Spain's post office launches nationwide luggage locker service

SPAIN'S State post office has launched a new solution for passing travellers who do not want to lug their suitcases around: Lockers for bags are now provided, with prices depending upon weight.

Ideal for people on connecting flights with a long overlay who want to explore the city and get out of the airport, or for those on a shopping spree who want to go hands-free when dining or visiting key sites, the new service provided by Correos is available for anything from a couple of hours to 15 days.

Correos only specifies that bags and cases must be closed or zipped up to avoid potential disputes if anything goes missing, and that expensive jewellery, large amounts of cash, or other valuables cannot be left there.

Once the owner wants to retrieve their bags, they can do so at any time, even if the period they have signed up for has not yet expired.

A simple form is completed, usually online.

Anyone undertaking the internationally-popular pilgrimage known as the Camino de Santiago will find a network of luggage deposits along any of the routes, Correos reveals, and they can either pre-book them online or simply turn up and fill in a handwritten form.

For the Santiago de Compostela pilgrim routes, luggage deposits even include facilities for bicycles.

Correos has been gradually expanding its range of services in the past 10 or 20 years as letter-writing and postal delivery have long been mostly replaced by internet shopping, social media, emails and courier firms.

Among these facilities are currency exchange services, lottery tickets, brokerage for energy and insurance companies, wiring money, packaging, and now even home delivery of cash from one's bank account.

CaixaBank and the BBVA have launched a telephone service allowing account holders to ask for withdrawals that are then hand-delivered to them at home, using Correos as the courier service.