Storing luggage in Madrid

[HappyValerie]

Just reaching out to the "brains trust".
My daughter's are joining me on the Camino Frances for 5 days in April.
They will fly into Madrid, train to Leon (about day 26 for me). We plan to walk together to Ponferrada. They will catch trains to fly out of Barcelona.
As they will have some luggage that is not backpack-worrhy, I am wondering if anyone can suggest somewhere convenient in Madrid to leave suitcases for a week. I've thought perhaps they could ask whichever hotel they stay in on their first arrival in Madrid. They don't plan to stay in Madrid after walking. Just straight through to Barcelona.
Perhaps a local Spaniard might know of somewhere, or perhaps another one of you may have done this.
I am SO excited that they are flying half way around the world to briefly share in something that is such a part of me & my life.
Buen Camino everyone.

 

[trecile]

They could send the luggage to the Correos office in Ponferrada, providing that they will be there long enough to pick it up during opening hours.

Oficina de Correos · C. Gral. Vives, 1, 24401 Ponferrada, León, Spain

★★★☆☆ · Post office

maps.app.goo.gl

Here's information about using Correos to send luggage and packages ahead.

Correos Pilgrim Paq for luggage transfers| Correos.es

Correos will send your bags to the start or end of your Camino so you just need to pick them up. And take all your Camino excitement with you!

www.correos.es

I have sent my suitcases with them a couple of times to Santiago, but the process should be the same for mailing to any Correos office.

 

[trecile]

They could also use daily luggage transfer, which might be more convenient and not too expensive for a week. They just need to limit the size of the suitcases.

El Camino de Santiago con Correos

Tips and useful information to the Camino de Santiago: Routes, accommodation, backpacks transport, send bicycles and luggage, lockers in Santiago

www.elcaminoconcorreos.com

 

[J Willhaus]

I am not from Madrid, but have atayed in Madrid near the Atocha station several times. There are several luggage storage places near the Atocha station which might be convenient for them to pick up on their way to Barcelona since that is where the train from Madrid departs. (Might be pricy though.) This one is right across the street from Atocha and allows 15 days locker storage.

Stow Your Bags - Luggage Storage - Atocha Train Station · Madrid, Madrid

maps.app.goo.gl

I think if they take the train they will need to switch stations coming in from Ponferrada which is pretty easy (Chamartín to Atocha), but may also require some prior planning for the time needed to make the switch and pick up bags.

 

[HappyValerie]

I really appreciate these suggestions. Thank you.
My daughter's plan to stay in hotels overnight in Leon & in Ponferrada but albergues in between. To share part of "my" Camino, we will stay in albergues in between, as we go each day. For this reason, I'd prefer not to plan to have their extra bag/ suitcase transported each day as it means locking in the day's destination. Is it possible to use the "pilgrim bag transport system" to take a bag from the Leon hotel to the Ponferrada hotel on our Day one? Once we have booked a hotel in Ponferrada we could email them and ask them to watch for it & hold it for 5 days. ???
I was just wondering if we actually would need to book albergues in this section (7-11 April) in the lead up to Santa Semana, and also my Camino continuing on being on the last section during Santa Semana then Easter in Santiago. I could bus the last part & head towards Muxia/ Finisterra for Easter if that would be quieter.
I appreciate my Camino Family input. ♡ Thank you.

 

[trecile]

Is it possible to use the "pilgrim bag transport system" to take a bag from the Leon hotel to the Ponferrada hotel on our Day one?

No, but you can use the post office to mail it to the office in Ponferrada or ask the hotel in Ponferrada if they will accept it. If sending to/from Correos offices make sure that you will be in town during their opening hours.

I have found the Spanish post office to be efficient and easy to use. I mailed a suitcase from Barcelona to Santiago last May. I dropped it off on a Friday and it was delivered on a Monday. A few years ago I mailed a suitcase from Irun to Santiago and received notification that it had been delivered the next day.

 

[J Willhaus]

No, but you can use the post office to mail it to the office in Ponferrada or ask the hotel in Ponferrada if they will accept it. If sending to/from Correos offices make sure that you will be in town during their opening hours.

I have found the Spanish post office to be efficient and easy to use. I mailed a suitcase from Barcelona to Santiago last May. I dropped it off on a Friday and it was delivered on a Monday. A few years ago I mailed a suitcase from Irun to Santiago and received notification that it had been delivered the next day.

Also make sure you have the exact hotel address and postal mailing code. I mailed a bunch of gear from the Camino to our hotel in Madrid one year, and it "disappeared". In my rush, I apparently did not have the correct address and I did not pick up the tracking code. Someone in Spain has two nice rain ponchos and two nice silk liner bags and it is not me. Totally my error. I did not have a proper mailing address and only a street address.