English
A luggage locker, sometimes called a luggage storage, is a lockable closet or compartment typically placed in a public area for general use. It gives you small space for storing your bags, books, stationery, documents or other stuff.
We usually see them in schools, gymnasiums and health clubs. But you might also see some on a footpath such as the yellow lockers placed on the skywalk near Phaholyothin Station or the pink ones on the pathway connecting Phayathai Station to the Airport Rail Link.
These are cash-operated lockers meant mainly for travelers who don’t want to tow or carry their luggage all the time. Their space is generally bigger than general lockers.
They’re available at a reasonable price and you don’t need a key to open them as they’re controlled by a computer. To use them, in general, you need to insert coins or notes in the amount specified by the computer, depending on the size of the locker you choose. Sounds good, right? But are they really useful?
Here are some advantages and disadvantages for you to consider:
The luggage lockers are useful when you have a lot of luggage and want to travel without having to take the luggage with you. So, you can just deposit it in one of these lockers and go anywhere “with freedom” enjoying your shopping as much as you want.
Besides, the luggage lockers are available with flexible pricing. The price depends on the size you choose. So, if you have only a few bags, you’ll pay less than those who deposit more than you do. The price also depends on how long you deposit your luggage. The longer you do it, the more you pay.
By using the luggage lockers, you don’t have to be worried that your luggage might be affected by harsh weather such as heavy rain.
Also, imagine you arrive in Bangkok during the Songkran festival. Your hotel is close to Sala Daeng Station but you want to join Songkran before check-in because it’s the right time to do so.
People are having fun on the road and you don’t want to waste your time because Songkran is the reason why you come to Bangkok. If you don’t deposit your bags, you won’t be able to play Songkran.
Disadvantages of Using Luggage Lockers
However, there are some drawbacks. Each locker has limited space. One locker might not be enough for all your bags. So, if all can’t be put in one locker, you’ll have to pay for more. Otherwise, you’d have to take the rest of the luggage with you.
Also, the minimum price is the rate for 2 hours. So, although you want to deposit your bag for only 30 minutes, you still have to pay for 2 hours. This can sometimes be expensive.
If you realize you left something important inside one of your bags, you can’t come back and temporarily open the locker. That means you’d have to repay for the deposit service again. So, you need to make sure you take important stuff with you before closing the lockers.
In short, depositing your stuff in luggage lockers is useful but you should also be aware of the cons of this kind of service so it won’t make you feel upset for the rest of your trip. For a detailed instruction on how to use a luggage locker, go to A Guide to Using a Luggage Locker.
