Bicycles as luggage on trains

[anita100]

I know that this has been covered in various ways on this forum - but I was wondering whether anyone had experience of travelling with their bike even if there are no reservation spaces left on the train. Will I be turned away? Can I disguise it as a piece of non descript luggage in a carrier? I have no option but to travel in the virgin train that I have booked for october - any advice? Many thanks

[Mick F]

My experience of a bike as luggage dates back to 1994 traveling between Glasgow and Wick via Inverness.

I'd heard that the Inverness to Wick train had limited space, so Mrs Mick F and me made a large bag out of denim, fitted a big zip and webbing handles. Bike went in upside down with the wheels stowed in bags either side of the frame. Mudguards too were stuffed in.

My racks were taken off and folded, and I managed to fasten my four panniers into a sort of system that could be slung over my shoulder. The whole lot was obviously 'bike in bits', but if challenged, I would just say it's my luggage!

I wasn't challenged, and there was plenty of room.

When I reached Wick, I spent half an hour rebuilding everything, stowed my denim on the top of my rear rack, and pedaled the 20 odd miles to Canisbay YHA near JOG.

(I still have the bag - when I reached JOG, I posted the bag home - it's still in its brown paper parcel unopened!)

[leftpoole]

I know that this has been covered in various ways on this forum - but I was wondering whether anyone had experience of travelling with their bike even if there are no reservation spaces left on the train. Will I be turned away? Can I disguise it as a piece of non descript luggage in a carrier? I have no option but to travel in the virgin train that I have booked for october - any advice? Many thanks

All I ever do, is get a ticket for me. I just get on with the bike and fill the available space albeit sometimes standing in the space between carriages. I have done trips this Year and never had a problem other than the said cramped position. Just get on and look bewlidered if asked about a booking. Every time I book the bike on, I get the train and find the spaces taken anyhow!
John.

[Tom Richardson]

is that on a Virgin train John?

I regularly use northern rail, who are brilliant with bikes, and transpennine who are very tolerant

never used Virgin but they seem to have a reputation for being awkward about bikes

[pioneer]

I used cross-country trains this August from Suffolk to Shropshire and back and they were absolutely b----y awful!

Was told by staff at Ipswich station when buying the tickets (I thought, I'll do it face-to-face instead off by the internet so I can speak to a human being who knows what they're talking about.Hmmm...), that booking the bike was not required.
Frankly, I really don't think any of the different train companies staff actually KNOW if booking a bike place is required or not. Too many companies,too little communication,also, too many different pricing policies.
Oh, and not enough carriages either.
I got there and back with the bike, but more by perserverance and maybe good luck than anything else.
The thing is, I love train travel and combining it with bike usage "should" make perfect sense. Especially given our present fuel and pollution problems. Re-nationalise I say!

I have a feeling that "up and down" (North/South), trains still have real carriages and guards vans unlike the Mickey Mouse three carriage cross-country jobs (it felt like I was riding in a full size childs toy train set), I guess it depends on what company you are using,what route,time of day perhaps? and if you can keep smiling when everything seems to be conspiring against you!

[gbnz]

I've never found local trains (Northern/Transpennine/South East) a problem and to be fair, I've never had a real problem on long distance trains in the UK or abroad (Other than the standard, you can't take that bike on that train, blah, blah, blah)

That said, I've invariably found long distance trains have the default position, that bikes should be discouraged. Virgin are among the worst (Tho Arriva Cross Country have now surpassed them). If all the bike spaces are reserved, the journey is time critical/expensive, I would certainly take the bike onboard in a dismantled state

That said, the bewildered look definately helps I.e. on the tube in the rush hour, "illegally" heading to heathrow. And without exception, dialogue with train staff does help - I may not like Virgins official approach to bikes, but within the past year I've had endless help from Virgin train managers, conducters, station staff etc, etc, including the ones who were difficult prior to dialogue

[Rcartes]

I used to use thetrainline.com to book tickets but they don't allow you (at least, they didn't when I last looked) to book a place for your bike. National Express (http://www.nationalexpress.com/index.html), on the other hand, do allow this and it's very useful.

Richard

[leftpoole]

is that on a Virgin train John?

I regularly use northern rail, who are brilliant with bikes, and transpennine who are very tolerant

never used Virgin but they seem to have a reputation for being awkward about bikes

Virgin and First Group.
John.

[digital kid]

I used to use thetrainline.com to book tickets but they don't allow you (at least, they didn't when I last looked) to book a place for your bike. National Express (http://www.nationalexpress.com/index.html), on the other hand, do allow this and it's very useful.

Richard

New rules for National Express..

Cycle carriage
Take your bicycle for free on National Express East Anglia trains

National Express East Anglia supports the carriage of cycles on our trains.

New cycle carriage arrangements at London Liverpool Street

On intercity services between Norwich and London Liverpool Street we can carry up to 6 cycles at a time in the Guard’s van, but you must reserve a space. The van will be locked 3 minutes before departure time so please arrive at Liverpool Street and Norwich in good time to make sure your cycle is safely on board by then.

Please also note the following aspects of our cycle carriage policy:

On Rural services we can carry 4 cycles on each train, but again you are encouraged to reserve a space in advance please.

Only fully folded cycles that have been flat packed can be conveyed on Stansted Express services.

We cannot carry tandems, tricycles or bicycle trailers on any NXEA services. We simply don’t have room – sorry!

We are also sorry, but we can’t carry cycles on rail replacement bus services - again we simply don’t have room.

Please don’t ride or ‘skate’ your cycle on any part of our station platforms or concourses.

Some of our services are very busy, so unfortunately we are unable to carry any cycles:

on any services arriving at Stratford or Liverpool Street between 07.45 and 09.45 on Monday to Friday (except reserved spaces on intercity services).

on any services leaving Stratford or Liverpool Street between 16.30 and 18.30 on Monday to Friday (except reserved spaces on intercity services).

We will continue to encourage the carriage of cycles on trains. By familiarising yourself with our cycle carriage arrangements you can ensure that you have a smooth journey.Thank you for your co-operation.



London Liverpool Street – Norwich intercity services
Free of charge.

Reservations compulsory on intercity services.

Six bicycle spaces.



London Liverpool Street – Southend Victoria, Colchester and Ipswich
Free of charge.

Reservations not required.



London Liverpool Street – Chingford, Enfield, Hertford, Cambridge, Kings Lynn
Free of charge.

Reservations not required.



Local services in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire
Free of charge.

Reservations recommended on local services.

Four bike spaces



Stansted Express (London Liverpool Street – Stansted Airport)
Only fully folded cycles and cycles that have been flat packed in preparation for air travel can be conveyed on Stansted Express services at any time.

Folding bicycles should be transported in a protective carrying case.

Free of charge.

Reservations not required.



Time restrictions
Restrictions apply Monday to Friday:

Cycles may not be carried between the hours of 0745 to 0945 on services TO London Liverpool Street and Stratford.

Cycles may not be carried between the hours of 1630 to 1830 on services FROM London Liverpool Street and Stratford.

Cycles may not be carried between the hours of 0745 to 0945 on services south of Broxbourne TO London Liverpool Street or Stratford.

Cycles may not be carried between the hours of 1630 to 1830 on services south of Broxbourne FROM London Liverpool Street or Stratford.

Cycles may not be carried between the hours of 0745 to 0845 on services TO Cambridge FROM Audley End and Ely.



Special notes
Ticket holders receive the benefit of the National Express East Anglia / ETA cycle recovery scheme whilst travelling by train and bike in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. If your cycle breaks down or is stolen, both you and your bike (if appropriate) will be recovered and taken to the nearest station.

Please note that Tandems cannot be carried on any of our services.

[Rcartes]

That's fine - but the only reason I quoted National Express was because you can use their reservation system to book tickets not just on their services but on *any* line - I used it, for example, to buy a ticket (and a cycle reservation) on an FGW service from Paddington to Bath.

[digital kid]

That's fine - but the only reason I quoted National Express was because you can use their reservation system to book tickets not just on their services but on *any* line - I used it, for example, to buy a ticket (and a cycle reservation) on an FGW service from Paddington to Bath.

Oh ok

[anita100]

Thanks to all of you who have offered your advice. There definitely does seem to be some confusion about this - I have been emailing virgin for their official line about carrying a bike as luggage i.e. in a bike case and they have been very non-commital about the size of personal luggage etc. - so I think it it true that it is down to the guard on the day. Do any of you have advice about bike cases .... ?Has anyone bought one they would recommend? I like the earlier post about a home made denim bag - but I do not think I will have the time to make it. I have a trek 1.5 road bike - 50 cm frame - so it is very light. I reckon I could get away with carrying it in a case as personal luggage. I am not good at confrontation when it comes to train guards and people !!!(except car drivers - that is!!)

[gbnz]

If it's a one off journey (or a journey where carrying a bike bag is impractical), I'd just dismantle the bike (Or at least remove wheels/pedals/turn handlebars around) and wrap it using polythene/cardboard and 2" parcel tape

Costs about £2.50 and takes about 5 minutes. Just ensure a bit of the cross bar is left exposed to use as a handle, the components are all securely strapped with parcel tape and the parcel is covered to prevent oil/grease escaping onto other passengers

[thirdcrank]

- so I think it it true that it is down to the guard on the day.

And it can hardly be any other. If a train, bus or whatever is full, then common sense dictates that the company's officials must have the final say, but I get the impression that cyclists attract more than their fair share of officious obstinacy. It's not so long ago we had a female cyclist posting on here to say that she had had difficulty on a Virgin train lifting her bike up onto the hook provided and a uniformed bully had offered to throw her bike off the train onto the platform if she didn't frame herself.

[Bill Reynolds]

This is a very good topic to have on here. Maybe for once my very profound heaing loss and joint problems might come in usefull if I get hassle for taking my Dahon folder (in its bag) on a train! Just show them my disabled rail pass and act eeeerrrrrr act.......dumb!?