mattheus wrote: ↑26 Jan 2023, 10:02amThe Chunnel (Folkestone-Calais):
If you can get to Folkestone* (reasonably) easily, and you like the sound of Calais(!), this is a fairly painless option.
Only once a day, but no disassembling, boxing, or folding required, £35 1-way:
Although do bear in mind that it says in your link (my bold)
A minimum of 10 working days advance booking is required. Tickets are non-refundable. Amendments can be made up to 3 working days before departure, subject to availability.
Unfortunately, we are unable to take bookings over the telephone or on the day of travel.
Ok for trips with a fixed itinerary but harder for ones with more spontaneity, particularly for the return leg.
Former member of the Cult of the Polystyrene Head Carbuncle.
We need to butter-up this guy; I think he's still at Eurostar:
"You will be pleased to know that we are not intending to go ahead with the requirement for all bikes to be carried in boxes and will accept fully-mounted bikes."
Can’t help feeling that unless you are in London and the south east my current approach of getting the (overnight) ferry from the UK to France and then a TGV from the nearest station the next morning is still quite attractive. I’ll be leaving after work on a Friday evening, ambling to the 10pm ferry and then down in Toulouse by 6:30pm the next evening (4 hour train ride from Brittany to Paris and then change- same station to a service to Toulouse or Bordeaux and then Toulouse).
It’s not perfect- to catch the 9:45am train I need a taxi from the port to the station instead of cycling but for those of us close to a ferry port or with good access to one it takes a lot of hassle and changes out. The only early morning start is being got out of bed early by the ferry playing noisy music to make sure you get up and out of the cabin.
MrsHJ wrote: ↑26 Jan 2023, 4:11pm
Can’t help feeling that unless you are in London and the south east my current approach of getting the (overnight) ferry from the UK to France and then a TGV from the nearest station the next morning is still quite attractive. I’ll be leaving after work on a Friday evening, ambling to the 10pm ferry and then down in Toulouse by 6:30pm the next evening (4 hour train ride from Brittany to Paris and then change- same station to a service to Toulouse or Bordeaux and then Toulouse).
Actually, even for most of those in the south east but not in London, Kent or Sussex, taking an overnight ferry Harwich-HvH or Portsmouth-Caen/Le Havre/St Malo are worth considering because the morning peak bike ban towards London prevents reaching the tunnel shuttle, early Eurostars or morning ferries. If you get an early afternoon ferry, you're not likely to get more than about 30 miles from the port by bike before dark much of the year, and links from ferries to train stations look weak at all the ports in different ways, except Le Havre.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
Here's the long response just received from Eurostar. They also attached T&C's which are clear that if you don't drop the box off at least 90 minutes early, then you will have missed your train.
Our bike and luggage service has resumed on selected trains between London and Paris. This will be a limited service at first. We will be servicing the trains between 0755 & 1531 London to Paris, and between 1113 & 1813 Paris to London. Please be aware that this is subject to change and you would be updated upon booking.
Currently only two boxed bikes can be accepted per train. We will not be able to transport fully assembled bikes for the moment. Customers have to provide the boxes for their bikes, and cardboard bike boxes are acceptable..
You would need to drop your boxed bike off at our luggage area before heading to departures. When you arrive at your destination, your boxed bike will be handed back to you on the platform so make sure you only bring what you can carry safely. Trolleys will not be provided.
The current prices for boxed bikes are £60 for travel in the next 48 hours or if booked in advance of 48 hours before travel £45.
mattheus wrote: ↑26 Jan 2023, 10:02amThe Chunnel (Folkestone-Calais):
If you can get to Folkestone* (reasonably) easily, and you like the sound of Calais(!), this is a fairly painless option.
Only once a day, but no disassembling, boxing, or folding required, £35 1-way:
IF. Only once a day, and that's at 8am! Which would mean leaving London Victoria at four-something. Think I'll stick to the ferry!
I don't see how requiring bikes to be in boxes is compatible with the statement "only bring what you can carry safely".
Assuming Eurostar won't be happy with rebuilding a bike on the platform at Gare du Nord, how is a touring cyclist supposed to transport their panniers, bar bag, potentially a rack bag *plus* a boxed bike to a quiet space in order to rebuild it? And even if they're happy with rebuilding on the platform, the cyclist now has a bike box to deal with in addition to the bike/bags/etc etc.
With the old system, if the bike was in one of Eurostar's own boxes you only had to carry your luggage to Eurodispatch where there was an area away from the crowds to reassemble the bike before riding off into the sunset.
It's looking like the ferry for me until they take fully assembled bikes again
mattheus wrote: ↑26 Jan 2023, 10:02amThe Chunnel (Folkestone-Calais):
If you can get to Folkestone* (reasonably) easily, and you like the sound of Calais(!), this is a fairly painless option.
Only once a day, but no disassembling, boxing, or folding required, £35 1-way:
I'm sure that used to be a more frequent service and only required booking the day before, I've used it for three one way trips, I'm certain it wasn't early morning and used to be cheaper than the ferry, £16 in 2019 I think.
If you're going to box a bike, consider a coach. London >Paris with Flixbus is £30 + £7 for a big box (240cm L + W + H) OK, I know it takes nine hours* and isn't as comfortable as the train, but you could probably have a night in Paris with the savings.
*It's often an hour less, they book the ferry based on worst driving times, if they get to the port early and there's space on a ferry they change it.
mattheus wrote: ↑26 Jan 2023, 10:02amThe Chunnel (Folkestone-Calais):
If you can get to Folkestone* (reasonably) easily, and you like the sound of Calais(!), this is a fairly painless option.
Only once a day, but no disassembling, boxing, or folding required, £35 1-way:
IF. Only once a day, and that's at 8am! Which would mean leaving London Victoria at four-something. Think I'll stick to the ferry!
Forgive me nirakaro: I didn't know where you live (or your diurnal preferences) before I posted. ; -)
mattheus wrote: ↑26 Jan 2023, 10:02amThe Chunnel (Folkestone-Calais):
If you can get to Folkestone* (reasonably) easily, and you like the sound of Calais(!), this is a fairly painless option.
Only once a day, but no disassembling, boxing, or folding required, £35 1-way:
I'm sure that used to be a more frequent service and only required booking the day before, I've used it for three one way trips, I'm certain it wasn't early morning and used to be cheaper than the ferry, £16 in 2019 I think.
I think it used to be three times a day, and it was cheaper than it is now. Thankful for small mercies though, at least it still exists.
scragend wrote: ↑27 Jan 2023, 10:08am
I think it used to be three times a day, and it was cheaper than it is now. Thankful for small mercies though, at least it still exists.
Being thankful for small mercies seems to be current CUK policy. IMHO it only helps to keep them small and not particularly merciful.
Chris Juden One lady owner, never raced or jumped.
Only Dover Calais ferry is looking like an attractive solution again for us 'foreigners' living across the border in bonnie Scotland. The penalties for refusing to fly are severe. I am old enough to remember that brief window when you could get an (unadvertised) thru train from Inverness to Paris.
Perhaps the solution is to ride in an endless loop around the NC500, if only 'they' would ban campervans and midges.
