Bikes by Eurostar

Philip S

Anyone taken a bike to the continent by Eurostar recently? Any stories to tell? Any inconveniences involved?

I've had a look on the Eurostar website and it's a little unclear what happens - sounds like you register your bike and hand it over, then have to go to a collection point at the other end anywhere up to 24 hours after you register it, which doesn't sound ideal if you are looking to connect onto a through service into regional France...

On which topic, how are the TGVs for carrying bikes?

Thanks in advance...

workhard

all your questions and more answered here

andymiller

You can take an unpackaged bike on Eurostar but you have to pay a reservation fee of £25 each way (IIRC). So it's not cheap.

TGVs - the position varies a lot. Newer and refurbished TGVs have bike spaces but older ones and the duplexes don't. Depends a lot on the line (eg TGV Est is supposed to be best).

EDIT: it's £20 - the same price as using the baggage service.

psmiffy

THe only tricky bit I found was that if you are taking a very early train - I think particulaly at weekends - is that there is a cut off time the night before - the luggage service is operated seperately and they load the train the night before - other than spending all night roaming the streets of London waiting for the 0530 it was very good

also look out for deals - I rang up and tried to book ticket 2nd class - Geezer sold me first class for less than half the 2nd on same train

pinkbikini

Took a bike last year on Eurostar - packed it into a soft bike bag and just carried it on, no pre-booking. Same on the TGV. Make sure the bag is as small as you can get it (i.e. not one of those massive dhb soft bags).

The main problems? Crowded commuter trains to get to Kings Cross, schlepping across Paris on the Metro with a bikebag (does get heavy after a while, and is a little cumbersome on crowded Metro) and the hassle of rushing onto each train to get a space in the luggage racks for the bikebag, then making sure no one put anything heavy on top of it.

The main pros? Quite a cheap way to travel, pretty convenient, quick to get on/off the train (no bike to pick up from some other carriage), always managed to find rack space even on crowded TGV at the beginning of July.

Travelling with another cyclist helps - 2 bikes in bags take up a space in the racks so no one can force any other luggage in anyway!

The Greg

I took my bike on the Eurostar to this year's Tour of Flanders. Easy as pie (although living near St Pancras means it's easier for me than most).

I dropped my bike off at the registered baggage drop off the day before my train and it was waiting for me at Brussels Midi when I got off. Coming back to London it was checked on the same train as me and by the time I'd got off the Eurostar and walked to the registered baggage reclaim at St Pancras it was there ready for me to pick up and ride home.

The train guards in Belgium were also fantastic - upon seeing me with my bike waiting at the platform they'd get off the train and put me bike in the dedicated bicycle locker on the train - and ask me which station I was getting off at so they could help me unload it.

I experienced the same level of welcome at Dorking train station at the weekend - or perhaps I misunderstood the "fvck off Mr Tour de France, get on the next train" from the locals.

dilemna

If your steed is a Brompton no such probs 8).

wjhall

The problem with the Eurostar system seems to be that you have paid for your travel ticket before finding out whether your bike can go with you.

Buying item A which is only useful with item B, before you find out whether you can buy B always seems a classic failure to observe the maxim "buyer beware".

Has anyone any practical experience of what happens if you have bought a Eurostare ticket and then discover that there is no space to reserve your bicycle?

andymiller

Erm I know it's a hassle, and you should be able to do it online, but why not go through the booking process but, before you actually press confirm and pay for the tickets, call the reservations line (08705 850 850) to reserve a place?

By the way: here's the page from the Eurostar website:

http://www.eurostar.com/UK/uk/leisure/t ... cycles.jsp

Philip S wrote:

sounds like you register your bike and hand it over, then have to go to a collection point at the other end anywhere up to 24 hours after you register it, which doesn't sound ideal if you are looking to connect onto a through service into regional France...

It might be worth asking Eurostar whether it's possible to send the bike on to your final destination using the SNCF's baggage service. Call me a foolish optimist but it might be possible - you never know. If they don't know you could try asking Rail Europe (aka SNCF UK).

nicktheluddite

We took eurostar back from Paris in August - had booked bikes onto specific train. You have to drop off the bikes at the SERMAN office (SNCF freight department I think) which is up a road next to Gare du Nord. Our problem was that we had fully laden tourers and had to take all our luggage off then carry it back to gare du nord. Carrying 4 panniers, a bar bag, 3 water bottles, a pump and all the random stuff (lunch/karrimat etc) which gets bungied on the back is easy if you have a bike and much harder if you don't.
Next time I will wait in gare du nord with all the luggage while Mrs Luddite takes the bikes up to SERNAM.
Don't forget to allow more time for doing this.

TGV-Est (newish route to Strasbourg/Mulhouse/Basle/Zurich) has a specific bike carriage (a set of seats & table removed and some straps added) You have to book your bike on and pay extra for it. It was nice sitting next to the bike - knew it wasn't falling over/being nicked.

inaperfectworld

i'm doing this 2 or 3 times a year and bought an airnimal just for this purpose. i've had 4 holidays out of it so the price per trip (£250 at the moment) is coming down each time. view it as holiday expense. in 10 years it will be about £35 a trip. suitcase is wheeled it goes in a taxi boot and is well in the 1200 cm to fit in eurostar tgv racks

nicktheluddite

since Eurostar is £20 each way and TGV 15 euros, you've probably saved nearly £70 per trip compared to normal (non-bagged) bike. This is why I'm thinking of a folding bike too........

inaperfectworld

if you do decide to get an airnimal they will allow you some choice: i had lower gears for touring in mountainous areas and bar end levers as they are easy to repair. i also had steel forks rather than carbon to save some cash