Bikes on trains
- Thread starter SMD
- Start date
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jayonabike
Powered by caffeine & whisky
- Location
- Hertfordshire
With my local train company, you can just turn up and take your bike on the train. There is a limit to how many bikes can be on the train though, so you might have to wait for the next one and they would prefer it if you wait till after the morning rush hour.
mcshroom
Bionic Subsonic
- Location
- Egremont, Cumbria
It should be ok. I do the same quite often. You may need to check if you need a cycle reservation (which is free) though depending on the line as people like Virgin insist on one.
The different companies have slightly different policies, but they all carry them one way or another. There is a leaflet that covers all the different train companies here
The different companies have slightly different policies, but they all carry them one way or another. There is a leaflet that covers all the different train companies here
Ticktockmy
Guru
- Location
- Crawley, West Sussex
Only real problem is the peak hour restrictions with regard to London area.
Last year I arrived back at Euston from scotland on the night sleeper, when I got to St Pancras to catch the first capitial connect back to Three bridges the Jobs worthy refused to allow me to go onto the platform, and to his delight and our angush, he was stopping every cyclist. In the end we had a crowd of 20 odd cyclist, 2 police officers and 3 managers and other personal all reading the rule book. The end result was I and two others where still refused entry until 10:00am as we where travelling South out of London, but the others where allowed because they were only travelling within london. The ruling is that you normally cannot take a bike on to a train which arrives in london during the Morning rush hour 07:00 to 10:00am, but you can take bikes on trains going out of London. One of the managers said, cycle to London bridge, waterloo or victoria station, you can travel from there ok.
I still cannot understand the Logic, St Pancres is a terminal, and First capitial connect trains pass through it on the way to Brighton, so we where travelling out of london not into it. But jobs worthy aurgment was that as we where North of the city we would be travelling to the city before travelling out.
The two police officers where all for us to travell.
But generally travelling with a bike is ok. You just need to read the rules, with the eyes of a Jobs worthy and preempt thier foolishness.
Ticktockmy is correct they can be very strict about taking bikes into London - especially full sized bikes. It does sound like they were being a bit over the top on not letting you in though. Check with your local rail provider on the web before you make your trip.
Central London terminals of Kings Cross and Liverpool Street, on the National Express Line from Ely/Cambridge way, don't allow any full sized bikes into central London, and have rush hour restrictions on some outer towns and station hubs. I think the reasoning is two fold - safety and of course economic; Safety/fire issues if you get caught with your bike in the doorway or on an escalator. Economic because a full sized bike can easily block a train door. Depending on which station the train is at, the trains here use both sides in any one trip. A full sized bike also takes up lots of room meaning they can get more passengers squeezed on - breath in.
On the flip side, they have no restrictions on folding bikes in or out of rush hour, be they the full sized folding Montague type bikes, or the smaller traditional Brompton or Dahon style. If it folds, it is allowed.
On a positive note - I did see a driver offer to put someone's bike in the cab for someone the other day, so they're not all bad.
Central London terminals of Kings Cross and Liverpool Street, on the National Express Line from Ely/Cambridge way, don't allow any full sized bikes into central London, and have rush hour restrictions on some outer towns and station hubs. I think the reasoning is two fold - safety and of course economic; Safety/fire issues if you get caught with your bike in the doorway or on an escalator. Economic because a full sized bike can easily block a train door. Depending on which station the train is at, the trains here use both sides in any one trip. A full sized bike also takes up lots of room meaning they can get more passengers squeezed on - breath in.
On the flip side, they have no restrictions on folding bikes in or out of rush hour, be they the full sized folding Montague type bikes, or the smaller traditional Brompton or Dahon style. If it folds, it is allowed.
On a positive note - I did see a driver offer to put someone's bike in the cab for someone the other day, so they're not all bad.
National Express do allow full size bikes on the Liverpool Street -> Norwich train at any time though.
Presuming you are Stratford Warwickshire rather than East London - your local company is Chiltern. They appear to have a positive policy. Free, no resrvation necessary and the only restriction is peak time arrival/departure from London Marylebone.
Hence it is a great idea. Taking a train to the top of the Chilterns and rolling down one of the beautiful valleys would be a good start back home. They do have some great promotional fares - my daughter regularly gets a fiver ticket from Birmingham to London.
Go for it!
Hence it is a great idea. Taking a train to the top of the Chilterns and rolling down one of the beautiful valleys would be a good start back home. They do have some great promotional fares - my daughter regularly gets a fiver ticket from Birmingham to London.
Go for it!
mrsbaggins
New Member
- Location
- West Midlands
funnily enough I took my bike on train for first time yesterday into Birmingham, I went to local station beforehand to ask and they said it was fine and there was no charge. It was after the rush hour (i was going to Brum at 18.00) and the hardest bit was trying to put bike somewhere where it didnt trip anyone. I ended up standing with it where the doors open but on diff stops the doors open on diff sides so i had to shift a bit. Negotiating a couple of flights of starirs was also tricky without hitting anyone but am sure I shall get better. they also had free bike lockers at local station.
