Eurostar + bike - tips and advice please

secretsam

Hi all, I've booked a nice little stay in the Alps at the end of May '24, I've booked onto Eurostar to get to Paris, where I'll then take a connection to Grenoble.

Anyway, I'm a first time traveller with my bike, and I'm after some tips:

1. Do I need a hard case (which I would rent) or would a cheap soft bag off Amazon, etc do for train travel?
2. Going from Paris Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon - looks a quick hop on a train, any tips?
3. Generally, any other trips on train plus bike.

Before anyone asks - I don't mind flying but hate, hate, hate airports!

TIA

MidlandsGrimpeur2

Personally, I don't box/bag for trains as it is easier to roll the bike around. I would go box with wheels though, if you are going to cover it, as trying to carry around a bike in a bag (assuming no wheels on said bag), even for short period, will be a killer.

Check the train policy in France though to see if they have carrying conditions such as mandatory bag/box. I believe you have to book a bike space on a TGV at the time you purchase your ticket, you can't just turn up with it.

wiwaxy1

Out of interest, how easy was it to book your bike space on Eurostar and what was the process?

As others have said, some French trains, particularly TGV and intercities need a prebooked bike space. It’s only generally on the rattlers that you can just turn up and roll a bike on

spencerjkeys

I have just booked a trip on Euro star to Brussels and have previously traveled from Dijon to Paris with a bike.

You have to book your bike space onto Euro star separately, which is a bit of a faff, and there are only limited spaces on selected trains. You have to email them for a form and info on what trains take bikes then book your ticket and e-mail the form back with your ticket information and hope there are spaces!

A bag should be fine and you will probably need one for the train in France. I used a very lightweight one from Ebay that folded to about the size of a water bottle, there was also a strap to carry it. I only took the front wheel off but we did get told off on the train, It would have been fine if id taken both wheels off (it was only one stop so couldn't get thrown off!)

secretsam

Thanks all - yes, the Eurostar you have to take off the wheels, and the booking thing is a total ar53, separate written form, I mean seriously...2024...

SNCF haven't released tickets for my second leg of the journey yet, but the bike will be disassembled anyway.

How easy is moving bikes on Tube/Le Metro????

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Sounds a faff compared to the rubbish bike support on UK trains.

sungod

https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/13121385/eurostar-bike-tips-and-advice-please

bear in mind the metro can be absolutely rammed, depends on the time of day

from gare du nord to gare de lyon i'd get the rer b from gdn, change at chatelet les halles to the rer a and onwards to gdl

from memory, this is an easy change as the rer b and rer a are either side of the same platform (in the directions you'd be travelling)

the rer trains have areas at the ends of some carriages where there's more space and no seats, also far they make fewer stops than the m trains, just gdn-clh clh-gdl

at gdn you'll be going down three short escalators to get to the rer b platform, get your ticket from the machines, you'll pass several once you've gone down the first escalator (there's a fair walk to get to the next escalator), don't remember gdl layout

as others have said, it's primitive booking a bike on eurostar, not sure they even guarantee to put your bike on the same train that you travel on, don't think they allow a hard bike box, same with the metro

secretsam

https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/comment/21047350#Comment_21047350

Thanks - it's away from peak times, so hopefully should be OK.

I was thinking of a hard case simply to protect the bike, Eurostar seem happy with that - it's no different to a big suitcase, really (well, in my simple mind, at least).

navrig2

I don't want to pee on your plans but have you checked the official mountain pass opening dates? It's worth doing.

In 2013 8 of us headed to La Rosiere at the end of May. The Petit St Bernard was closed until after our trip although we were able to clamber over the snow drift which had been left in place to stop vehicles. There was a similar snow mound at the Italian end. We did get into Italy and "enjoyed" the climbs in and out of La Thuille.

Cormet de Roseland was open but there was road slush at the top and it was pretty cold out of the sun.

Col d'Iseran was closed just above Val d'Isere and there was no chance of going any further as the snow was deep and continuous.

After that experience we found a website which showed the col opening times for the Rhone Alps and most were start or early June.

We went in September the next year.