Bikes on trains in the UK

Thanks, think I'll risk it then. Plenty of trains running. It's partly a reccy for a more epic out-and-back ride planned for the Summer, so when the trains are more popular I won't be needing them anyway. :-)

I would perfect Victoria as the trains are run by Southern, more room for bikes,I think. I usually just lock mine to the railing / handle bit and go off for a snooze somewhere nearby. I think Trains at London Bridge are run by Frist Capital Connect? I don't like their trains...

Thanks, I've just realised that both routes go through East Croydon, which is another return journey option, so that's quite relevant as well.

Bare in mind Southern also runs fast train to Brighton, I think there is only 1 stop in between. I always opt for that. Less stops = less chance of someone doing a runner with my bike. Locked it might be, but if I am fast asleep than anything can happen.

I think the difference between trains for these compaines is that the bike area is the wheelachair bit plus a bit of the narrow corridor outisde the loo within no seats, whereas FCC's bike areas have seats that you can pull down. I have had people making nasty comments of my bike taking up their seats when I got onto the train many stops before them.

Yeah, 33 mins to East Croydon. I'd happily sit by/stand over my bike for that long, so shouldn't be any hassles, and saves me carrying a lock.

Sorry to revive an old thread! But i'm possibly coming down to London next week to buy and collect a bike, bringing it back on the train. I know i've to read the individual train companies policy and i have done, it will either be East Coast or Grand Central trains, however i was wondering if anyone has ever been turned away from a train even with their advanced booking because they have a bike? It's something i'm quite worried about happening haha, wouldn't really enjoy having to pay out for another train with no guarantee i can get on it.

I would be going from Wakefield - London Kings Cross, if anyone could shed some light on if they've been turned away or anything about kings cross regarding bikes!

Sorry to revive an old thread! But i'm possibly coming down to London next week to buy and collect a bike, bringing it back on the train. I know i've to read the individual train companies policy and i have done, it will either be East Coast or Grand Central trains, however i was wondering if anyone has ever been turned away from a train even with their advanced booking because they have a bike? It's something i'm quite worried about happening haha, wouldn't really enjoy having to pay out for another train with no guarantee i can get on it.

I would be going from Wakefield - London Kings Cross, if anyone could shed some light on if they've been turned away or anything about kings cross regarding bikes!

Although I've never tried it apparently covering with bin bags makes it luggage not a bike and thus it can be carried , probably won't be a issue though

Sorry to revive an old thread! But i'm possibly coming down to London next week to buy and collect a bike, bringing it back on the train. I know i've to read the individual train companies policy and i have done, it will either be East Coast or Grand Central trains, however i was wondering if anyone has ever been turned away from a train even with their advanced booking because they have a bike? It's something i'm quite worried about happening haha, wouldn't really enjoy having to pay out for another train with no guarantee i can get on it.

I would be going from Wakefield - London Kings Cross, if anyone could shed some light on if they've been turned away or anything about kings cross regarding bikes!

Make a reservation, it is free. Job done.

The problem without a reservation is the bike storage is not necessarily where the guard is. If the reservation is made, he will be in the correct position waiting.

Yeah, the Grand Central train i was planning on using coming back was just turn up and see, but I'm gonna pay the extra £4 (Stingy) for East Coast and get it reserved

Although I've never tried it apparently covering with bin bags makes it luggage not a bike and thus it can be carried , probably won't be a issue though

I had heard if you take one of the wheels off and carry that with the rest of the bike, then technically you have 2 items and either of them can be classed as a rideable bike... Never tried that myself...

I had heard if you take one of the wheels off and carry that with the rest of the bike, then technically you have 2 items and either of them can be classed as a rideable bike... Never tried that myself...

Surely they can't refuse you on the grounds of having a wheel that can be classed as "rideable"

On another note, train is booked! Cycle spot reserved! Any advice to a first time london rider? (Go slow? Look a lot? etc)

Well there is unicycle, innit!

AVOID HGVs!!!!!

Well there is unicycle, innit!

AVOID HGVs!!!!!

Haha true! Note taken!

Go fast, do a skid.

Go fast, do a skid.

I can't even do a skid up north, never mind in London where it will be like x5 busier!

Surely they can't refuse you on the grounds of having a wheel that can be classed as "rideable"

On another note, train is booked! Cycle spot reserved! Any advice to a first time london rider? (Go slow? Look a lot? etc)

Just common sense around Hgvs/busses ect it's not really that bad for the most part

Just common sense around Hgvs/busses ect it's not really that bad for the most part

Fair enough! Looking forward to coming down hah

The water tastes better and it's not for you...

If you are in Euston or Victoria(maybe other big stations too) get some of the free cycle maps.

Avoid elephant and castle by bike.

Going into Kings Cross, my brother who has lived in London / commuted to London for a while is going to be riding with me, so hopefully it won't be too bad. It will be afternoon so i imagine it shouldn't be as busy as rush hour times, i hope.

The roads ain't made of lava, you'll be fine. If you've avoided doing stupid stuff with large vehicles in the grim north then you'll avoid the same mistakes in our shining jewel of a capital.

The roads ain't made of lava, you'll be fine. If you've avoided doing stupid stuff with large vehicles in the grim north then you'll avoid the same mistakes in our shining jewel of a capital.

That'll do me

Map 14 is awesome.

https://tfl.gov.uk/forms/12419.aspx

If you are in the station it's worth grabbing it for free.

https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/buying-tickets/travel-information-centres#on-this-page-1

Avoid elephant and castle by bike.

But this is the utimate test to see if you can cycle in London... The good old merry go round roundabouts (I wish I don't have to go through that every single day)

This is most likely a discussion for a differnet place, but a friend of mine is in the committee for the development of E&C, recently he told me they have plans to ban cars from going into E&C through the roundabouts, only allowing buses and bikes to go through as about 80% traffic that actualy need to go through E&C are buses and bikes. If this is true, I would quite like that.

We want to take a couple of bikes Paddington to Reading at 18.00 on Saturday 17th and return same time on Sunday. Some trains are non-stop on their way West and others take longer as they stop on their way to Oxford. Obviously we would need to book on the non-stop trains but what about the Oxford trains? Are they just walk-on like the trains to Cambridge?

Don't come here.