Bikes on trains in the UK

Obviously don't actually buy them on Trainline.

I thought the same but with split ticketing, they are now cheaper for some stuff.

Problem I've had with them is if anything goes wrong with the journey Trainline were a nightmare.

I've found the opposite actually. Always managed to get a refund or change of journey on non-flexible tickets if I phone up with a sob story.

Wow that's good to know, I've DNSd lots of train journeys due to injury or stuff happening and never thought of pleading

I have just tried that (putting place names, eg Penzance, in instead of _) that but I only get a week - what am I doing wrong?

You can pretty much always get a refund for unused tickets in the app or online, usually minus tenner fee

Thanks, is that just trainline or other sellers?

Trip.com too. Probably direct from train companies but I doubt they make it easy

Mobile has a different layout to desktop, could be that?

Fair, I had one a few years ago where I think they kept insisting they were a third party and couldn't help, I vowed not to buy from them and it stuck in my mind.

https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/cheap-return-fares-offered-by-greater-anglia-for-autumn-travel-75986/

Thanks, will have a look.

Anyone know any tricks for getting to Inverness cheaper than what it costs to fly to India? Or is it a case of booking 3 months in advance and that's your lot? The prices for a weekend up there are making me consider the sleeper train again and that's mad pricey but you save a hotel night.
Maybe something dumb like riding out of London and going from an in between station?

Went to wedding a while back up there, was about half the price to fly out of Gatwick than to train it, and this was a decent amount in advance.

Mental

I don't think there is but you could try one of the splitting apps like splitmyfare and it will tell you.

I met a French woman on the ferry to Calais the other day and she had just got the train down after touring round scotland for 3 weeks. She said she got the train down just in a normal seat as the sleeper prices were horrific. She said it was just about bearable.

Or there is always the overnight coach. I used to use that to get to university (back in the days before parents took adult children to university in massive cars) and it wasn't exactly great for sleeping but it was cheap!

Actually overnight coach won't get you all the way to inverness so forget that.

Yeah. I fly to Europe since Eurostar and Brexit fucked bikes on trains (and people on trains for that matter) but you'd think I could travel on the same piece of land on a fucking train for less than a house deposit.

Actually overnight coach won't get you all the way to inverness so forget that.

I hadn't thought of that option but I definitely prefer trains to buses (waves at home town that hasn't had a train for 30 years but instead a 7hr bus/train journey to the capital - the dickheads)

I think the better option (apart from doing this months ago) is to get an airbnb up there for a week and take advantage of the cheaper weekday prices, work remotely. Might cost more in total but it'd be a more relaxed week instead of an overpriced, sleep-deprived weekend.

This is the problem with Scotland: France is a hell of a lot nearer and easier to get to. And the food and weather are better.

Scotland is one of the easiest places to take a bike in the UK but that is reliant on paying for the sleeper. That's different if you own a car or don't have easy access to London terminals.

Well, it's probably in the top 3!

If we allow non-uk destinations, the ferries to France would shade it as more capacity, cheaper and no bike reservations.

Northern Ireland via train to Liverpool and overnight ferry is not a lot harder than Scotland.

Try as you might, no trip has ever been as easy as the 1.7 mile cycle from the office to Euston, getting on a train (knowing your bikes are getting on, none of the train stress caused by every other service), falling asleep (mostly) and waking up at destination.

But I'll take a look at the other routes, Northern Ireland should be visited.

falling asleep (mostly) and waking up at destination.

Unless you're on that unlucky one last year (I think?) where the train didn't depart but they also didn't tell anyone so people just woke up at Euston

If you're going with anyone, don't forget two-together railcard. Also works on the sleeper IIRC

Is it easy to get bike reservations on the sleepers nowadays? That was an issue last time I looked but may be easier now.

people just woke up at Euston

Haha that is a good one - and people would be thinking 'great sleep - hardly noticed the bumps'!