[Closed] Bike on ScotRail with no reservation. What’s the worst that can happen?

Worst case is they ask to see the reservation as you're getting on the train and then don't let you on. Sometimes station staff check it.

Best case is you get on the train, there's plenty of space and either no-one checks or the guard is cool about it. Or the first stop is Aviemore so when you get thrown off, you're already there. 😉

No idea what ScotRail are like. Virgin Trains used to be quite strict on it.

It will be fine,it's all those central belters that ram the trains full of bikes ,North of Perth will be grand* 😉

*unless it's May day weekend ,then you might have bother with all those Teuchters on the move 🙂

You should be fine unless you get a proper knob of a guard. I drive for Scotrail and 90% of the guards will try and help you even on a busy train as long as you are polite . Inverness to Aviemore if the train is rammed put your bike on the right hand side doors as they obviously wont open as the platform is on the other side. I could be wrong buy if you get an HST they will have a guards van so your sorted .

For the HSTs, the spaces in the guards van are supposed to be for end to end journeys. ie Inverness to Edinburgh/Glasgow. They don't want to open them at intermediate stations.
Seems there are a couple of spaces in other carriages, so try and get on there instead.

As long as the dude notices you have a SC bike then you'll be fine!

😛

Here's what I worked out last year when trying to book online and reserve a bike spot.

Let's say for example you want to book between Aviemore and Edinburgh and there are ten stops on that route.

You try and book a bike on but the computer says no. That doesn't mean someone has booked a bike on for the entire journey you're doing, it simply means someone has booked a bike on for at least one part of your journey.

So if you're going ten stops, but someone has for example booked for stops 3-4 before you then, it won't let you book your journey

It's a ridiculously crap system.

Not sure how many of the actual HST power car guards vans are getting used for storage but the classic unrefurbished Coaches have more space for storage than the new ones so I’d aim for one of them.

Very unlikely to have any issues. Scotrail guards were told ( I believe) to not chuck bikes off. I have had the tandem on a few trains despite it being expressly forbidden and seen trains with far more bikes than bike saces

Interesting points above - thanks. Noted on which side @stanfree - I’m coming through from Elgin so hopefully if not on same platform at least I stay train side.

Not sure on the HST front. I have got on the big train coming back before at Aviemore and it’s been a guards van - pick your slot (but make sure it’s secure from toppling). I’ve also made a cock-up before and not had reservation and the guard was super helpful to me and another guy. Equally have had a very harassed and short one on way down (busy train), no space. It’s bank holiday weekend sadly. Not planned.

I’ll keep my best smile on and maybe even try a bit of food bribery! Cheers.

Haven't had a bad experience of bikes on ScotRail. In one guard's words "if you can get it on, you're in".

Have had issues booking on but apparently Haymarket had short platforms and some trains are too long the bike carriage isn't accessible. Best thing is to call them up - online booking hides some strange quirks like that.

'No bikes on this train, but if you take off the front wheel it's not a bike, it's luggage.'

Italian ticket office dude, Pescara train station 🙂

Might be worth trying on scotrail if all else fails.

My experience of bikes on trains is more southern but they ALWAYS ask for my reservation and aren't generally helpful in getting it on, telling me where to put it etc.

If it's a reservable service and full, I wouldn't risk it.

I’ve got on scot rail trains with no reservation because I’ve bailed on a ride and it’s been fine. I don’t recall anyone even asking about it.

Yes just take the front wheel off then it's baggage. Happened to me once.

It's only 30 miles, cycle it ya big jessie.

Or one of us will come and pick you up if you get the first round in 🙂

I've always been lucky on Scotrail. Sometimes not even paying if it's been one short stop.

However, the Inverness train can quickly fill up with all the LEJOGers (and now the NC500ers) returning South so it's often fully booked and the station staff in Inverness are a lot less accommodating than the guards that check you in at the likes of Strathcarron or Achnasheen.

OK, try this. Went up Aviemore last autumn with roadie chums. Got a reservation going up no bother and guard never asked to see my tickets. This was a bog standard ScotRail train.

Cool.

I got off at Dalwhinnie and did my thing.

Coming back, no reservations available from Aviemore. But hey, it was totally fine coming up. It'll be fine going back...except the Guard was an epic tube and wouldn't let me or the two ?Polish tourists on board with our bikes. This was an InterCity job. Where there's a shower cubicle to hang your bikes in (tough if you've got wide bars, or your bike is in any way not diminutive).

We got an angry telling off by the wee nyaff for even considering putting our bikes on board. I asked if he would open the bike storage in the front of the train and was told no, that would not be happening.

I only got home thanks to CityLink coaches being 100% cool with bikes in the hold - your risk to your bike though. I was desperate not to be stranded (work the next day, kid to school etc) so it was worth the punt.

Make sure you have reservations...

if it was an intercity is that not west coast mainline ( or whatever they were called at the time) rather than scotrail?

https://www.citylink.co.uk/carriage.html

Item 56 relates to bikes, they need to be in a box or bag.
The type of bag/box isn’t specified though, I’ve seen guys turn up with a giant clear bin liner type thing.
I drive for citylink/megabus, the rules are aimed at making sure someone else’s luggage doesn’t get oil on it from the bike chain.
If it’s a double decker, there probably won’t be space for a bike, the boots are really not that big.
Most drivers are fine, but occasionally you may meet someone who follows the rules to the letter ‘no bike bag, no Travel’
BH weekends are likely to be busy on buses too.

I only got home thanks to CityLink coaches being 100% cool with bikes in the hold

There's wee nyaffs driving buses too, not letting a bike in the hold at Uig despite there being not a single other soul on the bus frinstance....

I have been caught foul of the ridiculously low number of bike spaces at Inverness northbound. Had to change an entire cycling holiday to start from Inverness.

This was over ten years ago mind.

I have used loads of scotrail trains over the years and ALWAYS book if I can, but equally have turned up with no reservation and managed fine.

I think I’ve seen the worst than can happen - loads of bikes and passengers, and the guard nearly kicked me off for having a bike in a bag because it was in the way of the tea trolley, and didn’t let another guy in with a bike. Called the police when me and a bunch of cyclists put his bike on, took it apart and spread it about the train. She stopped the train and wouldn’t let it leave until he either took his bike off or got off too. He missed a string of connections to the South if England as a result. It was busy, but she was really unpleasant and had no interest in trying to find a solution. Just wanted to get the tea trolley through. Argh! Hope you have better luck.

That sounds very unpleasant hannah! I think if it gets anywhere near that I'll take plan B and head for Aviemore by NCN and off road - couple of options.

@donald - hopefully I'll still be in Aviemore before most of you and so avoid having to get a round in 🙂

@scotroutes - didn't you try and find some off road sections / routes up the A9 by Tomatin? If I'm going to bike, I might as well make a day of it.. will have some stuff but just change of clothes etc rather than full bivvy kit.

Calum - you basically follow the Wade Road all the way. I can send you a map/gpx file. Nothing technical, one short boggy section, one bit that gets a bit overgrown.

Edit: from here

https://www.blog.scotroutes.com/2017/07/so-low.html

- I'll sit with a map and the blog (that's the one I was thinking of, cheers) and piece together a possible route. Looks like no later trains would take bikes either so I'll gear up ready to bike it and prepare to be surprised if I get to stay on the train.

There's a link to a gpx file in the blog.

cool. Last time I did the SLNT I biked through Torbrek and into Holm Mills. It was really weird feeling as I stayed in Inverness for a couple of years in the early 70s and had a mate who started out there, and had that odd deja vu feeling of recalling the fields and stuff, and the steep (when you're 10) back road downhill into Holm Mills, and there was a dual carriageway..

Scotrail and bikes is pot luck. Got let on at Jphn o Groats despite the bike spaces booked and in use. Another time at Oban I saw a guard make a local cyclist only going 2 stops take his bike off because it wasn't booked and the 6 hooks were in use.

@scotroutes - tried to download the GPX and though I can see it getting saved, it doesn't get stored. Edit -- maybe can't find server 'scotroutes.com'..

I'll blow up the outline map and sketch the route. Might need some frame bags rather than panniers (or a big rucksack). Could always go back over Burma Road.

The intercity trains don't seem to use what was the guard's van for bikes any more, vastly reducing bike storage.

I was told I couldn't get on the train, despite an unused disabled area on a trip to Dunkeld last year. Needless to say I ignored this, unfortunately the 2 swiss guys I'd been chatting to on the platform that had already ridden from Pitlochry where they had hoped to get the previous train were more obedient.

I was only going to Perth on that train, 2 stops, I assured the guard I would vacate the disabled spot if needed (which I would have, because whilst I wanted to get home in time to get to work the next day, I'm not a dick).

On another occasion all the available storage (Glasgow to Fort William) was full, so we didn't get to go.

I'd book if you can.

fasthaggis

Member
It will be fine,it’s all those central belters that ram the trains full of bikes

cause you don't need reservations doon here. 😆

Might be fine/Might not be, depends on how busy it is and what mood the conductor is in.

Might need to wait on next train.

I did a ghost booking of tickets heading south Inverness to Aviemore on the same day, none of the subsequent trains allowed a cycle booking either - so I'll be getting togged up and ready to bike it.

I usually head for a spin when I get to Aviemore anyway, so I'll just trial an off-road route to Aviemore instead.