In short: most Florence hotels and apartments give you the room around 14:00–15:00, but trains and flights often arrive in the morning. Leave your bags at Via Palazzuolo 170 (4 minutes from Santa Maria Novella), pay only for the hours you use, and pick them up on your way to check-in.
You land at 8:30, your train reaches Santa Maria Novella at 10:00, and your apartment host writes: “check-in from 15:00”. Five hours with a suitcase in a city of narrow pavements, cobblestones and crowded churches is nobody’s idea of a holiday. Here is how to turn that waiting time into the best part of your first day.
Why early arrivals are a problem in Florence
- Many places have no luggage room. Short-term apartments and small guesthouses in the centre often have no reception at all, so there is nowhere to leave bags before check-in.
- Museums do not accept suitcases. The Uffizi requires backpacks and large bags to go to its cloakroom, and the Duomo forbids medium and large bags on the dome climb. Suitcases are simply not an option.
- The centre is made for walking. Most of the sights are pedestrian areas with stone paving: dragging a trolley for hours is tiring and slow.
The simple solution: drop your bags as soon as you arrive
- Register online on the train or at the airport and get your personal access code.
- Walk 4 minutes from the station to Via Palazzuolo 170 (exit on the right side of the platforms, then straight along Via degli Orti Oricellari).
- Enter with your code, choose a medium or large locker at the kiosk and pay the first hour.
- Close the locker and go: you are free until check-in.
How much will the wait cost?
Because you pay by the hour, a typical “arrive at 10, check in at 15” day is cheap:
| Waiting time | Medium locker | Large locker |
|---|---|---|
| 3 hours | €5.90 | €7.90 |
| 4 hours | €7.90 | €10.90 |
| 5 hours | €9.90 | €13.90 |
| 6 hours | €11.90 | €15.90 |
A family with two large suitcases can usually use a single large locker. Full price list on our prices section.
A 4-hour plan before check-in
- 10:15 Drop your bags in Via Palazzuolo.
- 10:30 Coffee and a first look at the facade of Santa Maria Novella, right next to the station.
- 11:00 Walk to Piazza del Duomo (about 10 minutes) and visit the cathedral, which is free to enter.
- 12:30 Lunch at the Mercato Centrale food hall in San Lorenzo.
- 13:30 Piazza della Signoria and Ponte Vecchio.
- 14:30 Walk back, collect your bags and head to your accommodation.
Want more ideas? Read our one-day itinerary without luggage.
Tip: choose the locker size before you arrive. One large suitcase or two cabin trolleys: medium locker. Two large suitcases or four trolleys: large locker. Each locker holds up to 35 kg.
The same trick works on check-out day
Most hotels ask you to leave the room by 10:00–11:00, while many trains and flights leave in the afternoon or evening. Store your bags again and spend the last hours in town: see what to do in Florence after check-out.
Frequently asked questions
Can I leave bags before check-in without booking?
Yes. There is no reservation: you register online in a couple of minutes and use your code immediately.
What time can I drop off?
From 7:00 every morning, so even early trains and overnight buses are covered.
What if my check-in is the next day?
Use the 24-hour rate (from €15.90): your bags stay locked until you return, between 7:00 and 23:00.
Arriving early? Get your access code now and start your holiday the moment you step off the train.
Cover image: Sailko / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 (source)
