Bikes on trains in the UK

Nothing to add except I hate that feeling of trying to plan a tour and getting owned by the train infrastructure in this country.

Prepare yourself for a strike being announced for your day of travel.

Just fucked me over for a trip to the Lake District.

EMR - had to book, but
can leave London during rush hour,
it's in a dedicated area,
and it's not a tiny cupboard with hanger.

Bonus point: reserving a bike space, reserves the nearest seat.
A rare thumbs up.

1 Attachment

Bonus point: reserving a bike space, reserves the nearest seat.

Whaaaat??? This is a revellation.

Peak District in the summer then...

Not really, I'm going to have bags strapped all over it so that's not really workable. I'm starting from home so I think I'll just aim for a bit of a loop back home on day 2.

I've found no issues with getting bikes on trains in the last couple of years, maybe post-covid no body seems to care anymore? Can't remember the last time I've been asked about reservations (this is mainly with Transport for Wales, GWR and Crosscountry, and a little bit of LNER). GWR always have a couple of spots that you can't reserve. If they're full, there's sometimes some luggage racks in the vestibule that you can fit your bke under (depending on the train). Otherwise just get on and stay with your bike in the vestibule - bit of a faff standing up for the journey but I've never been told to get off by the guard.

Ah, ok. I wonder whether someone on the gate would query it anyway.

Got Southwestern down to Salisbury with @ojwithbits recently and it was no bother at all. There were a couple of bike rack carriages, but even if those were full there are lots of other places to stash a bike. The carriages have irregular layouts with luggage areas and different seating arrangements throughout, so you have quite a few options.

you need a longer drop post! Also strange looking tailfin.

I've been refused at least twice in recent memory :/

On GWR your success depends on whether you can get to the train without encountering an odious member of staff.

At Paddington you definitely want a reservation, at smaller stations or stations with lots of non-reservation trains you’ll probably be ok.

That's my experience, reservations are most needed in London but less of an issue elsewhere.

Last year I just got on a train from Gloucester to London after I'd DNFd an event. There were not meant to be bike spaces free but, in practice there was at least one free and I had no issues.
I went to the bike at stops to make sure, so I could take mine out, or even get off if need be, but it was fine.

I went to Bristol last week and I had a reservation, but didn't need to show it to get on the train at Paddington, and there were several free spaces.

Gwr trains seen to have more spaces than they used to.

I rode to Brighton on Tuesday and then got the Thameslink back to East Croydon. Ok so it wasn't rammed but no one batted an eyelid.

Can you ride to Heathrow T4 and get on Crossrail with a bike? Or is it fucked because it's an airport?

There's nothing in the TFL guidance to suggest you can't, assuming your travelling in the permitted times:

https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/cycles-on-public-transport#:~:text=Elizabeth%20line,30%20and%20after%2009%3A30

Ta, I think one of the Hounslow stations w/ Piccadilly will work better.

Looks like Oyster works as far as Iver on Crossrail then you need proper tickets. Wish they wouldn't call it Eliz line until it supported Oyster.

Actually West Drayton is the last west Oyster station. You can use contactless at Iver though. Stupid trains.

Iver is out but I thought Heathrow was fine for Oyster on Crossrail?

1 Attachment

Iver is £3 single adult. You just have to use a credit card rather than Oyster card.

Does beg the question - why bother with Oyster cards nowadays at all, at least if you're like me and PAYG?

I think I heard that actual Oyster cards are no longer being produced and distributed. just use a contactless card instead.

Bit shitty if you don't have a bank account, but then maybe you can't use an oyster card without one anyway?

Do I need to lock my bike up on the train? I never have before, but I’ve never taken a bike worth locking up. Leeds to kings x

Depends on the service or where I'll be sitting but generally use a cafe lock (hiplok combo) or even a few voile straps to prevent a grab and run. Have never taken a d-lock.

Very pleasantly surprised to find that the bike storage was actually in the carriage in an upright locker, locked by the conductor, and it has its own reservation notice (on at Leeds, off at kings X)! Much nicer than it being at the far end of the train, seems safer too.

Not had chance to see if it helps with bike bookings but looks useful

https://www.traintickets.com/?/

has anyone taken a cargo bike on GWR? what was it like?

lol