Taking a bike on the train
Discussion
I'll apologise up front, given I'm sure there is a plethora of information out there, but having checked a couple of websites, it hasn't been that helpful.
I'm looking to do a few longer trips on the bike this year, and getting the train home. What's the best way to ensure I am able to do so? The few things I'm looking at so far are:
- Bath to Swindon on a weekend
- Bristol to Swindon on a weekend
- Streatley to Swindon on a weekend
- Kemble to Swindon on a weekday evening
I'm looking to do a few longer trips on the bike this year, and getting the train home. What's the best way to ensure I am able to do so? The few things I'm looking at so far are:
- Bath to Swindon on a weekend
- Bristol to Swindon on a weekend
- Streatley to Swindon on a weekend
- Kemble to Swindon on a weekday evening
I'd look at the bike policy for the train operator in those areas. I've always found it straightforward hopping on with a bike, even if just standing/sitting near it by a door for a few stops. The only times it's been remotely busy are weekend trains which go to cycling hotspots. Do a short one to get the gist of it? Kemble <-> Swindon isn't far.
Most operators are fine with bikes at weekends.
And during the week I know mine (Chiltern) won't allow non-folders on during rush hour trains. From memory that's any train that arrives or departs Birmingham or London Marylebone between 7:45 and 10:00 or 16:00 and 19:30 - and that's regardless of whether or not you're actually going to those stations.
I'm sure most operators have a similar policy on busy trains.
And during the week I know mine (Chiltern) won't allow non-folders on during rush hour trains. From memory that's any train that arrives or departs Birmingham or London Marylebone between 7:45 and 10:00 or 16:00 and 19:30 - and that's regardless of whether or not you're actually going to those stations.
I'm sure most operators have a similar policy on busy trains.
Hi I live in Swindon and used to use the train with my bike
Notice I used the word "used" to.
Complete pain in the arse TBH! I used to meet my mate in Reading as he lived in London as it was half way , hated using the train so much I ended up cycling to and from Reading and getting in 100-150 mile rides!
The trouble with Swindon and most of the routes you mention (at least this was the case a couple of years ago) is they use the old intercity stock. This means you need to put your bike in the goods carriage at the end , you then have to walk down the platform and get in a normal carriage and then at your stop you grab your bike - job jobbed
Trouble for me was you get to the goods carriage , you have a couple of minutes to get your bike in, often there was no space, or you have to wedge the bike in a wheel holder, which was too wide for the wheel of a road bike , thats if there was space, often there were lots of other bikes in there. Then you had to jump out and walk down the platform, which in road cleats was a pain!! I always had nightmares of the train leaving with me walking down the platform and my bike on the train! Often the whole train was waiting for me .
Then on the train, if its a long journey I always had visions of a scrote jumping on at the next station and nicking the bike as you cant lock them .
Finally you get to your destination and have to get your bike, if you are lucky it will still be standing, probably with someone else's bike leaning on it as they joined at a later station and there wasn't room, again if its busy and you are queuing to get out the carrige you have to run down (in cleats) and open the goods carriage before the train leaves, with your bike on there!
To top it all off and to deal with the overcrowding GWR started enforcing 3 or so bikes per journey and enforcing all bikes MUST be booked!! So if it was an ad hoc journey! Not sure if they still do this, maybe , not sure
One time coming back from bath after a 200 mile ride, the train pulled up 11pm on a Sunday completely empty, I thought great, I just dragged the bike onto a normal carriage and put it out the way so it wasn't inconveniencing anyone! Then some complete jobsworth t
t (the only other person in the carriage) walked down and told me "bikes arent allowed must be in the goods carriage)" . Once i determined he didnt work for the railway I told him to "go Away", but he was having none of it...it was just me and him on the in the carriage and the bike wasn't blocking the way!
Anyway, sorry about the essay...it completely pished me off, it should be easy jumping on a train with a bike, it wasn't
I guess if you had a MTB, ideally an old one that wasn't worth much, in normal shoes and you booked, it would be OK!
When I lived in Bracknell it was a bit easier, as the routes I used had the smaller Thames Trains which meant you could stay with your bike and where quite bike friendly , still not amazing, much better than the old intercities.
Don't even get me started on pushchairs on the old intercity trains
Hope that helps, TBH I would just drive nearby or ride it.
At least the trains being so shiite forced me to start doing century rides which I really enjoyed
Notice I used the word "used" to.
Complete pain in the arse TBH! I used to meet my mate in Reading as he lived in London as it was half way , hated using the train so much I ended up cycling to and from Reading and getting in 100-150 mile rides!
The trouble with Swindon and most of the routes you mention (at least this was the case a couple of years ago) is they use the old intercity stock. This means you need to put your bike in the goods carriage at the end , you then have to walk down the platform and get in a normal carriage and then at your stop you grab your bike - job jobbed
Trouble for me was you get to the goods carriage , you have a couple of minutes to get your bike in, often there was no space, or you have to wedge the bike in a wheel holder, which was too wide for the wheel of a road bike , thats if there was space, often there were lots of other bikes in there. Then you had to jump out and walk down the platform, which in road cleats was a pain!! I always had nightmares of the train leaving with me walking down the platform and my bike on the train! Often the whole train was waiting for me .
Then on the train, if its a long journey I always had visions of a scrote jumping on at the next station and nicking the bike as you cant lock them .
Finally you get to your destination and have to get your bike, if you are lucky it will still be standing, probably with someone else's bike leaning on it as they joined at a later station and there wasn't room, again if its busy and you are queuing to get out the carrige you have to run down (in cleats) and open the goods carriage before the train leaves, with your bike on there!
To top it all off and to deal with the overcrowding GWR started enforcing 3 or so bikes per journey and enforcing all bikes MUST be booked!! So if it was an ad hoc journey! Not sure if they still do this, maybe , not sure
One time coming back from bath after a 200 mile ride, the train pulled up 11pm on a Sunday completely empty, I thought great, I just dragged the bike onto a normal carriage and put it out the way so it wasn't inconveniencing anyone! Then some complete jobsworth t
t (the only other person in the carriage) walked down and told me "bikes arent allowed must be in the goods carriage)" . Once i determined he didnt work for the railway I told him to "go Away", but he was having none of it...it was just me and him on the in the carriage and the bike wasn't blocking the way!Anyway, sorry about the essay...it completely pished me off, it should be easy jumping on a train with a bike, it wasn't
I guess if you had a MTB, ideally an old one that wasn't worth much, in normal shoes and you booked, it would be OK!
When I lived in Bracknell it was a bit easier, as the routes I used had the smaller Thames Trains which meant you could stay with your bike and where quite bike friendly , still not amazing, much better than the old intercities.
Don't even get me started on pushchairs on the old intercity trains
Hope that helps, TBH I would just drive nearby or ride it.
At least the trains being so shiite forced me to start doing century rides which I really enjoyed
Edited by TwistingMyMelon on Tuesday 25th April 17:07
I think that's a common experience on a lot if not all operators. It's good to know that with Britain entering an obesity epidemic that so many of the railway companies are making it so easy and ecouraging pasengers to take a rail journey with a bike. The peak times thing i can understand, but everything else? What a joke it really is.
Cheers everyone; particularly TMM.
I'm not sure I'd want to put myself in that position, so I'll not bother. In each of those locations (bar Kemble) I can stay in a YHA for the same price as a train journey, so I'll just cycle both ways.
I may also give the Kemble one a try one evening, because worst-case scenario, I can still cycle home as it's only about 18 miles out.
I'm not sure I'd want to put myself in that position, so I'll not bother. In each of those locations (bar Kemble) I can stay in a YHA for the same price as a train journey, so I'll just cycle both ways.
I may also give the Kemble one a try one evening, because worst-case scenario, I can still cycle home as it's only about 18 miles out.
Presumably it's Great Western that's the train company being 'difficult' about bicycles on Swindon routes?
I live on the South West Trains routes to London, and have only made a trip with the bike once, for the PH Tour De France ride from Cambridge to London a few years ago. That's fairly simple, especially on a weekend. Just buy a ticket, hop on a train, ride across London, hop on another train up from King's Cross to Cambridge, ride to London and back on the SWT service home. Most trains have a number of set-aside areas for bikes, some with fold-down seats (take your chances with those, as someone sat in such a seat is unlikely to move, and the guard won't compel them to move either), others with proper bike stowage racks (without seating) near the loos.
Even so, it's a pain in the 'arris planning a journey which takes you between train operating companies, as they all have different policies (or so it seems). So even if it ends up being a simple, hassle free run, it can really wind you up trying to piece together the information needed to make a plan.
As somebody said further up, with central Government worrying about the future effects of obesity and linked illnesses, you'd think a coherent policy which encouraged people to ride, run, or walk in addition to a public transport section of their journey would be a priority. A good start would be a unified policy for all the TOCs, set by a central organisation, that had a clearly stated set of principals governing access to trains with a full sized bicycle. This lack of clarity about bikes on trains is the main reason why the furthest I ever get from 'base' is 50 to 60 miles. This way, I can ride out and back in a day and not have to rely on public transport. If I were to plan a longer ride out, I would be more inclined to stay over at the far end and ride back the following day, than risk a plan that relies on getting a train, only to find that there's no space for my bike, or worse still, no permitted bike carriage at all on a service.
I live on the South West Trains routes to London, and have only made a trip with the bike once, for the PH Tour De France ride from Cambridge to London a few years ago. That's fairly simple, especially on a weekend. Just buy a ticket, hop on a train, ride across London, hop on another train up from King's Cross to Cambridge, ride to London and back on the SWT service home. Most trains have a number of set-aside areas for bikes, some with fold-down seats (take your chances with those, as someone sat in such a seat is unlikely to move, and the guard won't compel them to move either), others with proper bike stowage racks (without seating) near the loos.
Even so, it's a pain in the 'arris planning a journey which takes you between train operating companies, as they all have different policies (or so it seems). So even if it ends up being a simple, hassle free run, it can really wind you up trying to piece together the information needed to make a plan.
As somebody said further up, with central Government worrying about the future effects of obesity and linked illnesses, you'd think a coherent policy which encouraged people to ride, run, or walk in addition to a public transport section of their journey would be a priority. A good start would be a unified policy for all the TOCs, set by a central organisation, that had a clearly stated set of principals governing access to trains with a full sized bicycle. This lack of clarity about bikes on trains is the main reason why the furthest I ever get from 'base' is 50 to 60 miles. This way, I can ride out and back in a day and not have to rely on public transport. If I were to plan a longer ride out, I would be more inclined to stay over at the far end and ride back the following day, than risk a plan that relies on getting a train, only to find that there's no space for my bike, or worse still, no permitted bike carriage at all on a service.
Yeah I agree with the above, there should be a cohesive policy for taking bikes
I would love to go to a big city for the day off peak and just bring a bike to get around, instead its not always easy at all!!
Celtic Dragon: If you can get to the stations Hungerford, or Bedwyn, they run the smaller trains which are easier , I've done a few trips to London on those fine, but its a 15-20 mile ride from the Ridgeway. You can then sit with your bike and wheel it off/on easily.
Hopefully when the line is electrified the new trains will handle bikes better , although I'm not holding out for it
I would love to go to a big city for the day off peak and just bring a bike to get around, instead its not always easy at all!!
Celtic Dragon: If you can get to the stations Hungerford, or Bedwyn, they run the smaller trains which are easier , I've done a few trips to London on those fine, but its a 15-20 mile ride from the Ridgeway. You can then sit with your bike and wheel it off/on easily.
Hopefully when the line is electrified the new trains will handle bikes better , although I'm not holding out for it
Certain trains from Kemble to Swindon will be the old diesel two-carriage ones where I expect you can just jump on with the bike and nobody will care. It's only a 15 minute trip after all.
Streatley to Swindon, I'd definitely suggest having a spin over to Reading and saving yourself a lot of faff! Trains from Goring/Streatley go about once a decade as I remember. It's downhill almost all the way into Reading too.
Whilst GWR are knobs in principle about the pre-booking thing, in practice I've turned up at a couple of stations with a pre-booking for about 8 hours later that day, and they've still let me on the train. So as long as you know roughly what train you'll be catching I think you'd be OK.
Streatley to Swindon, I'd definitely suggest having a spin over to Reading and saving yourself a lot of faff! Trains from Goring/Streatley go about once a decade as I remember. It's downhill almost all the way into Reading too.
Whilst GWR are knobs in principle about the pre-booking thing, in practice I've turned up at a couple of stations with a pre-booking for about 8 hours later that day, and they've still let me on the train. So as long as you know roughly what train you'll be catching I think you'd be OK.
Usget said:
The other option of course is to get the train out (so you have a known departure time and can pre-book the bike space) and then ride home!
That's now the option I'm looking at, it just makes logistics slightly harder as I was planning this for a week day so rush hour rules apply.I agree with everything thats been said, rules around bikes need to be consistent across all providers, even if its a local / national split. I can understand prebooks if I want to take a bike from say Kings Cross to Edinburgh, but a quick trip prebook is daft.
So far, my best experience of bikes and trains is both Italy and England, In Italy on the trains we'd describe as Intercity, its a case of buy the ticket, and bike pass, go to the bike carriages (first and last coaches), hang your bike up and take a seat. When I attempted the SDW with SixpotBelly, the train from the mid way point was the same (except it was a strap rack).
Later this year I get to see what Belgian infrastructure is like, I expect it to be exemplary, and a model we should be copying.
I took my bike on the train to London, SWT are accommodating outside of peak hours and then onto Bedford on Thameslink. Cycled to Bridgton from Bedford the next day, then Thameslink back to Clapham Junction and SWT back home.
Most of the website of the TOC's are pretty good and off peak isn't normally a problem.
Having considered cycling from Fleet to Plymouth, I have revised that thought to get the train down there and have a tail wind back rather then getting there at the end of the day and find I cannot get home!
Likewise, planning 200milers to Weymouth and back, obvious back up plan is train back if I have bitten off more than I can chew!
Most of the website of the TOC's are pretty good and off peak isn't normally a problem.
Having considered cycling from Fleet to Plymouth, I have revised that thought to get the train down there and have a tail wind back rather then getting there at the end of the day and find I cannot get home!
Likewise, planning 200milers to Weymouth and back, obvious back up plan is train back if I have bitten off more than I can chew!
Celtic Dragon said:
TMM, thanks for the info, you've just put me off doing the Ridgeway. I was going to do it, and just rock up at Swindon and catch the train back to London. Thanks to the train operator I can't.
My local one, as long as it's not rush hour, it's a case of get your ticket and crack on.
Take your bikepacking kit, we rode it last year, camped near the end and then did a road ride back the next day.My local one, as long as it's not rush hour, it's a case of get your ticket and crack on.
JustinF said:
Take your bikepacking kit, we rode it last year, camped near the end and then did a road ride back the next day.
Funnily enough I am! It's being planned as a training ride for Belgium in August, I just wanted to do it as a one day hit, but I'll be on an mtb.I'm going to be looking at a replan at the weekend
When i was a student in Southampton, I used to regularly get the train home to Croydon with my push bike. I never had any problems, but would get take the slow and direct train in the middle of the day and that didn't go into london. The trains had a reasonable cycle area, and it was just turn up and get on.
Unfortunately every company has a different approach, so not something that can be approached without a lot of research, unless you fancy all your cycling via brompton.
Unfortunately every company has a different approach, so not something that can be approached without a lot of research, unless you fancy all your cycling via brompton.
From a Scottish perspective:
Virgin East Coast - mandatory booking, which is impossible if you're at a station served by a Virgin train but which does not have a ticket machine.
Scotrail - excellent. Turn up and bring the bikes on, the only concern they have is blocking the aisle. A train of I believe 9 bike spaces (Fort William to Glasgow, 3 or 4 carriages), and the conductor proudly mentioned that he'd managed to get 21 inside. Another local service from Stirling to Edinburgh, and the rack technically fits 3, and we managed 8 around it, plus a Brompton for good measure.
It's advisable to book in advance anyway if you're coming from a remote place, but I've never been turned away by Scotrail.
Virgin East Coast - mandatory booking, which is impossible if you're at a station served by a Virgin train but which does not have a ticket machine.
Scotrail - excellent. Turn up and bring the bikes on, the only concern they have is blocking the aisle. A train of I believe 9 bike spaces (Fort William to Glasgow, 3 or 4 carriages), and the conductor proudly mentioned that he'd managed to get 21 inside. Another local service from Stirling to Edinburgh, and the rack technically fits 3, and we managed 8 around it, plus a Brompton for good measure.
It's advisable to book in advance anyway if you're coming from a remote place, but I've never been turned away by Scotrail.
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