Taking Bikes on Spanish Trains (Barcelona to Bilbao)

[thistle]

I've looked around the web a fair bit but can't really find the answers that I'm looking for and the Spanish railways website is absolutely useless! I've used this forum before to look for advice, but this is my first attempt at posing a question myself...

I'm planning to cycle from the UK down to Barcelona and then head across to Bilbao to catch the ferry home. Due to time constraints it's not really possible for me to cycle between Barcelona and Bilbao, so I'm trying to find out whether it would be feasible to take my bike across by train.

I'm quite flexible with regards changing trains etc, and also wouldn't mind cycling for a portion of the journey (say 50-70 miles). Has anyone ever done this before? Or have any idea whether it is possible? Or have any alternative suggestions? I'd be most grateful!

 

[Dayvo]

Hello Thistle and welcome to the forum!

I can't help you with regard to trains, but could you not possibly take in Bibao en route to Barcelona and fly back to the UK with one of the low-cost airlines from there?

Or miss Bilbao and just bomb it through the Pyrenees?

 

[andym]

The basic rule is that, with a few exceptions, you can take bikes on the regional and suburban trains (I can't remember off-hand whether bikes go free of whether there's a small additional charge) but you can't take them on long-distance trains or the high-speed trains. So not easy unfortunately. Here's a map which hopefully will halp with planning the journey.

 

[jay clock]

i seem to recall that the btter the train the harder it is. Buses are reputed to be better. Also consider a one way car rental. If alone you should easily get a bike with wheels off into any car.

 

[jay clock]

http://www.webcarhire.com offer a Citroen C2 with AC for €47 for 24h with one way rental

 

[stewie griffin]

I'm quite flexible with regards changing trains etc, and also wouldn't mind cycling for a portion of the journey (say 50-70 miles).

Because of this you should be OK, what has already been said, you'll get on local trains, most have luggage carriages (like the old guard vans in the UK) with plenty of space, some just have large spaces in the carriages, the guards are usually very helpful, no extra cost for the bike.

 

[MarkF]

Andym is right, local and regional are fine, wider gauge trains and plenty of space for your bike.