Oh Eurostar we weep to see...

[birkhead]

Just booked 2 bikes on Eurostar via Eurodespatch.
What a RIPOFF this has become.
Inflation of zillion%
A few years go, I took my bike on board in a superlight bag for £0, and the hassle was merely dismantling, carrying it around the terminal and then fending giant suitcases off of it during the journey.
Last few years, there was a walk-on no-book overnight service for £25, which was very handy for us to come down from bonnie ecosse on an early East Coast train, go to Paris/Brussel, stay overnight and pick the bikes up next day [or 2 days later on one occasion when we had things to do in the city].
I have just paid £200 for 2 fully assembled bikes out and back. They have to be booked in now.
I suppose I could have saved some £s by dismantling and using the Eurostar boxes and the CTC discount.
NOT a good joined up system to encourage folk to use public transport.

[Bonefishblues]

That's not transport we'd want the public on, shirley?

[mjr]

I have just paid £200 for 2 fully assembled bikes out and back. They have to be booked in now.

Departure within 60 days (£55 each), return within 120 (£45 each)? Yes, the loss of the next-day service and the new prices soon add up Boxing would have saved you £50 on the total.

2 bikes+riders out and back on the Dover ferries would have been £100, on the tunnel shuttle £80, on the Harwich ferry from £152 plus any cabins (required if overnight, from £55 each/way). I think the Dover and tunnel prices are fixed, but the Harwich cabin price might vary with demand. Whether it saves you anything over Eurostar depends on how much it adds to your train ticket, whether you're likely to be travelling back at a busy time when the first-come-first-served spaces on the trains could be full and where your final destination is on the mainland.

[Cyril Haearn]

Bad enough paying a high price, even worse to find out later one could have paid less, as Oscar Wilde might have said

I thought the interweb made things simple and enabled access to Perfect Knowledge

[Bonefishblues]

Probably as well to cancel the visit to Notre Dame

[bohrsatom]

Last time I took my bike on Eurostar it cost me an extra £25 or £30 each way

Was going to suggest you could fly there for less, but even Easyjet now charge £45 each way for a bike, sure it used to be £30 or so as well.

[LinusR]

2 bikes+riders out and back on the Dover ferries would have been £100

Currently you can get a return for £30 each with a bicycle on Dover-Calais. eg, seven day trip travelling midweek in May, June or July. https://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/

[mjr]

2 bikes+riders out and back on the Dover ferries would have been £100

Currently you can get a return for £30 each with a bicycle on Dover-Calais. eg, seven day trip travelling midweek in May, June or July. https://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/

How do you get that? I can't see it among the offers.

[LinusR]

2 bikes+riders out and back on the Dover ferries would have been £100

Currently you can get a return for £30 each with a bicycle on Dover-Calais. eg, seven day trip travelling midweek in May, June or July. https://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/

How do you get that? I can't see it among the offers.

I just put in a few dates travelling out and back on a Wednesday 7 or 14 days apart in May, June and July. Try putting in 1 May and rtn 8 or 15 May.

[Ivor Tingting]

2 bikes+riders out and back on the Dover ferries would have been £100

Currently you can get a return for £30 each with a bicycle on Dover-Calais. eg, seven day trip travelling midweek in May, June or July. https://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/

Bargain!

[Ivor Tingting]

Just booked 2 bikes on Eurostar via Eurodespatch.
What a RIPOFF this has become.
Inflation of zillion%
A few years go, I took my bike on board in a superlight bag for £0, and the hassle was merely dismantling, carrying it around the terminal and then fending giant suitcases off of it during the journey.
Last few years, there was a walk-on no-book overnight service for £25, which was very handy for us to come down from bonnie ecosse on an early East Coast train, go to Paris/Brussel, stay overnight and pick the bikes up next day [or 2 days later on one occasion when we had things to do in the city].
I have just paid £200 for 2 fully assembled bikes out and back. They have to be booked in now.
I suppose I could have saved some £s by dismantling and using the Eurostar boxes and the CTC discount.
NOT a good joined up system to encourage folk to use public transport.

My bike was free. Get a Brompton!

[Oldjohnw]

Just booked 2 bikes on Eurostar via Eurodespatch.
What a RIPOFF this has become.
Inflation of zillion%
A few years go, I took my bike on board in a superlight bag for £0, and the hassle was merely dismantling, carrying it around the terminal and then fending giant suitcases off of it during the journey.
Last few years, there was a walk-on no-book overnight service for £25, which was very handy for us to come down from bonnie ecosse on an early East Coast train, go to Paris/Brussel, stay overnight and pick the bikes up next day [or 2 days later on one occasion when we had things to do in the city].
I have just paid £200 for 2 fully assembled bikes out and back. They have to be booked in now.
I suppose I could have saved some £s by dismantling and using the Eurostar boxes and the CTC discount.
NOT a good joined up system to encourage folk to use public transport.

My bike was free. Get a Brompton!

Always wanted a free bike. Where from?

[LinusR]

Bargain!

It was yesterday. It's back to £50 return today. But still better value than Eurostar

[pga]

A disgrace. Awhile ago the EEC was trying to get all trains crossing national borders to provide full,and free, facilities for carrying bicycles. I have heard nothing since and with Farage and his mates likely to have voted against it in principle and Brexit still unresolved I guess the disgraceful treatment of cyclists on Eurostar will continue.