gavroche
Getting old but not past it
- Location
- North Wales
I very rarely take a train so would like to know if one has to pay extra to take the bike on it?
Trains and bicycles.
- Thread starter gavroche
- Start date
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ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I haven't had to pay.
Some local trains do not have a reservation system for bikes, so it is first come, first served for the official spaces. You can usually get on with your bike even if the official spaces are taken, as long as you stay with your bike and the train is not too full.
Mainline trains often require advance reservations, but those have been free for me.
Take a bungee cord so you can secure your bike against unwanted movement. I find that suitable straps in bike compartments are often broken or missing altogether.
Some local trains do not have a reservation system for bikes, so it is first come, first served for the official spaces. You can usually get on with your bike even if the official spaces are taken, as long as you stay with your bike and the train is not too full.
Mainline trains often require advance reservations, but those have been free for me.
Take a bungee cord so you can secure your bike against unwanted movement. I find that suitable straps in bike compartments are often broken or missing altogether.
PaulSB
Squire
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
You won't have to pay. If you chose to use Virgin you MUST make a reservation as you won't be allowed on without one.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
http://www.atob.org.uk/bike-rail/uk-bike-rail-restrictions/ is a fairly good summary of what works where although sometimes you have to know the old names for the operators and even renamed entries sometimes talk about the old one (there's at least one mention of NXEA on there), so it might not be completely up-to-date. Generally, it feels like any service involving a bus operator (Arriva, First including GWR, or Stagecoach including Virgin) will be a nuisance and others are a mixed bag of generally easy on stopping services and generally reservation-required on expresses. Check on operator's own websites before booking and try to use a site that lets you book bikes.
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
Not aware of any 'normal' trains on which a charge is made to take a bike with you. Many (longer distance) require a booking: ie you will not be able to take it with you if you just turn up, even if there's 'room'. Many other restrictions but most workable. Worth reading the ATOB guide.
srw
It's a bit more complicated than that...
One does in the countries where there's a proper national network and people understand why it's something that one might want to do....
RobWard
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Silverdale, Lancashire
You can also take your bikes on the open top buses around the lake district at a charge of 20p. But saying that, the season is almost at an end. But worth knowing for next year if anybody is touring around The Lakes
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
Broadly speaking...
A long distance train you'll need to book.
A local train you won't.
A commuter train you can't travel with the flow, as it were.
If you've got a folder you can generally take it on anything without booking.
And no, in the UK you don't pay for bikes or bike reservations.
A long distance train you'll need to book.
A local train you won't.
A commuter train you can't travel with the flow, as it were.
If you've got a folder you can generally take it on anything without booking.
And no, in the UK you don't pay for bikes or bike reservations.
nickyboy
Norven Mankey
- Location
- You want hills? We got hills
I have plenty of experience of the train line that runs Holyhead - Chester. Taking a bike on this line is free.
The trains officially have two bike spaces per train. Beyond that they are not obliged to accept a bike on the train. There is a reservation system so you can guarantee one of the two spaces (there is an area in one of the carriage specifically for bike storage). Having said that, the staff on this line seem pretty relaxed about bikes. I've travelled from Llandudno with at least 5 or 6 bikes onboard and so long as you're not blocking passageways on the train there was no problem
The trains officially have two bike spaces per train. Beyond that they are not obliged to accept a bike on the train. There is a reservation system so you can guarantee one of the two spaces (there is an area in one of the carriage specifically for bike storage). Having said that, the staff on this line seem pretty relaxed about bikes. I've travelled from Llandudno with at least 5 or 6 bikes onboard and so long as you're not blocking passageways on the train there was no problem
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
In theory ...
I was telling someone on your forum ride on Saturday that I had once reserved a space on a train from Coventry to Leeds but found that the space was taken by an unreserved bike. The official on the train was not interested in enforcing the rules so I ended up securing my bike elsewhere with a bungee cord.
I went to my bike as we were pulling in to Leeds and spotted the owner of the unreserved bike retrieving his machine. It was then-regular forum member @Calum, a student at Leeds who had been on many of my forum rides.
Calum is short so I tower over him. I crept up behind him, put my hand on his shoulder from behind, and in my deepest voice barked "EXCUSE ME, SIR - YOU DID NOT HAVE A RESERVATION FOR THAT BIKE!"
He almost had an involuntary bowel movement as he turned round, muttering excuses. Then he recognised me ...
Oh, and once (again coming back from Coventry) there was such overcrowding on a post-Christmas train that staff refused to let anyone board, bike or not, seat reservation or not.
