Chiltern Trains advice requested, Solihull to Warwick

tomfoolery
tomfoolery Posts: 56
edited September 2008 in Commuting chat
My employer is helpfully moving my job from the Black Country to Warwick, putting a rusty nail in my current enjoyable 15 mile each way commute (or 7 each way by train), meaning I'll have no choice to go on the train at least one way. (I think I'll only go the full distance on nice days in the summer, and then probably only one way).

I've been using London Midland in the past for my commute who have been great, no bike restrictions, good bike areas etc. I'm wondering how Chiltern Trains will be.

I know about the time restrictions - as long as I get a train that gets into London after 10 I'm ok (I've got an email from then confirming this).

But how are the bike areas? How busy is it? Any other experiences? I'd appreciate any tips.
I've forgotten my PIN for the pain barrier.

Comments

  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,120
    Dunno about your line, where you get decent trains, but I use CT from Stoke Mandeville to Marylebone, and as far as bikes go they suck, no real provision.

    Why not do a trial run one morning?
    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • tomfoolery
    tomfoolery Posts: 56
    Yeah, doing a trial run Monday and Friday next week.

    Spoke to another cyclist on the train today who uses them and reckons they're not too bad, reasonable bike areas etc.

    So fingers crossed...
    I've forgotten my PIN for the pain barrier.
  • timestar
    timestar Posts: 226
    I normally do New Street to Euston using Virgin but sometimes been forced to do Snow Hill to Marylebone on Chiltern due to engineering work. Service has been v.v. busy and I have seen very few cyclists. I didn't notice any designated bike areas and think you might struggle unless you're using a folding bike.
  • DancesWithSheep
    DancesWithSheep Posts: 51
    I get Chiltern every day and I've only ever seen the big London -> Birmingham trains with a bike space. Most of the bikers on my train (Wycombe-London) are folders, a nice mix of danons, bromptons and one airnimal which i have to stop drooling at.
    As an internet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or cycling helmets approaches one
  • alex16zx
    alex16zx Posts: 153
    Following on from this, I'm going from Liverpool to Durham with my bike, via York. I have bike reservations for both legs but I don't know if I'm supposed to give my bike to the guard or take it in the carriage with me? The Liv-York leg is Transpennine express which would have room in the carriage but the York-Durham one is National Express East Coast Main line which as far as I remember wouldn't really have room.

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