Cycling using trains (in UK and EU)

[pal]

As promised (threatened?): here are some pics of the bike cupboard in the Cross Country Voyager: one of the empty space, and one with my bike (and its 30mm tyres) for scale. [I can't persuade the photos to display the right way up! If anyone can fix this, I'd be v. grateful. Until then, rotate your computers by 90 degrees...]

This is the 'single bike' cupboard, which is more roomy (the one on the other side of the aisle holds two bikes, and can be more of a squeeze). I think the hook would accommodate a pretty wide tyre, providing you can heft the bike up onto it.

The same bit of the train (the end of Coach D, in the usual set-up of the Voyagers) also has the bulky luggage storage, and I'm pretty sure that a tourer would fit in there: it's a long space, with a partition/shelf at about 4 feet high. But this would only work if there were no luggage in that space, which I have to say is pretty unlikely. (Even the almost completely empty new year's day train I was on had a couple of big suitcases in there.)

[Jdsk]

It's a lot easier to rotate the photos than the bike!

: - )

Jonathan

[pal]

(And thanks!)

[brianleach]

the one on the other side of the aisle holds two bikes

Good luck with that!!

[VinceLedge]

Tring to book for 4 of us to get back from Inverness to Edinburgh with bikes.
Can book advance seats on LNER train, but can't book a bike space for another 6 weeks, bonkers!

[Jdsk]

Tring to book for 4 of us to get back from Inverness to Edinburgh with bikes.
Can book advance seats on LNER train, but can't book a bike space for another 6 weeks, bonkers!

Is that because it's 4 at once? Might it be possible with only 2 bikes on each train?

Jonathan

[PH]

Tring to book for 4 of us to get back from Inverness to Edinburgh with bikes.
Can book advance seats on LNER train, but can't book a bike space for another 6 weeks, bonkers!

How far ahead?
I doubt it's possible to make bike reservations before all engineering work has been scheduled. It'd be even more bonkers to do so.

[VinceLedge]

Tring to book for 4 of us to get back from Inverness to Edinburgh with bikes.
Can book advance seats on LNER train, but can't book a bike space for another 6 weeks, bonkers!

Is that because it's 4 at once? Might it be possible with only 2 bikes on each train?

Nope - we rang LNER and booking for bike spaces isn't available until early March for mid May bookings!

Jonathan

[VinceLedge]

Tring to book for 4 of us to get back from Inverness to Edinburgh with bikes.
Can book advance seats on LNER train, but can't book a bike space for another 6 weeks, bonkers!

How far ahead?
I doubt it's possible to make bike reservations before all engineering work has been scheduled. It'd be even more bonkers to do so.

For mid May, train and seats can be booked but not bike spaces, so can't see how that would be a reason.

[Will]

Tring to book for 4 of us to get back from Inverness to Edinburgh with bikes.
Can book advance seats on LNER train, but can't book a bike space for another 6 weeks, bonkers!

Is that because it's 4 at once? Might it be possible with only 2 bikes on each train?

Nope - we rang LNER and booking for bike spaces isn't available until early March for mid May bookings!

Jonathan

The LNER website shows that they are still finalising the timetable at weekends from 12/04, so it is not yet possible to book anything in May for Saturday or Sunday.

The LNER website does appear to allow you to book tickets for midweek travel in May, and allows you to reserve up to 4 bike spaces.

What day are you trying to book for, and are you using the LNER website?

Will

[VinceLedge]

Is that because it's 4 at once? Might it be possible with only 2 bikes on each train?

Nope - we rang LNER and booking for bike spaces isn't available until early March for mid May bookings!

Jonathan

The LNER website shows that they are still finalising the timetable at weekends from 12/04, so it is not yet possible to book anything in May for Saturday or Sunday.

The LNER website does appear to allow you to book tickets for midweek travel in May, and allows you to reserve up to 4 bike spaces.

What day are you trying to book for, and are you using the LNER website?

Will

Yes we are using the LNER site.
It is midweek and the train is definitely available to book, as you gp through the process there is a box which would let you book a bike on, but when you do and then press confirm it then says you can't book the bike space, which is why we phoned them.

[PH]

How far ahead?
I doubt it's possible to make bike reservations before all engineering work has been scheduled. It'd be even more bonkers to do so.

For mid May, train and seats can be booked but not bike spaces, so can't see how that would be a reason.

Because if they have to cancel a train, they'll plan replacement buses that don't (officially) take bikes.

[Will]

The LNER website shows that they are still finalising the timetable at weekends from 12/04, so it is not yet possible to book anything in May for Saturday or Sunday.

The LNER website does appear to allow you to book tickets for midweek travel in May, and allows you to reserve up to 4 bike spaces.

What day are you trying to book for, and are you using the LNER website?

Will

Yes we are using the LNER site.
It is midweek and the train is definitely available to book, as you gp through the process there is a box which would let you book a bike on, but when you do and then press confirm it then says you can't book the bike space, which is why we phoned them.

I might be that there are less than 4 spaces available for the day you selected, so it does not let you book on that day, or you are selecting a date on the wrong side of the cutoff point for bookings.

Here is a screenshot for an attempted booking for 15/05 (Wednesday):



It looks like you can book bikes up to (and including) Friday 17th May. I would expect that it will be a rolling window, so the following week may be available from next Friday, rather than in 6 weeks time.

Will

[VinceLedge]

The LNER website shows that they are still finalising the timetable at weekends from 12/04, so it is not yet possible to book anything in May for Saturday or Sunday.

The LNER website does appear to allow you to book tickets for midweek travel in May, and allows you to reserve up to 4 bike spaces.

What day are you trying to book for, and are you using the LNER website?

Will

Yes we are using the LNER site.
It is midweek and the train is definitely available to book, as you gp through the process there is a box which would let you book a bike on, but when you do and then press confirm it then says you can't book the bike space, which is why we phoned them.

I might be that there are less than 4 spaces available for the day you selected, so it does not let you book on that day, or you are selecting a date on the wrong side of the cutoff point for bookings.

Here is a screenshot for an attempted booking for 15/05 (Wednesday):



It looks like you can book bikes up to (and including) Friday 17th May. I would expect that it will be a rolling window, so the following week may be available from next Friday, rather than in 6 weeks time.

Will

Thanks , that is helpful, will keep looking!

[VinceLedge]

Interesting how the LNER support staff didn't have much knowledge of how and when you can book the bikes on.