Eurovelo 15 - Andermatt

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
deryck
Posts: 23
Joined: 1 Feb 2015, 7:43pm

Re: Getting to Andermatt for the Rhine Cycle Route

Post by deryck »

Another alternative (not the train) is to hire a car big enough for bikes and drop it off at Andermatt. We caught ferry to dunkirk and picked up car by Cycling into town. Note we found it cheaper to go to mulhouse near basle as they charge a premium if you drop the car off in a different country. You could then ride to the start from there (several days ride) or ride over the border to Switzerland and either hire another car or get taxi, bus, train etc.
FatLad1980
Posts: 100
Joined: 4 Dec 2017, 12:14am

Re: Getting to Andermatt for the Rhine Cycle Route

Post by FatLad1980 »

deryck wrote:Another alternative (not the train) is to hire a car big enough for bikes and drop it off at Andermatt. We caught ferry to dunkirk and picked up car by Cycling into town. Note we found it cheaper to go to mulhouse near basle as they charge a premium if you drop the car off in a different country. You could then ride to the start from there (several days ride) or ride over the border to Switzerland and either hire another car or get taxi, bus, train etc.


Good idea, but a car big enough for 2 or 3 bikes and luggage? Worth checking out the cost anyway.

Looking at the train on the Dutch website shows €40/person but that doesn't include the cost of the bikes. Depending what that would be I think the cost of the train would be hard to beat.
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Getting to Andermatt for the Rhine Cycle Route

Post by Cyril Haearn »

deryck wrote:Another alternative (not the train) is to hire a car big enough for bikes and drop it off at Andermatt. We caught ferry to dunkirk and picked up car by Cycling into town. Note we found it cheaper to go to mulhouse near basle as they charge a premium if you drop the car off in a different country. You could then ride to the start from there (several days ride) or ride over the border to Switzerland and either hire another car or get taxi, bus, train etc.


Not such a good idea, hours of work for the poor driver and much more use of resources than a few hundred kg of bikes and riders on a train causes
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
pal
Posts: 612
Joined: 22 Mar 2008, 11:49am

Re: Getting to Andermatt for the Rhine Cycle Route

Post by pal »

I did (almost) exactly this trip a couple of years ago (starting from Manchester). My route was: virgin train from Manchester-Euston; freewheel down to St. Pancras; Eurostar to Paris (bike has to be pre-booked, but not dismantled: info here https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-i ... gage/bikes). Then a gentle ride across Paris to Gare de Lyon; then the TGV to Zurich. (About half of the TGVs on that route take complete/unbagged bikes. The Captain Train website shows which ones have bike spaces; you can book tickets [incl the v. cheap discount fares] and make bike reservations from their site.) From Zurich I took the train to Zug, and then cycled up to Andermatt from there, but it would be equally easy (easier, indeed!) to take the train straight to Andermatt.

London-Zug took one day (leaving on one of the earliest Eurostars, and arriving in Zug in time for supper), with time for a leisurely lunch in Paris. This meant spending a night in London (because the baggage office doesn't open early enough to allow you to check a bike the required 2 hours before departure; for early trains, it has to be dropped off the night before). An alternative would be to take a later train from London, and spend a night in Paris. Priciest bit was (unsurprisingly!) the Manchester-London leg; I think I paid about 30 Euro for the TGV.
User avatar
foxyrider
Posts: 6042
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: Getting to Andermatt for the Rhine Cycle Route

Post by foxyrider »

Or fly Lufthansa to Munich and get the Flixbus to Chur and train to Andermatt. No dismantling required and in theory possible to do in a single day!

Accommodation in Andermatt is quite expensive and tbh I wouldn't use the campsite except as a last resort - it really is poor and very exposed. I went last time in August 2014, there was fresh snow on the passes and at 1400m (Andermatt) it was quite chilly - I was glad of a hotel room and the underfloor bathroom heating! (I flew to Basel and did a big loopy tour, I had to abandon plans to go over the top to Disentis etc as the weather was too dire!

Hope you find a solution that works for you.
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Getting to Andermatt for the Rhine Cycle Route

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Zug is a place
Zug means train in German

To avoid confusion one might speak of a *Reisezug*
Or a *train* :wink:
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
FatLad1980
Posts: 100
Joined: 4 Dec 2017, 12:14am

Re: Getting to Andermatt for the Rhine Cycle Route

Post by FatLad1980 »

pal wrote:I did (almost) exactly this trip a couple of years ago (starting from Manchester). My route was: virgin train from Manchester-Euston; freewheel down to St. Pancras; Eurostar to Paris (bike has to be pre-booked, but not dismantled: info here https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-i ... gage/bikes). Then a gentle ride across Paris to Gare de Lyon; then the TGV to Zurich. (About half of the TGVs on that route take complete/unbagged bikes. The Captain Train website shows which ones have bike spaces; you can book tickets [incl the v. cheap discount fares] and make bike reservations from their site.) From Zurich I took the train to Zug, and then cycled up to Andermatt from there, but it would be equally easy (easier, indeed!) to take the train straight to Andermatt.

London-Zug took one day (leaving on one of the earliest Eurostars, and arriving in Zug in time for supper), with time for a leisurely lunch in Paris. This meant spending a night in London (because the baggage office doesn't open early enough to allow you to check a bike the required 2 hours before departure; for early trains, it has to be dropped off the night before). An alternative would be to take a later train from London, and spend a night in Paris. Priciest bit was (unsurprisingly!) the Manchester-London leg; I think I paid about 30 Euro for the TGV.


When I was invited to do some cycle touring around Italy earlier in the year the Eurostar/TGV was the option I researched. However I found that whilst the TGV would carry the bike assembled, it wasn’t actually permitted whe crossing the border to Italy. :?

I’d actually kind of like to avoid France. Every time I’ve been/passed through or used their airline it’s been a disaster. I’ve no love for the country or Parisians.
FatLad1980
Posts: 100
Joined: 4 Dec 2017, 12:14am

Re: Getting to Andermatt for the Rhine Cycle Route

Post by FatLad1980 »

foxyrider wrote:Or fly Lufthansa to Munich and get the Flixbus to Chur and train to Andermatt. No dismantling required and in theory possible to do in a single day!

Accommodation in Andermatt is quite expensive and tbh I wouldn't use the campsite except as a last resort - it really is poor and very exposed. I went last time in August 2014, there was fresh snow on the passes and at 1400m (Andermatt) it was quite chilly - I was glad of a hotel room and the underfloor bathroom heating! (I flew to Basel and did a big loopy tour, I had to abandon plans to go over the top to Disentis etc as the weather was too dire!

Hope you find a solution that works for you.


The one reason I want to go by train is because I really don’t want baggage handlers throwing my bike about, or the hassle of having to deal with bike boxes.

I’d be looking to go mid May. I’m going to the Cycle Touring Festival at the beginning of May and then will be cycling the Trans Penine Trail to Hull to visit family. This would be perfect opportunity for the ferry to Rotterdam as it saves any expensive of travelling by train to Hull at a later date to do the trip.
PDQ Mobile
Posts: 4657
Joined: 2 Aug 2015, 4:40pm

Re: Getting to Andermatt for the Rhine Cycle Route

Post by PDQ Mobile »

Cyril Haearn wrote:Zug is a place
Zug means train in German

To avoid confusion one might speak of a *Reisezug*
Or a *train* :wink:


Don't be linguistically pedantic Bryn!

It's obvious "pal" means the town of Zug!
The name has nothing to do with trains but derives from a place of landing of lake fish! (From the verb Ziehen - to pull)
It's old.

However the "der Zug nach Zug" can lead to some amusement.

"Pal"s route sounds good if you like trains.
mediumbird
Posts: 148
Joined: 20 Jan 2013, 5:10pm
Location: Aberlour, Scotland

Re: Getting to Andermatt for the Rhine Cycle Route

Post by mediumbird »

Did this route with a friend last year in July and August. But....we flew from Edinburgh to Basel with bikes in one of those big plastic bags. No issues and quick reassemble bars and pedals at the airport. Took the bus from the airport(yep, bikes on board with no issue) to the train station and then train to Andermatt. The only issue with train travel is being unable to book more than 3 months from date of travel. Cycled the route all the way to Hook of Holland then up to Ijmuiden and ferry back to Newcastle, quick cycle to train station(leave plenty of time to get off the boat and through passport control) then train to Edinburgh. Job done!
FatLad1980
Posts: 100
Joined: 4 Dec 2017, 12:14am

Re: Getting to Andermatt for the Rhine Cycle Route

Post by FatLad1980 »

mediumbird wrote:Did this route with a friend last year in July and August. But....we flew from Edinburgh to Basel with bikes in one of those big plastic bags. No issues and quick reassemble bars and pedals at the airport. Took the bus from the airport(yep, bikes on board with no issue) to the train station and then train to Andermatt. The only issue with train travel is being unable to book more than 3 months from date of travel. Cycled the route all the way to Hook of Holland then up to Ijmuiden and ferry back to Newcastle, quick cycle to train station(leave plenty of time to get off the boat and through passport control) then train to Edinburgh. Job done!


How did you find it? Any tips on what to see/do?
bikepacker
Posts: 2273
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 7:08pm
Location: Worcestershire
Contact:

Re: Getting to Andermatt for the Rhine Cycle Route

Post by bikepacker »

foxyrider wrote:I wouldn't use the campsite except as a last resort - it really is poor and very exposed.


I though the campsite was okay, yes a little exposed as you are high up in the Alps but the facilities were clean. Utopia compared to some I have stayed at you should have seen the one jags and me experienced in Ireland earlier this year.
There is your way. There is my way. But there is no "the way".
mediumbird
Posts: 148
Joined: 20 Jan 2013, 5:10pm
Location: Aberlour, Scotland

Re: Getting to Andermatt for the Rhine Cycle Route

Post by mediumbird »

Hi FatLad1980. Really enjoyed the trip, but beware, the route is not always on tarmac! Muddy forest track on day 1 and a long off road route through the forest after Bad Sackingen . Our road bikes managed though as we were using Schwalbe Marathon plus tyres, though my handlebars did shake loose.....The route is well signposted. We averaged about 65-70 miles a day which didn't give us a huge amount of sightseeing time. Lots of canal towpaths and got a bit of white line fever in the run into Strasbourg. We booked all our accommodation in advance as we prefer to know we have a bed for the night rather than searching. Lots of crossing of the Rhine which was fun in itself. Some big industrial towns as well as long rural routes. Would certainly do it again but would take longer to enjoy the sites. Rhine falls a definite visit.

Hopefully this will link to some photos of the trip. https://www.flickr.com/gp/31996410@N06/V25261
FatLad1980
Posts: 100
Joined: 4 Dec 2017, 12:14am

Re: Getting to Andermatt for the Rhine Cycle Route

Post by FatLad1980 »

mediumbird wrote:Hi FatLad1980. Really enjoyed the trip, but beware, the route is not always on tarmac! Muddy forest track on day 1 and a long off road route through the forest after Bad Sackingen . Our road bikes managed though as we were using Schwalbe Marathon plus tyres, though my handlebars did shake loose.....The route is well signposted. We averaged about 65-70 miles a day which didn't give us a huge amount of sightseeing time. Lots of canal towpaths and got a bit of white line fever in the run into Strasbourg. We booked all our accommodation in advance as we prefer to know we have a bed for the night rather than searching. Lots of crossing of the Rhine which was fun in itself. Some big industrial towns as well as long rural routes. Would certainly do it again but would take longer to enjoy the sites. Rhine falls a definite visit.

Hopefully this will link to some photos of the trip. https://www.flickr.com/gp/31996410@N06/V25261


Hey, was the muddy track before or after the Oberalp pass?

wow, loving the pictures! thank you. :)
FatLad1980
Posts: 100
Joined: 4 Dec 2017, 12:14am

Re: Getting to Andermatt for the Rhine Cycle Route

Post by FatLad1980 »

mediumbird wrote:Hi FatLad1980. Really enjoyed the trip, but beware, the route is not always on tarmac! Muddy forest track on day 1 and a long off road route through the forest after Bad Sackingen . Our road bikes managed though as we were using Schwalbe Marathon plus tyres, though my handlebars did shake loose.....The route is well signposted. We averaged about 65-70 miles a day which didn't give us a huge amount of sightseeing time. Lots of canal towpaths and got a bit of white line fever in the run into Strasbourg. We booked all our accommodation in advance as we prefer to know we have a bed for the night rather than searching. Lots of crossing of the Rhine which was fun in itself. Some big industrial towns as well as long rural routes. Would certainly do it again but would take longer to enjoy the sites. Rhine falls a definite visit.

Hopefully this will link to some photos of the trip. https://www.flickr.com/gp/31996410@N06/V25261


I'm trying to send the link the two people that may be cycling with me but it won't work for them.
Post Reply