Luggage Transport on the Camino de Santiago: A Practical Guide

Luggage transport on the Camino de Santiago

Walking the Camino de Santiago with a heavy backpack is one of the main causes of injuries, drop-outs and misery. Sore knees, blisters aggravated by the weight, back pain... Many pilgrims who start with 12-15 kg in their backpack end up sending part of their luggage ahead within a few days.

The good news is that there's a well-organised luggage transport system that lets you walk light without giving up your belongings.

How backpack transport works

The service is simple: each morning you leave your backpack or suitcase at the albergue or hotel where you've slept, with a tag showing your next accommodation. A van picks it up and takes it to the next stop. When you arrive on foot, your luggage is already waiting for you.

Step by step

• Book the service with the transport company (by phone, WhatsApp or app)

• Tag your luggage with your name and the destination accommodation

• Leave your backpack at the albergue reception before the collection time (normally between 7:00 and 8:30)

• Walk light with just a small daypack

• Collect your luggage when you arrive at your next accommodation

Typical timetable

• Collection time: Between 7:00 and 9:00 in the morning
• Delivery time: Usually before 14:00-15:00
• Coverage: Virtually every town on the Camino Francés, Portugués and del Norte

Luggage transport prices (2026)

Prices vary by company and the distance between stages, but as a guide:

• Per stage per item: €5-8 (standard backpacks up to 20 kg)
• Suitcases or large items: €7-12 per stage
• Bicycles: €15-25 per stage
• Weekly passes: Some companies offer 5 or 7-stage bundles at a discount

Sample budget for the last 100 km

If you walk the last 100 km from Sarria in 5 stages and send your backpack each day:

For about €30 you can walk the last 100 km with just a light 3-4 kg daypack. It's one of the best investments you can make on the Camino.

What to send and what to carry

Send with the luggage transport

• Spare clothing
• Sleeping bag (unless it's ultralight)
• Toiletries
• Spare chargers and electronics
• Guidebooks and books
• Warm clothing for the evening

Carry with you in your daypack

• Water: (at least 1 litre, ideally 1.5 in summer)
• Pilgrim Credential: and ID documents
• Cash and card: (some villages have no ATM)
• Sun cream: and hat
• Lightweight rain jacket: (in Galicia it can rain at any moment)
• Basic first-aid kit: blister plasters, foot cream, ibuprofen
• Snacks: nuts, energy bars, fruit
• Phone: with a charged battery
• Toilet paper: (Camino toilets don't always have any)

The ideal daypack

A 15-20 litre daypack is enough. It should weigh between 3 and 5 kg with everything on the list. The difference between walking with 4 kg and walking with 12 kg is enormous, especially from the third day onwards when your body starts feeling the cumulative effort.

Tips for reducing your luggage weight

Before you set off

• Weigh your backpack.: Total weight shouldn't exceed 10% of your body weight. If you weigh 70 kg, your backpack shouldn't be over 7 kg
• Eliminate "just in cases.": That extra jacket, that second pair of trousers, the thick book... If in doubt, leave it at home
• Choose quick-dry technical clothing.: With two T-shirts and two pairs of trousers that you can wash and dry each night, you'll be fine
• Buy travel sizes: of soap, shampoo and sun cream. Or better still, buy them as you go at pharmacies along the Camino

During the Camino

• If you notice you haven't used something in 3 days, post it to Santiago from any Correos (post office). Many pilgrims do this
• Share with other pilgrims: first-aid kit, charger, guidebook...
• In summer you don't need a sleeping bag in most albergues. An ultralight sleeping-bag liner is enough

Special luggage transport

Suitcases at the start or end of the Camino

If you fly into Santiago and need your suitcase waiting for you in Sarria (or vice versa), there are door-to-door transport services. At Taxi Castro we offer luggage transport between the airport, Santiago and any point on the Camino.

Luggage on long stages

If the day's stage is particularly long (such as the 29 km from Palas de Rei to Arzúa), sending your backpack is especially advisable. Walking light makes an enormous difference on stages over 25 km.

Musical instruments, bicycles and large items

For bulky or fragile items, check directly with the transport company. Bicycles, for example, require specific vehicles and usually carry a surcharge.

Is sending your backpack "cheating"?

No. This is a question many pilgrims ask themselves, especially first-timers. The short answer is that there's nothing wrong with it at all.

The Camino is not a test of physical endurance. It's a personal experience that everyone lives in their own way. Thousands of pilgrims throughout history have used donkeys, mules and carts to carry their luggage. Backpack transport is the modern version of the same thing.

What's more, walking with less weight lets you:

• Enjoy the scenery more: instead of suffering your way through
• Arrive in better shape: at each stage and make the most of your afternoons
• Reduce the risk of injuries: that could ruin your Camino
• Maintain a sustainable pace: day after day

The important thing is to walk. The luggage is secondary.

Summary

Luggage transport on the Camino de Santiago is an affordable service (€5-8 per stage), well organised and used by thousands of pilgrims every year. It lets you walk with a light 3-5 kg daypack and enjoy the experience far more. If you have any questions about luggage logistics, contact us and we'll help you organise everything.