Trains back from Pennine Cycleway

rampax
rampax Posts: 139
edited April 2016 in Tour & expedition
Myself and a friend will be touring from Macclesfield to Berwick Upon Tweed via The Pennine Cycleway over 6 days, over the summer. Looking at logistics it all hinges on getting back from Berwick. This will involve 3 trains, all different operators: Virgin Trains East Coast, Trans Pennine Express and Cross Country. I am timing this return journey to be on a Sunday to reduce peak time pain and the various rules that go with that.
Having a quick look around I can't find any obvious way of doing an "all in one" joined up booking for this. Obviously I don't want to book one section to then find another section won't take the bikes. It's all or nothing.
Is it best to actually go into a station (during a quiet time) and get a member of staff to organise this?
The A6 Hazel Grove - "Always the worst part of any ride".

Comments

  • durhamwasp
    durhamwasp Posts: 1,247
    What date are you looking at, and how much is it coming to for the 2 of you?

    Its a fair old trek like, so I guess a taxi or similar will be particularly expensive.

    Seems a good route, and one I'd like to do myself. No chance you could do it over 2 days and then the 3rd day start cycling back towards home to a more direct train station?
    http://www.snookcycling.wordpress.com - Reports on Cingles du Mont Ventoux, Alpe D'Huez, Galibier, Izoard, Tourmalet, Paris-Roubaix Sportive & Tour of Flanders Sportive, Amstel Gold Xperience, Vosges, C2C, WOTR routes....
  • andy9964
    andy9964 Posts: 930
    Have you considered Edinburgh. Yes, it's 50-60 mile from Berwick directly. but you could change your final day or two to reduce that, It may give you better train options
  • rampax
    rampax Posts: 139
    Thanks guys. In the end we decided to do a different "tour" that we could loop back to the start, just to avoid any potential unpleasantries.
    Andy9964 that is a good idea regarding going on to Edinburgh. I can get a direct train from there to Stockport.
    I think that is what I will do when I do eventually take on the Pennine Cycleway on sometime soon.
    Cheers.
    The A6 Hazel Grove - "Always the worst part of any ride".
  • tim_wand
    tim_wand Posts: 2,552
    Its the old adage of Peak Times and Prime Routes. In general the Trans Penine rail routes are pretty good and bike friendly. I ve used the one out of Leeds to Morecambe to do the Way of The Roses c2c and despite horror stories about only 2 bikes booked in advance, there were at least six of us on a Saturday morning and it wasn't a problem.

    However bigger operators like GNER and Virgin seem to stick rigidly to 2 bikes booked in advance rule , and on prime routes like the North East Coast Line and Routes through Manchester, Leeds, York , Newcastle and Edinburgh its difficult as they are only interested in getting paying bodies and not bikes onto trains.

    Conversely whilst heading for a major Hub such as Edinburgh may give you a more direct train, it could also limit their flexibility for carrying bikes, but you would be able to do a one stop booking that should cover you, it would however remove your flexibility and put you under time constraints.