Generic Touring Thread

Was considering doing it on an existing road bike with a friend , neither of us have touring experience hence the reasonining to split the travel between train and bike . I did suspect that there would be problems with bikes on trains . Suppose I could try and pick and choose routes which are more bike friendly ?

I've not interrailed but my experience of trains and bikes in Europe is nothing but hassle.

I've had a few good experiences (Belgian train staff allowing me to take a bike on without the bike ticket that I didn't know I needed), but overall I know what you mean. I had a conversation once with a German ticket inspector who claimed that all train staff hated the bike compartments and she couldn't wait until they were abolished again. I'm sure she was wrong about other staff, but from her tirade I suspect that at least quite a few share her views. To be fair, she had some horrendous stories of arrogant, abusive, and annoying cyclists that I fully believed.

The TGV/ICE network is poor for cycling as it was mainly conceived for business travel and not 'ordinary' people. In the 70s, most transport planners thought of cycling as an antiquated mode, mainly an absurd sport, that was on its way out. Some still think that way. I've seen various reports that bike compartments are coming for ICEs in Germany but have yet to encounter one. I was wondering the other day if they were pushing ahead with their plans for an ICE service to London and whether that one would then have to have a bike compartment (as there's a legal requirement for Eurostars to have one).