When will Eurostar recommence carrying bikes?

[Racingt]

Hi all
Planning a trip to the Pyrenees, until I discovered the service of carrying bikes (either complete or bagged ) on Eurostar is suspended.

And the European Bike Express is running only their Med route.

Does anyone know when the Eurostar service is likely to resume?

Thanks in advance!

[bohrsatom]

Eurostar say they "hope to have the service up and running for the summer holidays", which I'm interpreting as maybe being ready sometime next year. I'm certain there's nothing stopping them doing it now, other than that the bike portion of Eurodispatch is likely unprofitable, and they don't yet carry enough groups to justify bringing the service back. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm not holding my breath.

Given the limited Bike Express routes, and that Eurotunnel have also stopped their bike service, your only real option is to take the ferry. I'll be doing just that in June on my way to SW France - one (leisurely) day to Dover and Calais, the next to Paris followed by a TGV heading southwest

[Racingt]

Might have to do the same - for some reason, I didn't consider that idea, thanks.
Do TGV's have bike storage facilities?

[Jdsk]

TGVs differ between routes.

Jonathan

[MrsHJ]

Are all trains from Calais able to carry bikes- I’m pretty sure they’re not based in the freewheeling France info. They are often TER GV types from what I’ve seen in the timetables which might be a problem? Is there a solution?

https://www.freewheelingfrance.com/plan ... rains.html

[bohrsatom]

I emailed Eurostar on this topic a couple of weeks ago and finally got a response this afternoon

We are pleased to announce that we will be looking at slowly reinstating our bike service very soon, however we do not yet have a set date

Are all trains from Calais able to carry bikes

Not every option is bike friendly - most journeys Calais-Paris send you to Lille then on on to Paris via a TGV that doesn’t allow bikes, but there are two or three direct TER services from Calais Ville to Paris each day.

From a random Saturday in June:

• Depart 0636 arrive Paris 0929
• 0936 arrives 1229
• 1138 arrives 1430
• 1436 arrives 1730
• 1736 arrives 2029

The TER GV makes things nicely confusing for tourists, but the K16 route between Calais and Paris is just a regular service (https://imgur.com/a/9lWJSAA for a map)

[mjr]

On the SNCF map as seen in that link, the services ("lignes") to avoid with bikes are only the "Krono GV+" which used to be K90+, K92+ and K94+.

You should be safe also changing in Amiens only. I don't think many TGVs go there and none of the TERGVs.

[bohrsatom]

Update from Eurostar today:

“ EuroDespatch has a new name: Eurostar Special Services. We’re planning to relaunch our bike service in mid-May, on selected trains between Paris and London. Look out for more details on this page soon.”

https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-i ... gage/bikes

[st599_uk]

Another update:

We’re hoping to relaunch our bike service in mid-May. Due to changes to customs rules post-Brexit, we won’t be able to offer a full service at first. Instead, we’ll launch a limited service for fully assembled bikes or disassembled bikes in your own bag on selected trains between Paris and London. We’re working hard to agree a formal process for registered luggage with the authorities from each country we operate in.

[ANTONISH]

The ter service from Calais is a sort of shuttle between Lille and Paris. It is possible to use the section through Boulogne and Abbeville ( walk on non booking bikes).
I think it becomes an "intercite" between Amiens and Paris - there may be some cycle accommodation on that.
Incidentally I have used a tgv between Paris and Lille with a pre-booked bike space.
There is a night service from La-Tour-de-Carol (near top of Puymorens) which originates in Barcelona and probably stops at Toulouse.
I presume there is a return service. I used a night service from Perpignan in 2015 which had a bike carriage.
There seems some sort of resurrection of night services and possibly you could get something to Hendaye which you may know as the start point for the Raid Pyrenees.
Some train booking sites don't seem to be "aware" of the various possible routes. I think the SNCF sites are more comprehensive.

[Traction_man]

The ter service from Calais is a sort of shuttle between Lille and Paris. It is possible to use the section through Boulogne and Abbeville ( walk on non booking bikes).
I think it becomes an "intercite" between Amiens and Paris - there may be some cycle accommodation on that.
Incidentally I have used a tgv between Paris and Lille with a pre-booked bike space.
There is a night service from La-Tour-de-Carol (near top of Puymorens) which originates in Barcelona and probably stops at Toulouse.
I presume there is a return service. I used a night service from Perpignan in 2015 which had a bike carriage.
There seems some sort of resurrection of night services and possibly you could get something to Hendaye which you may know as the start point for the Raid Pyrenees.
Some train booking sites don't seem to be "aware" of the various possible routes. I think the SNCF sites are more comprehensive.

there is a useful map of the TER routes / services here:

https://mmt.vsct.fr/sites/default/files ... 231358.pdf

[Magical_Stickman]

Hi guys, I'm planning on cycling from London to Paris next month and am trying to plan the return leg of the journey.

Our plan is to get the train from Paris to Calais Ville then onward via ferry to Dover.

From what I've seen here we should be okay travelling the K16 route via Boulogne & Amiens without booking bikes in advance.

I can't find any other options to book bikes that aren't folded or in a box.

Would greatly appreciate it if someone could confirm I've got that info correct.

Thanks!

[CJ]

Thought I'd look at Eurostar's website and see if they did reinstate bike services in May...

Sorry, we’re no longer able to relaunch our bike service this summer. This is due to security and customs issues which are out of our control. Our teams are still working toward a relaunch and hope to have better news in September.

In other words: The airlines are in such a mess this summer that we have quite enough passengers already without you! Maybe we'll look at this again once the summer holidays are over. Maybe.

[pal]

Hi guys, I'm planning on cycling from London to Paris next month and am trying to plan the return leg of the journey.

Our plan is to get the train from Paris to Calais Ville then onward via ferry to Dover.

From what I've seen here we should be okay travelling the K16 route via Boulogne & Amiens without booking bikes in advance.

I can't find any other options to book bikes that aren't folded or in a box.

Would greatly appreciate it if someone could confirm I've got that info correct.

Thanks!

Yes: that's right -- Paris to Calais Ville (and v.v.) on the K16 route is fine with an unboxed, unbooked bicycle.

[nirakaro]

Yes: that's right -- Paris to Calais Ville (and v.v.) on the K16 route is fine with an unboxed, unbooked bicycle.

Do you know that for certain? Deutsche Bahn's usually reliable website claims no bike-usable services between Calais and Boulogne (though the same train will take your bike between Boulogne and Amiens!), and some of those trains are buses. I found that it worked fine in 2019, but more recent on-the-ground confirmation would be helpful. I'll be there in a couple of weeks, and may give it a try. The alternative, of course, is a nice 40km ride from Calais to Boulogne or v/v, but that could upset the timetable if not planned for.