Eurostar Trip - bike bag

By luggage van, I assume you mean a dedicated luggage carriage which you do not need to dismantle your bike for?

I mean the little carriage with the bike hooks, where the bike is stored vertically by the front wheel in little bays separated by some foam padding, so no need to dismantle or put it in a bag. From what I remember some over-size luggage also goes in that carriage. Tommy might be referring to a different kind.

A good attempt at birfurcation, unfortunately the alternative option infered above is not a vaild one

The true situation is given below, make your choice.

Don't pay £20 = get to paris with your bike in luggage van
Pay £20 = get to paris with your bike in luggage van

A good attempt at birfurcation [I assume Tommy actually means bifurcation, but that still makes no sense in the context in which its used] unfortunately one of the options above risks your bike not making it on to the train if you end up with arsey passengers or a jobsworth member of staff.

The true situation is given below, make your choice.

• "Option 1: In a 'bike bag' as carry-on luggage, semi-dismantled, free of charge: You can officially take your bicycle with you on Eurostar as carry-on luggage, free of charge, if you put it in a special zip-up 'bike bag' with the wheels, pedals & saddle removed and handlebars turned to reduce bulk, so that the dimensions do not exceed those of a normal suitcase. 120cm x 90cm is a good size to aim for. This allows it to pass through the X-ray machines at the Eurostar terminal, and it can be stowed in the normal luggage racks the end of each coach. If you have any queries, call Eurostar on** 0870 5 186 186 **(+870 5 186 186 from outside the UK).
  
• Option 2: Take it with you for £20 using one of the special bike spaces on board Eurostar: To avoid having to buy a bike bag and dismantle your bike, you can pre-book one of the bike spaces on the same Eurostar as you for £20 each way - assuming other cyclists haven't already booked up all the available bike spaces, of course. First buy your Eurostar ticket, then call Eurostar's baggage line on ** 0870 5 850 850 ** to book a bike space on the same train (call +870 5 850 850 from outside the UK). You will need to quote your Eurostar booking reference."