Bikes on trains - advice needed

[bridgy]

A friend and I are trying to book a train from Portsmouth/Southampton to Bristol (First Great Western trains) with our bikes in a couple of weeks time.

We're told by First Great Western there are 2 bike spaces per train, but when we try to book, two of the potential trains have only 1 available space (the other on each of these has already been booked) and for all the other train options we're being told we can't book the bike spaces (getting contradicting explanations that this is because both spaces are already booked or they simply can't reserve them!)

Does anyone have any experience of taking bikes on trains? I'm just wondering whether it is worth taking a chance that we'll be able to get the bikes on one of these trains or not? Problem is if we can't we'll be stranded, so I was really hoping to have it all booked properly!

Any advice gratefully received, thanks.

 

[Matthames]

I have taken my bike on this route before. It can be a bit of a PITA, but getting your bike on to one of these trains would depend on how full the bike spaces actually are and what sort of mood the guard is in. I have managed to travel on one of these trains when there was about half a dozen bikes on it, despite there being officially 2 spaces.

 

[TheCharityShop]

A friend and I are trying to book a train from Portsmouth/Southampton to Bristol (First Great Western trains) with our bikes in a couple of weeks time.

We're told by First Great Western there are 2 bike spaces per train, but when we try to book, two of the potential trains have only 1 available space (the other on each of these has already been booked) and for all the other train options we're being told we can't book the bike spaces (getting contradicting explanations that this is because both spaces are already booked or they simply can't reserve them!)

Does anyone have any experience of taking bikes on trains? I'm just wondering whether it is worth taking a chance that we'll be able to get the bikes on one of these trains or not? Problem is if we can't we'll be stranded, so I was really hoping to have it all booked properly!

Any advice gratefully received, thanks.

I used to travel regulary from Southampton to Cardiff by train with my bike, firstly the direct train up to Bristol ie; through romsey, Salisbury, Westbury, Bath Spa can be a problem as there is very limited space for bikes, i think about 6 per train so it can be a risk if you just turn up.

Your best bet is to go from Southampton/Portsmouth to Reading and change there for the Great Western to Bristol, you may have to change at Bristol Parkway to Temple Meads but if you want peace of mind id go for this route as there is usually ample space for bikes so you shouldnt encounter too many problems.

 

[Soltydog]

I've just tried to book 2 bikes on a trans pennine service. The trains can easily fit 2 bikes, but the train i've booked on only allows 1 bike reservation Hopefully I'll know the conductor & 2 will be fine

 

[Gollyb]

To avoid disappointment you must book, certainly mainline trains. Local trains such as my local from Derby to Matlock you turn up and take your chances. But certainly if you doing long distances on a mainline train book your ticket way in advance at the station or on the phone, not on-line. There is no function on national trainline or the operators website to book bikes online. The further in advance you book the train the better chance you have of getting the very few bikespaces available.

It does depend on the train manager the experience you have. mostly the on board staff are very helpful getting the bike on and off. Sometimes I've seen six bike in the bike locker of the HST's..... Other times I've seen very tired cyclists look very disappointed on platforms when the train manager has stopped them getting on board. I've even seen train managers throw bikes off trains that had no ticket attached

 

[Red Light]

There is no function on national trainline or the operators website to book bikes online. The further in advance you book the train the better chance you have of getting the very few bikespaces available.

Use the East Coast booking site. It uses a different booking engine to all the rest and will do bike reservations on-line.
http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/

 

[bridgy]

Many thanks for all your replies - Red Light, I will check out the East Coast booking site - great tip, thank you.

 

[bridgy]

Just an update on this - we used the East Coast booking site suggested by Red Light and it worked a treat! Despite not being able to book our bikes on to the First Great Western trains by calling the train company itself (several times), we managed via the East Coast website no problem and the tickets have arrived including separate tickets for our bikes.

Thanks again. (Just got to do the 100 mile ride to the Island on Saturday now with a weather forecast of thundery showers and 20mph easterly headwinds - excellent!!)

 

[ColinJ]

I suggest taking bungee cords to secure the bikes. Sometimes the bike compartments don't have any means of doing that and bikes tend to flop or swing about.

I'd also suggest that if the train is crowded you should make your way to the bikes well before you disembark unless the train terminates at your station.

I was once seated at the wrong end of a crowded train and couldn't actually progress through to the bike compartment before my station. I had to get off the train and run along a crowded platform to get to the bike compartment. I had visions of the train leaving the station before I could get the bike off it!

 

[bridgy]

I suggest taking bungee cords to secure the bikes. Sometimes the bike compartments don't have any means of doing that and bikes tend to flop or swing about.

I'd also suggest that if the train is crowded you should make your way to the bikes well before you disembark unless the train terminates at your station.

I was once seated at the wrong end of a crowded train and couldn't actually progress through to the bike compartment before my station. I had to get off the train and run along a crowded platform to get to the bike compartment. I had visions of the train leaving the station before I could get the bike off it!

Thanks for the advice

 

[Soltydog]

I've used East Coast trains with my bike & was very impressed with their service. Tha train started at Newcastle & the guard was expecting us & knew where we were travelling to. Very friendly & helpful, although we may have just fallen lucky & i'm sure they have staff at the other end of the helpful spectrum too

 

[e-rider]

Train companies simply don't want bikes on their trains.

I've had all kinds of trouble in the past and been told all kinds of conflicting information by ticket office workers and rail websites.

Train travel in generally unpleasant with the insane fares and appaling attitudes of the rail companies towards their customers; but even more so if taking your bike along too!

I really like the greeting you get when you board the train. Instead of saying something like "good morning, welcome on board the express service to London; we hope you enjoy the trip" you get "this is a penalty fare service; anyone without a valid ticket will be fined a huge sum of money" WTF!

The train services are so expensive and so bad that improvement will not happen for many decades IMO.

 

[Norm]

Train travel in generally unpleasant with the insane fares and appaling attitudes of the rail companies towards their customers; but even more so if taking your bike along too!

Fortunately not all are like that. My journey this morning to Waterloo couldn't have been more different.

I asked the driver for the best place to put a bike, he said "Anywhere, the train won't be full." I saw a bike symbol on near a door so used that one, there was a space for the bike with a slot for the front wheel and a thick webbing strap with velcro to secure it. The driver walked past as I was strapping it down and even asked if I wanted a hand.

I was pleasantly surprised, to say the least.

 

[Soltydog]

Some train drivers are cyclists too

 

[gbs]

Fortunately not all are like that. My journey this morning to Waterloo couldn't have been more different.

I asked the driver for the best place to put a bike, he said "Anywhere, the train won't be full." I saw a bike symbol on near a door so used that one, there was a space for the bike with a slot for the front wheel and a thick webbing strap with velcro to secure it. The driver walked past as I was strapping it down and even asked if I wanted a hand.

I was pleasantly surprised, to say the least.

Credit where credit is due! Southwest Trains I suppose. Southern Trains are acceptable also.