How do you get stuff to uni without a car?

[Unmute]

Ds is heading to uni in a couple of weeks. I'm going over on the train with him with a small suitcase each, and he had a friend lined up to drop some boxes off. It sounds like that plan might have fallen through so we're looking for a plan B.

The couriers I've found only take boxes up to 20ish kg, and I think ds's might be heavier (tbc once I replace the battery in my bathroom scales). I also can't quite figure out the logistics of getting boxes collected before we leave home, but not delivered until ds is ready for them.

Aside from the standard MN response (he's an adult, he should sort this out for himself), what other options do we have?

A big suitcase each? And he takes a rucksack too?

Or hire a van?

How much stuff does he need?

I used to cart an enormous rucksack back and forth as needed, on the train.

What's he actually got?
For first year they don't take all that much so a rucksack plus a bag should do it, then buy the pots n pans/duvet n pillows at a local supermarket or get them delivered to the uni address maybe even?

If he's taking so much stuff that you're looking at couriers etc. - would it not be cheaper to hire a car for a couple or days? (Assuming you drive)

A wheeled carry bag thing on the train and then send the extras via parcel force once you are back home and he is there
If there’s two of you on the train you can take a large rucksack each and a bag in each hand
its cheapest to use Parcel2Go

If you don't drive taxi could be an option if not too far

I went to uni by taxi. It was a black can style one and I went with 2 relatives to help with all the suitcases and boxes. They then were taken home the same day by the same cab, the driver hung around for a couple of hours before the return trip. All booked in advance and price agreed obviously. I only went about 150 miles so was doable. May be harder if further.

Hire a car or get a man with a van to drive it up ?

Ask a friend or relative for a lift?

I can't drive or I'd hire a car.

He has WAY too much stuff. It's two big boxes (they each had 48 rolls of toilet paper in them originally). But he did all the planning and shopping so I don't really want to make him leave any of it behind (and I don't want it cluttering up my house).

Maybe he could repack into smaller boxes and I could send them when he needs them?

I will check out taxis/vans. It's Glasgow to Edinburgh so not far at all.

Edited to add: The two big boxes are in addition to two suitcases full of clothes and "essentials" that we'll take on the train.

Pack multiple smaller boxes so they weigh under 20kg, and either pay longer for delivery (they'll stop and have a break on the way) or he goes first and you follow an hour or so later so he's there for them arriving and you're there for them leaving

Man and van if it’s not far?

Can you put a plea on your local Facebook page ?

If you offer to help with petrol might it appeal to someone who is doing the journey anyway.

Couldn’t you get a courier from eg anyvan.com to take the boxes?

Do you know anyone you can ask a favour of and drive you up and back? If you pay the car hire? It would be much cheaper than the courier option

Use a service like this: https://www.mybaggage.com/l/student?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PPC&utm_campaign=StudentsUK&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItv_I1Pr_gAMVyOvtCh1kgAhdEAAYAiAAEgJFgPD_BwE

There are alternatives if you Google too.

Glasgow to Edinburgh you can do several back and forth trips with large rucksacks in a day. Depends how far up the Edinburgh hills the halls are.

If it's not far you'd probably find a 'man with a van ' style offering on your local Facebook groups that would drop them over

Friend of dd's used UberXL!

https://student-movers.co.uk/

o on to the student room and see if there is anyone else doing the same journey to split the cost

I’d be asking on a local fb group or on the Edinburgh uni students fb group if anyone is going from Glasgow to Edinburgh and could they give your ds/you and some stuff a lift. Then the other one go on the train. I see messages like this all the time on my uni fb group.

Big wheeled suitcase for clothes and personal stuff.

Online delivery for everything else from Amazon/Supermarket/Argos when he's there.

It's only between Glasgow & Edinburgh so he can just go back & forward a few times surely.

I used these people who specialise in moving bags to and from uni - they were excellent. https://www.sendmybag.com/en-gb/