Bikes on trains in the UK

failed to get home tonight, have an appointment in the morning.
I think, according to these restrictions, that I can take a bike on a morning peak train (say, 7.15 or 7.45) from Kings Cross to Cambridge. even though it arrives into Cambridge before 9? (Ely is north of Cambridge, so the Kings Cross train does go between Cambridge and Ely, but it stops at Cambridge first).
http://www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk/plan-your-journey/cyclists/cycle-restrictions/
I find the wording a little tricky, is that what it says?
also, has anyone done this?
ta

I'm going up to Liverpool from Ldn the QPR away game. Anyone know if it's possible to take my bike from euston to Lime Street? Do I need to reserve a bike spot or some such?

^ yes, assuming it's a virgin train.

I would book it on.

I'm going up to Liverpool from Ldn the QPR away game. Anyone know if it's possible to take my bike from euston to Lime Street? Do I need to reserve a bike spot or some such?

I book through EastCoast http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/
You can request a bike space as part of the booking process. Easy.

Do this^

When using the Eurotunnel NEVER assume they'll let you on for free, they'll get you for £30 and send you bike on an hour later train.

True, you have to book the bike on and pay for it. As for the hour later malarkey: It works both ways, sometimes they'll send your bike ahead of you so it's there before you.

This topic just remind me to go up to Euston and tell them I want to book a 'place' to put my bicycle on the train.

Goddamn telephone...

I'm due to take my bike on a weekend away.

The train tickets were booked via thetrainline (advance fare - specific train), leaving on Virgin trains from Euston. When I went to collect my tickets and make the cycle reservations, I discovered that no cycle reservations remain for the outbound journey, beyond half way. Ah.

I explained my situation with the chap at the ticket counter, and he was stuck for ideas beyond booking another train. Can't really quibble with him. Limited space, too many bikes, okeydoke.

In fact, the encounter has exposed a fundamental flaw in my simple booking strategy, I obviously shouldn't have booked myself onto a train before I knew there would be space for my bike. TBH, I've always been aware that this approach has me flying slightly by the seat of my pants, but the rules surrounding cycle reservations have always felt a little patchy and until now I've never felt that I wouldn't be able to get my bike on board without a reservation.

Indeed, in the past I've been a-okay rocking up to a station on the day and explaining my case (I can only think of three or four occasions when I've either not been able to obtain a reservation, or from before I knew they were available), but I don't think that'll wash with Virgin - I've travelled with them a couple of times recently and all signs point to them not being particularly accommodating toward unreserved bikes.

So what to do now?

Do I get on at Euston with my half-way cycle reservation and take the gamble? Do I stuff my bike into a box and pretend that it's flat-pack furniture? Do I bite the bullet and buy a new ticket?

Dilemma. I'm tempted to gamble.

Box or bag. If the train is relatively empty you can be building it on the move and leap out Streethawk style at your destination.

and use the Southern Rail website to book your ticket & bike reservation together in future.

RedSpottedHanky gives you cheap fares, lets you book cycle reservations at same time, and posts tickets out first class for free. Plus you can exchange Tesco clubcard points for discounts - I've had £150 worth of free train travel out of them so far this year.

RedSpottedHanky gives you cheap fares, lets you book cycle reservations at same time, and posts tickets out first class for free. Plus you can exchange Tesco clubcard points for discounts - I've had £150 worth of free train travel out of them so far this year.

sounds awesome. and now squirrelled away in memory bank for future. thanks.

Southern Railway/ Red Spotted Hanky are key. In fact, my not having previously considered alternative booking websites doesn't do me any favours. Christ knows why I've persisted with The Trainline for so long.

Yes, the box is mebe the way to go, after all. It involves a wee bit more faffing, was my initial thought, but anything that increases the chance of getting on board has got to be an improvement over the baseline 'just taking a punt'.

Cheers.

Scoble always talks about separating wheels and frame and bin bagging it. They don't see a bike so you get on and you can ride to the station. Depends how much faffing you fancy.

Bin bags could be the way to go.

The train home is a way away from the train out, so I'll need a solution that I can dispose of when I arrive at my destination. I'd been thinking along the lines of a cardboard box, but bin bags have a lot going for them.

In fact, the encounter has exposed a fundamental flaw in my simple booking strategy, I obviously shouldn't have booked myself onto a train before I knew there would be space for my bike. TBH, I've always been aware that this approach has me flying slightly by the seat of my pants, but the rules surrounding cycle reservations have always felt a little patchy and until now I've never felt that I wouldn't be able to get my bike on board without a reservation.

The problem is that the Virgin West Coast route is a genuinely busy route, so the chances of the bike slots, which are obviously all reserved, actually being taken are quite high. What time is the train leaving Euston?

Any chance of a refund on your advance tickets? If you wouldn't get anything or much back, I'd probably risk it but be prepared to be told all the spaces are taken or they'll only let your bike on with a reservation by having a box/bag plan as has been suggested.

For future bookings, bike reservations are free and it's easy to make them over the phone or at the station then book your tickets. I generally line up the train I want, make the bike reservations then book the tickets. Didn't know about redspottedhanky though so will try that next time.

RedSpottedHanky gives you cheap fares, lets you book cycle reservations at same time, and posts tickets out first class for free. Plus you can exchange Tesco clubcard points for discounts - I've had £150 worth of free train travel out of them so far this year.

Woah, stunning. Thanks very much!

RSH also give you loyalty points every time you buy a ticket through them, which means two lots of discount when combined with the Tesco vouchers. You can also choose to print the tickets out at any station in the UK, rather than have them posted if you're in a rush.

Also, re: booking cycle reservations, if you're travelling off-peak RSH will quite often tell you that reservations aren't available for that journey, when it actually means that that reservations aren't required. The booking system's not sophisticated enough to differentiate. So always double-check on the operators own website first if you even need a reservation.

What time is the train leaving Euston?

The train leaves Euston at 6.05am, it's the first North West service on the Saturday. I've got a cycle reservation up until Wigan (as far as I could get), at which point the spaces should be taken by other bikes.

Any chance of a refund on your advance tickets

Unfortunately not; though talk of tickets made me think about different travel options (rather than methods for keeping my bike on the 6:05). I attempted to secure a reservation on a slightly later journey from Wigan to Oxenholme with redspottedhanky. It looked promising (I was able to select a bike space); though when I went to submit the booking form a message returned saying that I'm out of luck with my reservation. There's only so late I can push the journey before I'll have to adjust the ride, which I obviously might have to do but I'd rather not if I can avoid it. So for the time being, it's back to the bin bags.

I generally line up the train I want, make the bike reservations then book the tickets.

Indeed, quite why I've never considered the issue with the sequence in which I book up the various components of cycling trippage is beyond me. Silly sod.

Chiltern seems a lot more friendly than virgin. They have no bike areas so you have to place your bike carefully against the opposite side doors which can look clumsy and obstructive but I have never had a problem. No staff including ticket people seemed to care that there was a massive bike against the door.

Chiltern trains always seem less jam packed than virgin too.Always manage to find a seat close to the bike to monitor it unlike virgin.

East coast also let you book bike spots on their website. Will investigate the Red Spotty thing next time...

When using the Eurotunnel NEVER assume they'll let you on for free, they'll get you for £30 and send you bike on an hour later train.

Did you have a bike bag, or was it complete?

I was under the impression that Eurotunnel/Eurostar are fine with bikes in bags?

CTC update.
http://beta.ctc.org.uk/news/2012-05-23/train-companies-to-ban-cycles-during-olympics

The main problem I've dealt with is the ball ache of actually acquiring the bike reservations. I've found myself calling endless numbers to try and speak to people who don't really seem clued up on the whole bike thing. It just seems very backwards at the moment - but perhaps that's just the companies I'm used to dealing with (mostly East Coast).