Cycling UK Forum

st599_uk wrote: ↑19 May 2023, 11:40am FlixBus is the booking app, they don't provide the actual buses.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_F ... s_partners

It's more than the app, they contract out , but it's still their network. National Express in the UK operate in the same way.

I don't know why no bikes in the UK, maybe it'll come.
I've used coaches in the UK a fair bit and Europe a few times, if it's been with a bike that's been a bagged folding one, though I've seen a few in bike bags even on services where that isn't within the luggage allowance. The Flixbus services I've used in Europe that permit bikes, I don't think they all do, have the bikes underneath, I was more interested in loading my own luggage and getting a seat to notice how they were stored.
I quite like travelling by coach, not as much as by train, but it's often a fraction of the price. London to Europe (Popular close destinations) is sometimes little more than the ferry fare! Getting on at the coach's departure point makes loading and ensuring your seat reservation easier. Quite a few of the operators now allow booking of a double seat for a fee, an extra £12 London to Amsterdam* with Flixbus. I have long legs so either do that or book an aisle seat.

* Total cost was £45 (£26 ticket, £12 extra seat, £2 reservations, £4 extra luggage, £1 booking fee)

FlixBus is the booking app, they don't provide the actual buses.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_F ... s_partners

I took one last summer from Venice to Paris, involving a change at Bologna.

On the whole it wasn't bad. There were some positives and a couple of negatives.

I am 6ft and found the leg room good. It was an overnight coach and I couldn't sleep, which was down to me rather than the comfort. There were no on board snacks (as I thought were advertised) and we only made one scheduled stop from Bologna, at the Italian border with France, around midnight, where we all got off to get food. I would say this was at the half way point.

The bus came in late at Bologna and the information boards were not very up to date. I had to use the App to see where the bus was currently and I could see it was late.

The bike went on the back trailer part, but there were issues because there were another couple of bikes on the trailer already. They had to take off the other two bikes and put them in the luggage compartment.

Arrived at Paris Bercy on time.

I wouldn't do an overnight again, but for a 3 to 4 hour hop it would be a good service if they took bikes.

beeb wrote: ↑19 May 2023, 7:07am Anyone any recent experience of using on the continent, good , bad any hints or tips?

They're discussing this on a German cycle touring forum: https://rad-forum.de/topics/1525817/Er ... st1525817 . I've not read it all, but it looks like experiences are mixed, with a few "excellent!" and a few "never again!". Worth sticking it through the translator.

I took one last summer, from Amsterdam to Hannover (I had planned to take the train but there was a train strike, so I was stuck...). The buses on that route don't have bike racks, so I bagged the bike and put it in the under-bus lugagge storage (I'd booked excess baggage in advance; the bike bag -- a Ground Effect 'Body Bag' -- was actually a bit over the maximum size, but no-one checked).

It wasn't the world's most comfortable trip: it was quite cramped (and I'm not remotely a tall person), there was no sign of the promised on-board refreshments (though there was a usable, and not too disgusting, loo), seat reservations were ignored. The positives: it was on time, it felt safe (in terms of driving quality and the atmosphere on the coach/at the coach stations), and it got me where I needed to go. Overall: I wouldn't choose to use Flixbus again, but I wouldn't not use them if they were the only option (if that makes sense!).

Is the problem that they say that they won't carry any bikes in the UK or that you can't book a bike in practice?
viewtopic.php?t=152064

Jonathan

Why no bikes in the UK?

Anyone any recent experience of using on the continent, good , bad any hints or tips?

toadoftoadhall wrote: ↑13 May 2023, 3:28pm How far was it between the campsites, were they only near large towns? Did you do any wild camping along the way, was it possible? How did you get back. Getting to Nantes on the Flixbus. Not sure how long I want be be away and wondering if I should book my way back.
And thanks.

we did nantes to switzerland but its been at least four years now, and returned to Canada by plane from Switzerland, so cannot comment on your return.
The part of eurovelo 6 that we did had fairly easily manageable campgrounds distances, and I was able to also fairly easily find campground info. We had difficulties getting a French sim card to work in our phones (Orange brand, but this was a specific problem with our N American phones not working with an Oranges / european technical thing--so we only had internet access at French campgrounds. I had however downloaded open source maps of the areas we were biking through, so had that offline to help figure out where we were if we strayed off the EV6 route.
If you are able to have a working data phone, this will help in planning a few days in advance for camping etc.
As for wild camping, we didnt do it, but if one is discreet and do not leave garbage around, its always a possibility--but depends where of course.

toadoftoadhall wrote: ↑13 May 2023, 3:28pm How far was it between the campsites, were they only near large towns? Did you do any wild camping along the way, was it possible? How did you get back. Getting to Nantes on the Flixbus. Not sure how long I want be be away and wondering if I should book my way back.
And thanks.

Plenty of campsites. "Worst" stretch was somewhere along Doubs where a 40 mile gap between campsites. There were some a bit closer but it meant a detour off up into the hills and not that much shorter.

If you have a smartphone or tablet download Archies app - that gives a good indication. Useful when actually making the trip as well.

Ian

How far was it between the campsites, were they only near large towns? Did you do any wild camping along the way, was it possible? How did you get back. Getting to Nantes on the Flixbus. Not sure how long I want be be away and wondering if I should book my way back.
And thanks.

Anyone done the 6 from Atlantic eastwards.
Looking for any information. Flixbus to Nantes on may 31st, then down the river Loire-Atlantique as far as I can ride for a month or so.

mattheus wrote: ↑26 Jan 2023, 10:02am The Chunnel (Folkestone-Calais):

If you can get to Folkestone* (reasonably) easily, and you like the sound of Calais(!), this is a fairly painless option.
Only once a day, but no disassembling, boxing, or folding required, £35 1-way:

https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/travellin ... /bicycles/

*Folkestone West Railway Station ideally
https://goo.gl/maps/9EmGa6yRdMqiyC2H9

I'm sure that used to be a more frequent service and only required booking the day before, I've used it for three one way trips, I'm certain it wasn't early morning and used to be cheaper than the ferry, £16 in 2019 I think.

If you're going to box a bike, consider a coach. London >Paris with Flixbus is £30 + £7 for a big box (240cm L + W + H) OK, I know it takes nine hours* and isn't as comfortable as the train, but you could probably have a night in Paris with the savings.

*It's often an hour less, they book the ferry based on worst driving times, if they get to the port early and there's space on a ferry they change it.

Cowsham wrote: ↑15 Jul 2022, 9:38pm Yes can't complain about flixbus except that they've just delivered the wife back to me. -- both journeys had a P stop so that's all I'd need.

You were very unlucky to be on two buses that punctured!

Yes can't complain about flixbus except that they've just delivered the wife back to me. -- both journeys had a P stop so that's all I'd need.