Should I bring a suitcase or backpack for Erasmus?

For most Erasmus students, a suitcase is more practical -- especially if you're staying in one city. A backpack only makes sense if you're planning to travel after your semester ends. Four months in Barcelona with a fixed flat? Suitcase. No debate.

How much study abroad luggage do I need for a semester?

In my experience, a 65 to 75 liter suitcase covers 3 to 6 months comfortably. Pack clothes for about two weeks -- you'll have laundry access. What most people don't account for: you will buy things while you're there. Leave space for that.

What is the Ryanair-ESN deal for Erasmus students?

ESNcard holders get a free 20kg checked bag per flight and 10% off up to 4 flights on Ryanair. Book through ryanair.com. Valid through June 2026.

Should I bring toiletries or buy them abroad?

Spain and Italy don't have drugstore chains like Germany's dm or Rossmann. Bring your favorites from home. In France and Scandinavia, options are comparable to what you'd find in Germany.

How do I save space when packing for Erasmus?

Compression bags for winter clothes, packing cubes for the rest. Clothes for two weeks, not six months. Books go digital. *Last updated: June 2026*

Erasmus Packing List: Suitcase Tips Abroad

Three bags, 38 kilos, two aching arms. That's how I showed up for my Erasmus semester in Barcelona. Half of it never left the suitcase.

According to DAAD Erasmus+ data, over 44,800 German students go abroad each year through Erasmus. And I'd bet most of them overpack. If you're staring at an open suitcase right now with your semester abroad packing list still empty, here's what I wish someone had told me.

Suitcase or Backpack for a Semester Abroad?

Planning to travel after your semester? Go with a backpack.
Staying mostly in one city for four months? Take a suitcase.

That's honestly the only question that matters. For most Erasmus students, a suitcase like the Samsonite S'Cure Spinner L Hartschalenkoffer, 75 cm, 102 L, Schwarz makes more sense. More volume, easier to roll through airports, and your back will thank you after lugging it up apartment stairs. If you're on the fence about the backpack route, take a look at what backpack travel through Europe actually looks like before you decide.

For 3 to 6 months, a 65 to 75 liter suitcase does the job. You've got a washing machine. You don't need your entire wardrobe.

Samsonite S'Cure Spinner L Hartschalenkoffer, 75 cm, 102 L, Schwarz

4.6 (19,922)

EUR 128.9 Amazon

Airline Rules for Popular Erasmus Routes

Erasmus baggage costs catch a lot of students off guard. Ryanair only allows 55x40x20cm cabin bags (way less depth than easyJet at 25cm), while Eurowings allows 55x40x23cm. Booking the cheapest flight without checking baggage fees is a mistake that costs you at the gate. For the full breakdown of rules, fees, and how to avoid that 70-euro charge, check our complete Ryanair baggage guide.

Here's the tip I never found on any packing list: the Ryanair-ESN partnership gives ESNcard holders a free 20kg checked bag per flight, plus 10% off fares. That's up to 80 euros saved on a return trip. Book it directly through ryanair.com with your ESNcard. Valid through June 2026.

Right, baggage rules sorted. Now let's talk about what actually goes inside.

What to Bring vs. Buy Locally

For your semester abroad packing list: documents, medication, and electronics always come with you. Clothes? Two weeks' worth, tops. You'll shop there. Almost everything is available.

Here's the catch: Spain has no equivalent to German drugstores like dm or Rossmann. As studieren-weltweit.de notes from direct experience, toiletries and pharmacy prices are significantly higher there. Stock up on your favorites before you leave. In France and Scandinavia, options are comparable. If you don't have a packing template yet, our universal city trip packing list (Coming Soon) is a solid starting point.

Books? Leave them. Go digital or ship them via DHL for about 22 euros.

Three Tricks for a Lighter Erasmus Packing List

Compression bags for winter clothes. Pack a thick jumper in, squeeze the air out and it's suddenly flat as a t-shirt. Amazon Basics Vakuum-Kompressionsbeutel mit Handpumpe, X-Jumbo, 4er Pack cut the volume of anything fluffy by about half. Looks ridiculous. Works. For packing the rest of the suitcase efficiently, our professional packing tips (Coming Soon) cover 15 tricks for getting the most out of every centimeter.

Leave 2 to 3 kilos of buffer space. You will come back with more than you left with. I'd bet on it. A foldable travel bag (Coming Soon) like the Flintronic 35L Faltbare Reisetasche, Weekender Sporttasche Wasserdicht für Herren Damen packs flat into any corner of your suitcase and rescues your return flight. Add BAGAIL 8-teilige Packwürfel Set, Kofferorganizer Packtaschen für Reisen und Urlaub for the rest of the organization.

Pack less than you think you need. You don't need five pairs of jeans for a semester in Lisbon. Clothes for two weeks, laundry on site.

Packing less isn't a sacrifice. It's freedom. The right suitcase for your semester abroad is the one that leaves room to grow -- not the one that slows you down at boarding.

Any questions? The most common ones are below.