European Bike Express

[PaulSB]

I'm thinking of using this or similar next year. Does anyone have experience of how far ahead one needs to book to be sure of getting on? It seems to get very busy.

Are there other companies offering a similar service?

 

[e-rider]

it's amazing that this service/company still exists. I have never used it but when I looked into it a few years ago, there seemed to be plenty of cases where the delays on the way back ran into many hours with people waiting at the pickup locations for hours!

 

[PaulSB]

That's interesting I had gained the impression they are very good. Based on nothing in particular though!

My plan is to cycle home so as long as they get me there I'm not to concerned.

 

[john59]

I've used them a couple of times, 2001 & 2007. There were no delays for us, at the time, and would highly recommend them. It made getting to places in France easy and convenient. Do expect to get dropped of at night depending on your destination.

Dropping of point in Orange, France.


Coach & Trailer.


First camp site on Loire trip.

 

[steveindenmark]

I would love it if we had something similar from Denmark.

 

[Brains]

We used them once, back in 2005.
You do need to book up ahead if you want popular dates/routes
I would use them again if I had too, but frankly I'd rather drive myself.

We found the pick up (in our case near Dartford) was more or less on time,
I guess as we are 'only' about 150 miles from the start and they have a specific ferry time to make the UK pick up timers were fairly good

Coach travel:
Personally I'd avoid it given the choice, but with a bike and a budget, trains are no longer an option and planes are no better
But by the standards of coach travel they have good double decker coaches with airline seats, loo, tv, drinks, snacks

We were dropped off at Orange (near Avignon), other than remembering it was before dawn, I don't remember if it was on time or not.

Coming back was a different story:
We were picked up in Saintes (near Bordeaux), it was supposed to be early evening, we ended up sitting for 4-5 hours through the night in a lorry park, thankfully the weather was fine, but not a good experience.

After a few calls to head office, they did start to keep all the people advised on how late the bus was running by text message.
Given than mass text technology and apps are now available, I would imagine they must have an 'ETA' app by now, so that you can see where your bus is.

One couple on our bus back had given up and checked into a hotel, who were then woken up at 5am to say the bus was outside, they got on board home, but their bikes had been locked into a storage room to which the night staff had no access. I've no idea how or when their bikes eventually got back!

 

[RobinS]

We used them coming back from Perpignan in mid-July this year. We changed plans half way through a 3 month trip, not cycling home because of bad weather across northern Europe in early June - so I booked online using my smartphone from a campsite near Lyon, then we cycled to Spain for better weather, picking up the Bike Express six weeks later. (When we booked the early July bus was fully booked). Pick up was on time, just by the Perpignan North Peage (not a very easy place to get to by bike, and no facilities nearby). Bikes were loaded OK, and coach was very comfortable with lots of legroom. The inner seats even slid sideways into the aisle to give more width for sleeping. There was a lot of traffic so later pickups were not necessarily on time, and the staff were happy to give updated estimates of arrival times - travelling that distance by road and ferry you cannot be precise.
Overall I thought it was a good service, and would use them again.

 

[psmiffy]

I've not used them that recently but over the years probably more than a dozen times - does what it says on the tin - got me and bike to or from wherever - I think the only time I experienced any delays was when they had a puncture on one of the trailer tyres - by juggling drivers they made most of the time up to the ferry - the only reason I stopped using them was that I ran out of imagination for routes I wanted to do - in their previous incarnation they ran more routes than they do now - I've always thought that they could create more demand by expanding their route base but obviouslythe logistics of that would put up the cost - scoping pick up points and having relief drivers in place

I've always heard it said that it is expensive compared to flying - however to me the value of it being relatively hassle free plus I'm not paying to get to and from airports together with ancillary costs enroute has always made it good value for me

 

[robing]

I've used them several times in the last 3 years and found them always reliable and punctual. If like me you live near one of the pick up points then it's very convenient and I think very good value for money considering it's a door to door service. It can be 24 hours on the coach if you are going all the way but I found it quite relaxing. It's a shame they don't have more routes going further east to Switzerland, Italy, Germany etc. I've not tried to take the bike on a train or plane across Europe but I imagine it would be a lot more stressful. Plus they finally have got a new coach!

 

[robing]

Taking a bike on a train in Europe is easy...

Really? But what say if you want to get to southern France surely you would have to change at Paris and cycle across the city to the other stations?

 

[robing]

That's not really a problem though, is it?

Could be a bit of hassle with a fully loaded touring bike. Cycling across London is bad enough.

 

[psmiffy]

Could be a bit of hassle with a fully loaded touring bike. Cycling across London is bad enough.

Paris is dead easy - compared to London - and London is a cinch

Personally unless I wanted the experience of travelling across France by train and the bus was going or coming from where I wanted I'd take the bus - as I said somewhere above the only reason I stopped using it was it ran out of destinations that I wanted to use

 

[robing]

Agree. The fact I am near a pick up point for Bike Express makes it a no brainer for me. But their routes are a bit limited so probably won't be using them for my next venture wherever that may be!

 

[srw]

Taking a bike on a train in Europe is easy...

Only if you pick the right country and the right train. A lot of French TGVs don't take bikes at all; likewise some German long-distance trains. International trains are even more picky. And don't even think about a tandem or a recumbent.

 

[StuAff]

Recumbent (WAW series 4 velomobile) on a train in Germany....can't see many people getting away with this one, even there....