**Interview with Travelers: The Challenges of Luggage Storage in Major Chinese Cities**

During a recent exploration of luggage storage solutions in bustling urban centers like Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou, it became apparent that many travelers face significant hurdles when trying to lighten their load for a day of sightseeing. With the introduction of luggage storage lockers at subway stations in cities like Beijing—where currently 23 subway stations offer this service—one would expect convenience, but experiences suggest otherwise.

This past Golden Week, I visited several luggage storage lockers in Beijing to see how well they met the rising demand. To my surprise, many lockers were full, leaving numerous travelers searching for creative solutions to store their bags, or even leaving their luggage outside the lockers in frustration.

At Beijing West Railway Station, the scene was particularly hectic. Many travelers, dragging their bags, were on the hunt for storage options. “There are lockers only in the waiting hall,” a station employee informed me. “If you exit, you’ll need to look for nearby shops that offer storage services.” I reached out to the locker service via their customer support number and learned that the service runs from 9 AM to 10 PM and that travelers must present a same-day ticket to use the lockers. Accessing the waiting hall requires going through security, and they can only check for available lockers using a QR code on-site.

A quick glance at social media highlighted similar frustrations among travelers. One user asked, “Can I store my luggage in the waiting hall after arriving?” The response came swiftly: “No, once you’ve exited, you can’t get back in.” Unfortunately, during the Golden Week, the luggage storage at Beijing South Railway Station was temporarily halted as well.

Many travelers prefer storing their bags at train stations due to the peace of mind it offers. One traveler summed it up, saying, “I trust the train station more; I don’t worry about losing my things.” However, I noticed that some shops nearby were listed on luggage storage apps like “Store Yourself” and “Worry-Free Storage,” mostly small businesses like convenience stores and pharmacies.

At Fengtai Station, which does not have its own lockers, many nearby shops do offer storage services. After visiting several, I found that the standard price for storing a backpack was about 10 yuan per day, with varying hours of operation.

Turning to the subway system, I found that while Fengtai Station lacked lockers, a few are available at the Fengtai subway station’s atrium. I arrived at 10 AM on October 2nd, only to discover all 29 lockers were fully occupied. Within ten minutes, five groups of travelers left disappointed after unsuccessful attempts to find storage.

“I can’t believe it’s this hard,” one traveler lamented. “No space inside, and I don’t feel safe leaving my bag outside.” With that, travelers ventured to other subway stations in search of storage alternatives.

Beijing currently boasts 23 subway stations equipped with storage lockers, and most are located in high-traffic areas close to train stations, tourist attractions, and shopping districts. At the Military Museum Station, just one stop from Beijing West Station, I found lockers, but there were only nine available—again, all full. The station staff explained that expanding locker capacity would require negotiations with the management team due to space constraints.

Using the “Little Iron Storage” app, I checked the status of lockers across all 23 stations. By late morning on October 2nd, six stations were completely full, and additional stations reported very few available lockers. Hours later, the situation remained unchanged.

In commercial areas, I discovered that while some shopping centers offered more lockers than subway stations, travelers often found prices steep. At Wangfujing, a popular thoroughfare, it took considerable walking before I found lockers at Century Mansion. Here, storage options were either full or offered at 5 and 8 yuan per hour, capped at 40 and 60 yuan daily respectively.

The competition among businesses to attract foot traffic has led some to offer lower rates than advertised online, but they often have limited capacity. At the same time, travelers expressed discontent with high storage fees, with one commenting on the 10 yuan per hour cost: “I only want to store a backpack, but the price? Forget it.”

With demand for luggage storage on the rise in Beijing’s bustling districts, it remains clear that improvements are necessary to enhance traveler convenience.