Taking your bike on the train: how hard is it?
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- čas přidán 11. 12. 2022
- I've always been slightly apprehensive about taking my bike on the train around the UK. So in this video, I'm sharing my experience of taking my bike on the train from London to Nottingham for the first time. I was curious to see how easy it would be to travel with my bike, and thought you might find it useful to see someone's experience firsthand! Follow along as I show you how to take your bike on the train from London. Whether you're a seasoned cyclist or just starting out, this guide will make it easy for you to travel with your bike. So grab your helmet, and let's get started!
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Always book a bike space on the train, a few years back I was on a train from London to Aviemore and when I got to Newcastle a group of 4 guys tried to get on with their bikes as they were doing a bikepacking trip from Inverness, 2 had booked spaces and 2 hadn't, even though all of them had booked seats. Needless to say they couldn't bring their bikes on the train as all spaces were full, so I assume they had to rebook tickets. I'm planning a trip next month, getting a train to Lincoln and riding 225km home the next day, I'll definitely book my bike space ;-)
Yea I’ve heard a few stories like this. It’s inconsistent and it can leave people with serious delays or diversions. Train companies need to sort it out!
Good luck on your trip, hope you don’t run into any issues!
It will be my first time to bring my bicycle on board tomorrow from London to Brighton, hope that will be smooth. Thank you for the sharing.
I hope everyone watched all the way to the end where you eventually make the point that you need to book your place if you want to take your bike on the train. We have travelled to London and back from Oxenholme (using Avanti and previously Virgin) many times on our way to France. The only wrinkle, until recently, has been that you needed to physically go to a booking office to book the place for your bike. I notice that the Trainline app now seems to allow you to book your bike space online, though this is very new and I have not tried it yet. Another potential issue is that these mainline trains only have space for a maximum of 4 bikes.
Basically though, as long as you book ahead, train travel with a bike is good.
I hope your video does inspire more folks to try train travel with bikes.
I’m off now to check out some other of your videos, thank you!
Thanks for the comment, great to hear of your experience. Hopefully the more we travel with bikes the more the rail companies will expand the number of available bike slots. Also really happy with the Trainline updates as well like you say.
The trainline app does let you book a bike space now, or if you use the actual train provider it is simply an online chat and they send a confirmation. Most booking offices are not open anyway, especially if you're doing an early morning trip.
Thank you for making this! I have to take my bike up to uni on the train for the first time and I’m really nervous about managing it (I have booked a bike slot already, it’s just the getting it on the train in time that’s worrying!) so this was helpful!
It’ll be fine, don’t worry!
@@grantritchieit was!
I got to the station 20 mins early and asked an attendant for help, and he was really kind and helpful.
Even though I had literally lost sleep about managing to take my bike on the train, the journey so far has been a breeze, so thank you for all your advice!
I really enjoy biking around London, I started with a hybrid then just because it's easier to throw around and not too be worried about it being stolen I found a cheap second hand single speed. I use it mainly to explore new places or to pop in and pick up a few items. Normally travel around 25-40km. It can be hairy on the roads, mainly when a car turns left and going into the cycle lane or when a bus overtakes you and then stops.
Thanks for sharing mate! Yea, you’ve got to be careful on those left turns 😬
Thanks for posting this, we're in Teddington and have done that ride and similar so many times to just about every station in London to go off in various directions by train. Great Western and Greater Anglia also require bike reservations but South Western Railway and Southeastern seem happy for you to rock up without a reservation.
And Beeston rounded off a great trip down memory lane - I went to Uni there and cycled everywhere ... I suspect it is more cycle friendly these days. I really enjoyed the clip and your presentation of it.
Thanks mate, and thanks for all that info 👌🏻
I have started to travel on the train with my bike, mostly off peak. My local rail company, Northern, do not require bookings and I have found I am not the only one traveling with bikes but so far never been stopped from getting on. Transport with Wales also do not require bookings but I believe TransPenine and Avanti-West Coast do, but never tried yet. For me, using the train has opened up a new world of cycling where I can do one leg of the journey by train, so can explore further afield.
Super useful info here, thanks for sharing with everyone!
I'm thinking of travelling from Manchester to Buxton & then go on a big ride, before coming home. Would the return train also be Northern rail? As I can book the return with them online.
Very helpful...thanks for doing the test run for me... 👍
My local train company actually encourage bikes on their trains and provide adequate space.
I work a permanent late shift (4pm - midnight) and train in and cycle 12 miles home. Up to now 3 years, never had a problem.
Great to hear! What’s the train company?
I reckon this video shows that we should bring the bike when we come up in the new year!
10000% and we can all go for a ride! Put some winter tyres on ;)
London looks insane 😂😂😂 I’ve just travelled with Trans Pennine and Avanti , both require bike booking . I tried certain trains that wouldn’t allow me to book bike as full up so chose different times that weren’t . Process relatively simple but on avanti always contact the station staff before boarding as they unlock the door and make sure the guard knows where you are getting off !
TP you just walk on and off 🚲👍 but not very secure
Thanks for sharing!
I’ve done this on a few occasions. They require a train pass for your bike. But it’s enforced in some stops, especially the bigger train stations like Birmingham, Liverpool, London, Milton Keynes. I missed a train because the train conductor didn’t allow me on a connecting train on time in Birmingham.
Yea that’s frustrating!
I think one way to describe travelling with your bike on a train is hit or miss. My local train company Northern doesn't require bookings for bikes. This makes spontaneous journeys easy, but it really is a worry to know if you will be allowed on and whether there are already too many bikes onboard. Some conductors allow more bikes than is normally allowed, whilst others are strict. Also, the standard of bike parking on trains can be awful too making it very awkward to maneuver your bike on a busy train.
I know many other regional train companies require bookings, but I think this just complicates the process and doesn't help in making multimodal journeys convenient and simple.
Super interesting perspective! Perhaps there’s a compromise to be had where there’s some booking allocations and some ‘walk in’ allocations. Similar to restaurants where you can book tables if you want to guarantee you’ll get in, but they’ll leave some tables free for walk ins for those more spontaneous.
Using the train to get to west Wales and then cycling home (300ish miles). I have booked ahead with Avanti and Transport for Wales so I just hope there's no unseen hiccups where a bus replacement would be part of the journey. Don't know how that would pan out.
Sounds like a great trip!
how much was it for the bike ?
Bike space reservations are free.
do you have to pay extra for bicycle
Nope
So many bags
Blaming it on being a work trip 😬
Train companies don't like bikes on there trains , and certainly don't encourage it .
Why are you using kilometres in the UK when our roads are in miles?
It’s kind of the European cycling influence, lots of people use km here.
Well I don't and I am a cyclist besides our distance signs are in miles so usi g Kilometres makes no sense!@@grantritchie