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Finally, after stopping bike carriage for a few years after the pandemic, and then only taking bikes in boxes, at the beginning of June, Eurostar have reopened bike carriage to bagged bikes from London to Paris, and fully assembled bikes from London to Brussels.
According to cycling UK, there are plans afoot to reopen the fully assembled bike service from London to Paris soon, so fingers crossed.
Now we need some of the laggard European rail companies (SNCF, Deutschebahn) to update their policies and rolling stock too to take fully assembled bikes, and my dream of being able to take my bike in one piece down to the Alps in a single day can come true.
My brother and family took the sleeper train from Amsterdam to Innsbruck a couple of weeks ago after Eurostar to get to Amsterdam. He said there was a couple with a baby that managed to get 2 bikes and a trailer into a couchette, so it is doable although there was some bike dismantling on the platform to achieve it.
I've done the journey from the Midlands to the Alps by train with a bike in a bike bag before Covid.
The main issues were getting across London and getting across Paris which were a pain. It would be much easier if TGVs took fully assembled bikes, and I believe that although the French government has legislated for that - setting a date that all rolling stock that if commissioned or updated afterwards has to have provision for bike carriage - the SNCF dodged by accelerating all their rolling stock updates to before the date, meaning it's not likely to filter through for another 15-20 years or so.
Beware. The provision for fully assembled bikes may result in the sort of shite that is the Azuma of East Coast infamy. 2 bike cupboards often full of luggage or passengers is the norm...
No it doesn’t on Eurostar, you have to drop it off at the oversize baggage counter, so it goes in a separate compartment on the train.
On UK trains I tend to turf the pink sparkly suitcases out of the bike area.
oooh, I LIKE this bit
You can book a space for your bike by emailing travelservices@eurostar.com. This service is currently limited to selected trains between London, Paris, and Brussels, so please book early to avoid disappointment.
We can only transport fully assembled bikes on trains travelling between London and Brussels. If you’re travelling between London and Paris, your bike must be disassembled and in a box or bag when you drop it off.
You will need to drop your bike off at our luggage area before heading to departures. When you arrive at your destination, your bike will be handed back to you on the platform, so make sure you only bring what you can carry safely. Trolleys will not be provided.
https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-info/travel-planning/luggage/bikes
Can you see anything there that excludes tandems?
ah, this is a chicken and egg thing. Can you book your space by email before you have a ticket or do you need the ticket first and risk not having space 🙁
Excellent news. This was one of my personal travel highlights of the last 10 years
https://singletrackmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/singletrack-issue-127-verbier-by-train/
I have to say, although getting it all sorted was a massive PITA, travelling to the Alps by train is my favourite method of transport.
ah, this is a chicken and egg thing. Can you book your space by email before you have a ticket or do you need the ticket first and risk not having space 🙁
I rang them up and did both at the same time just to be sure
travelling to the Alps by train is my favourite method of transport.
Yeah, we did a ski trip by train this year and barring the awful mess caused by the strikes in the UK, the bit fro London to the destination and back was fantastic
I rang them up and did both at the same time just to be sure
Excellent, that's what i need to know, thanks
I rang them up and did both at the same time just to be sure
Yes, that’s what I did too. Book online whilst on the phone.
Now we need some of the laggard European rail companies (SNCF, Deutschebahn) to update their policies and rolling stock too to take fully assembled bikes
DB ICE4 and ICE3neo have something like 8 bike places now, but I think it's a paid-for reservation. Problem is knowing which type of train usually runs on which route (especially the cross border services that meet up with Eurostar services).
IC/EC had something like 16 spaces last time I went on one of them, but that was a long time ago, and I think that route is now an OeBB operated service.
Obviously all the local/regional services have bike spaces (at least as many as a UK train) often with a humungous picture of a bike on the side so you know which doors to aim for.
Yeah, regional trains in most places are pretty good. It’s the fast long distance trains that are variable. Part of the problem is that very few European countries audit how many people travel with bikes.
Just to add that if you're travelling by rail in UK to Eurostar buy a London CIV ticket. This guarantees that you'll be on the next available Eurostar if your train to London is delayed.
News and links here on the Guardian. Check out the LNE coding mentioned by The Man in Seat61 at the end.
I am still awaiting the DFDS ferry to restart from Rosyth - mrs_oab and I have planned cycle tour of Europe from our door using it and trains....
Great tip about the CIV ticket.
matt_outandabout
Full Member
I am still awaiting the DFDS ferry to restart from Rosyth – mrs_oab and I have planned cycle tour of Europe from our door using it and trains….
Is that actually happening, or just hopes and dreams (the ferry, not the bike ride)?
Is that actually happening, or just hopes and dreams (the ferry, not the bike ride)?
Agreed it seems a 'nice dream', but last news was May from DFDS saying that Westminster was involved and that Hamza as Scottish Transport Minister was 'Scottish Government are giving practical support'.
I do hope it can happen - but worry fares will be seriously high 🙁
Yeah fingers crossed, would be awesome if it did happen (fares allowing as you say). Would be happy to pay the equivalent of the cost of driving to Newcastle/Hull plus a bit more for the convenience.
The main issues were getting across London and getting across Paris which were a pain.
Black cab and then a people-carrier/estate taxi surely?
Not much help. But have just been in France (Aberdeen- Paris all by train and then onwards to near St Nazaire). You might not be meant to take a fully assembled bike on the TGV but I’m fairly certain I spotted one being disembarked. Risky though. The slower ouigo trains do take bikes I think and the regional trains definitely do.
Great news.
I got back from the Alps this year by riding through the Vercors to Lyon then getting the TUV to Paris, then another TUV to Caen for a ferry to Portsmouth. Bike assembled all the way, about £90 I think. Because of the TGV rules on packed bikes I had to get the TUV which was ok, but the Paris to UK/London leg via TGV would have been quicker and probably cheaper.
Much prefer the train to flying, not only the lower environmental cost. The ferry is slow but it's again preferable to airport faff imo.
A reminder also the European Bike Express starts up a more regular timetable again next year, albeit with an overnight stop-over to figure out due to driver rest regs. Used to be straight through.
Have they also updated the size restrictions on bike bag size? Last time I looked a fairly standard one like my Polaris bag was too big
Have they also updated the size restrictions on bike bag size? Last time I looked a fairly standard one like my Polaris bag was too big
That's why you have to book the oversize bag service, and drop it off in a special place. But other than that, AFAIK, standard bike bags and boxes are ok.
Black cab and then a people-carrier/estate taxi surely?
That's what I did last time in London, in Paris I used the Metro. It's not hard, just a bit of a faff with a bike bag, and seeing as though it's notorious for pick-pockets, I did feel as if I had a target painted on my back.
It's just that if we didn't have to disassemble our bikes, then it would make the whole process much easier, just ride it between stations for the transfers.
You might not be meant to take a fully assembled bike on the TGV but I’m fairly certain I spotted one being disembarked.
Sorry, I should have been clearer. Some TGVs have spaces for fully assembled bikes. West from Paris being one of them I think. However south and eastern routes (towards the Alps) currently do not.