Luggage transfer
Luggage transfer on the GR20
No bag transfer exists on the GR20; you carry everything, and support is limited to storage and drops at a handful of road crossings.
The practical options are storage and shuttling, not delivery. Hotels in Calvi, Calenzana, Corte, Vizzavona and Porto-Vecchio will hold a suitcase while you walk, usually for a small daily charge and often free for guests. Corsican taxi firms move bags and people between the few road points on the route, which is what walkers splitting the traverse into two halves actually use. The refuges themselves are resupplied on foot, by mule and by helicopter drop early in the season. Nothing arrives at a refuge because you asked for it.
Before or after the walk
Tours and visits in Ajaccio · Calvi
A few well-rated options near GR20, for the rest days either side of the trail. Prices are the provider’s current starting price.
Affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes our stage, distance or luggage information. (Civitatis) How the project is funded
The route explains itself the moment you look at a map. It follows the granite spine of the island from Calenzana in the Balagne to Conca above the eastern coast, mostly above 1,500 m, crossing the watershed repeatedly. Roads touch it at Haut Asco on the D147, Castel di Vergio on the D84, Vizzavona on the N193 with its railway station, the bergeries at Capanelle above Ghisoni, and Col de Bavella on the D268. Between those points there is nothing wider than a mule track, which is also why Vizzavona is the natural split between the harder north and the gentler south.
So the pack is the trip. Most people carry eight to twelve kilos: a sleeping bag, since refuges provide a mattress and nothing else, food for the stretches between refuge shops, at least two litres of water on the dry southern stages, a head torch, sun protection and enough warm and waterproof clothing for a storm at 2,000 m. Anyone camping adds a tent and a stove. Every extra kilo is felt directly here, because the ground is slabs, boulders and chains rather than paths, and hands are needed on several sections.
Booking follows a fixed rhythm. Refuge and bivouac places are reserved through the park authority that manages the route, with the system opening in spring for a season that runs roughly mid-June to late September, and the popular northern refuges filling quickly. Storage is arranged directly with your hotel at the start or finish. Taxis need a day or more of notice in July and August. If you abandon partway, which a fair number do, Vizzavona is the dependable exit: a train station on the Bastia to Ajaccio line, in the middle of the route.
What it costs
Left luggage at a hotel typically costs €5 to €10 per bag per day and is often waived for guests. A taxi between road points on the route can run anywhere from €60 to €150, depending on distance and how remote the pick-up is. Corsican summer pricing is seasonal and should be confirmed by phone before you rely on it.
Which stages work
No section supports daily transfer. Vehicles reach the route at Calenzana, Haut Asco, Castel di Vergio, Vizzavona, Capanelle and Col de Bavella, plus the finish at Conca. Ortu di u Piobbu, Carrozzu, Tighjettu, Manganu, Petra Piana, Onda, Usciolu and Asinau are reached on foot alone.
Frequently asked
Is there really no bag service on the GR20?
None between refuges, because there are no roads to them. Companies advertising a supported GR20 are either moving bags between the few road crossings for a split itinerary, or running a lowland variant such as the Mare a Mare, which is a different and far easier route across the island.
Where can I leave a suitcase while I walk?
Hotels in Calvi and Calenzana at the northern end, and in Porto-Vecchio or Conca at the southern end, generally hold luggage. Since the route is a traverse and not a loop, most walkers forward a case to their final hotel or leave it at the airport town they fly out of, then collect it after finishing.
Can I resupply partway instead of carrying all my food?
Yes, and almost everyone does. Most refuges sell basic provisions at mountain prices, and Haut Asco, Castel di Vergio, Vizzavona, Capanelle and Bavella have shops or bars where you can restock properly. Planning around those five points is the standard way to keep the pack under ten kilos on the long northern stages.
Do I need a sleeping bag and a tent?
A sleeping bag is essential: refuges provide a mattress and blanket provision is not guaranteed, and nights above 1,500 m are cold even in August. A tent is optional. Bivouac pitches beside the refuges are cheaper and always available, whereas indoor places sell out, so many walkers carry a light tent as insurance.
Check your route
Each trail guide states plainly how transfer works on that route.