Where to Store Luggage in China (2026)

Storing luggage in China? Not as complicated as you'd think. Hotels will usually hold your bags for free if you're a guest. Airport and train station counters charge somewhere around 20 to 50 RMB per day. Then you've got smart lockers scattered around cities that go for 2 to 20 RMB per hour. WeChat Pay and Alipay both work with foreign Visa and Mastercard, so no, you don't need a Chinese bank account. And if your phone payment gives you trouble at the counter, cash still works at hotels and airports.

Luggage Storage in China: Quick Comparison

Hotel Luggage Storage in China

Most hotels in China will hold your bags after checkout. If you're coming back to the same hotel or just have a gap between rooms, they'll usually do it for free for a few days, sometimes up to a week.

• How it works: Tell the front desk you want to leave your bags. They tag everything, write down your info, and hand you a slip. Bring that slip back when you pick up. Simple.
• Cost: Free at most mid range and luxury hotels if you're a guest. Not a guest? Expect to pay 10 to 30 RMB per day. Some budget places won't do it at all for non guests, so don't assume.
• Hours: Usually around the clock, sometimes until late evening. Ask your hotel because it varies.
• Payment: Goes on your room bill or you just pay cash. No app, no QR code, nothing to set up.
• Size: Normal suitcases are fine. Anything really oversized, check with them first.
• Best for: Anyone staying multiple nights at the same place, or if you just need somewhere to leave your stuff overnight without fiddling with apps.
• One thing to keep in mind: The big international chains like Marriott, Hilton, InterContinental are way more relaxed about holding bags for non guests. Budget hotels? They'll often say no. Ask about storage when you check in. Don't wait until you've already checked out and you're standing in the lobby with all your stuff.

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Airport Luggage Storage in China

Pretty much every major airport in China has a luggage storage counter. You'll find them near the arrival hall or close to the main entrance of the terminal. Look for signs that say "Left Luggage" or "行李寄存" (xínglǐ jìcún). If you can't spot them right away, just ask any airport staff and they'll point you there.

• How it works: Walk up to the counter, show your passport, fill out a quick form, and they give you a receipt with a number on it. Your bags go through an X-ray before they put them away. The whole thing takes maybe five minutes.
• Cost: A backpack or carry on runs about 20 RMB per day. A full size suitcase, something in the 24 to 28 inch range, usually costs 40 to 50 RMB per day.
• Hours: Most counters open at 6 AM and close around midnight. A few terminals run 24 hours, but don't count on it. If you need to grab your bag late at night or early morning, double check the hours before you hand it over.
• Payment: Cash works everywhere. Some counters also take WeChat Pay or Alipay, but cash is the safe bet here.
• How long can you store? Shanghai Pudong Terminal 2 lets you keep bags for up to 30 days. Other airports have different limits so ask when you drop off.
• You'll need your passport. Both when you store and when you pick up. No passport, no bags. Keep it on you.

Airports with confirmed luggage storage:

• Airports where you can store luggage:
• Shanghai Pudong (PVG) — Both Terminal 1 and 2 have counters. Staff speaks enough English to get you through the process without a translator.
• Beijing Capital (PEK) — Storage is there but the signs aren't great. You might need to ask around a bit to find it.
• Beijing Daxing (PKX) — Newer airport, everything feels more modern. They have QR code lockers too if you'd rather skip the counter.
• Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN) — Counter is near the arrival hall.
• Hangzhou Xiaoshan (HGH) — Look around the baggage claim area.
• Chengdu Tianfu (TFU) — Available in the terminal.

Best for: You've just landed, you're about to fly out, or you've got a layover and don't want to drag your bags around the city. If you'd rather pay a bit more and not worry about whether things will work out, airport storage is the no stress option.

Train Station Luggage Storage in China

Source: International Services Shanghai

Most high speed railway stations in China have some kind of luggage storage, either a staffed counter or a row of lockers. Usually you'll find them near the main entrance or tucked in a corridor on the ground floor. They're not always obvious, so you might have to look around or ask.

• How it works: You give your bags to the staff, fill out a short form, pay, and they hand you a slip. Some of the newer stations have QR code lockers instead where you scan, pay through WeChat or Alipay, and the door pops open. Either way it's quick.
• Cost: Somewhere between 10 and 30 RMB per day. Depends on the station and how big your bag is.
• Hours: Most open around 6 AM and close by 11 PM. But here's the thing, some stations close their luggage counter earlier when it's quiet and they don't always update the signs. Ask the staff what time they actually shut down before you walk away.
• Payment: Cash is king at train stations. Some newer ones take mobile payment but don't rely on it.

Stations with luggage storage:

• Beijing South (北京南站) — It's in the main hall area. Don't expect English from the staff here.
• Shanghai Hongqiao (上海虹桥站) — More modern, better signage. Easier to figure out on your own.
• Hangzhou East (杭州东站) — Really cheap, like 10 RMB a day. There are also metro lockers nearby if the counter is busy.
• Chengdu East (成都东站) — They have storage but good luck finding English signs.

Heads up for foreigners:

• The staff at train stations almost never speak English. Have a translation app ready or just show them this on your phone: "我要寄存行李" (wǒ yào jìcún xínglǐ — I want to store my luggage). Also, it gets really chaotic during rush hours, we're talking 6 to 9 AM and 5 to 8 PM.

Smart Lockers for Luggage Storage in China

Source: chinajob.com

Smart lockers are available at metro stations, commercial areas, airports, and train stations across major Chinese cities. They're cheap, fast, and often available 24/7.

• How it works: Scan the QR code on the locker using WeChat or Alipay, select a locker size, place your bag inside, close the door, and confirm payment via the app. Retrieve by opening the same app and scanning again.
• Cost:
• • Small (backpack): 2–5 RMB/hour
  • Medium (carry-on): 5–10 RMB/hour
  • Large (suitcase): 10–20 RMB/hour
  • Daily cap: ~20–40 RMB depending on city and service
• Hours: Most operate 24/7. Metro-station lockers may follow station hours.
• Payment: WeChat Pay or Alipay only. No cash option.

Common services:

• 丰巢储物 (Fengchao) — Most widespread in China, but requires a Chinese phone number to register. Most foreigners cannot use this service.
• Airport/metro-specific lockers — Often accept WeChat Pay or Alipay directly without separate registration.

Size limitations: Many city-center smart lockers are designed for backpacks and carry-ons. A 28-inch suitcase may not fit in a "large" compartment. Check dimensions before paying.

Best for: Backpackers and budget travelers in Shanghai, Beijing, or Hangzhou who have mobile payment set up and don't need to store oversized luggage.

Third-Party Luggage Storage Services in China

You'll see smart lockers all over the place in big Chinese cities. Metro stations, malls, airports, train stations. They're the cheapest option by far, and most of them never close.

• How it works: There's a QR code on the front of the locker. Scan it with WeChat or Alipay, pick a size, throw your bag in, close the door, and pay through the app. When you come back, open the app again, scan, and the door unlocks. Takes about a minute once you know what you're doing.
• Cost: Small lockers for a backpack run 2 to 5 RMB per hour. Medium ones for a carry on are 5 to 10 RMB per hour. Large ones go for 10 to 20 RMB per hour. Most services cap the daily charge at 20 to 40 RMB so it doesn't just keep ticking up forever.
• Hours: Usually 24/7. The exception is metro station lockers which might shut when the station does.
• Payment: WeChat Pay or Alipay. That's it. They don't take cash. If you haven't set up mobile payment yet, these aren't going to work for you.

Services you'll run into:

• 丰巢储物 (Fengchao) — These are everywhere in China. Literally the most common locker you'll see. Problem is, they need a Chinese phone number to register. If you don't have one, you're locked out. Most foreigners hit a wall here.
• Airport and metro lockers — A lot of these let you pay straight through WeChat or Alipay without registering for anything extra. Less hassle.

About size: Here's where people get frustrated. A ton of these lockers are built for backpacks and small bags. You walk up with a 28 inch suitcase thinking the "large" option will work, and it doesn't fit. Measure before you pay, or just look at the opening and be honest with yourself about whether your bag is going in there.

Best for: Backpackers, budget travelers, anyone in Shanghai, Beijing, or Hangzhou who already has mobile payment sorted and doesn't need to store anything massive.

Big warning for foreigners: If a locker asks you to register with a Chinese phone number, don't waste your time trying to get around it. It won't work. Close the app, walk away, and go find an airport counter, or just ask your hotel. Fengchao rejects foreign numbers every single time.

How to Pay for Luggage Storage in China as a Foreigner

WeChat Pay (International Card)

1. Download WeChat
2. Sign up with your phone number
3. Go to Me → Services → Wallet → Cards → Add Card
4. Put in your Visa or Mastercard details
5. Do whatever identity verification it throws at you

That's it. Once it's set up, it works at most airports, smart lockers (not Fengchao though), some train station counters, and hotels that have QR payment. Where it might not work: older counters, or anything that specifically needs a mainland Chinese WeChat account. You won't know until you try, which is why you always need a backup plan.

Alipay (International Version)

1. Download Alipay
2. Sign up with your international phone number
3. Add your Visa or Mastercard
4. Do the passport verification: Me → Settings → Account & Security → Identity Verification
5. Upload a photo of your passport. Make sure the name on it matches your card exactly or it'll get rejected.

Why pick Alipay over WeChat? The English is better, it works more smoothly and in our experience foreign cards get accepted more often. If you're only going to set up one, Alipay is probably the safer choice.

Cash (RMB)

Don't skip this. Keep 100 to 200 RMB on you at all times. Every hotel front desk takes cash. Every airport luggage counter takes cash. Most train station counters take cash. Smart lockers and third party apps don't, but everything else does. Cash is your safety net when the digital stuff falls apart.

Third Party Apps (International Card)

LuggageHero and Radical Storage let you pay with your international credit card right in the app. No WeChat, no Alipay, no Chinese payment setup whatsoever. If you haven't bothered setting up mobile payment and don't plan to, this is your easiest path.

When payment fails at the counter:

It happens. Don't panic. Try the other app first, if WeChat didn't work, try Alipay. Give it 30 seconds and try once more. Still nothing? Walk to a hotel, airport, or train station counter and pay cash. You can also ask the hotel front desk for help, they deal with this stuff all the time. Worst case, find a Marriott or Hilton nearby and pay them for storage. They'll almost always say yes.

Where to Find Luggage Storage in China by City

Shanghai

If you're going to store luggage anywhere in China, Shanghai is where you'll have the easiest time. English signs are everywhere, staff at airports and hotels can usually help without a translator, and you've got more options than any other city. Pudong Airport has clear signage and the staff knows what they're doing. Hongqiao Station is modern and you can find storage without asking around too much. \ has lockers in the commercial areas. LuggageHero has the best third party coverage in the whole country. And a lot of hotels here will hold your bags even if you're not staying with them.

Beijing

Trickier than Shanghai. Fewer smart lockers, less English on signs, and the city just isn't as set up for foreign travelers when it comes to this stuff. Your best bets are Capital Airport or Daxing Airport for reliability, Beijing South Station if you're near it (though don't expect anyone to speak English), hotels if you arrange it with the front desk before checkout, and LuggageHero has some spots but not as many as Shanghai.

The move here is to sort out hotel storage before you check out. Use airport counters if you're flying. And if you're dealing with the train station, have a translator app open and ready because you're going to need it.

Hangzhou

This city surprised us. The metro station lockers are all over the place and they're ridiculously cheap, like 2 to 5 RMB per hour. Open 24 hours, tons of locations, and the QR system plays nice with Alipay. Hangzhou East Station is another option at about 10 RMB per day, and Xiaoshan Airport charges the usual rates.

Honestly, just go straight to the metro lockers. They're the best deal for luggage storage in all of China.

Smaller Cities (Nanjing, Chengdu, Xi'an, Guilin)

Here's where things get more limited. You're basically looking at the airport, the train station, and your hotel. Third party services barely exist. Smart lockers are hit or miss. Talk to your hotel about storing bags before you even arrive. Bring cash because you'll need it. And the language barrier is noticeably worse outside the big cities, so keep that translation app close.

Common Problems with Luggage Storage in China

• Your card got declined. Annoying but common. If you were using WeChat, switch to Alipay. Or the other way around. Give it 30 seconds and try again. Still nothing? Go find somewhere that takes cash, a hotel front desk, airport counter, or train station. Lesson learned: always test your payment on something small first. Buy a water bottle. If that works, your card is good.
• All the lockers are full. Rush hours are brutal for this, especially between 6 and 9 AM or 5 and 8 PM. Everyone's trying to store at the same time. Look for lockers on a different floor or near another exit. Pull up LuggageHero and see what's available nearby. Or walk into a hotel and ask if they'll hold your bag for a fee. Most will say yes if you offer 20 to 50 RMB.
• Your suitcase is too big. This catches a lot of people off guard. Smart lockers in city centers are designed for backpacks and carry ons. That 28 inch suitcase? Probably not fitting, even in the "large" slot. Don't force it. Go to an airport counter, train station, or hotel. Staffed counters can always take full size luggage.
• The screen is entirely in Chinese. Pull out Google Translate, switch to camera mode, point it at the screen. Works surprisingly well. Or just look around for a security guard or a worker at a nearby shop and gesture at the locker. People are generally happy to help. If it's still too confusing, forget the locker entirely and use a staffed counter or an English language app.
• You lost your receipt or can't remember the locker number. First, check your WeChat or Alipay payment history. The order number is almost always in there. If you used a staffed counter, go back and describe your bag. They usually remember or can look it up. You can also message the locker app's customer service through WeChat, send a photo of your bag and tell them roughly when you stored it. Going forward: photograph the receipt every single time. And type the locker number into your notes app, not just a photo.
• Hotel says no because you're not a guest. Offer cash. Seriously, just say you'll pay 20 to 50 RMB and a lot of places change their mind. If they still won't budge, walk to a nicer hotel nearby. The international chains almost never turn people away for this. You can also fall back on the airport, train station, or a third party app. But calling ahead next time saves you the trouble.
• You got charged way more than you expected. Overnight storage is where this happens. They bill in 24 hour blocks, so if you drop off at 8 PM and pick up at 8 AM the next morning, that's technically two days. The counter crossed midnight. It feels unfair but that's how they calculate it. Always ask before you store: "If I come back tomorrow at 8 AM, what's the total?" If they can't give you a clear number, that's a red flag.
• You can't find storage anywhere in the station. Smaller stations especially. The signs are only in Chinese and nobody seems to know what you're asking. Pull out your phone and show them this: 请问这里可以寄存行李吗？ (Qǐngwèn zhèlǐ kěyǐ jìcún xínglǐ ma? — "Can I store my luggage here?"). If the first person shrugs, ask another. Someone will eventually point you the right way.

Luggage Storage in China: Before-You-Go Checklist

Before arrival:

• Set up WeChat Pay with international Visa/Mastercard
• Set up Alipay with international card + complete passport verification
• Test payment on a small transaction
• Download Google Translate for language backup
• Withdraw 100–200 RMB cash at arrival airport
• Email or call hotel to confirm luggage storage policy

When storing:

• Keep passport, money, medications, electronics WITH YOU
• Photograph the receipt and locker number
• Write locker number in phone notes (not just a photo)
• Confirm closing/retrieval time and set phone alarm
• Note the exact address for retrieval