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I will likely be taking a train trip soon from Vancouver, BC to Seattle, WA, and I'd like to know some details about the luggage storage facilities at the Vancouver train station:

  • Is there luggage storage available?
  • How much is it (e.g. for a suitcase and a laptop bag)?
  • Is it secure enough to store a laptop?
  • Alternatively, is it possible to check in the luggage for the train journey far in advance of the actual trip? (E.g if my train leaves at 5:30pm, can I check in my suitcase at, say, 11am?)
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  • I'm curious, why do you need to leave luggage at the Vancouver train station instead of a) where you're staying in Van or b) taking it with you to Seattle? – Azor Ahai Sep 22 '16 at 21:37
  • Don't see how this is relevant to the question, but here's the reason: I don't want to be stuck with luggage between my checkout time at the place I'm staying in Vancouver (in the morning) and my train to Seattle (in the evening). – Eugene O Sep 23 '16 at 1:01
  • I see. For some reason I was picturing you leaving it in Van while you traveled to Seattle and back, which seemed silly. – Azor Ahai Sep 23 '16 at 3:45
  • Even that may not be silly in some circumstances, e.g. if someone has a long trip to Vancouver with a short side trip to Seattle (where all the luggage is not needed and would be an inconvenience), or if someone buys a bunch of stuff in Vancouver that may cause issues with US customs and Canadian customs going back (e.g. a case of wine, restricted food, etc). – Eugene O Sep 23 '16 at 4:15
  • True, but that's why I asked, in case there were other solutions. – Azor Ahai Sep 23 '16 at 15:51
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After taking the trip, I can describe the actual situation on the ground as of October 2016 (which is very different from what the other answer suggests):

  • Checked baggage is useless for luggage storage when taking a USA-bound train. The luggage needs to pass through a USA customs pre-clearance first, and customs only opens shortly before the train leaves (basically, when it's time to line up to board the train). So you can't check your luggage in the morning and board the train in the evening. I don't know what the situation is for Canadian-bound trains but I think it's better.

  • Baggage storage no longer exists for train passengers at the Pacific Central station, "for security reasons".

  • However, I could still find a viable option. A nearby hostel offers luggage storage in a locked room (NE corner of National Ave and Main St, entrance from Main St). They charged me $7.50 to store a small suitcase and a shoulder bag for a couple of hours.

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BagBnB might help anyone who checks out earlier than their flight or train ride. They have 3 locations so far in Vancouver, BC.

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