travelling with bike, by train.

[thedude]

Hey dudes, as my desire to bikepacking gets ever bigger I need to get myself to my start points further away. Has anybody had any issues taking their bike on a train at all, I guess I need to book a space pre arriving at the station. Any info appreciated.

[Joshvegas]

The simple answer is.


It depends on operator and route.

Some lines you just walk on.

Some require prebooking.

Some can be pre booked which is a good idea but not a requirement.

[Ben98]

If you don't book the bike onto the train, you'll often have issues, this has happened to me multiple times! It's the most annoying thing ever, you have been warned!

[Yorlin]

If you don't book the bike onto the train, you'll often have issues, this has happened to me multiple times! It's the most annoying thing ever, you have been warned!

This is true 100% ! If it is in any way possible to book your bike on and get a physical ticket, do it. Websites, phoneline people will say you may not have to but they will probably be lieing. If you can book the tickets in person that's probably easiest!

[composite]

You can use the London Midland site to book trains all the over the country and they allow you to book a bicycle spot (they are free) during the process. Other operators web sites also allow this but London Midland is the one I use. On rural lines be sure to check that the line is running properly on weekends as many use this time to do repairs. Normally the replacement bus service won't carry your bike.

[johnnystorm]

...and then when you get on the train a delinquent oap will go mental because you have the audacity to put their suitcase onto the luggage shelf so you can fit your bike in the bike rack.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I once bought a ticket for a Virgin train. Couldn't book a bike at the same time on-line but there was a number to ring to book the bike on. Rang number only to be told you can't take a bike on that train, so asked if I could swap to another train ... what for? You can't take a bike on any of the trains So feeling slightly fed up, I asked for my ticket to be refunded. That involved sending the ticket away with a letter and then eventually receiving an 80% refund "because we keep 20% for admin".

I'd advise going to your local station (that still has a ticket office), explain exactly what you want to do and let them sort it out ... the bloke at Newtown station takes it as a personal challenge

[Ben98]

That's odd Stu, up to and back from the Capital Trail I did on virgin trains and had no issues on the way up but wasn't booked on on the way back. There was a whole carriage for bikes and big luggage but apparently 4 bikes fills a carriage so we had to wait for the next one

[Joshvegas]

You're showing your age Ben.
that "carriage" is the guards van.

Some trainlines* its not possible to book but you can take a bike if you're lucky.

Having said that I've never had many problems scotrail have a policy to carry stranded cyclists so just stab your tyre ;-)

[Nevis]

When I were a lad you could accompany your bike in the guards van sitting on the floor rolling around with all the other luggage.

I've never been refused travel but it's never been straight forward either.

I flew to Aberdeen a few years ago with my bike. No problem flying one end of the country to the other but as soon as I tried to get the train to Thruso the problems started. Despite having booked, they'd already picked up some bikes earlier in the journey and the guard wouldn't let me on. It took a lot of pleasantries (which was difficult because I was pretty p'ed off) before it he relented and let me on.

Had thought about taking my daughter to the IoM at Easter after reading about Adjustable Wench's trip but decided against it as it involved four train changes and I just could face the stress! In the end we went to Wales. We had to change trains at Bristol due to an engine failure. This involved moving to a different platform in a rush because the train was already late. Not very easy when your fully laden and trying usher a 7 year old pushing a bike. When we got to the new platform the guard was a total tool because we were holding the train up, again very p'ed off.

You can check which train services take trains and book your bikes in advance using the national rail website but you do have to read all the t&cs. I usually go to the station do it in person.

Basically it's a bit of a lottery, I'd prefer it if it was still like to old days

[javatime]

I posted an early reply yesterday from my phone, but it did'nt seem to get through , so a bit after the event here goes ...

You can also book a space for your bike via Virgin East Coast for any train journey. It is'nt too straight forward to use first time because, naturally you need to book a seat first even if you have selected an open return ticket.

In practice, as noted above, I am not sure that the train manager would search a 10 odd carriage HST to turf off an un booked cyclist plus bike if there were no spaces left for a booked bike !

Perhaps a more pragmatic view is to join the ctc , if not already, who are campaigning to sort the mess out, and book your bike anyway so that hopefully there are some usage statistics for the future.

Other obvious practical points and I know these are not always possible are choose a route that you know will have a guards van (Bristol Temple Meads to Cardiff - no, Bristol Parkway to Cardiff-yes) avoid changes where you can (even if it means a much longer journey time) and get up early ! A few recent trips early morning on the Heart of Wales line have been very quiet.

Hope that helps.

[Nevis]

Picking a train with a guards van is a good idea, I shall remember that one. How do you find out though?

[Moder-dye]

I recently took my bike on Scotrail for the forst time. No problem booking the bike and me on via their phone booking line but...

When the train came it wasn't a guards van but an area at the side of the entrance with a very large fixed rack. The rack couldn't be move in anyway so after the faf of removing my frame bag I tried to get the bike on the rack as requested, and my frame sort of did, but then the length of the space was too small for a 29er with 2.4 tyres. I wasn't about to take the front wheel off too. No chance if to get it to fit if you had a non-standard geometry. Anyway the bike was fine and not too obstructive, but if there'd be any other bikes it would have been intertesting!

[javatime]

I am sorry, but I can't really answer that one (although I will ask the trainspotter at work tomorrow), but I think for those in the know specific routes will run specific rolling stock - so there may not be a guards van anyway !

The whole bikes on trains is a bit of a thing for me :

Due to the problems mentioned throughout this post it seems that the only way possible that many people can enjoy something of a "wilderness experience" in places like the Cambrian Mountains or similar for a weekend is to own a car, and spend several hours driving it to a place to get away from it all and start pedalling.

[johnnystorm]

You're showing your age Ben.
that "carriage" is the guards van.

Some trainlines* its not possible to book but you can take a bike if you're lucky.

Having said that I've never had many problems scotrail have a policy to carry stranded cyclists so just stab your tyre ;-)

Them were the days. Six of us, on spec, piling in with bikes sitting on a wooden floor. Not like the bureaucratic shambles it is now...

[Taylor]

Wheres Kev C when you need a definitive answer?

[Scattamah]

Just back from a spin down to PHC to pick up my freshly mojo'd forx...thought I'd be lazy and get the train back with Lois and a bag full of gear...no issues...except for the 6 massive suitcases taking up the bike spaces. *sigh*

Greetz

S.

[zomarzi]

Pre book your bike ticket. Try to travel off peak and be aware of national, school holidays.. Try to join your train before a major city. Who has priority over suitcases in space allocated for bikes ? I don't know good point though.

[Pickers]

If you can, book a good while in advance. Book singles rather than returns, and be a bit flexible on where you're going.
There's not many advantages to public transport, but one of them is completely different start and finish points: eg, last year's tour started in Inverness, finished at Ardrossan. And the tickets cost me £45 total from Stratford upon Avon.
As above book online - I booked through East Coast trains, I think they've been taken over by Virgin but I think you can still book bike spaces online.
If you book by phone, make sure you get the bike booked BOTH WAYS before you book seats and pay.

[Tanglefist]

If you don't/can't/haven't booked you bike I've learned one important thing: the conductors are much happier not allowing you on the train, than they are kicking you off the train. Basically, if you can shove the bike into the carriage before they can tell you not to, they're extremely unlikely (in my experience) to actually boot you off. They will tell you a bike area in full when they're are two bikes, but still plenty of space, already on the train.