Getting from UK to Konstanz - May 2025

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

All uphill

Still rolling along
Location
Somerset
I'm starting to outline plan my annual tour in May. I've been to the Netherlands for the last 3 years and have been thinking about travelling from Portsmouth to Oistreham and around the Cotentin peninsula to St Mâlo this year, but now the idea of cycling from Konstanz to Hoek van Holland appeals.

Does anyone have any helpful experience about getting me and my bike to Konstanz?

I'll not be flying so my outward journey will be by train.
 

dicko

Guru
Location
Derbyshire
The Bodensee?
 
I'm starting to outline plan my annual tour in May. I've been to the Netherlands for the last 3 years and have been thinking about travelling from Portsmouth to and around the Cotentin peninsula to St Mâlo this year, but now the idea of cycling from Konstanz to Hoek van Holland appeals.

Does anyone have any helpful experience about getting me and my bike to Konstanz?

I'll not be flying so my outward journey will be by train.

Shouldn't be too much trouble. I don't know the details of French local trains, but there are regular services from Paris-Strasbourg. From Strasbourg there's a local train to Offenburg, and then you can catch the RE2 from Offenburg-Konstanz, handily cutting through one of the most beautiful sections of the Black Forest.

Of course, I can also recommend an excellent bike shop in the beautiful city of Tübingen...
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
All uphill

All uphill

Still rolling along
Location
Somerset
Shouldn't be too much trouble. I don't know the details of French local trains, but there are regular services from Paris-Strasbourg. From Strasbourg there's a local train to Offenburg, and then you can catch the RE2 from Offenburg-Konstanz, handily cutting through one of the most beautiful sections of the Black Forest.

Of course, I can also recommend an excellent bike shop in the beautiful city of Tübingen...

Thanks Andy,

That gives me a good starting point.

Now I need to get out my notepad, pen and map to start detail planning. I've only got 5 months to go!

Tübingen bike shop noted!
 
Getting home on the bike seems to be the straightforward part to plan; getting bike and self out there is rather more tricky.

I've just looked on the DB website, and they say bikes can be transported on the TGV but you have to reserve. Once in Strasbourg you can use the local trains which take bikes free of charge, although it may be a bit crowded in summer.

As an alternative, there's an increasing number of CityNightLine overnight trains, maybe you could ferry to the NL and catch an overnight train to the south?
 
OP
OP
All uphill

All uphill

Still rolling along
Location
Somerset
I've just looked on the DB website, and they say bikes can be transported on the TGV but you have to reserve. Once in Strasbourg you can use the local trains which take bikes free of charge, although it may be a bit crowded in summer.

As an alternative, there's an increasing number of CityNightLine overnight trains, maybe you could ferry to the NL and catch an overnight train to the south?

I like that idea!

Thanks.
 
Can't help you with trip planning but we rode round Lake Constance this spring and really liked it. Near Konstanz is Island Manau, a huge botanical garden. Well worthing visiting.
 

chriswoody

Legendary Member
Location
Northern Germany
I've had very similar problems over the years as well, train travel with a bike on the continent is an absolute pain. I must admit I've all but given up, long distance travel is just too fraught on public transport.

Having said all that and looking at a map a thought does occur. I presume you'll be traveling across to the Hook of holland? Why not then cycle into Rotterdam or failing that, cycle all the way to the German border if time allows? Then once in Germany it's generally not too bad. All of the long distance ICE trains have some space for bikes as long as there booked in advance. Long distance IC trains have even more space for bikes and are not much slower. Local trains are even easier but much slower, booking in advance on local trains is not needed you just need buy a bike ticket. Up here in Niedersachsen it's €6 for the entire day, no matter how far you travel. I've travelled long distance on ICE trains with a fully loaded bike a few times now and it's not too stressful at all. In typical German fashion the trains are mostly quite organised, The platforms will have a sign board showing the layout of the IC and ICE trains that stop there. So it's a simple matter to work out where exactly the bike carrying part of the carriage will stop. The only thing to be aware of, is you will need to hang up the bike by the front wheel, which can be a bit of a faff. We are having a lot of engineering work at the moment which is generally causing some major chaos on the trains, but it should be possible as long as you're happy to have an adventure.
 
OP
OP
All uphill

All uphill

Still rolling along
Location
Somerset
I've had very similar problems over the years as well, train travel with a bike on the continent is an absolute pain. I must admit I've all but given up, long distance travel is just too fraught on public transport.

Having said all that and looking at a map a thought does occur. I presume you'll be traveling across to the Hook of holland? Why not then cycle into Rotterdam or failing that, cycle all the way to the German border if time allows? Then once in Germany it's generally not too bad. All of the long distance ICE trains have some space for bikes as long as there booked in advance. Long distance IC trains have even more space for bikes and are not much slower. Local trains are even easier but much slower, booking in advance on local trains is not needed you just need buy a bike ticket. Up here in Niedersachsen it's €6 for the entire day, no matter how far you travel. I've travelled long distance on ICE trains with a fully loaded bike a few times now and it's not too stressful at all. In typical German fashion the trains are mostly quite organised, The platforms will have a sign board showing the layout of the IC and ICE trains that stop there. So it's a simple matter to work out where exactly the bike carrying part of the carriage will stop. The only thing to be aware of, is you will need to hang up the bike by the front wheel, which can be a bit of a faff. We are having a lot of engineering work at the moment which is generally causing some major chaos on the trains, but it should be possible as long as you're happy to have an adventure.

Thanks for that. I'm beginning to think that taking the ferry to the Hoek and then the train from there is the way to do it. I'm very familiar with taking that ferry.
 
Top Bottom