Eurostar and SNCF - packing bikes

[SecretSam]

Hi all, first time post here!

I've seen various threads on taking bikes on Eurostar and TGV, but wondered about what people used to protect their bikes - I was going to use a bike box, but a) ££££ and b) I've got to move between stations and onto a bus, so portability is an issue.

Other threads seem to suggest a cheap bike bag + lagging/bubble wrap, etc is the way to go - any advice? Bike is a nice carbon road bike, so I want to keep it safe!

(Journey is London - Paris - Grenoble - Boug D'Oisans (bus last bit))

TIA

[Jdsk]

Your recent post on the same subject is here:
[topics merged by moderator]

Jonathan

[marmite]

Word of mouth on the platform at Gare du Nord just now was that big Paris stations have removed luggage trolleys because too many of them were being taken away by homeless people to transport their few belongings. This seems unkind to nearly everyone, but not unbelievable.

[simonhill]

I read on the instructions for carrying bikes a warning that there were no trolleys. They said you would have to carry bike plus luggage.

I bet it's a H&S thing with the adjacent rail track rather than the local ne'er-do-wells. Supermarkets manage OK.

Plenty of trolleys at every airport I've been to. I can't believe how much hassle train travel can be.

[ANTONISH]

I read on the instructions for carrying bikes a warning that there were no trolleys. They said you would have to carry bike plus luggage.

I bet it's a H&S thing with the adjacent rail track rather than the local ne'er-do-wells. Supermarkets manage OK.

Plenty of trolleys at every airport I've been to. I can't believe how much hassle train travel can be.

It seems to have started some time ago - I took my bike in a bag to Lille (going to Narbonne) - no trolleys in evidence in Lille - nor any other station. That was in 2018

[Bice]

I have used an old cardboard bike box from Halfords (135x70x22cms) for flying to Barcelona, but how would this arrangement fair with Eurostar and SNCF? Most references here are to bags.

I want to get from London to Bordeaux / Bergerac this summer. (Flying would be cheaper and easier, of course.)

With straps fashioned out of cargo straps I can carry this, but it is not fun at all after 2-300 metres.

[MrsHJ]

I have used an old cardboard bike box from Halfords (135x70x22cms) for flying to Barcelona, but how would this arrangement fair with Eurostar and SNCF? Most references here are to bags.

I want to get from London to Bordeaux / Bergerac this summer. (Flying would be cheaper and easier, of course.)

With straps fashioned out of cargo straps I can carry this, but it is not fun at all after 2-300 metres.

The Paris Bordeaux part is easy. You can go with the bike intact. Cycle across Paris to montparnasse where the TGV atlantique line starts. The Bordeaux TGV takes the bike intact IF you book you and it on in advance. There are only a couple of bike spots per train but it is roughly hourly. Bookings are already open for the summer. It’s only around 2 hours to Bordeaux.

I’d look at a packable bag for Eurostar if youre doing that- it can be really tricky to meet the measurements requirements I understand. I have this one. Not sure if it will do the job. It does have a handle. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00 ... th=1&psc=1

Measurements are here- non rigid (so not a box) and 135x85x30. I haven’t done Eurostar with my bike yet- I tend to use the ferry. https://help.eurostar.com/faq/uk-en/que ... 0departure.

[nirakaro]

Measurements are here- non rigid (so not a box) and 135x85x30.

"Travelling between Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Germany
You can take your bike on board our European routes. It must be disassembled, including wheels, and stored in a non-rigid cover no larger than 135x85x30 cm."

Those dimensions seem to refer to routes on the continent.

"Bikes between London and Paris
Your bike will need to be disassembled and stored in a bike box/bag."

Eurostar's help page doesn't specify dimensions for London-Paris, but I believe they are much more restricitve.

[Jdsk]

...
Measurements are here- non rigid (so not a box) and 135x85x30. I haven’t done Eurostar with my bike yet- I tend to use the ferry. https://help.eurostar.com/faq/uk-en/que ... 0departure.

Eurostar's help page doesn't specify dimensions for London-Paris, but I believe they are much more restricitve.

Recent discussion:
viewtopic.php?p=1813263#p1813263

Jonathan

[scragend]

Those dimensions seem to refer to routes on the continent.

Indeed - Eurostar took over what used to be Thalys and rebranded it as Eurostar, sometimes unofficially called "Eurostar Red" to distinguish it from its Channel Tunnel-going counterpart (sometimes called "Eurostar Blue").

I can't help but think there will be a lot of confusion for cross-Channel travellers who will look up various things about Eurostar but end up reading the wrong bit.