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I do like the idea of traveling by train tho...
I love train travel. But trains with bikes? Hard work just finding out what's possible, inconsistent, stressful when you're actually trying to use them, etc.
When you're touring and have endless time and don't give a shit if you get kicked off a train because blah blah they're great. But if you're trying to make a start time of an event with an immaculately prepared bike that you don't want some arsehole's suitcase thrown on...
hippy-
Even calling SNCF leads to about 48 different variations of what might happen, how and when. I called about the Nice to Dignes railway line recently and was told, by the same person, on the same call that it it's open to trains as usual... but also it's closed for maintenance. Schroedingers Railway; travel on it and find out
atz
Yeah but connections are a bit shit here... sleeper tickets seem to be released at random intervals which is not ideal if you're planning for an event. I can't get one of those I have to get a hotel in Barcelona, Valence or Paris for a night and still have about 18 hours on a train. I do like the idea of traveling by train tho...
Edit - Looks like there is one way to do it with a sleeper but it's still an arse ache. 3pm leave Luxembourg on TGV (so bike in a bag) for Paris, put wheels on and ride across Paris. 8pm sleeper from Paris to Montpellier (back in bag). 9:30am train to Tarragona. 6 hour wait there, then final train to Valencia arriving 9pm.
So total: 19 hours on trains, 10 hours either waiting in stations or going between them. Or a 2 hour flight. Only advantage of the train is I know where my bike is most of the time.