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Hi @rak500, thanks for your reply!
I wont have a bike bag with me, and I'll have no way of getting hold of one.. So I was thinking that I'd just buy a tarp, dismantle my bikes and stuff it in the luggage rack.. But if it needs a bag, then that's an issue.. Maybe I'll just have to take the 5hr train instead and book my bike on assembled.As for the Eurostar, it seems to say that you can prebook your bike on the same train as you're travelling on via EuroDispatch for £30 http://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-info/travel-planning/luggage/bikes, or on the 'first available train' if you just turn up without booking it. But it's the 'leave plenty of extra time' bit that I'm worried about, and why I'd rather not take a 5hr train from Lyon!
Oh, it's all so annoying... Thanks for your help, I'll no doubt be reaching out again!
speculoos-
If anything, when I said bike bag, it's to makes sure the SNCF dudes don't annoy you, because if they see you just have a tarp wrapped arounf the bike, they'll annoy you, but if you take a big fat ikea bag that closes, i'm sure it'll be alright, as long as it doesn't damage neghbouring luggage. I'think that's why the SNCF are a bit picky if anything.
rak500
Hi @speculoos
If you can fit the bike in a travel case (you can find the carry-on luggage max size somewhere on the SNCF site), you should be fine. The luggage compartment are quite big but they tend to be filled so either get there early to have a nice spot or try to find a suitable space between seats: some back-to-back seats have a fair storage space between them, a bike bag might fit.
Not all TGVs allow for bikes I believe. I know Paris-Bordeaux does, but there are only 5-10 bike seats in either ends of a 10-Car train I think.
As far as the eurostar is concerned, I did the oppsite travel from London to paris with 2 bikes, so I'd advise you to check the details because I had to bring my bike a day before taking the train and only got it back a day after my arrival in Paris.
I hope this helps. I'm in Paris, so PM me if you need translation or something!