Grand Central ( rail )

[mercalia]

I have never heard of these people. Any one here any experience of them with bikes? London to York and back
They say they only have 3 spaces ( at the front ) of each train - seems a rather risky thing on the return journey, with an advanced ticket, as the train comes all the way from Sunderland and you cant reserve spaces.

[captain offensive]

Noticed that policy last year when looking at trains. It's a shame as whenever I've used their services (not for a couple of years to be fair and never with a bike) they've always been excellent and the staff always really helpful (i reckon they would try to see you right). Never seen the trains full but it is a risk.

[mjr]

I read somewhere that if the bike spaces are full, then you can travel on the next service even with a timed ticket... but Grand Central services aren't very frequent so that could be quite disruptive.

[Bonefishblues]

I'd never heard of them, but I guess they are East of me, having looked.

[mercalia]

I read somewhere that if the bike spaces are full, then you can travel on the next service even with a timed ticket... but Grand Central services aren't very frequent so that could be quite disruptive.

yes I should have added that in my post. its an understatement to say the least, I think when I looked the train I I wanted was about 1pm and the next was much later at maybe 6pm, then if that one is full you are screwed?

when I looked they were the only company to offer cheapish advanced tickets from London to York and back even 2+ months ahead - Virgin East Coast no longer does

[RickH]

when I looked they were the only company to offer cheapish advanced tickets from London to York and back even 2+ months ahead - Virgin East Coast no longer does

A quick look on the National Rail website gives me a Virgin East Coast ticket bookable for £16 single Advance (11:08 out of Kings Cross on Wed 4th April - randomly selected date more-or-less as far in advance as the system allows)

Edited to add: Admittedly VEC have knobbled their online system for booking bikes so it will need booking via another train company or do it the old fashioned way of going to any manned station (not TfL run if you are in London).

[PH]

Does seem a bit dodgy to travel long distance on an infrequent service without a reservation, I suppose you could minimise the risk by arriving early to increase the chance of being first in the queue. But if there's other options without increasing the cost too much I think I'd choose them first.

[mercalia]

when I looked they were the only company to offer cheapish advanced tickets from London to York and back even 2+ months ahead - Virgin East Coast no longer does

A quick look on the National Rail website gives me a Virgin East Coast ticket bookable for £16 single Advance (11:08 out of Kings Cross on Wed 4th April - randomly selected date more-or-less as far in advance as the system allows)

Edited to add: Admittedly VEC have knobbled their online system for booking bikes so it will need booking via another train company or do it the old fashioned way of going to any manned station (not TfL run if you are in London).

yes I looked again strange how I got no results last time for Virgin now can see £10 each way

which train companies still allow bike reservations for virgin etc?

[Sweep]

Table toppers apparently,


Http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-42707560

[RickH]

which train companies still allow bike reservations for virgin etc?

I've used Transpennine in the past & they appear to still do cycle bookings (they at least give you the option at the booking stage but I've not actually gone through with a purchase when I looked just now. PS I didn't use London to York in case I at least temporarily blocked a booking slot).

[jgurney]

I have used their trains several times, but without a bike. Because of their absurd refusal to book bike spaces, I always use East Coast when taking a bike, and always e-mail GC telling them so.

The introduction of Adelante trains to replace some of their HST's has caused the 3 bikes per train rule (the HST's could carry at least 5) as well as leading to cramped trains (Adelantes are shorter and smaller than HST's) and complaints about incorrect seat bookings (mine included: on both my last two journeys with GC, I had specified airline seats and got table ones, the problem is HST's and Adelantes have different seating layouts and the booking system cannot tell them apart).

I would not risk trying to make a journey with a bike on a route that long and on a service that infrequent without a booking. Use VEC and complain to GC.

[ebor62]

Been a Yorkshire person, living on the south coast, I make the London - York trip several times a year. I have used Grand central several times and found them excellent and usually my bike was the only one. Virgin has been patchy, with some good and some poor trips. If going when expecting more bikes, ( York Rally or Tour of Yorkshire ) I use Hull Trains, which run from Kings Cross to Hull. Not many trains a day but you can still book bikes online. I get of at Howden and cycle a flat 20 miles through the lanes to York.