Bikes on French trains

georgemonkey
georgemonkey Posts: 11
edited January 2011 in Tour & expedition
I'm planning a trip to the Alps in the summer. Has anyone got any experience of taking bikes on Eurostar and TGV? How much hassle is it? I was thinking of putting the bike in a bike bag, as I'm travelling light. Has anyone done this? If so, have you encountered any problems?

Comments

  • andymiller
    andymiller Posts: 2,856
    It's perfectly straightforward.

    If you're travelling on a TGV to the alps then you will probably have to take the bike in a bag. Newer and refitted TGV trains have bike carriage facilities but my experience is that on the trains going to the south these are few and far between. You can check for definite by clicking on details on the train listing and looking for a bike pictogram - alternatively use the German Railways website to search for trains with bike carriage facilities (this is also a good way to check whether you have the option of using regional trains).

    I'd recommend the Ground Effect Tardis bike bag as this fits perfectly in luggage racks - although you should be able to find a space somewhere for larger bags. You can even fold it up and post it to your final destination.

    It might also be worth checking to see whether you have the option of changing trains at Lille-Europe taking a train direct from there. The change in Paris is pretty straightforward (2 stops on the RER) but still a bit of a hassle.
    Italy Cycling Guide

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