Every September it's the same story: half a household has to cross Europe to move into a student flat, and the airline wants to charge you for every kilo as if it were gold. There's an alternative that Erasmus veterans already know: the suitcase travels on its own by courier and you fly with a backpack.
Why it pays off, especially in September
The low-cost ticket without baggage is cheap; the checked-bag supplement isn't — and excess at the desk even less so. The numbers are here, but the short version is that shipping the suitcase usually beats checking it, with two extra advantages that matter on a move for term: it can leave before you do (you arrive and your clothes are already there) and it doesn't tie you to one flight or one suitcase.
The timeline that works
Ask for a price with a week's margin over your flight. We collect at your home —in Barcelona, usually the same day you ask— and the suitcase travels with tracking to your flat or halls. Within Europe you're talking days, not weeks; we'll tell you the exact transit time for your city when we quote. Veteran's tip: send the seasonal clothes and the bulky stuff (duvet, coat, boots) and fly with just the first week's worth.
What shouldn't go inside
Laptop and power bank, with you on the plane — batteries are what causes the most trouble in cargo (the full list is here). Enrolment papers and passport, always with you. And the jamón for homesickness: it depends on the country, ask us before you pack it.
The return: the same trip, backwards
In June the problem repeats itself with a year's more stuff accumulated. The service works the same in the opposite direction — we collect at your flat over there and deliver to your home — and there's the option of a return trip arranged from the start. If what you've accumulated no longer fits in suitcases, you may want the comparison between international removals and shipping boxes.
For your specific case —city, dates, weight— ask for the closed price: on WhatsApp you'll have it in under two hours.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should I ship my suitcase for Erasmus?
A week's margin over your flight is plenty. We collect at your home —in Barcelona, usually the same day you ask— and within Europe transit is counted in days, not weeks. We'll tell you the exact time for your city when we quote, so if you're cutting it fine, ask before you buy the ticket.
Can the suitcase arrive before I do?
Yes, and it's one of the reasons it pays off: it can leave before you and be waiting at the flat or halls. It saves you the first day of dragging suitcases around a city you don't know yet.
Can I ship my laptop in the Erasmus suitcase?
Better not. Batteries are what causes the most trouble in cargo, and besides, a laptop is your work tool for the year: it flies with you, along with the power bank, the enrolment papers and the passport. What is worth sending is the bulky stuff — duvet, coat, boots and seasonal clothes.
And on the way back, in June?
The service works the same in the opposite direction: we collect at your flat over there and deliver to your home. And if you know from the start, there's the option of arranging the return trip in one go. If what you've accumulated over the year no longer fits in suitcases, that's a different conversation and worth looking at box shipping.
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