Shipping backpack - Do albergues charge to hold bags for people not staying there?

[C.C.]

Do albergues charge to receive a backpack if you’re not staying there ? This is in addition to the company charge

 

[trecile]

Why would you have your backpack sent to a place where you aren't staying?

 

[C.C.]

Why would you have your backpack sent to a place where you aren't staying?

Not all albergue s accept backpacks

 

[J Willhaus]

Not all albergue s accept backpacks

Maybe stay where they will deliver? Some albergues also only accept pilgrims who have carried their packs.

 

[C.C.]

If you want to stay at a municipal albergue, but they don’t accept backpacks being shipped (closed at certain times) will a private albergue charge if the pack
Is shipped there ? ie. Villadangos

 

[trecile]

If you want to stay at a municipal albergue, but they don’t accept backpacks being shipped (closed at certain times) will a private albergue charge if the pack
Is shipped there ? ie. Villadangos

The bag transport companies will usually drop the bags off at a nearby bar for those who are staying at municipal albergues. But I strongly encourage you to make reservations at places that will accept transported bags.

 

[C.C.]

The question is … can albergues charge if a bag is dropped off at their site, in addition to the transport cost. I’m familiar with shipping a backpack, but ran into this extra. (An other pilgrim and she was not expecting an extra charge)

 

[trecile]

The question is … can albergues charge if a bag is dropped off at their site, in addition to the transport cost. I’m familiar with shipping a backpack, but ran into this extra. (An other pilgrim and she was not expecting an extra charge)

In my opinion they should charge something for taking on the responsibility of watching over someone's bag.

 

[naplesdon]

I would expect them to refuse the bag, that is if there is even someone there to receive it. Most transport services operate locally and very early in the morning, so expect your bag to be left on the side of the road if you haven't made prior arrangements.

 

[J Willhaus]

I know they sometimes do at hotels even if you are staying there, but can't say if this is common on the Camino. When we have mailed a bag to one of our Madrid hotels for our exit from the country and they often charge us for holding it especially if we are not checking in for a few days yet. There was a thread a while back where one of our longtime members @Rebekah Scott explained that the bag transport companies were sometimes expecting that bags be handled by owners of albergues and hotels without compensation so perhaps a few albergue owners are now charging.

 

[C clearly]

The question is … can albergues charge if a bag is dropped off at their site, in addition to the transport cost.

I don't see any reason why they couldn't charge for this storage (albeit short) service. Who would say they couldn't?

 

[Tincatinker]

Before I developed a heart I would have expected at least a “pony” for holding a parcel for someone. A “monkey” if things looked a bit blue sky. Why the hell would anyone accept the effort and responsibilities of looking after a total stranger’s belongings without some reciprocation?

 

[Corned Beef]

Animals are currency? Are you sure? They can be very messy.

 

[Tincatinker]

Pony £25; Monkey £500. Blue sky - something awry

 

[good_old_shoes]

To be honest, if an albergue does not accept pilgrims that ship their backpack or don't have enough staff or room to deal with the forwarded luggage, then maybe choose a different albergue to stay at if you want to send your pack with a transport service. That would probably be much less complicated.

Or maybe carry your bag on the days you want to stay at places that do not accept luggage service.

If you do need to have your pack transported and do need to stay at cheaper municipals ect. that don't accept the bag Transport service, then maybe simply call the place you want to ship it to instead and ask if they acccept it if you pay a fee when picking it up.

I would not expect this service to be free.

 

[dougfitz]

If you want to stay at a municipal albergue, but they don’t accept backpacks being shipped (closed at certain times) will a private albergue charge if the pack
Is shipped there ? ie. Villadangos

If you are specifically interested in Albergue de peregrinos de Villadangos del Páramos, you should be aware that while it is a municipal, it is run by the Federación Española de Asociaciones de Amigos del Camino de Santiago. Their Rules of Use for Shelters and Albergues states, in part:

Para facilitar la acogida durante los meses de verano es necesario que los grupos de peregrinos que llevan vehículo de apoyo porten tiendas de campaña para su alojamiento ya que los albergues se destinarán a los peregrinos individuales que tienen que llevar su equipaje encima. A los ciclistas se les aconseja parar en las localidades que tienen mayor capacidad de acogida.​

​

Translated: To facilitate the reception during the summer months, it is necessary that groups of pilgrims with support vehicles carry tents for their accommodation, since the hostels will be used for individual pilgrims who have to carry their luggage with them. Cyclists are advised to stop in localities that have a greater capacity to accommodate pilgrims.​

​

Yes, there is much that is vague about this, but it is clearly consistent with the text on the credencial that we all agree to, so it should be no surprise to anyone that they might not be welcome if they have joined the group of pilgrims using a support vehicle - the pack transport service they have engaged to carry their pack.

​

 

[AnneO]

I feel like it isn’t a good idea to try to have it both ways: to transport a bag and also to stay at places that don’t accept transported bags. Pick one or the other.

 

[henrythedog]

I wouldn’t expect my bag to be in any way ‘looked after’ if I shipped it to somewhere I was not staying - unless they were to charge me for the service, in which case I might be reassured.

 

[Irenie]

Do albergues charge to receive a backpack if you’re not staying there ? This is in addition to the company charge

I was a hospitalera in Astorga and occasionally Pilgrims who were staying in a nearby hotel would ship their pack to the Albergue. It just showed up with other packs. Not a good idea. Takes up space and distracts from the time we needed to register and work with pilgrims staying in the Albergue. Some Albergues don’t accept bags and want you to walk through the doors with your pack.

 

[markie6]

I've seen it done multiple times, never seen anybody pay though. It's as common as double booking accomodation. As others have said, different albergues have different rules so you might be wise to enquire

 

[Margaret Butterworth]

Another issue is that the Albergue has to be OPEN when Jacotrans or other companies need to deliver the backpacks. This ties the Hospitaleros down when they might need to go shopping.

 

[Kathor1]

The question is … can albergues charge if a bag is dropped off at their site, in addition to the transport cost. I’m familiar with shipping a backpack, but ran into this extra. (An other pilgrim and she was not expecting an extra charge)

Oh dear … how much was it?

 

[Former member 104756]

Do albergues charge to receive a backpack if you’re not staying there ? This is in addition to the company charge

Seems perfectly reasonable to me. I agree with @trecile .

In my opinion they should charge something for taking on the responsibility of watching over someone's bag.

And, even with a small charge, my guess is that they’d prefer not to receive luggage (of any kind) for people who are not staying there. Albergue owners, staff and volunteers are usually busy enough, in my experience.

 

[AZtor]

I've heard of this happening and worse: of the albergue just not accepting the bags.

And I support this. It's not their responsibility to look after or take bags if they don't want to. It's your responsibility to ensure that you are shipping your belongings somewhere that will accept them.

 

[Kathor1]

If you want to stay at a municipal albergue, but they don’t accept backpacks being shipped (closed at certain times) will a private albergue charge if the pack
Is shipped there ? ie. Villadangos

OK, unwritten pilgrim honour code and best practices as well as personal ethics notwithstanding, let's focus on the practical aspect: Keeping your luggage until you arrive to pick it up when you don't stay at an albergue is a service, and the owners or managers of the albergue are free to decide whether to offer their service free of charge or against a reasonable fee or not at all. You did not know? The transport company did not make you aware of it? Now you know.

I checked the websites of Caminofacil and of Jacotrans; both list the municipal albergue in Villadangos del Paramo as a pick-up point and a drop-off point. It is only in Galicia that all the public albergues do not accept delivery. In other regions of the Camino Francés it apparently varies. Quote from Correos:

The Xunta de Galicia's public albergues do not allow the collection or delivery of rucksacks. However, you can do so at one of our partner establishments. You can find an alternative delivery / collection place or contact us at paqmochila@correos.com.​

​

 

[sarahchicago]

I think charging a fee to accept the bag is very reasonable. Like others, I would just stay in accommodations that accepted a bag, if I had to ship mine (as I did for a time due to an injury on the Frances last year).
I also have a clear recollection of the look on the private albergue owner’s face as a pilgrim stepped into her doorway, grabbed the pack in her lobby and departed without saying a word. This was in Reliegos, May 2022. She had 4 open beds that night. We had a truly special communal dinner, prepared by the hard working and kind hosts. The dinner included our hands-down funniest moment on the Frances, which had every pilgrim laughing to the point of tears (story for another post). This albergue provides this family’s livelihood; the owner expressed disappointment but resignation at that pilgrim’s behavior.

 

[Molly Cassidy]

the owners or managers of the albergue are free to decide whether to offer their service free of charge or against a reasonable fee or not at all.

Yes, and it is generally considered polite to ask if a business provides this service (receiving bags for those who don't stay) before sending your bag.

 

[AZtor]

The question is … can albergues charge if a bag is dropped off at their site, in addition to the transport cost. I’m familiar with shipping a backpack, but ran into this extra. (An other pilgrim and she was not expecting an extra charge)

This isn't an "extra" charge. It's an entirely different charge.|

You paid for transport. The bag was transported. Service complete.

Now if it's transported somewhere that you didn't pay for or that doesn't accept storage, that's on you.

 

[dougfitz]

I also have a clear recollection of the look on the private albergue owner’s face as a pilgrim stepped into her doorway, grabbed the pack in her lobby and departed without saying a word.

That is almost an argument for the charge to be the same as staying the night. It clearly creates an expectation to ship a bag to an albergue that the associated pilgrim will follow in due course, and occupy a bed, possibly eat a meal and need laundry done, etc. In some cases, there will be associated costs if additional food is purchased and prepared for meals. This is not simply a case of 'well, I didn't book, so they shouldn't have expected me to stay'. That line of reasoning doesn't wash, so far as I am concerned. A no-show if a booking service were used would be the accommodation cost. It's pretty cut and dried, and the property would get paid for that. I don't see any reason if you create the same expectation by shipping your bag somewhere that the same penalty shouldn't apply if you don't stay.

 

[donnaonthego]

If you want to stay at a municipal albergue, but they don’t accept backpacks being shipped (closed at certain times) will a private albergue charge if the pack
Is shipped there ? ie. Villadangos

They certainly should. I met a guy who said he always stayed in municipal albergues AND shipped his bag. I told him that sounded impossible. But he explained that he shipped his bags daily to a hotel he wasn't even staying at. I thought that was the most incredibly rude thing I heard during two months hiking the Camino.

 

[dick bird]

If you want to stay at a municipal albergue, but they don’t accept backpacks being shipped (closed at certain times) will a private albergue charge if the pack
Is shipped there ? ie. Villadangos

At Villadangos, backpacks are delivered to the restaurant across the road. A similar arrangement is used for most albergues that don’t accept transferred bags.

And by the way, the nearest other albergue is 4km from Villadangos.

 

[ShoshTrvls]

Twice I have intended to stay someplace that didnt accept shipped bags per the transport company, and so contacted the owner and asked for suggestions. Both times they gave me the name of someplace nearby they had made arrangements with in advance to accept bags.

As for costs - both times I tried to give the proprietor of the business a few euros in appreciation for accepting and holding my bag. Once it was accepted and once it was not. But I would never have thought not to offer.

 

[henrythedog]

Bear in mind that some albergues which refuse to accept delivered backpacks - often donativos or the more traditionally inclined - are not avoiding the responsibility of ‘looking after’ your bag, some have the entirely reasonable view that they are there to cater for those who are carrying their bag and if you don’t like it, you can stay elsewhere.

To ship your bag elsewhere and expect to stay there is not really playing the game.

Also, don’t expect your bag - where it is accepted - to be ‘looked after’. The recipient gets paid nothing and your contract is with the transporter. It’s not unusual to see delivered bags on the street outside the destination.

 

[J Willhaus]

Many albergues where we volunteer specify that you must have carried your own bag and walked there (no bus or taxi) some don't even accept bikes. On some places we were advised to observe which direction the pilgrim arrived from as it meant they likely took the bus from one specific approach. All the albergues have their own criteria set up by the community they are owned or governed by and different rules at each one. Most don't ship or accept luggage transfer. Others don't accept suitcases, only backpacks. There is no universal rule really. It is up to the pilgrim to figure this out.