.
Concrete operational details and tips
Typical opening hours: roughly 08:00–20:00 for staffed locations; some partner shops extend hours into the evening. Insurance cover varies – commonly between £500 and £2,500 per item; verify policy, deductibles and liability exclusions before handover. Always photograph items, attach the provider receipt number to the bag, keep one form of ID accessible, and store small valuables on the person rather than in stored items.
For urgent enquiries about arrivals and local services, contact National Rail Enquiries or check Waverley customer information boards for up-to-date directions to nearby storage providers. For non-local sightseeing planning while items are stored, consider external attractions such as best aquarium in dallas texas.
Immediate recommendation: check official operator pages or book a private baggage-storage slot before arrival
Main central hubs – Waverley, Haymarket and Gateway (airport link) – have limited or no permanent cloakroom counters; confirm facility status via the contacts below and reserve a commercial storage spot if short-term secure handling is required.
Official rail operators & contact details
National Rail Enquiries (for up-to-date facility listings and links to each hub): phone 03457 48 49 50, website nationalrail.co.uk. ScotRail (hub manager for many regional platforms, customer enquiries and accessibility info): phone 0344 811 0141, website scotrail.co.uk. Network Rail (infrastructure and major hub information): phone 03457 11 41 41, website networkrail.co.uk. Use these contacts to verify whether a staffed cloakroom or temporary storage service is operating at a specific hub on the day required.
Private baggage-storage providers near the hubs
Book online with national aggregators to guarantee space: Stasher (stasher.com), Bounce (usebounce.com) and Excess Baggage Company (excess-baggage.com) operate city-centre drop-off points a short walk or taxi from main rail hubs. Typical rates range from about £5–£10 per item per 24-hour period; confirm opening hours, item-size limits and ID/booking-reference requirements on provider pages. For same-day availability, reserve in advance and keep the provider confirmation at hand for collection.
Location, opening hours, pricing and maximum bag sizes for lockers and manned storage
Use the staffed left-baggage office for items that exceed locker dimensions or contain valuables; lockers suit short stays and hand-size cases.
-
Typical locations
- Staffed left-baggage office: ground-floor concourse close to main concourse entrances or ticket halls; usually signposted as “Left Baggage” or “Left Items”.
- Coin-operated and smart lockers: clustered near platform access points, concourse walkways or transport interchange corridors.
-
Opening hours
- Lockers: many banks offer 24/7 access, but some are limited to concourse opening times (typical range 05:30–00:30). Check on-site signage before relying on 24/7 access.
- Staffed office: common hours are roughly 07:00–21:00 daily; weekday hours can be longer than weekend hours. Advance confirmation with the operator advised for early-morning drops or late-night collections.
-
Pricing (typical UK central-hub ranges)
- Lockers (per 24 hours or part thereof): small £4–£7; medium £6–£11; large £10–£18.
- Staffed left-baggage (per item, per 24 hours): standard items £6–£12; oversized items or sports equipment £10–£20; longer-term storage often charged per additional day or negotiated flat rates for a week.
- Payment methods: coin, card or app-based payment for lockers; staffed offices accept card and cash. Receipts and barcode tags provided for tracked items–retain these for collection.
-
Maximum dimensions and weight
- Locker sizes (approximate external internal dimensions): small ~35 × 30 × 20 cm; medium ~50 × 35 × 30 cm; large ~80 × 50 × 45 cm. Measure items before attempting to use a locker.
- Staffed storage: commonly accepted single-item maximum combined linear dimensions 200–220 cm (length + width + height) and weight limits around 20–30 kg per item; very large items (e.g., surfboards, full-sized bicycles, long musical instruments) require prior agreement and may incur surcharge.
- Items not accepted: high-value items (jewellery, cash), hazardous materials, perishable goods and some restricted items–ask staff for the operator’s full prohibited list.
-
Practical recommendations
- Measure suitcase dimensions and weight before arrival and compare with posted locker dimensions.
- Use lockers for short daytime holds; choose staffed storage for valuables, oversized cases or multi-day needs.
- Keep the receipt/tag and take a photo of stored items; note the collection deadline and any daily charge increments.
- Contact the operator ahead for long-term storage, unusual shapes or valuable contents to confirm acceptance and exact fees.
Required ID, payment methods, prohibited items and liability limits
Present valid photo ID at staffed storage counters; accepted forms typically include passport, UK photocard driving licence and EU national ID card – the same ID must be shown on collection.
Payment options at staffed desks: cash (GBP), major debit/credit cards (Visa, Mastercard), contactless, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Coin-operated units accept coins where fitted; app- or kiosk-operated lockers usually require a card or mobile wallet and may charge a small refundable deposit (commonly £1–£5) plus the published hourly/daily tariff.
Items refused for acceptance: firearms and firearm components, ammunition, explosives, flammable liquids and gases, corrosive or toxic chemicals, compressed gas cylinders, large lithium battery packs exceeding airline limits, live animals (assistance animals excepted with supporting documentation), perishable foodstuffs, stolen or illegal goods. High-value valuables (cash, jewellery, passports, precious metals) are frequently declined unless a declaration and additional cover are arranged.
Liability limits vary by service type: unattended lockers generally carry low compensation caps (often £20–£50 per compartment); staffed counters commonly limit liability in the £100–£250 range per item unless a higher declared value is paid for and noted on the receipt. No cover is usually provided for contents concealed inside locked cases beyond the declared value. Theft, loss or damage claims require the original receipt and proof of identity; photographic evidence of item condition at drop-off strengthens claims. For articles worth more than a few hundred pounds, obtain written confirmation of liability or arrange private insurance before depositing.
Practical actions: request a detailed receipt listing items and declared value, photograph items and the storage ticket, keep the payment transaction ID, declare batteries/power banks at drop-off and remove perishables. When in doubt about acceptance or cover limits, insist on written confirmation before handing over items.
Practical alternatives and a simple step-by-step to store and retrieve your bags
Best short-term options
Use a staffed drop-off counter or a vetted third-party app-based locker network for hourly to daily holds; use hotel concierge or museum cloakroom when convenience and modest insurance cover are priorities; arrange a same-day courier pickup for door-to-door transfer when tight connections demand no waits.
Quick pros/cons: staffed counters = on-site assistance and receipts; app lockers = flexible locations and online booking; concierge = free for guests or small fee for visitors; couriers = higher cost but no collection required. For wet-weather essentials keep an umbrella in an outer pocket – see best birdcage umbrella or best colapable umbrella.
Step-by-step: store and retrieve
1. Choose provider: confirm booking window, maximum bag dimensions and prohibited items via provider website or app before arrival.
2. Prepare items: remove passports, cash, electronics and jewellery; put chargers and essential meds in a small daypack you will carry.
3. Protect contents: pad fragile goods with clothing or bubble wrap; use zip ties or coded locks for external security; seal liquids in zip-top bags.
4. Photograph: take clear photos of each bag (front, back, tags) and a photo of the receipt or QR code issued at drop-off; store images in cloud and on phone.
5. Check ID and payment: bring a valid photo ID that matches booking details and a payment card for any incidental fees; request a printed or digital receipt showing drop time and reference number.
6. Drop-off inspection: note any pre-existing damage on the receipt and ask staff to annotate it; for lockers take a photo of the locker number and position.
7. Set collection window: arrange a realistic pickup time allowing buffer for delays; for courier returns confirm time slot and tracking number.
8. Retrieval: present the receipt/QR and matching ID; inspect contents before leaving the premises and sign any release form only after confirming condition and complete contents.
9. Dispute procedure: if damage or missing items are found, request an incident report immediately, take timestamped photos, keep all receipts and follow the provider’s claims route within their stated timeframe.
10. Safety tips: avoid storing irreplaceable documents or high-value items unless the provider offers declared-value cover; split valuable contents between two holds if unavoidable.
