Train Portsmouth (ex Ferry) To London With Bike

[simonhill]

After a short pedal across France, I will be arriving at some time yet to be decided at Portsmouth on a ferry. I want to take a train with my bike to London, any station, but prefer Victoria.

Can someone please give me a simple guide to which trains take bikes without booking.

Thanks.

[ubert767]

South West Trains run a direct service to London (Waterloo) and their cycle policy is here.
https://www.southwesternrailway.com/tra ... ith-a-bike

Rob

[peterdpusey]

Living on the Isle of Wight I regularly travel to London on Southwest trains from Portsmouth to London Waterloo. Fast trains take an 1 hr 40 minutes I have never yet had problems getting my bike fully laden with panniers on however with Southwest trains you cannot book just turn up, that said as the train is starting at Portsmouth Harbour you would be very unlucky to find there is no space left for your bike.

If I need to get out of London via another station I quite enjoy the ride across town it is such a contrast to the lanes of the Isle of Wight.

[pedalsheep]

The service to London Victoria is a bit slower than the one to Waterloo but again there is no need to book your bike. There are usually plenty of spaces and as the train starts from Portsmouth Harbour you will have no need to run along the platform trying to find the appropriate carriage!

[simonhill]

Thanks for replies. Waterloo is OK, I just prefer Victoria because I can drop onto the District line if dark or weather bad, or pedal along the Embankment if not. I will be heading to Fenchurch St for C2C.

From the description, I presume the SW Trains are like the C2C ones and have a bike space every few cars (every 4 with C2C). So as long as outside peak time, its just roll up, roll on and off you go.

[mjr]

Similar. Mostly racks for three bikes every few coaches.

Waterloo is slightly closer. Exit the station front and head left towards the river through the Waterloo East viaduct. Follow National 4 east along the South Bank back streets to Blackfriars bridge, cross it and spiral down to the Embankment and you know where you are.

[Marcus Aurelius]

You could use the SWT fast service as far as Clapham Junction, then change to the Southern service to Victoria, or use the London Overground trains to get you into different bits of town, from Clapham Junction.

[Bez]

Two types of train on that line. One has 5-car units, of which cars 2 and 3 (or 3 and 4) have 3x dedicated bike stands. The other has 4-car units, of which car 2 (or 3) has an area with foldable seats which is designated for two bikes (but takes more).

If you get on at Portsmouth Harbour you're first on, so you shouldn't have a problem either way. And if you're travelling all the way to Waterloo you don't need to worry about peak times either: it's only boarding and alighting with a bicycle between Guildford and Waterloo that is disallowed (but even then, normally tolerated).

I wouldn't bother with Clapham, it restricts your choice of trains considerably.