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Best Portable Clothes Line for Travel: Hang Laundry Anywhere

Packing , Packing Tips

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When you’re on the road, keeping your clothes clean and dry is a must! But if you won’t have access to a dryer, an indoor clothesline is the perfect solution. Take a look at these reader-recommended options!

Best Travel Clothesline

Table of contents.

Washing and drying clothing throughout your travels can be a bit tricky, especially if you’ll be camping or if your accommodation doesn’t have a dryer. 

This is why some readers opt for a travel clothesline. The best portable clothesline for travel will stay compact in your luggage and always allow you to have fresh and dry clothing for the next day’s adventure. Plus, they’re environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and will allow you to pack less!

Readers helped us round up the best options that’ll make your next trip a breeze!

Best Retractable Clothes Line

Sea to Summit Lite Line Travel Clothesline

Sea to Summit Portable Collapsible Clothesline

This Sea to Summit Lite Line camping and travel clothesline features a unique beaded design to secure your items, keeping things ultra-compact and streamlined. At 11.5 feet, there’s plenty of space for drying multiple pieces at the same time, plus it’s adjustable and super easy to set up. To top it off, this handy little item packs into its own teeny neoprene pouch and weighs less than an ounce! 

A user shares, “Used this Sea to Summit travel clothesline on an extended Europe trip, and it worked great! I’ve also used it to dry swimsuits in the shower rather than leaving them to drip on the hotel bathroom floor. The cord is long enough to easily find a place to hook it up, and the beaded clamps work great. It now lives in my travel kit!”

Looking for a comprehensive packing list for your next travel? Check out our directory here !

Nasdom Travel Clothesline

Nasdom Outside or Inside Clothesline  

Ultra-stable and secure, you can load this extendable clothesline from Nasdom with jeans , wet travel towels , and more! It’s easy to set up with two carabiner hooks that are able to attach to just about anything, and its clothespins will stay in place with windproof clips. Not only that but this 13-foot portable clothesline outdoor and indoor option packs small and weighs next to nothing! 

A traveler says, “I bought this portable washing line ‘in case,’ and it ended up being one of the handiest items for my trip. I traveled to a foreign country where I discovered there was no place to hang wet towels. I also had to rinse out and hang up clothes to dry. Sturdy and flexible – so glad I had it! Made the trip so much easier.” 

Check out a few airplane outfit ideas to feel relaxed but still look chic when traveling!

Hongyutai Retractable Portable Clothesline

Hongyutai Pull Out Clothesline

This retractable clothesline indoor and outdoor option has fun, colorful clips that are strong yet gentle on clothes, as well as anti-skid clips to ensure everything stays in place — even on a windy day. With two stainless steel hooks on each end for easy attachment, you can hook it up anywhere from trees to tents to balconies to radiators! 

These portable clothes lines extend to 6 feet, so they’re ideal for a smaller amount of items, but travelers confirm that they can definitely handle some weight. 

A reader who has this travel clothesline with clips shares, “I used this while traveling for 3 weeks in Scotland and Ireland . The 3 Airbnbs we stayed in had washing machines but not dryers. It worked great and held lots of clothes!” 

If you’re wondering how to choose the right travel luggage , we’ve put together a helpful guide to get you started!

Aikesiway Retractable Clothesline

Aikesiway Indoor and Outdoor Retractable Clothesline

Amazingly weightless and easy to store, this clothes line retractable pick is the perfect option for drying your lighter pieces like socks , intimates, and bathing suits . The length is 6 feet but can be stretched up to 14 feet, with both clips and adjustable stoppers to hold your things. Travelers use this portable clothesline for outside and inside stays, camping trips, cruises, and everything in between! 

One user raves, “Most used travel accessory! Whether hanging swimwear, wet towels, laundry, or connecting it to a bed frame to hang a privacy curtain, it was my most valuable and versatile travel item. It’s very durable. I’ve been using it for over 2 years now, and it still works as well as it did on day one!”

CenYouful Portable Travel Clothesline Cord

CenYouful Retractable Washing Line

Camping enthusiasts will love this CenYouful retractable clothesline outdoor or indoor option , which comes in a highly compact and convenient design that takes up a tiny amount of space in your backpack. Its adjustable length extends up to a whopping 26 feet, plus it can totally hold your heavier items. It comes with 20 sturdy clips for hanging your things, and the two carabiner clips make it easy to attach to whatever stationary objects are available! 

A user reports, “Great retractable clothing line for travel and camping. We used this while camping for drying towels, and it worked great! The clips kept things from blowing off and you can make your line as long or short as you want. I would recommend this to anyone!” 

Check out our list of the best toiletry bags . Which will be the best bag for you?

CenYouful Windproof Clothes Line

CenYouful Clothes Hanging Line

A minimalist option for those who want to keep it simple, this CenYouful cotton rope foldable clothesline offers the utmost durability. This might just be the longest option out there, too, extending up to 32.8 feet, but it’ll loop down into a tiny size that can fit into any pocket or corner of your bag! Carabiner clips at either end allow for length adjustments and easy fastening to objects, plus this portable clotheslines is as light as can be. 

One user shares, “What a gem for traveling. This little gadget saved my 70-day trip! I was able to set it up and hang my laundry easily. Highly recommend it and will not travel without it!”

Going In Style Travel Laundry Clothesline

Going In Style Outdoor or Indoor Laundry Line

These Going in Style small clothes lines are a flexible and super high-quality pick that’s a bit on the shorter side, so it’s ideal for the solo traveler or for drying smaller items like bathing suits. Its rubber-braided design means you can either drape your clothing over it or tuck the ends of your clothing inside the braids with no extra clothespins needed! This indoor drying line has two end loops and an additional carabiner clip which gives you plenty of hanging options, and it comes with a handy pouch for storing when it’s not in use. 

A traveler says, “This portable clothing line worked in every hotel bathroom during a month-long trip to Egypt . It was very easy to push clothes between the strands of the line, and even heavier trousers held snug. A very useful item to take on a long trip. I traveled with this and two thin plastic hangers and easily dried all the clothes I washed.” 

Here are a few tricks on how to pack for unpredictable weather !

B&Y Adjustable Travel Clothesline

B&Y Retractable Clotheslines

Sturdy metal hooks and an elastic rope make this B&Y travel clothesline for hotel rooms adjustable, adaptable to any location, and incredibly convenient all around! It comes with stainless steel clothespins that are gentle on your clothes, as well as anti-slip clips to combat the wind. Whether using it on a camping trip or in a hotel, you’ll have up to 11 feet of drying space in an instant that’ll hold up amazingly well, won’t rust, and weigh less than half a pound! 

A fan shares, “Best portable laundry line ! Brought it on a cruise and placed it outside on our balcony. Each day after our swimwear was washed, we hung it out, and by the next morning, they were dry. So convenient, and it will travel with us wherever we go on holiday!” 

Portable Retractable Laundry Line Comparison Chart

What do you think are the best portable indoor clothesline and portable outdoor clotheslines ? Share with us in the comments!

For more laundry tips while traveling, please read:

• How to Pack Dirty Laundry While Traveling
• How to do Laundry while Traveling – 3 Options!
• Best Travel Laundry Detergent for Washing Clothes
• Best Wrinkle Release Spray to Smooth Out Clothing

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Hi Everyone, Simpler and cheaper to just make your own!! I used a thinner , but strong version of paracord, with the small metal clips!!! Much lighter and takes up less room too! Connie

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The 5 Best Travel Clotheslines in 2024 [Portable, Adjustable]

Amar Hussain

Senior Content Contributor

779 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 63 U.S. States Visited: 9

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

34 Published Articles 3151 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 47 U.S. States Visited: 28

Things To Consider When Buying a Travel Clothesline

1. clothesline travel gadget for outdoor and indoor use, 2. lightweight camping and travel clothesline, 3. adjustable 26-foot camping clothesline, 4. convenient and compact option, 5. windproof clothesline with clamps, final thoughts.

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We can all agree that keeping your clothes clean while traveling is important. Whether you’re traveling across the continent or simply want to enjoy a couple of days camping in nature, personal hygiene dictates that your clothes should be clean and dry. However, this can be easier said than done when you’re away from home.

Luckily, the best clotheslines on the market make the process of drying your clothes much easier. In that light, let’s take a look at some of the best travel clotheslines available.

Before we review the best clotheslines out there, let’s highlight the most important aspects to consider when buying one. If you need a clothesline for travel, here’s what you should keep in mind:

Possibly the most important thing to know about any clothesline is the length of the cable. You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you’re short a couple of inches so your clothes can’t dry properly.

We strongly suggest getting a clothesline that’s approximately 10 feet long . This is especially important if you want to dry more than 1 item at a time.

Bottom Line: Besides the length, keep in mind the thickness of the clothesline. After all, you will be packing it in your luggage, so you don’t want to use valuable space on a clothesline that’s too wide.

When it comes to materials, there are a lot of choices on the market. That’s why it’s important to know which one is best suited to your needs. Most travel clotheslines are made from stainless steel, nylon, or cotton . However, there are some plastic clotheslines that work just as well as the other 2.

Durability and Weight

Durability is an important factor when it comes to choosing a good clothesline. If you plan on drying more than 1 item at a time, you will need a strong clothesline to support all those wet clothes.

Durable clotheslines are usually heavier and offer more support and an easier setup. Stainless steel clotheslines with a plastic coating tend to be the most durable but are heavier. By choosing something sturdy, you will have a clothesline that won’t falter after 3 or 4 uses.

Additional Features

Given that a clothesline is a pretty straightforward product, it’s always nice to find one with some additional features. Namely, some clotheslines come with clips, while others are equipped with steel hooks.

Also, if you want the utmost security and durability, consider getting a clothesline that is made out of stainless steel and covered in plastic.

The 5 Best Travel Clotheslines

Now that we’ve covered the most crucial features to look for in a clothesline let’s take a look at some specific options. Here are our top picks for travel clotheslines.

HAWATOUR Portable Retractable Travel Clothesline

When it comes to convenience and overall performance while traveling, this portable elastic clothesline is a great choice. This clothesline is made of rust-retardant stainless steel , ensuring maximum durability. You never need to worry about this one wearing down.

Apart from durability, this clothesline is equipped with black clips and stainless-steel hooks for easy setup. In addition, the elastic rope that can stretch up to 10 feet is perfectly capable of holding more than 5 pieces of clothing without a problem.

Best of all, this clothesline has multifunctionality and can be used while camping, in a hotel room, or even in your backyard. All in all, this is an excellent clothesline with a simple design and lots of features.

What We Like

• Made out of durable materials

What We Don’t Like

• Bulky and heavy

Sea to Summit Lite Line Clothesline

If you’re looking for a lightweight yet durable clothesline, Sea to Summit’s option is definitely a top pick. This clothesline is designed for travel, weighing only 1.3 ounces, and is so easy to pack and carry on any adventure . It’s also quite simple to set up and use anywhere — you just need a place to attach the hooks, and you’re good to go.

The specially designed sliding rubber beads secure your clothes and towels, removing the need for clips and allowing for compact storage. This is especially convenient for those who want to dry multiple items at the same time. Furthermore, the clothesline is extremely durable since it’s made out of high-grade materials such as stainless steel and rubber.

Lastly, the rope provides up to 11.5 feet of hanging space. And it’s important to mention that the cord has a reflective feature that ensures night visibility, making it a good option for camping or hiking.

• Lightweight design that’s easy to pack and carry
• The cord can tangle

CenYouful Portable Travel Clothesline Cord

CenYouful’s travel clothesline is yet another affordable option with great features. Not only is it designed to provide maximum support, but it’s also a really convenient item to bring on any adventure.

The first remarkable feature of this clothesline is the durable rope that’s made out of high-quality nylon material. It is nonslip and waterproof , which are welcome features when you want to dry towels or other heavy pieces of cloth.

In terms of length, this clothesline is able to extend up to 26 feet, which is more than enough for anyone’s needs. Also, the retractable cord enables you to easily extend the rope to any desired length. It’s easy to set up with 2 hooks that are able to attach to just about anything.

• 26-foot cord length
• The rolling mechanism doesn’t have a crank arm

Coghlan’s Bungee Clothesline

As one of the leaders in camping equipment, Coghlan has done a wonderful job creating this amazing clothesline. To start with, it is a very convenient and compact clothesline that allows for easy packing. It folds up into a small bundle that will fit into any pocket or corner of your backpack.

In addition, this clothesline is made out of high-quality materials, including 2 durable hooks and a plastic rope. The rope is elastic and waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about getting it soaked . On top of that, you can hang quite a lot on this clothesline as it is stable and secure with the proper setup.

This clothesline is perfect for outdoor use, and especially for hiking and camping, thanks to the durable materials.

• The convenient design
• It feels heavy

Dagongren 2 Pack Clothesline

If you‘re an outdoors enthusiast, then this clothesline is your best bet. It’s made out of superstrong material that ensures maximum durability and flexibility. The rope comes with 12 colorful clamps, making it easier to dry your clothes without fear of losing your knickers to a stiff breeze.

When packed, this clothesline doesn’t take up much space, which makes it perfect for traveling. It’s easy to set up with the help of 2 hooks. The cord extends up to 9 feet.

All in all, this is one really convenient clothesline. Even better, this clothesline is affordable, so it doesn’t require a huge investment.

• Colorful clamps for high winds
• Can require a bit more time to setup

In light of everything we’ve discussed, it’s easy to conclude that traveling without a clothesline is not always a good idea. This unique product won’t take up much space in your luggage and can be a lifesaver when you have to wash your clothes by hand.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of rope is best for clotheslines.

There are a lot of factors that determine the quality of the rope. However, possibly the best material for clotheslines is either cotton or polyethylene.

Do clotheslines need to be placed in the sun?

If you want your clothes to dry faster, then yes! However, a good clothesline will dry your clothes both indoors and outdoors.

What is the best clothesline to buy?

There are lots of options on the market, but going with any of the reliable brands on our list is wise.

Where is the best place to put a clothesline?

Look for direct sunlight exposure and a secure place to anchor it. Make sure it is secured properly, so you don’t have to pick your clothes up from the ground.

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About Amar Hussain

Amar is an avid traveler and tester of products. He has spent the last 13 years traveling all 7 continents and has put the products to the test on each of them. He has contributed to publications including Forbes, the Huffington Post, and more.

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Best Travel Clothesline 2022

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What’s the best travel clothesline?

Best clothesline for traveling and backpacking? Do you even need a clothesline for travel? If you are planning to wash your clothes on the road, something more than just your underwear, and more than just a couple of times, then the answer is yes. You most likely will need a clothesline, or at least a bungee cord that you can use as a clothesline.

Scroll down to see what are the best options out there.

Click here to see our favorite on Amazon now!

Table of Contents

Best Travel Clothesline

What are the options? And which one to choose?

Which one is the best clothesline for travelers right now?

Quick Answer:

BEST TRAVEL CLOTHESLINE – HAWATOUR Portable Travel Clothesline

BEST PORTABLE CLOTHESLINE FOR CAMPING – Coghlan’s Bungee Clothesline

The cheapest option? If you have a bungee cord, you can use it as a clothesline.

1. HAWATOUR Portable Travel Clothesline (click for more details)

An elastic travelers clothesline with clothespins.

Overall the best travel clothesline, our favorite.

It’s simple. It’s easy to use. And it’s just so much better for traveling than most of clotheslines. Because it’s made with travelers in mind. Take for example, the clothespins. You don’t have carry your own clothespins. There are “built-in” ones. They are tight. And they don’t slide. There are special clips for that purpose.

Thanks to its hooks the clothesline itself is very easy to set up, versatile and will hold on very well. It’s built to survive more than a single trip.

The line is made from stainless steel.

MAX LENGTH: 10 ft / 3 meters

2. Lewis N. Clark Adjustable Latex Clothesline (click for more details)

A versatile, adjustable travel washing line.

Thanks to its triple-braid design you can hang your clothes without using clothespins. You simply hang your clothes between the cords. Unlike many others you can attach the Lewis N. Clark clotheslines in several ways – either using the straps or the suction cups.

It’s lightweight, very durable, and made of latex.

Comes with a storage pouch, suction cups and a carabiner.

MAX LENGTH: 6 ft / 1.8 meters

3. Coghlan’s Bungee Clothesline (click for more details)

A simple, portable outdoor clothesline.

You can use it as a camping clothesline or at home in the yard.

Just like the Lewis N. Clark clotheslines you can use this one without any clothespins. Just hang your clothes between the cords. Easier for you and no need to worry about clothespins. The only downside is that not everyone likes to hang their clothes this way. It takes some time to get used to it.

4. EverSport Clothesline (click for more details)

An adjustable, windproof clothesline (2-pack).

Thanks to its design, it’s very easy to adjust the length of this line, plus – because of the same reason it’s very lightweight (only 2 oz), and the wind is going through it. Use it at home, in your bathroom, on your balcony or while traveling and camping. Hang your clothes using hangers or clothespins (not included).

MAX LENGTH: 16.4 ft / 5 meters

5. Travelon Travel Clothes Line (click for more details)

A compact, portable clothesline for travel.

Just like many travel clotheslines you can use this one without any clothespins. Just hang your clothes between its cords.

The line features large suction cups, used to secure it to the walls or tiles. If you would like to use it while camping, or if there’s no walls to secure it to, you can easily remove the suction cups and use the carabiner/hook. Or don’t remove them, as the carabiner is big enough to use it with them on.

6. Sun & Sheets Compact Adjustable Travel Bungee Clothesline (click for more details)

An adjustable, portable clothesline for camping or travel.

This portable clothes line is durable, colorfast, and with it you can secure your clothes without clips or pins. Thanks to the fact that it’s colorfast, you don’t have worry about the color bleeding into your clothes.

Attach it to anything from door knobs to trees.

Washing Your Clothes While Traveling

Washing your clothes while traveling and backpacking is easy.

Even if there’s no laundry service or laundromat.

Just bring a travel laundry soap bar, learn how to do it and wash your clothes by hand. If you are like me, and you want to travel with as few possessions as possible, I have a good news for you. Many of the best soaps for camping , and also biodegradable shampoos made for hiking are multi-purpose.

You can use them also to wash your clothes.

One bottle. One solution. Multiple uses.

No more excuses not wash your clothes on the road.

Why Do You Need a Travel Clothesline?

Well, you actually don’t. It’s not a 100% must-have accessory.

There are a number of ways how to dry your clothes. You can hang them on chairs, balcony railing, branches. But is safe? Are those objects clean? For some of you it won’t matter at all, for others it may end up being a constant worry. So, at least for the latter, a travel clothesline is a nice thing to have.

A travel clothesline makes things easier for you.

You hang your clothes just about anywhere. Yes, even in your hotel room. Yes, in front of your cabin in the woods or in your trailer. With a travel clothesline, you always have a special designated place where to dry your clothes safely. They won’t fall from the balcony or won’t get dirt and rust from it.

You don’t have to look for a place in your guesthouse for drying clothes anymore. You don’t have to look for a washer and dryer anymore, since now you can take care of your laundry at your hotel room.

What Are the Alternatives?

What if you don’t want or can’t get a clothesline?

Of course, you can use just any rope you can get your hands on.

If you are in a hotel, and there’s no clothesline, you can use curtain rods to hang your laundry. But be careful, don’t put anything too heavy up there. Because you don’t want to break anything, right?

The cheapest option? Best cheap alternative of clothesline? If you have a bungee cord, you can use it as a clothesline. Just as I was doing in my early travel days. It’s a very cheap , easy to set up and versatile solution.

How How to Choose the Best Travel Clothesline?

Are you looking for a new travel clothesline?

Even though travel clothesline is such a simple device, there are still a few thing to take into account.

The more compact the clothesline is, the better.

Most travelers don’t need a very long clothesline. I would say, some 6 to 10 (1.8-3 metres) ft is enough for most travelers. Clotheslines of this size often pack down small, and don’t take up much space in your bag.

Look for a clothesline that comes in a storage pouch. So that you can easily pack it and store it in its own bag. The storage pouch will keep the clothesline neatly packed.

2. Durability

As it is with everything, some clotheslines are more durable than others.

You want to buy a clothesline that is both durable, and lightweight. When possible, make sure you find out how durable is the material. Just do a 5-minute research (Google – is x material better than y material). It won’t be hard, since most of the materials nowadays are durable, despite being lightweight. 

A clothesline has to be somewhat durable . It needs to hold the weight of wet clothes without sagging. As clotheslines tend to lose their shape and stretch out over the course of time, you need to make sure you choose the more durable one. So it lasts longer.

3. Material

Durability goes hand in hand with the material.

The stronger the material, the more durable the travel clothesline, the longer you can use it without replacing it. The most popular materials are steel, latex, plastic and nylon (like in a bungee cord). Nylon is considered to be the most durable one. Many of the best clotheslines resemble nylon bungee cords. While being very durable and long-lasting, they are also lightweight. 

Plastic ones are the least durable.

Make sure the clothesline is colorfast.

You don’t want the die to rub off and stain your clothes!

4. Extras and Features

Even such a simple gadget as a clothesline can have some cool features.

For instance, clothespins are a nice extra.

Or, special construction, so that you can use it without clothespins. The cord is multiple-ply with small openings which you can use to secure your clothes. Also check if there’s a storage pouch. It’s a nice, small thing to have. It will keep the clothesline neatly packed.

Last but no least – what type is it?

Is it a clothesline with suction cups on both of its ends?

Or are there carabiners? Or are there hooks? Straps?

Which one to choose? It depends on your travel style. If you are staying mainly in hotels and guesthouses, choose the one with suction cups. Use them to secure the clothesline to the walls or tiles. If you would like to use it while camping, or if there’s no walls to secure it to, choose a clothesline with a carabiner/hook. 

Some clotheslines offer multiple attachment options.

Do you bring a washing line with you when traveling? Or are you just fine without one? What is the best washing line you have tried?

Featured photo: by  Bùi Huy  from  Pexels

Book Your Trip Like a PRO

1. Book Your Flight. Find cheap flights using Kiwi.com , Momondo.com . Or subscribe to Dollar Flight Club , if you don’t want to be searching for the flights yourself. Kiwi currently is my first choice.

2. Book Your Accommodation. Booking.com , Agoda.com and Airbnb . I use Booking and Agoda at least a dozen times a year, and Airbnb – when looking for a long-term stay. My best tip is to ALWAYS compare the price. Sometimes the same hotel is cheaper on Booking.com, other times – on Agoda. Always compare the price!

3. Buy Your Travel Insurance . Ekta and SafetyWings are two companies I can recommend. Ekta offers some extra benefits, that will be important for those doing some higher risk activities (make sure to choose the right plan!), while SafetyWings is better for digital nomads. SafetyWings is also very affordable .

If you’re going on a long trip, be it a summer in Europe or a cross-country road trip, it can be tempting to bring your whole wardrobe. But between baggage fees and weight restrictions, that’s not always possible or practical. One way to avoid overpacking is to wash your clothes while you travel. That’s often easier said than done: Laundromats can be hard to track down or inconveniently located, laundry services at hotels and on ships can be prohibitively expensive, and if you’re spending time in the backcountry, neither are an option.

Taking matters into your own hands isn't as much of a chore as you might think, though: There are plenty of tools that make doing laundry while traveling cheap and simple (and we're not just talking about Tide to Go pens ), without adding too much extra bulk to your luggage. Below, six on-the-road laundry hacks.

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Scrubba Portable Wash Bag

The Scrubba is basically a dry bag with a ribbed interior that functions like a washboard. You put your clothes, some clean water, and detergent in, and rub the garments against the bumps for a few minutes before rinsing everything out. Not counting drying time, the whole process takes about five minutes—and it actually does a good job of cleaning your clothes. It’s fabulous for long-term travelers and for those on days-long camping trips , where packing light is optimal. Plus, it folds down to the size of a deck of cards, so it won’t take up valuable suitcase or backpack real estate.

Nasdom Travel Clothesline

If you’ve ever done laundry in a sink, you’re familiar with the creative exercise in finding enough surfaces to drape your dripping clothes over. This 13-foot clothesline, which comes with built in pins, is easily packable. The hooked ends make it sturdy enough to connect between bed posts, across a balcony, or even from the shower curtain rod to a towel bar in a pinch.

Travelon Laundry Soap Sheets

These laundry soap sheets dissolve in water, so there’s no chance of spillage in your bag (you won't have to worry about the TSA's liquid restrictions either). There are 50 sheets in a box slightly bigger than a raisin container, so you’ll be able to get a lot of mileage out of each pack. Toss one sheet into whatever vessel you’re doing laundry in—a sink, tub, or scrub bag—and it’ll turn into suds. Just be careful to handle the carrying case with dry hands, so you don't accidentally dissolve any of the delicate sheets.

PackTowl Personal Towel

It might not be the most high tech option, but a microfiber towel can dry your sopping wet laundry faster than a clothesline. Start by spreading the towel out on a dry surface. After you wring out as much excess water from your clean clothes as possible, lay a few items on top of the towel. Then tightly roll up the towel with the clothes inside and squeeze. The microfiber fabric will sponge up more of the water (it can actually absorb four times its weight in water). This is a good method for washing heavy garments like jeans or thick sweaters when you need them dry by morning. In addition to its normal functions, this easy-to-pack towel can double as a lightweight blanket on a plane or something to sit on at the beach .

Laura Walsh

Alex Erdekian

Charlie Hobbs

Mudder Silicone Tub Stopper

For some reason, it always seems that when you actually need a plug for your hotel room or rental's sink, there isn’t one to be found. Use this universal drain cover in any sink or tub: It is heavy duty enough that it won’t move as you soak your clothes, reducing water and soap waste, but light enough that you won't mind tossing it in your suitcase on trips when you know you'll want to do laundry.

Urpower Garment Steamer

Sometimes doing laundry while traveling comes out of necessity; but other times, it just feels good to freshen up your outfits. Some fabrics, like linen, love to wrinkle in transit; use this travel steamer to smooth out delicate outfits. It’s fairly portable, clocking in at just over eight inches tall and two inches wide. We think it’s worth the luggage space to make sure your outfit looks smart, especially if you’re traveling for a destination wedding or business trip .

Packing List

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How to make a travel washing line – and more clever tips

A travel washing line is right up there on our essential travel products list. It’s tiny, so it fits into your suitcase or backpack easily. It’s multi-functional so it really earns that spot in your luggage. Plus, the innovative pegless design means even less you have to carry – no need for separate pegs.

So here’s how to make a travel washing line

No more draping wet clothes over chairs and making a mess everywhere. You can set up your travel washing line anywhere. Depending on your environment and what is available, choose from the suction cup ends or the hooks. You can even tie it around a helpful support. It’s completely flexible. Hotel bathroom, hostel bunk beds, trees in the great outdoors… wherever you are you can set up your travel washing line.

The line is actually several lines twisted together. That’s your clever pegless design. Slipping your clothes between the different lines will hold them in place and stop them falling to the floor. No need to worry about the extra bulk of pegs, or all your washing slipping to the floor.

That’s how to make a travel washing line. But what else can the travel washing line do?

Use it as extra cord to hold your belongings together, set up a privacy screen with a sheet, even build a makeshift shelter or sun cover. It’s a flexible bit of kit and made extra useful with the twisting peg-free design.

Now you can do laundry or dry wet clothes wherever you are.

Once your clothes are dry try out our folding clothes hangers . They fold down to fit in your bag and let you hang your clothes while on the road.

Check out some more of our backpacking accessories   to make the most of your epic travels.

Photo by  chuttersnap  on  Unsplash

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• Travel Tips

Travel elastic washing lines are awesome!

I don't think the elastic travel washing lines are well known enough. I just don't ever see people using them. In fact it was only a couple of years ago that I discovered them…

Here is an image of one of you aren't aware:

The magic in the elastic washing line is that it ties up anywhere, weighs almost nothing, costs almost nothing, requires no pegs and holds a lot of clothing! In fact, the more clothing you hang from it, the tighter it will hold everything on.

If you watch carefully, the washing line will start with a big arc, and as the water evaporates away it will become close to linear again!

Sorry, I do get excited about simple things, but this simple product is just so, so, so handy.

If you don't use these already, get on it.

• elastic washing lines
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Elastic Washing Line

Size: 185 - 300 cm Colour: White Pack size: 6 x 6 x 3 cm Weight: 44 g Item number: 680139

Twist-grip construction holds clothing items without clothes-pin Carbines and suction cups for easy setup on objects as trees, poles and car doors Fits most standard bathtub stalls

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Most Beautiful Metro Stations in Moscow

Visiting Moscow? Get yourself a metro card and explore Moscow’s beautiful metro stations. Moscow’s world-famous metro system is efficient and a great way to get from A to B. But there is more to it; Soviet mosaic decorations, exuberant halls with chandeliers, colourful paintings and immense statues. Moscow’s metro is an attraction itself, so take half a day and dive into Moscow’s underground!

The best thing to do is to get on the brown circle (number 5) line since the most beautiful metro stations are situated on this line. The only exception is the metro stop Mayakovskaya one the green line (number 2). My suggestion is to get a map, mark these metro stops on there and hop on the metro. It helps to get an English > Russian map to better understand the names of the stops. At some of the metro stops, the microphone voice speaks Russian and English so it’s not difficult at all.

Another thing we found out, is that it’s worth taking the escalator and explore the other corridors to discover how beautiful the full station is.

Quick hotel suggestion for Moscow is the amazing Brick Design Hotel .

These are my favourite metro stations in Moscow, in order of my personal preference:

1. Mayakovskaya Station

The metro station of Mayakovskaya looks like a ballroom! Wide arches, huge domes with lamps and mosaic works make your exit of the metro overwhelming. Look up and you will see the many colourful mosaics with typical Soviet pictures. Mayakovskaya is my personal favourite and is the only stop not on the brown line but on the green line.

2. Komsomolskaya Station

Komsomolskaya metro station is famous for its yellow ceiling. An average museum is nothing compared to this stop. Splendour all over the place, black and gold, mosaic – again – and enormous chandeliers that made my lamp at home look like a toy.

3. Novoslobodskaya Station

The pillars in the main hall of Novoslobodskaya metro station have the most colourful stained glass decorations. The golden arches and the golden mosaic with a naked lady holding a baby in front of the Soviet hammer and sickle, make the drama complete.

4. Prospect Mira Station

The beautiful chandeliers and the lines in the ceiling, make Prospekt Mira an architectural masterpiece.

5. Belorusskaya Station

Prestigious arches, octagonal shapes of Socialistic Soviet Republic mosaics. The eyecatcher of Belorusskaya metro station, however, is the enormous statue of three men with long coats, holding guns and a flag.

6. Kiyevskaya Station

The metro station of Kiyevskaya is a bit more romantic than Belorusskaya and Prospect Mira. Beautiful paintings with classical decorations.

7. Taganskaya Station

At the main hall Taganskaya metro station you will find triangle light blue and white decorations that are an ode to various Russians that – I assume – are important for Russian history and victory. There is no need to explore others halls of Taganskaya, this is it.

8. Paveletskaya Station

Another and most definitely the less beautiful outrageous huge golden mosaic covers one of the walls of Paveletskaya. I would recommend taking the escalator to the exit upstairs to admire the turquoise dome and a painting of the St Basil’s Cathedral in a wooden frame.

Travelling with Moscow’s metro is inexpensive. You can have a lot of joy for just a few Rubbles.

• 1 single journey: RMB 50 – € 0,70
• 1 day ticket: RMB 210 – € 2,95

Like to know about Moscow, travelling in Russia or the Transsiberian Train journey ? Read my other articles about Russia .

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Wow! It is beautiful. I am still dreaming of Moscow one day.

It’s absolutely beautiful! Moscow is a great city trip destination and really surprised me in many ways.

My partner and I did a self guided Moscow Metro tour when we were there 2 years ago. So many breathtaking platforms…I highly recommend it! Most of my favorites were along the Brown 5 line, as well. I also loved Mayakovskaya, Arbatskaya, Aleksandrovski Sad and Ploshchad Revolyutsii. We’re heading back in a few weeks and plan to do Metro Tour-Part 2. We hope to see the #5 stations we missed before, as well as explore some of the Dark Blue #3 (Park Pobedy and Slavyansky Bul’var, for sure), Yellow #8 and Olive #10 platforms.

That’s exciting Julia! Curious to see your Metro Tour-Part 2 experience and the stations you discovered.

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In Transit: Notes from the Underground

Jun 06 2018.

Spend some time in one of Moscow’s finest museums.

Subterranean commuting might not be anyone’s idea of a good time, but even in a city packing the war-games treasures and priceless bejeweled eggs of the Kremlin Armoury and the colossal Soviet pavilions of the VDNKh , the Metro holds up as one of Moscow’s finest museums. Just avoid rush hour.

The Metro is stunning and provides an unrivaled insight into the city’s psyche, past and present, but it also happens to be the best way to get around. Moscow has Uber, and the Russian version called Yandex Taxi , but also some nasty traffic. Metro trains come around every 90 seconds or so, at a more than 99 percent on-time rate. It’s also reasonably priced, with a single ride at 55 cents (and cheaper in bulk). From history to tickets to rules — official and not — here’s what you need to know to get started.

A Brief Introduction Buying Tickets Know Before You Go (Down) Rules An Easy Tour

A Brief Introduction

Moscow’s Metro was a long time coming. Plans for rapid transit to relieve the city’s beleaguered tram system date back to the Imperial era, but a couple of wars and a revolution held up its development. Stalin revived it as part of his grand plan to modernize the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 30s. The first lines and tunnels were constructed with help from engineers from the London Underground, although Stalin’s secret police decided that they had learned too much about Moscow’s layout and had them arrested on espionage charges and deported.

The beauty of its stations (if not its trains) is well-documented, and certainly no accident. In its illustrious first phases and particularly after the Second World War, the greatest architects of Soviet era were recruited to create gleaming temples celebrating the Revolution, the USSR, and the war triumph. No two stations are exactly alike, and each of the classic showpieces has a theme. There are world-famous shrines to Futurist architecture, a celebration of electricity, tributes to individuals and regions of the former Soviet Union. Each marble slab, mosaic tile, or light fixture was placed with intent, all in service to a station’s aesthetic; each element, f rom the smallest brass ear of corn to a large blood-spattered sword on a World War II mural, is an essential part of the whole.

The Metro is a monument to the Soviet propaganda project it was intended to be when it opened in 1935 with the slogan “Building a Palace for the People”. It brought the grand interiors of Imperial Russia to ordinary Muscovites, celebrated the Soviet Union’s past achievements while promising its citizens a bright Soviet future, and of course, it was a show-piece for the world to witness the might and sophistication of life in the Soviet Union.

It may be a museum, but it’s no relic. U p to nine million people use it daily, more than the London Underground and New York Subway combined. (Along with, at one time, about 20 stray dogs that learned to commute on the Metro.)

In its 80+ year history, the Metro has expanded in phases and fits and starts, in step with the fortunes of Moscow and Russia. Now, partly in preparation for the World Cup 2018, it’s also modernizing. New trains allow passengers to walk the entire length of the train without having to change carriages. The system is becoming more visitor-friendly. (There are helpful stickers on the floor marking out the best selfie spots .) But there’s a price to modernity: it’s phasing out one of its beloved institutions, the escalator attendants. Often they are middle-aged or elderly women—“ escalator grandmas ” in news accounts—who have held the post for decades, sitting in their tiny kiosks, scolding commuters for bad escalator etiquette or even bad posture, or telling jokes . They are slated to be replaced, when at all, by members of the escalator maintenance staff.

For all its achievements, the Metro lags behind Moscow’s above-ground growth, as Russia’s capital sprawls ever outwards, generating some of the world’s worst traffic jams . But since 2011, the Metro has been in the middle of an ambitious and long-overdue enlargement; 60 new stations are opening by 2020. If all goes to plan, the 2011-2020 period will have brought 125 miles of new tracks and over 100 new stations — a 40 percent increase — the fastest and largest expansion phase in any period in the Metro’s history.

Facts: 14 lines Opening hours: 5 a.m-1 a.m. Rush hour(s): 8-10 a.m, 4-8 p.m. Single ride: 55₽ (about 85 cents) Wi-Fi network-wide

Buying Tickets

• Ticket machines have a button to switch to English.
• You can buy specific numbers of rides: 1, 2, 5, 11, 20, or 60. Hold up fingers to show how many rides you want to buy.
• There is also a 90-minute ticket , which gets you 1 trip on the metro plus an unlimited number of transfers on other transport (bus, tram, etc) within 90 minutes.
• Or, you can buy day tickets with unlimited rides: one day (218₽/ US$4), three days (415₽/US$7) or seven days (830₽/US$15). Check the rates here to stay up-to-date.
• If you’re going to be using the Metro regularly over a few days, it’s worth getting a Troika card , a contactless, refillable card you can use on all public transport. Using the Metro is cheaper with one of these: a single ride is 36₽, not 55₽. Buy them and refill them in the Metro stations, and they’re valid for 5 years, so you can keep it for next time. Or, if you have a lot of cash left on it when you leave, you can get it refunded at the Metro Service Centers at Ulitsa 1905 Goda, 25 or at Staraya Basmannaya 20, Building 1.
• You can also buy silicone bracelets and keychains with built-in transport chips that you can use as a Troika card. (A Moscow Metro Fitbit!) So far, you can only get these at the Pushkinskaya metro station Live Helpdesk and souvenir shops in the Mayakovskaya and Trubnaya metro stations. The fare is the same as for the Troika card.
• You can also use Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.

Rules, spoken and unspoken

No smoking, no drinking, no filming, no littering. Photography is allowed, although it used to be banned.

Stand to the right on the escalator. Break this rule and you risk the wrath of the legendary escalator attendants. (No shenanigans on the escalators in general.)

Get out of the way. Find an empty corner to hide in when you get off a train and need to stare at your phone. Watch out getting out of the train in general; when your train doors open, people tend to appear from nowhere or from behind ornate marble columns, walking full-speed.

Always offer your seat to elderly ladies (what are you, a monster?).

An Easy Tour

This is no Metro Marathon ( 199 stations in 20 hours ). It’s an easy tour, taking in most—though not all—of the notable stations, the bulk of it going clockwise along the Circle line, with a couple of short detours. These stations are within minutes of one another, and the whole tour should take about 1-2 hours.

Start at Mayakovskaya Metro station , at the corner of Tverskaya and Garden Ring,  Triumfalnaya Square, Moskva, Russia, 125047.

1. Mayakovskaya.  Named for Russian Futurist Movement poet Vladimir Mayakovsky and an attempt to bring to life the future he imagined in his poems. (The Futurist Movement, natch, was all about a rejecting the past and celebrating all things speed, industry, modern machines, youth, modernity.) The result: an Art Deco masterpiece that won the National Grand Prix for architecture at the New York World’s Fair in 1939. It’s all smooth, rounded shine and light, and gentle arches supported by columns of dark pink marble and stainless aircraft steel. Each of its 34 ceiling niches has a mosaic. During World War II, the station was used as an air-raid shelter and, at one point, a bunker for Stalin. He gave a subdued but rousing speech here in Nov. 6, 1941 as the Nazis bombed the city above.

Take the 3/Green line one station to:

2. Belorusskaya. Opened in 1952, named after the connected Belarussky Rail Terminal, which runs trains between Moscow and Belarus. This is a light marble affair with a white, cake-like ceiling, lined with Belorussian patterns and 12 Florentine ceiling mosaics depicting life in Belarussia when it was built.

Transfer onto the 1/Brown line. Then, one stop (clockwise) t o:

3. Novoslobodskaya.  This station was designed around the stained-glass panels, which were made in Latvia, because Alexey Dushkin, the Soviet starchitect who dreamed it up (and also designed Mayakovskaya station) couldn’t find the glass and craft locally. The stained glass is the same used for Riga’s Cathedral, and the panels feature plants, flowers, members of the Soviet intelligentsia (musician, artist, architect) and geometric shapes.

Go two stops east on the 1/Circle line to:

4. Komsomolskaya. Named after the Komsomol, or the Young Communist League, this might just be peak Stalin Metro style. Underneath the hub for three regional railways, it was intended to be a grand gateway to Moscow and is today its busiest station. It has chandeliers; a yellow ceiling with Baroque embellishments; and in the main hall, a colossal red star overlaid on golden, shimmering tiles. Designer Alexey Shchusev designed it as an homage to the speech Stalin gave at Red Square on Nov. 7, 1941, in which he invoked Russia’s illustrious military leaders as a pep talk to Soviet soldiers through the first catastrophic year of the war.   The station’s eight large mosaics are of the leaders referenced in the speech, such as Alexander Nevsky, a 13th-century prince and military commander who bested German and Swedish invading armies.

One more stop clockwise to Kurskaya station,  and change onto the 3/Blue  line, and go one stop to:

5. Baumanskaya.   Opened in 1944. Named for the Bolshevik Revolutionary Nikolai Bauman , whose monument and namesake district are aboveground here. Though he seemed like a nasty piece of work (he apparently once publicly mocked a woman he had impregnated, who later hung herself), he became a Revolutionary martyr when he was killed in 1905 in a skirmish with a monarchist, who hit him on the head with part of a steel pipe. The station is in Art Deco style with atmospherically dim lighting, and a series of bronze sculptures of soldiers and homefront heroes during the War. At one end, there is a large mosaic portrait of Lenin.

Stay on that train direction one more east to:

6. Elektrozavodskaya. As you may have guessed from the name, this station is the Metro’s tribute to all thing electrical, built in 1944 and named after a nearby lightbulb factory. It has marble bas-relief sculptures of important figures in electrical engineering, and others illustrating the Soviet Union’s war-time struggles at home. The ceiling’s recurring rows of circular lamps give the station’s main tunnel a comforting glow, and a pleasing visual effect.

Double back two stops to Kurskaya station , and change back to the 1/Circle line. Sit tight for six stations to:

7. Kiyevskaya. This was the last station on the Circle line to be built, in 1954, completed under Nikita Khrushchev’ s guidance, as a tribute to his homeland, Ukraine. Its three large station halls feature images celebrating Ukraine’s contributions to the Soviet Union and Russo-Ukrainian unity, depicting musicians, textile-working, soldiers, farmers. (One hall has frescoes, one mosaics, and the third murals.) Shortly after it was completed, Khrushchev condemned the architectural excesses and unnecessary luxury of the Stalin era, which ushered in an epoch of more austere Metro stations. According to the legend at least, he timed the policy in part to ensure no Metro station built after could outshine Kiyevskaya.

Change to the 3/Blue line and go one stop west.

8. Park Pobedy. This is the deepest station on the Metro, with one of the world’s longest escalators, at 413 feet. If you stand still, the escalator ride to the surface takes about three minutes .) Opened in 2003 at Victory Park, the station celebrates two of Russia’s great military victories. Each end has a mural by Georgian artist Zurab Tsereteli, who also designed the “ Good Defeats Evil ” statue at the UN headquarters in New York. One mural depicts the Russian generals’ victory over the French in 1812 and the other, the German surrender of 1945. The latter is particularly striking; equal parts dramatic, triumphant, and gruesome. To the side, Red Army soldiers trample Nazi flags, and if you look closely there’s some blood spatter among the detail. Still, the biggest impressions here are the marble shine of the chessboard floor pattern and the pleasingly geometric effect if you view from one end to the other.

Keep going one more stop west to:

9. Slavyansky Bulvar.  One of the Metro’s youngest stations, it opened in 2008. With far higher ceilings than many other stations—which tend to have covered central tunnels on the platforms—it has an “open-air” feel (or as close to it as you can get, one hundred feet under). It’s an homage to French architect Hector Guimard, he of the Art Nouveau entrances for the Paris M é tro, and that’s precisely what this looks like: A Moscow homage to the Paris M é tro, with an additional forest theme. A Cyrillic twist on Guimard’s Metro-style lettering over the benches, furnished with t rees and branch motifs, including creeping vines as towering lamp-posts.

Stay on the 3/Blue line and double back four stations to:

10. Arbatskaya. Its first iteration, Arbatskaya-Smolenskaya station, was damaged by German bombs in 1941. It was rebuilt in 1953, and designed to double as a bomb shelter in the event of nuclear war, although unusually for stations built in the post-war phase, this one doesn’t have a war theme. It may also be one of the system’s most elegant: Baroque, but toned down a little, with red marble floors and white ceilings with gilded bronze c handeliers.

Jump back on the 3/Blue line  in the same direction and take it one more stop:

11. Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Revolution Square). Opened in 1938, and serving Red Square and the Kremlin . Its renowned central hall has marble columns flanked by 76 bronze statues of Soviet heroes: soldiers, students, farmers, athletes, writers, parents. Some of these statues’ appendages have a yellow sheen from decades of Moscow’s commuters rubbing them for good luck. Among the most popular for a superstitious walk-by rub: the snout of a frontier guard’s dog, a soldier’s gun (where the touch of millions of human hands have tapered the gun barrel into a fine, pointy blade), a baby’s foot, and a woman’s knee. (A brass rooster also sports the telltale gold sheen, though I am told that rubbing the rooster is thought to bring bad luck. )

Now take the escalator up, and get some fresh air.

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21 Things to Know Before You Go to Moscow

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