Cycling using trains (in UK and EU)

[Jdsk]

From another thread:

Yes. I want to travel by train from Bath to Norwich to ride the Rebellion Way, but I know from bitter experience the chances of doing this without problems are very low. Reserving a bike space means nothing, because of the issues already mentioned.

We live in South Oxfordshire. So our train routes east include starting at Oxford, Didcot or Thame and Haddenham. And there's a coach option.

Sticking to GWR routes... we've often taken two full-size solos, and occasionally a tandem and a solo to London. Often with full touring and camping gear.

So from Bath I'd go: train to Paddington, ride or Crossrail to Liverpool Street, train from Liverpool Street.

The cycling route across London is now OK, and here are the restrictions for bikes on Crossrail:
https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/cycles ... -transport

The booking and accommodation aren't as good as I'd like but I wouldn't let that put me off.

Jonathan

PS: If you're not used to travelling by train in the UK remember to look for suitable railcards.

[mjr]

From another thread:

From viewtopic.php?t=160719 - please keep replies with the original, or at least use the quote tool that inserts user_id else the questioner will not be notified of your reply.

[mattheus]

Welcome

There's a vast amount on this in the archives, eg:

"Cycling using trains (in UK and EU)":
viewtopic.php?t=158863 [that's THIS thread !!! ]

"Non-standard Bikes on Trains":
viewtopic.php?t=160146&start=30

They include details of GWR provision.

Jonathan

There you go - now we have full traceability! Everyone can be happy now

[except me - as I will continue to moan about this weird trend of anonymising quotes on the forum. Hey-ho ... ]

[Jdsk]

From another thread, and for the UK:

Do you know if there's a way of telling which stock will be on a particular service? Do any of the ticketing apps show this?

Discussion of www.realtimetrains.co.uk:
viewtopic.php?p=1827761#p1827761

Jonathan

[Will]

It has been announced that the 4-voltage ICE 3 Neo trains (with 8 bike spaces) have now been authorised to enter service. These are the trains that will be used to replace the existing ICE 3 trains (with no bike spaces) on the Amsterdam-Frankfurt and Brussels-Frankfurt routes:

https://www.railjournal.com/passenger/h ... r-service/

It looks like the new trains are planned to go into service mid June on the Brussels-Frankfurt service, and later in the year for the Amsterdam-Frankfurt service.

The DB booking website doesn't show bike spaces being available from mid-June yet, but I expect it will soon (assuming the info regarding mid-June is correct). A website I use (Datenbank Fernverker) takes it's scheduling information from DB and it shows the ICE 3 Neos in service on the Brussels-Frankfurt service from 14/06:

https://www.fernbahn.de/datenbank/suche ... erzeichnis

Will

[pal]

Excellent news: thanks for sharing it!

[Pendodave]

Slightly more prosaically...
From next week, new 800 class trains will be introduced on the west coast mainline. I think (not certain) that they'll be running the Euston-Holyhead services, but there are plans to use them to Liverpool at some point.
They're much like the 800 services on the East Coast and Great Western. I had a look in the bike storage today, and they didn't look any different to me.
I think that there'll be 2 cupboards in the 5 car sets, so 4 when they're coupled together as a 10 car.

Here's a pic :

[RickH]

Slightly more prosaically...
From next week, new 800 class trains will be introduced on the west coast mainline. I think (not certain) that they'll be running the Euston-Holyhead services, but there are plans to use them to Liverpool at some point.
They're much like the 800 services on the East Coast and Great Western. I had a look in the bike storage today, and they didn't look any different to me.
I think that there'll be 2 cupboards in the 5 car sets, so 4 when they're coupled together as a 10 car.

Here's a pic :

Although if they are like the Voyagers where you could still only book 4 bikes on despite having 8 spaces!

[gbnz]

Oh yes, a train today ? A mainline station........

- A train leaves in 16 minutes time, insufficient time to cycle 4+ miles to the station, pick up tickets etc, etc
- Oh and then I can wait 2 Hours & 15 minutes for the next train, c/w an hours travel. Have booked bicycles on previously, but the symbols are so hidden away, it'll require an internet search to find out how to book my bicycle on and cost £'s

A 30.23 mile journey required, as a Partially Disabled person in the UK? Train journey in total will require 3Hours and 15 minutes in total. And there's always the danger that as a Partially Disabled person in the UK, I'll find myself picked off the train and imprisoned by the NHS for a couple of days., whilst they think about whether it's safe to let me travel (Nb. Nb. 8 days since I've last had that, cost me an extra £65 as my tickets for my journey were no longer valid, had an entire 3 days wasted). In contrast, other than an occasional police vehicle, have only had one ambulance pulling in front of me with it's blue light flashing (Nb. I ignored it)

In contrast, a bicycle ? Will take me no more than 3 Hours to cycle the journey, c/w several miles up the A1 Dual Carriageway. Always the danger I might collapse and/or die, but hey ho, that's life as a Partially Disabled person in the UK (Nb. Banned from doing anything, whether that's travelling from A to B, recycling fruit juice containers, doing a sit up in a public sector gym, or whatever)

And if I cycle, I am allowed to recycle fruit juice containers in Scotland, though whether I have motivation to carry several months of fruit juice containers with me on a ride ? Why bother, am starting to bin my recycling stuff (Nb. Obviously am not allowed as a Partially Disabled person to recycle metal in Northumberland, so that now has to go in the bin too). Although oddly, Northumberland County Council allow a Partially Disabled person to recycle glass, presumably it's safe to recycle glass?

[Will]

I have just been watching a recent video on YouTube for the European Sleeper service (now that it goes as far as Prague). It looks like they have now got their hands on an ex-CNL (City Night Line) combined couchette & bike carriage, so there are now even more bike spaces on this train.

If you fast forward to the 26:30 mark you can see the interior of this carriage. It looks like 4 bike hooks have been removed, so there are a total of 16 bike spaces in this carriage. If you fast forward to the 28:40 mark you can see the exterior of this carriage - the livery suggests that this carriage has come from NightJet.

Will

[bohrsatom]

Seat61 reports that the Brussels-Cologne-Frankfurt and Amsterdam-Cologne-Frankfurt routes are, as of this week, using ICE3neo trains which have 8 bike spaces on each train.

The Brussels link is particularly useful due to Eurostar accepting fully assembled bikes between London and Brussels.

Source

[Will]

Seat61 reports that the Brussels-Cologne-Frankfurt and Amsterdam-Cologne-Frankfurt routes are, as of this week, using ICE3neo trains which have 8 bike spaces on each train.

The Brussels link is particularly useful due to Eurostar accepting fully assembled bikes between London and Brussels.

Source

I believe the ICE 3 Neos are not expected to go into service on the Amsterdam-Frankfurt route until November. The DB Bahn website does not yet show bikes are carried on the Brussels-Frankfurt route, so you cannot book a bike space yet.

Will

[Will]

Seat61 reports that the Brussels-Cologne-Frankfurt and Amsterdam-Cologne-Frankfurt routes are, as of this week, using ICE3neo trains which have 8 bike spaces on each train.

The Brussels link is particularly useful due to Eurostar accepting fully assembled bikes between London and Brussels.

Source

I believe the ICE 3 Neos are not expected to go into service on the Amsterdam-Frankfurt route until November. The DB Bahn website does not yet show bikes are carried on the Brussels-Frankfurt route, so you cannot book a bike space yet.

Will

Correction:

I've just checked www.fernbahn.de and it is also now showing the Amsterdam-Frankfurt service being served by ICE 3 Neos from this weekend (it previously had June as the start date for Brussels-Frankfurt, but November for Amsterdam-Frankfurt). The DB Bahn website does not yet show bikes are carried on the Amsterdam-Frankfurt route either, so you cannot book a bike space online yet.

Will

[Will]

NS (Nederlandse Spoorwegen) are saying that the ICE 3 Neos will also be used for the daily service between Amsterdam and Basel, and that DB and NS are looking at running a daily service to Munich using the ICE 3 Neo from 2025.

Will

[Will]

Now that Euro 24 is over, bike spaces are now open for booking on the new ICE 3 Neo trains from Brussels to Cologne and Frankfurt from the following dates:

Cologne from Wednesday 7th August
Frankfurt from Tuesday 13th August

You can already book bike spaces on the Amsterdam to Frankfurt ICE 3 Neo services.

Will