Hotel check-out at 11, train at 18, and a suitcase you don’t want to drag through Gamla stan. Here is where to put it in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö and at both main airports — who runs each option, how you pay, and the closing-time trap.
When you need this
You are checking out hours before your train or flight, or stopping in a city for a day between two trains. You have landed at Arlanda or Landvetter long before you can check in anywhere. You want to see a museum that refuses suitcases — several of Stockholm’s big ones do, as our 48 hours in Stockholm plan explains. Or you are carrying skis or a golf bag across a city.
The short version: which option for which gap
Sweden has no national left-luggage system. Each station or airport contracts its own operator, and that operator’s terms set the price, the time limit and what happens to a forgotten bag.
| Your gap | Best first option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Up to about 3 hours | Station locker | Simple, pay per started hour |
| A whole day (11 to 18) | Your hotel, then an app booking | At Stockholm Central a 7-hour locker stay already costs the 24-hour cap |
| Bulky bag or skis | Staffed storage at Stockholm or Gothenburg Central | Lockers have fixed sizes |
| Several days | Station locker (7 days) or Arlanda locker (30 days) | The longest operator limits |
| Arriving at the airport | Airport lockers, before security | Landside, near the exits |
Station lockers: Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö Central
At the three biggest stations, the station owner Jernhusen lists electronic lockers (förvaringsboxar) run by Speed Box. In Stockholm they stand in the lower and upper halls of Central Station and on levels 1 and 2 of Cityterminalen, the bus station in the same complex; level 2 has boxes for skis and golf bags. Gothenburg Central and Malmö Central have their own.
How they work is the same at all three:
- Choose a box. The small box is 36 × 44 × 60 cm (width × height × depth) and takes a cabin bag; the large one is 46 × 60 × 85 cm and takes a checked suitcase.
- Pay the first hour when you rent. Jernhusen’s pages say all three stations take card or coins (kort eller mynt) — not card only, as many guides claim, though a card is the easy option.
- Keep the receipt (kvitto): its code opens the box. Photograph it as a backup.
- When you collect, you pay for the remaining time, per started hour, up to a 24-hour cap.
The maximum is 7 days (max 7 dygn).
The closing-time trap: Jernhusen states that Stockholm Central’s lockers can be reached only during the station’s opening hours, and the other stations close overnight too. A bag locked in late at night may be out of reach for an early departure. Check the hours in the table below against your pick-up time.
Staffed storage (manuell förvaring) is the answer for anything that won’t fit. At Stockholm Central it is in the lower hall by the toilets, open 09:00–18:30 every day, for small and bulky bags. Gothenburg Central has a staffed desk by the public toilets for bulky bags and skis. Both charge a fee that the station pages do not publish.
Airport lockers: Arlanda and Landvetter
Arlanda. Swedavia lists lockers in Terminal 2, Terminal 5 and SkyCity, in several sizes, some for golf bags and skis. In the terminals they stand before security, so use them before you pass through. The operator, Smarte Carte, takes card or app payment, allows up to 30 days, and runs a staffed left-luggage desk on level 1 of Terminal 5.
Many guides still send you to Terminal 4. It is no longer a separate terminal: Swedavia says it is now part of Terminal 5. The Arlanda Airport arrival guide has the full layout.
Landvetter. Lockers in several sizes stand inside the terminal, opposite the entrance to the Scandic hotel. They are rented only through your phone: you register your number via a QR code on site and pay the same way. Bring mobile data and a charged battery. See our Landvetter Airport guide for the rest of the terminal.
App-based storage: Bounce, Nannybag, Radical Storage
App networks let you book a shelf in a café, shop or hotel for a flat fee per bag per day. On our October 2026 check:
| Network | Swedish cities listed | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Bounce | Stockholm, Malmö | Book in app or online |
| Nannybag | Stockholm, Gothenburg | Book in app or online; priced per bag |
| Radical Storage | Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö | Book and pay online in advance |
They beat a locker on a full day and on bag size, because there is no box to fit. Coverage outside the three big cities is thin. Two cautions: check the partner shop’s own opening hours, not the app’s 24/7 support line, and book ahead in summer, when partners near the main stations fill up.
Ask your hotel first
Swedish hotels commonly hold guests’ bags if you arrive before check-in or leave the city later than check-out. It is a courtesy rather than a right, and any charge is the hotel’s policy — so ask at the desk when you check out, take a tag or receipt, and keep your passport and laptop with you. For most 11-to-18 gaps this is the cheapest answer. More on Swedish hotel routines in our Swedish hotels guide.
Time limits, overdue bags and what you may not store
Overdue bags. The Speed group’s published terms let the operator empty a locker without notice once the rental period has passed, charge handling and administrative fees, and dispose of the contents, pass them on or hand them to the authorities. If you are running late, ring the support number on the locker before the time runs out. If something does go missing, see lost property in Sweden.
What you may not store. The locker operator’s terms forbid:
- weapons and firearms
- narcotics and illegal substances
- explosives and dangerous materials
- stolen goods
- perishables
- living beings, pets included
Valuables are your risk. Speed Box caps its compensation for faults it causes at EUR 150. The app networks advertise bag protection, but Bounce excludes cash, jewellery, irreplaceable items, medicines and immigration documents, and Radical Storage refuses phones, tablets and laptops. Take your passport, laptop, medicine and cash out of the bag.
Mistakes to avoid
- Assuming card only. The big stations take card or coins. Card is still simplest — see paying by card in Sweden.
- Looking for lockers in Arlanda Terminal 4. Head for Terminal 5 or SkyCity.
- Paying by the hour for a whole day. A 7-hour gap at Stockholm Central costs the full 24-hour cap; compare your hotel or an app booking first.
- Expecting coins or a card slot at Landvetter. It is phone-only.
- Booking an app partner that closes before you return. Read the shop’s hours.
Practical information
| Stockholm Central + Cityterminalen | Gothenburg Central | Malmö Central | Arlanda | Landvetter | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Speed Box (via Jernhusen) | Speed Box (via Jernhusen) | Speed Box (via Jernhusen) | Smarte Carte | Rented via QR code |
| Payment | Card or coins | Card or coins | Card or coins | Card or app | Phone only |
| Max time | 7 days | 7 days | 7 days | 30 days | Check on site |
| 24-hour cap (small / large box) | 299 kr / 399 kr | 199 kr / 299 kr | 199 kr / 299 kr | Not reproduced — see operator | Not reproduced — shown at the lockers |
| Staffed storage | Lower hall, 09:00–18:30 daily | By the public toilets | — | Terminal 5, level 1 | — |
| Station hours listed | Mon–Fri 03:00–01:00; Sat 04:00–01:30; Sun 04:00–02:00 | 04:30–00:30 | Mon–Fri 04:40–24:00; Sat–Sun 06:00–24:00 | Airport | Airport |
Rates and hours checked 2026-10-01 on Jernhusen’s station pages; lockers are charged per started hour up to the cap. App networks charge a flat fee per bag per day, from a few euros depending on the partner.
FAQ
Where can I leave my luggage at Stockholm Central Station?
In code lockers in the lower and upper halls of Stockholm Central and on levels 1 and 2 of Cityterminalen, the bus station in the same complex; level 2 has boxes for skis and golf bags. Bulky bags can go to the staffed storage in the lower hall by the toilets, open 09:00–18:30 daily. The lockers close with the station at night.
Do Swedish station lockers take cash?
Yes, coins — at least at the three biggest stations. Jernhusen’s pages for Stockholm Central, Gothenburg Central and Malmö Central say the lockers take card or coins. Most visitors simply pay by card, and that is the safer plan. Arlanda’s lockers take card or app payment, and Landvetter’s are rented and paid only through your phone.
How long can I leave a bag in a locker?
Up to 7 days in the lockers at Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö Central, and up to 30 days in Smarte Carte’s lockers at Arlanda. You pay per started hour up to a daily cap at the stations. Collect within the limit: past it, the operator’s terms allow it to empty the locker, charge fees and dispose of the contents.
What happens if I can’t collect my bag in time?
Ring the number on the locker before the time runs out — the stations list a Speed Box support line. Once the rental period has passed, the operator’s published terms allow it to open and empty the locker without notice, charge handling fees, and dispose of the contents or hand them to the authorities. Do not count on getting a forgotten bag back.
Will my hotel keep my luggage after check-out?
Usually, yes. Swedish hotels commonly hold guests’ bags if you arrive before check-in or leave town later than check-out time. It is a courtesy rather than a right, and any charge is the hotel’s own policy, so ask at the desk, take a tag or receipt, and keep your passport and laptop with you.
Are luggage storage apps like Bounce available in Sweden?
Yes. On our October 2026 check Bounce listed partners in Stockholm and Malmö, Nannybag in Stockholm and Gothenburg, and Radical Storage in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö. You book in the app or online, pay a flat fee per bag per day, and drop the bag at a café, shop or hotel. Check that partner’s own opening hours.
Where are the luggage lockers at Arlanda Airport?
In Terminal 2, Terminal 5 and SkyCity, according to Swedavia; in the terminals they stand before security. Some take golf bags and skis, payment is by card or app, and the maximum rental is 30 days. Smarte Carte also runs a staffed left-luggage desk on level 1 of Terminal 5. Terminal 4 is now part of Terminal 5.
Related guides
- Arlanda Airport arrival guide — the terminal layout around those lockers.
- Getting from Arlanda to Stockholm — the train or coach that drops you at Central and Cityterminalen.
- Train travel in Sweden — the departure you are storing your bags for.
- 48 hours in Stockholm — a departure-day plan that works without a suitcase.
- Lost property in Sweden — if a bag goes missing.
Facts verified 2026-10-01. Sources: Jernhusen, Swedavia, Smarte Carte, Speed Box and the storage networks’ own pages — full register in this topic’s source file. Locker rates change: check them at the station on the day. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.