France trains

[Thehairs1970]

Pleased to report all went without a hitch. Bordeaux is a huge station and typically my platform 14 was the furthest away. There was no lift at the platform end which was a pain. Fortunately I met another tourer called Jesus so we were able to help each other out. The train was very crowded due to the French holiday weekend. There was just enough space for our 2 bikes but we had to move some luggage out of the way. There was no ticket inspection and no barriers so could have got away with no ticket.

Thank you Jesus, you certainly were my saviour that day!

I like that Jesus helped raise you to a higher level.

[Angstrom]

Otherwise should be TER which generally doesn’t need a bike reservation.

This statement used to be true, but not anymore.
In Occitanie region, reservations have been compulsory (but free) every day in July and August for 2 years, only week-ends in May, June & September. But I realized a few days ago (no other notice sent to users) that booking has been now made compulsory on week-ends year-round (in Occitanie).
Main take away: the statement of free TER, no reservation for bikes is something of the past; one must always check, when planning a trip, and also during the trip, since changes may occur without notice.

[Jdsk]

Otherwise should be TER which generally doesn’t need a bike reservation.

This statement used to be true, but not anymore.
In Occitanie region, reservations have been compulsory (but free) every day in July and August for 2 years, only week-ends in May, June & September. But I realized a few days ago (no other notice sent to users) that booking has been now made compulsory on week-ends year-round (in Occitanie).
Main take away: the statement of free TER, no reservation for bikes is something of the past; one must always check, when planning a trip, and also during the trip, since changes may occur without notice.

By region:
https://www.sncf-voyageurs.com/en/trave ... -on-board/

Jonathan

[birkhead]

I made 3 train journeys in France in June 2025. I was travelling from Forfar via London to Dover, ferry to Calais, then on French trains. Here are my experiences.
1. Calais to Caen: Having tried in vain to book a bike on TER from Calais in advance, I discovered from somewhere on this site that all TER trains from Calaia permitted bikes [up to the maximum?], so I just carried down the stairs and climbed aboard [and dried myself out]. There were 2 changes, at Amiens and Rouen. The former involved a carry up and down stairs. All went well.
2. After cycling Velo Francette, I wanted to train from La Rochelle to Nevers. The station were happy to sell me ticket to Tours [1 change] no bike ticket required, but not onward to Nevers, since I had to get a bike ticket first. Some time searching on web that evening failed to reveal a train with bike reservation on that day or following. So I decided to go to Tours, and resolve there.
On arrival at Tours, there was a train on other side of platform with Nevers illuminated on its side, and I was opposite the bike carriage. It was about to leave. I looked in, and there were 8 bike hooks, and at least 10 bikes below the hooks, loaded with front, rear panniers, bar and frame bags. So I climbed aboard and squeezed my bike in too. Then I realised that I had no person ticket either, so I went on the SNCF website and tried to book a ticket. Train had already left Tours, so it was not possible to book from there. I looked up, and next stop was St Pierre, so I booked from there to Nevers. Two more bikes squeezed on - standing room only now. Ticket inspectors arrived, checked all our person tickets, nobody asked for a bike ticket.
3. From Nevers I cycled the Via Allier to Langogne. The last day entailed some very steep hills [each 1000m] so I decided to leave my panniers at hotel and ride without my 10/12kg autobrake, and return on the Allier train. However the train at Langogne was cancelled. OK I'll go on the next. Also cancelled. Replacement bus? Yes after 2nd train time, but it never appeared, so I took a taxi in the end - very expensive.
4. TER Trains back to Lyons, Paris, Calais were uneventful. Apart from a thorn puncture on the 10 min ride [>>walk] from my sister's to local train station outside Canterbury. Also on to Edinburgh and the eBus to Forfar.
Note that each French Region has its own rules and regulations for bikes, and most Regions have different rules for July and August. So you need to get up to speed on French Regions
I take no responsibility for any conclusions that you may draw from this account.

[MrsHJ]

I’m sorry you missed out on the Langogne train (and had to stump up for a taxi). I did it last year - it does spend several months every year being repaired - and I thought it was very special. NB I took the train UP to Langogne (actually to LaBastide) with all my stuff and then cycled down- it seemed the more attractive choice!

I have a vague idea they may have started consolidating the TER regional information onto one website but I could be wrong.

[Angstrom]

I’m sorry you missed out on the Langogne train (and had to stump up for a taxi). I did it last year - it does spend several months every year being repaired - and I thought it was very special. NB I took the train UP to Langogne (actually to LaBastide) with all my stuff and then cycled down- it seemed the more attractive choice!

This is very true. The line had almost been closed for good a few years ago but in the end was saved. However it suffered from lack of investment in maintenance for many years due to this pending decision, so now it had to be closed during several periods to carry substantial rehaul work on it. Moreover, the topography of this line (and climate change making rainfalls more violent) means it's subject to unplanned closures because of damages such as landslides, rocks falling on railway, etc.

I have a vague idea they may have started consolidating the TER regional information onto one website but I could be wrong.

You are right. Things tend to change each year so looking for up to date information before making plans is a must nowadays.

[mjr]

Then I realised that I had no person ticket either, so I went on the SNCF website and tried to book a ticket. Train had already left Tours, so it was not possible to book from there. I looked up, and next stop was St Pierre, so I booked from there to Nevers. Two more bikes squeezed on - standing room only now. Ticket inspectors arrived, checked all our person tickets, nobody asked for a bike ticket.

I'm rather surprised you got away with buying a ticket for a shorter journey than you actually did, which is known as "short-faring". UK ticket inspectors tend to watch who gets on where at smaller stops and challenge you to show a ticket for the first part too (because you are allowed to travel with multiple contiguous tickets, which is sometimes cheaper), so it may be lucky that the next stop was St Pierre which is effectively a TGV edge-of-town hub and probably too busy for them to monitor every door.

Generally, I found SNCF tickets awkward to buy quickly this summer and missed at least one train as a consequence, travelling without a bike. They don't even have ticket machines at many smaller stops and I couldn't find a clear answer whether you could buy on the train, so that left only clunky websites and worse apps.

[mattheus]

When I'm abroad I tend to be ultra-goody-goody (espectially when the cops carry guns!): how bad are the punishments - worst case scenario - if you make that kind of mistake en France?

[Angstrom]

They don't even have ticket machines at many smaller stops and I couldn't find a clear answer whether you could buy on the train, so that left only clunky websites and worse apps.

Only simple stops have no ticket machine (whether it is working is another question). In the vast majority of even small stations there are machines selling tickets for regional trains only (TERs but not Intercités or TGVs). Since a few years back, regional trains have been taken over by French Regions and hence automatic ticket machines are now different for TERs and TGVs/intercités. Even in staffed stations, sales desks have short opening hours which means ticket machines are the only options.
In case one needs to know if a ticket machine exists in a station, there is an app called "Ma gare" giving information about every station in the French territory. Besides showing on the SP the exact same info displayed on the platforms or station monitors (which is the reason I use this app a lot), this app records all services available in stations including ticket machines.
Simple stops are very scarce in France. Only on tiny remote lines. And if one needs to use one of the countryside stops, it's not a problem to just hop in the train and buy the ticket from the controller.
AS an example, Chapeauroux is a small stop with only 6 trains (3 in each direction) / 24h between Langogne and Langeac, up the Allier (Clermont-Ferrand to Nîmes line), on the same line where the OP had a problem.

I just checked and there isn't a machine. Yet in Langogne and Langeac stations nearby, there are machines.
Most cyclotourists wanting to use the train would choose Langeac or Langogne stations to get to or from by train, not Chapeauroux.

[MrsHJ]

Also there’s the SNCF connect app for buying your ticket. I now have train apps from across Europe and they are pretty useful for sorting tickets out. Not always as good at bike tickets.

[mjr]

Only simple stops have no ticket machine [...]
Simple stops are very scarce in France. Only on tiny remote lines. And if one needs to use one of the countryside stops, it's not a problem to just hop in the train and buy the ticket from the controller.

I don't think machine-less stops are that scarce in the South Region any more, even on some lines out of Marseille with near-hourly service, but thank you for the confirmation that buying on the train is still OK there.

[Angstrom]

thank you for the confirmation that buying on the train is still OK there.

If you do that, remember to reach out to the "controlleur" right after hopping on. Don't wait for him/her, coming to check your ticket because you might be fined.