Train reservations

[londoncommuter0000]

As we're doing so, the train doors close and the train pulls out. Guard smirking at us from one of the doors.

I hope you complained about that formally! If it was recent, Scotrail is operated by Dutch Railways at the moment, so I hope they take a dim view of it. Later this year, it should be pretty obvious where to put the bikes, with the introduction of what's effectively a new Motor Luggage Van...
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=126623

No, I didn't complain. My experience of 'complaints' to train companies over the years is that they're going to ignore it, or seek some justification for it.

[Sweep]

Just done the bi monthly ritual of booking tickets on the East coast to visit fam, typical palaver.

At the station the bloke with his new ipad style screen and 'dabber' can't manage to sort out the reservation, best part of 10 minutes he's trying, as a low volume station just before lunch it was quiet but a queue is forming because there's only one window and people don't like using the ticket machines He asks for help and his colleague does it in less than a minute.
Why oh why oh why can they simply not just put the cycle booking back on to the website for goodness sakes, the price of the journey went up by 50% from December so it's now at the same cost as the fuel and the bridge toll but with far less hassle all round. Next time I'm going to use my sons car and drive with the bike in the boot, I'm done with the trains at the moment

I empathise with you totally. I had a similar experience with a poor employee (not blaming them) struggling with a clearly impenetrable system when trying to get on Virgin west coast a while back.

Out of interest, can I ask where to where you are trying to get? Any chance of using an alternative slower train company for part of the journey and turning the rest into an interesting bike ride?

[MikeF]

One of the lower hassle routes I think.

No restriction on afternoon trains from Brighton or to St Pancras mentioned on https://www.thameslinkrailway.com/trave ... ing-a-bike - is it still restricted? Thameslink's new Desiro trains have more bike spaces than before and Southern's Electrostars are pretty good with just enough space to put them across unused doors. Worst case with Thameslink, I think you'd be allowed to London Bridge or Blackfriars and be able to cycle across to Euston.

Indeed it does appear Thameslink don't now list restrictions on trains travelling north from Brighton in the later afternoon. I checked the national rail timetable when I posted and cycles weren't allowed on Thameslink trains in the late afternoon and confirmed what had always been the case. However when I check for taking cycles today, they are allowed but with a reservation. The Thameslink site doesn't mention reservation so I'm not sure that's correct either. However as Thameslink now have a new manager trying to "improve" its image, perhaps things are changing for the better. I have no personal experience of taking a cycle on Thameslink trains, but if they are now more relaxed I may consider it.

The good thing about Electrostar units is you can be near your cycle, but Pete661's experience means you should still check on it.

[mjr]

No, I didn't complain. My experience of 'complaints' to train companies over the years is that they're going to ignore it, or seek some justification for it.

Oh it's a complete lottery I agree, but if you never play then we can't win!

However when I check for taking cycles today, they are allowed but with a reservation. The Thameslink site doesn't mention reservation so I'm not sure that's correct either. However as Thameslink now have a new manager trying to "improve" its image, perhaps things are changing for the better. I have no personal experience of taking a cycle on Thameslink trains, but if they are now more relaxed I may consider it.

I've taken a cycle on Thameslink but it was a Saturday. Easy enough: wheel the bike to the door with the bicycle symbol and there's a big bay with retaining strap (or was it straps?).

There seems to be no pattern or reason to what is showing in the search results for Newhaven-London St Pancras (a short walk to Euston) as cycles allowed and what's showing as cycles prohibited. One Brighton-Bedford service is OK, then the next isn't, then the one after is, then another isn't. I suspect an error. I'd save the web page to my phone but ultimately it's the guard's decision anyway (when there's a guard).

And yes, keep an eye on the bike while on board. Stand by it if you have to.

[john4703]

And yes, keep an eye on the bike while on board. Stand by it if you have to.

Most of my journeys with my bike are Virgin West Coast and the train crew usually tell me to lock my bike to the train. They seem helpful and want me to keep my bike secure. (I do hate the spaces where the bike hangs by one wheel.)

[SimonCelsa]

I'll go with plan B as stated earlier - just cycle it slowly!!

I was trying to get back to London for the Friday evening Caledonian Sleeper (now only £50 up to Inverness!!). So arriving mid afternoon at Newhaven & then disembarking ferry, getting on train, transferring stations etc for a 21:15 departure was the plan.

I don't like rushing about but if I don't make the Friday evening sleeper the next one is not until Sunday evening......nada on Saturdays! I can't realistically get back from France any earlier so will plan instead on arriving Saturday morning & bimble North on me bike, maybe stay one night at Tanners Hatch camping (which I read about on another thread) and continuing the leisurely ride on Sunday.

Sounds good to me but extends the trip somewhat.

[The utility cyclist]

Just done the bi monthly ritual of booking tickets on the East coast to visit fam, typical palaver.

At the station the bloke with his new ipad style screen and 'dabber' can't manage to sort out the reservation, best part of 10 minutes he's trying, as a low volume station just before lunch it was quiet but a queue is forming because there's only one window and people don't like using the ticket machines He asks for help and his colleague does it in less than a minute.
Why oh why oh why can they simply not just put the cycle booking back on to the website for goodness sakes, the price of the journey went up by 50% from December so it's now at the same cost as the fuel and the bridge toll but with far less hassle all round. Next time I'm going to use my sons car and drive with the bike in the boot, I'm done with the trains at the moment

I empathise with you totally. I had a similar experience with a poor employee (not blaming them) struggling with a clearly impenetrable system when trying to get on Virgin west coast a while back.

Out of interest, can I ask where to where you are trying to get? Any chance of using an alternative slower train company for part of the journey and turning the rest into an interesting bike ride?

Hull from North Herts. I cycle the 5 miles or so to the mainline station as adding the journey from my local station (2 stops/8 mins) means an extra £8 each way ... when it costs £2.50 if I buy the tickets separately

The ONLY slow train option with no bike booking is;
Cycle 6 miles to a lightly serviced station, call it 40 mins to include getting over the two story footbridge (No cycle furrow at the side) to the other side of the track and arriving with 5 mins in hand.
Then 40 mins to Peterborough, wait another 45 mins as the later train doesn't give me enough leeway if the train is only a few minutes late.
Then Peterborough to Gainsborough via Lincoln, this is a 113min journey,
Cycle 43 miles to Hull, call it 3.5 hours incl stops.

So that's 7.5 hours journey plus an extra £15 in fares, door to door via LNER is actually longer than getting in the car and having a slow drive up the A1/A46/A15/A63, it also means I don't have to book 3-4 weeks in advance, not have to worry about it snowing sideways on the way to the station (I can cope with driving in sideways snow) and cancelled trains and all the other hateful aspects that put you off travelling by train with bike on top of the cycle reservation booking aggro.

Also as I have a long term ailment I'm not sure how on any one day I'm feeling, I could feel like an absolute dogs dinner or I could feel right on it so 40 miles could be an absolute horror, add in foul weather (as I go all year round) and I'd be thoroughly hacked off thinking why didn't I just use the car/put up with the hassle of booking the bike and getting the fast train

[PH]

Just done the bi monthly ritual of booking tickets on the East coast to visit fam, typical palaver.

Is there a reason you don't book online?

[The utility cyclist]

Just done the bi monthly ritual of booking tickets on the East coast to visit fam, typical palaver.

Is there a reason you don't book online?

Cycle reservation tickets are not available to book online, I thought that was made clear already, the travel tickets one can do online but the hassle is always the reservations for the bikes.

[Mick F]

Not "always".

Sometimes, I would agree.

[Sweep]

Not "always".

Sometimes, I would agree.

Always been a hassle for me, so much so that I am now prepared to cycle long distances by taking an alternative train part way. After all when I get to my destination I will be cycling so why not just make the journey there another cycling adventure?

Come to think of it I may contact both west and east coast squatters and suggest that they advertise that they are promoting cycling, improving the nation's health, saving the NHS money by pursuing their current enlightened policies.

[Mick F]

I use GWR and you can select a bike reservation with them. It works very well, but I don't think they will book on different companies routes and trains.

Hence my "not always" comment, as it's not an issue with GWR on their trains at all. Mind you, I've always phoned to make sure that the bike is booked. Belt and braces.

[pete75]

Just done the bi monthly ritual of booking tickets on the East coast to visit fam, typical palaver.

Is there a reason you don't book online?

Cycle reservation tickets are not available to book online, I thought that was made clear already, the travel tickets one can do online but the hassle is always the reservations for the bikes.

Bike reservations for the east coast can be booked online. I've done it many times.

[mjr]

I use GWR and you can select a bike reservation with them. It works very well, but I don't think they will book on different companies routes and trains.

GWR (as long as you don't pick the "accessible" booking system), c2c and a few others will book bikes online onto any trains where bikes can be booked. The problem is the few scummy companies like Virgin who offer special offers only on their own site which won't book bikes - then you have to phone or visit - but Virgin don't operate the east coast any more.

[st599_uk]

Is there a reason you don't book online?

Cycle reservation tickets are not available to book online, I thought that was made clear already, the travel tickets one can do online but the hassle is always the reservations for the bikes.

Bike reservations for the east coast can be booked online. I've done it many times.

You used to be able to, but then when Virgin got the gig, they removed that function from the website.

May have been put back again, haven't checked.