Train travel and bikes: a low-level rant

[Rhythm Thief]

Why is it so difficult? I've just bought a bike in Manchester on eBay and the easiest way to collect it is to get the train from Hereford on Friday. Online last night the ticket return prices were showing as £34.20; this morning, they'd mysteriously gone up to around £65. Additionally, there was no way that I could see to book a bike space on the website I was using: I had to book my ticket, then ring up Arriva Trains Wales and book the bike space separately. Browsing through the conditions of bike carriage, I noticed that bikes on trains are at the discretion of the conductor whether I have a space booked or not, and there's no guarantee that bikes can be carried on replacement bus services. Granted, neither of these things is likely to affect my journey on Friday, but can you imagine this happening with any other item of luggage, say a large suitcase or a pushchair?

 

[sevenfourate]

50 miles riding is about my limit without impacting anything else i do. So thats 25 out and same back. Or a loop.

So it would be lovely to use the Trains to go 50 miles out......see see some new sights / increase my range.....and bike home from there.


Everything above you've alluded to (After doing some online research) has lead me to not even attempting that so far.........

 

[ianrauk]

Bikes and train travel in this country is a complete and utter clusterfook

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Bikes and train travel in this country is a complete and utter clusterfook

Just train travel generally... Why is it not simply a matter of buying a ticket for a reasonable price and travelling whenever suits you?

 

[ianrauk]

Just train travel generally... Why is it not simply a matter of buying a ticket for a reasonable price and travelling whenever suits you?

That's privatisation for you.. but better not get into that on here.

 

[Emanresu]

Why is it so difficult? I've just bought a bike in Manchester on eBay and the easiest way to collect it is to get the train from Hereford on Friday. Online last night the ticket return prices were showing as £34.20; this morning, they'd mysteriously gone up to around £65. Additionally, there was no way that I could see to book a bike space on the website I was using: I had to book my ticket, then ring up Arriva Trains Wales and book the bike space separately. Browsing through the conditions of bike carriage, I noticed that bikes on trains are at the discretion of the conductor whether I have a space booked or not, and there's no guarantee that bikes can be carried on replacement bus services. Granted, neither of these things is likely to affect my journey on Friday, but can you imagine this happening with any other item of luggage, say a large suitcase or a pushchair?

Exactly the same in Spain on Renfe. The train manager (i.e. guard) will decide if you get your bike on even after paying for a space. France is slightly better as the manage the system online. But in all three countries (Spain, France, UK) some lines have no restriction and you just jump on a local train with your bike if there is space.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Online last night the ticket return prices were showing as £34.20; this morning, they'd mysteriously gone up to around £65. Additionally, there was no way that I could see to book a bike space on the website I was using: I had to book my ticket, then ring up Arriva Trains Wales and book the bike space separately.

Well I've just gone on GWR system, and booked a bike on (both ways) £69. They are my 'go to' ticket site.
As far as £34.20 that is the single (advance) fare. And I'm going to guess there's never been a return fare that price on offer and you were just confused yesterday.
A low-level rant comment. (You also just have to hope the bike is ridable: caveat emptor.)

 

[sevenfourate]

Exactly the same in Spain on Renfe. The train manager (i.e. guard) will decide if you get your bike on even after paying for a space. France is slightly better as the manage the system online. But in all three countries (Spain, France, UK) some lines have no restriction and you just jump on a local train with your bike if there is space.

Either not booking (Maybe because you're unable to do that) and taking your chances turning up. Or booking; and turning up only to have that bike booking revoked - sounds complete tosh. As i read about and have so far circumnavigated by non participation Which of course also isn't ideal......

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Well I've just gone on GWR system, and booked a bike on (both ways) £69. They are my 'go to' ticket site.
As far as £34.20 that is the single (advance) fare. And I'm going to guess there's never been a return fare that price on offer and you were just confused yesterday.
A low-level rant comment. (You also just have to hope the bike is ridable: caveat emptor.)

Nope, it was absolutely showing a single both ways at £17.10 last night, making a total of £34.20 for the return. There's no sign of that fare today for any date, all the way up to the back end of March, so it's not like it was about booking in advance.

 

[Emanresu]

Ireland was interesting. Some trains have a few seats taken out and a couple of racks added. On the Friday night train from Dublin to Cork it was a cattle truck and you had to tie your bike to the walls. Despite this, when I got to Cork bikes were all over the floor. Train/bike travel is a experience in itself. And if you get stuck somewhere (Folkestone-Rail Replacement), you've always got transport.

 

[Drago]

Your experience Mr Thief is precisely why I went and bought a folder. These issues disappeared that very day.

It's an imperfect solution for those that want or need to travel with a regular bike, but I decided I can't fight city hall on my own.

 

[Baldy]

Bikes and train travel in this country is a complete and utter clusterfook

No, it's not that good.

 

[Dogtrousers]

In the South East it's generally not bad. I use trains a lot for getting home at the end of a ride. This is normally Saturday afternoons so the trains aren't busy, and I'm not using intercity services. At commuter time it would be a different story.

I do this for two reasons. Partly to extend my range, and partly because I live in suburban London. I don't mind riding out first thing in the morning, but slogging through suburbia on my way back when I'm tired is not much fun.

It's just a case of buying a ticket and getting on the train. If they have a bike space I use that. If not I put it in the doorway and make sure it's not in anyone's way at stops.

I also use trains for days out/ country walks, because having to get in the car and do battle with the SE London traffic is guaranteed to ruin any day.

 

[All uphill]

You're right, it's a mess.

I often take my bike on the train and rarely have a problem. I stick to a few self-imposed rules:

Avoid rush hours,
Travel with GWR when I can, I've found them to be problem-solvers,
Be prepared to wait.
Better to train out and cycle home. I'd rather be stuck near home than stuck 100km away.

Only twice have I been refused entry onto a train in recent years. Both times I got o another train within an hour.

 

[Hover Fly]

noticed that bikes on trains are at the discretion of the conductor whether I have a space booked or no

Always the case, and has been for donkey’s years, even for human passengers, staff can prevent you travelling for any reason, overcrowded train, obnoxious passenger…
Go here: https://225group.org.uk/docs/Intercity-225-Services-TfW.pdf, find a train from Hereford to Manchester that suits, and book on it, they are all loco-hauled with plenty of space for bikes.