Weighing bags

7 Apr 2008 OffToSeeTheWorld said

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• 7 Apr 2008 sehohner said

  

  hey, im kinda worried about the weight restriction on the luggage as well. I was wondering if the 40 pound limit is only just for starting out? I know they weigh your main suitcase before you get on the bus, but do they weigh it as you go and when you get on your plane coming home? Because if you are only allowed 40 pounds of luggage for the entire trip then you can basically pack nothing, right? Most people buy things along the way but how can they pack them and take them along when the weight restriction is 40 pounds? I would like to get some souvenirs for my family and friends, so I would be really appreciative if someone could clear this up for me! Thanks!

  hey, im kinda worried about the weight restriction on the luggage as well. I was wondering if the 40 pound limit is only just for starting out? I know they weigh your main suitcase before you get on the bus, but do they weigh it as you go and when you get on your plane coming home? Because if you are only allowed 40 pounds of luggage for the entire trip then you can basically pack nothing, right? Most people buy things along the way but how can they pack them and take them along when the weight restriction is 40 pounds? I would like to get some souvenirs for my family and friends, so I would be really appreciative if someone could clear this up for me! Thanks! or Cancel
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• 9 Apr 2008 megfoster said

  

  They only weigh your actual suitcase and only at the beginning of the trip. They are really strict about it though, they’ll make you throw stuff away or store it until you get back. Just weigh your bag before you go and you’ll be fine. I’m typically an over packer and I did just fine with my one bag for 24 days. Make sure that your luggage itself is lightweight, because some of it can be pretty heavy when it’s empty. Be careful of packing too many heavy things like shoes.
  As for your day bag (which you are free to leave on the bus during excursions) use a good sized tote or backpack. People on our tour also ended up having bags of souvenirs that they left on the bus. Oh, and you can still have a purse.
  The 40 pound limit will also help you out in the end, because don’t forget you will be the one hauling all of your own crap around Europe and it gets heavier every day. Plus a lot of the hotels have like only one elevator and you end up trucking up the stairs!

  They only weigh your actual suitcase and only at the beginning of the trip. They are really strict about it though, they'll make you throw stuff away or store it until you get back. Just weigh your bag before you go and you'll be fine. I'm typically an over packer and I did just fine with my one bag for 24 days. Make sure that your luggage itself is lightweight, because some of it can be pretty heavy when it's empty. Be careful of packing too many heavy things like shoes.<BR>As for your day bag (which you are free to leave on the bus during excursions) use a good sized tote or backpack. People on our tour also ended up having bags of souvenirs that they left on the bus. Oh, and you can still have a purse.<BR>The 40 pound limit will also help you out in the end, because don't forget you will be the one hauling all of your own crap around Europe and it gets heavier every day. Plus a lot of the hotels have like only one elevator and you end up trucking up the stairs! or Cancel
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• 25 Apr 2008 Orual42 said

  

  Lol… I kept hearing all this 20 kg information and started getting nervous – I’ll be in Europe for more than 7 weeks before Contiki!
  
  See, I was thinking that 1 kg = .6 lbs… but since it’s more like 2.2, with a total of 44 lbs of space… that sounds like more than enough for my needs. <!--graemlin::)-->

  Lol... I kept hearing all this 20 kg information and started getting nervous - I'll be in Europe for more than 7 weeks before Contiki!<BR><BR>See, I was thinking that 1 kg = .6 lbs... but since it's more like 2.2, with a total of 44 lbs of space... that sounds like more than enough for my needs. <img src="http://connect.contiki.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt="Smiler" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin::)--> or Cancel
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• 26 Apr 2008 Ang said

  

  BEST ADVICE I WAS GIVEN: PACK LIGHT!!
  While it’s true they only weigh your suitcase at the start of the tour, about halfway through our tour the TM and driver got a bit narky about how heavy some peoples cases suddenly were, and how much they had expanded. Fair enough, because they have to try and fit 53 suitcases/backpacks under the bus, and lifting them all would not be fun. So if you’re planning on buying stuff, start light. I spent 11 weeks in europe in the middle of winter with two pairs of boots (hiking and flat black knee-highs…+ a pair of thongs/jandals/pluggers), and I was fine. Much research has been done on the most useless items carted around europe, and “a nice pair of going out shoes” tops the list almost every time :-)

  BEST ADVICE I WAS GIVEN: PACK LIGHT!!<BR>While it's true they only weigh your suitcase at the start of the tour, about halfway through our tour the TM and driver got a bit narky about how heavy some peoples cases suddenly were, and how much they had expanded. Fair enough, because they have to try and fit 53 suitcases/backpacks under the bus, and lifting them all would not be fun. So if you're planning on buying stuff, start light. I spent 11 weeks in europe in the middle of winter with two pairs of boots (hiking and flat black knee-highs...+ a pair of thongs/jandals/pluggers), and I was fine. Much research has been done on the most useless items carted around europe, and "a nice pair of going out shoes" tops the list almost every time :-) or Cancel
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