MrsHJ wrote: ↑1 Jun 2023, 8:13pm
I’d probably fly that route too (I’m well aware of the extra faff getting to a lot of places from the south west). I’m trying to limit myself to one return flight a year- this year it might be none.
Offsetting is an option and I like your donations approach too. I actually quite like doing the train and accepting a bit more time if it’s easy and relaxing- 8 changes isn’t. However I do hope things are improving with various new sleeper services so it may be watch this space.
Faff is a good word to describe the problem. Uncertainty is another: each of those 8 changes risks getting a train already full of bikes and either an unhelpful guard or, if unreservable, nothing they can really do if it's full anyway. I don't mind risking it for a change or two a day, but more than that seems like too much risk of being delayed and possibly running out of trains to use that day.
I'm currently looking at booking things for later this summer but it would be 4 changes in one day and one in the middle (Luxembourg-Metz TER) has conflicting information about whether bikes can go on all services or only one a day. SNCF's booking site says one a day, while TER Grand-Est, FUB (a French CUK), Visit Luxembourg and others say all trains do and videos make it look like all trains on the route have space (hang up by a wheel, but not in a cupboard), but SNCF operate the trains, so who knows?
I'd put the bikes in the car, drive somewhere and do a loop but fitting two bikes in our small car isn't straightforward and hiring seems to be expensive to go abroad, even ignoring the well-discussed-elsewhere grey areas about import/export.
It stinks that flying the bikes out looks so much easier and cheaper!