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Hey All,
Has anybody traveled w an (unpacked) MTB on the Eurostar?
Planning a trip to pick up a new ride not sold on the UK market, and I'm stressing the logistics of the Eurostar return journey from Paris - the idea being that I'm literally riding from the shop to the station and then heading home.
While lovely, the Eurostar phone team has fallen south of helpful.
Would greatly appreciate advice.
Thanks
When I checked it out [a good while ago] you were required to drop your bike off the day before travel
Yeah you have to go to the freight counter round the back of st pancrass and check it in there then collect from the counter right at the end of the platforms in paris
If you can dismantle it and chuck it in a bike bag then you can carry it as normal luggage- I did this in August with a mate. It is a bit of a pain but giving that we were camping it was the cheapest travel available.
I did look at taking it as a whole bike and if you get there early enough (about 2-3 hours) and the train isn't busy then usually your bike can travel on the same train, though it isn't guaranteed.
You need to book it, and wheel it to a freight counter, a few hours before your train. Give them a call.
Last year they lost three of the six bikes, on a Belgium to London journey. but they were cool and about to pay up, when they were found in Paris when the train was being serviced.
There was someone selling Eurostar/TGV/ICE compatible bike bags, but don't remember if it was on here, or the German forum. Will search later.
AFAIK, none of the above let you just turn up with a bike (edit: to travel guaranteed on the same train), but the bag is purposely sized "just right" so that you can take it as normal baggage. No doubt there are other bags that are as acceptable.
German IC (ie not ICE) I was on last month takes 16 bikes all in 1 compartment. That's quite a bit more than Virgin/FGW/etc.
Our bags have made quite a few Eurostar journeys but there would be a bit of packing or dismantling each end.
[url= http://www.duffbag.com/blog/2011/03/07/bike-bag-on-eurostar/ ]Duffbag Stealth[/url]
As long as a bike bag is within the eurostar baggage size limits then it will fit- The CRC own brand bags are just within
Eurostar bike bag size limits are sensible - they are the maximum size that can be fitted into the luggage rack. The last time my wife & I travelled on the Eurostar with bikes the train was very busy. We were asked (very politely) if we would mind leaving them in the bar, this suited us! A good tip is therefore to book seat close to the bar, in case the luggage rack are full.
There are two ways of doing it. You can either book your bikes on board the same train as you, which costs more, or they have a "non-urgent" thing that costs less but the bikes don't necessarily travel on te same train. HOWEVER, if you can take them in more than 2 hours before your train is due to depart, they will be at your destination by the time you arrive.
Give them a call on the number on [url= http://www.eurostar.com/UK/uk/leisure/travel_information/at_the_station/bicycles.jsp ]this page[/url].
I've always carried my road bike with me in a bike bag and put it in the luggage racks. I have just received an e-mail from them as I am going soon and notice they have changed the max size to 85cm lengthwise which is pretty small I have to say.
That's Eurostar just lost 2 customers. A real shame, as from the Highlands sleeper > London, Eurostar / TGV was a great way to get to the south of France. Anyone want to buy a couple of bike bags?