Bike by train to Lands End

[andym]

The National Rail Enquiries website gives details of the cycle policy for the train company operating the train. For National Express East Anglia it gives the following number for cycle reservations: 0845 600 7245. For FGW the number is 08457 000 125.

http://nationalrail.co.uk/tocs_maps/tocs/LE/details.html

http://nationalrail.co.uk/tocs_maps/tocs/GW/details.html

 

[Morrisette]

You don't have to go via Bristol - you can do Waterloo to Exeter instead.

When I took the train from Bristol to Penzance, I wasn't able to make an advance bike reservation for the Plymouth-Penzance part of the journey (Bristol to Plymouth was fine). Fortunately, the train had bike spaces, or I'd have been well and truly screwed.

Take a sleeping bag, enough food for a week and three long novels and settle down for a 5+ hour journey at walking pace through southwest England if you take that route!

 

[e-rider]

thanks for all the advice - the route will definitely be; norwich - london - bristol - penzance.

HeartAttack - I'm not sure what you are asking me. I plan to do LEJOG in 11 days of riding; later in the summer this year and without support ie. just with my 2 ortlieb back rollers!

The rail journey takes 8.5 hours, but as you can see from this thread - getting your bike on the train is not simple!

 

[User482]

Take a sleeping bag, enough food for a week and three long novels and settle down for a 5+ hour journey at walking pace through southwest England if you take that route!

3.5 hours according to the trainline. I also see that there's a direct Paddington - Exeter train at 2 1/4 hrs. Much quicker than changing at Bristol...

 

[andym]

A quick look, and the train journey is going to be fraught and at least 8hrs 35min long.

Europcar will hire you a small car (megane etc) from Penzance train station, you drop it off the next day in Norwich and it will cost you £65, you diodn't mention if you would be on your own, but obviously the cost reduces if you are.

I know what I would do

Actually you did mention you will be on your own, I just didn't see it frist time!!!! Stick the bike in the car, and drive home in comfort....

Erm, how many hours driving? 7? 8? or more?

There's nothing fraught about the train journey at all (and it's also very comfortable). There are a number of direct services from London to Penzance. He has to make two phone calls to book the bike on to the trains.

 

[e-rider]

Yes, there are indeed several direct trains from london to penzance everyday - very useful information - thanks andym. That's makes the journey easier.

Norwich to London - cycle across London - London to Penzance

That sounds better!

 

[e-rider]

Anyone know how far in advance I can book the tickets? Really looking forward to LEJOG now.

Just to clarify, I'm doing it un-supported but with 2 mates - each using panniers; and staying in B&Bs and YHAs along the 1000 mile route that we mapped using Bikely.com (great site)

 

[andym]

Anyone know how far in advance I can book the tickets?

I think you can book tickets 3 months in advance. Though I don't know whether that also applies to the bike places.

 

[Brains]

Took my bike Paddington to Bodmin and back, no resiervation, no problem

 

[pw2389]

I think you can book tickets 3 months in advance. Though I don't know whether that also applies to the bike places.

Yes, it's 3 months. The First Great Western website rejects any attempt to go beyond this period (as I found out when doing some investigations a week or so ago). Don't know about the bikes but common sense would suggest that it would be the same (yes, I know, common sense doesn't always apply!)

 

[User482]

As far as I know, bikes can't be booked on-line - you need to phone up.

 

[Bodhbh]

As far as I know, bikes can't be booked on-line - you need to phone up.

The national express east cost site lets you tick a box for bike reservation along the route and sure enough when you pick up your tickets at the machine in the station there's all the relevant bike reservation tickets. However, I'm not sure how well it copes with things like bus replacement services, routes through London etc.

I've tried to phone up for bike reservations a 3-4 times and been bounced from pillar to post like it's some highly unorthodox request more than once, although other times no problem.

The other thing is pop down to a station with an advance booking desk and can at least chew the cud with a human being, check different routes etc., and there's no danger of booking a ticket and then not getting the reservation.

I think you must get away with it most of the time without one even when required, looking back think I've only been asked to show a reservation ticket once. Once thing I suppose turning up and hoping for the best if just going off for the weekend on a whim, another if you're planning a LeJoG looking foward for it for weeks and then don't get on the train.

 

[Morrisette]

3.5 hours according to the trainline. I also see that there's a direct Paddington - Exeter train at 2 1/4 hrs. Much quicker than changing at Bristol...

Yes that's better, done that route loads of times (though not with a bike). I've only been on the Waterloo-Exeter service once and it took longer than any three and a half hours! It was cheap though. I was heading for Ivybridge, which is on that line, so no changes but it took a looooooooooong time.

 

[cyclingphil]

The best route is Norwich - Liverpool Street and Paddington - Penzance (direct). Book each portion seperately to take advatnage of the cheaper fares available. Use National express east coast website as this is the only website that allows you to reserve a bike space. Also tickets are sent free first class.

To to get the cheapest fares you can book about 10 weeks in advance. For example a single fare Paddington - Penzance is normally £80. the cheapest advance single tickets are only £15. Today you can book cheap tickets up to 29th April. you can still book normal singles after that date but he chaep tickets are not yet available. So you need to keep trying until the cheap fares become available for your chosen date
Hope this helps

 

[andym]

now that has to be a joke???????

Do a quick search on this forum, there are lots of stories of bikes being overbooked and not allowed on despite reservations.

I've travelled regularly with a bike on the London to Bristol line and several times on the London-Norwich line. I've also travelled regularly all over the south east. I've only once not been able to get on a train because the guards van was full (I didn't have a reservation).

I've been a regular on various cycling forums for a long time. So far as I can see the people who make the most noise about how difficult it is to use the train are the ones who rarely if ever do so.