Bikes on trains in East Anglia

[Danny]

Three of us are planning a mini tour of Norfolk and Suffolk in August and are trying to work out how easy it is to get bikes onto Greater Anglia and First Capital trains.

On the outward leg of the journey we want to get from Peterborough to Kings Lynn, which involves using both companies.

On the way back we'll probably be going from Ipswich to Peterborough - which could also involve using Cross Country and Midlands trains.

Alternatively we might cycle over to Cambridge and pick up a train from there. Anyone know what it is like to cycle from say Aldeburgh to Cambridge - I presume it is flat but is it interesting?

 

[vernon]

I've been in communication with Greater Anglia trains and most of them have a limited capacity - first come first served mode of operation regarding bikes. That's not particularly helpful if you want to guarantee arrival at Harwich in time for the Hoek of Holland ferry. I'm taking a train sufficiently early to allow several fall back positions to get to Harwich. A bit of a pain.

I thought that hit jackpot with a bookable train but it terminates at Manningtree with a five minute gap between its arrival and the departure of the Harwich train.

 

[bof]

Taken First Capital and Midland trains via Peterborough and its first come, first served. No problem getting space though. Thee's a chunk of Suffolk east of Newmarket which is fairly scenic in a low-key way. I have never ridden directly between the two places but Aldeburgh to Cambridge could be quite pleasant.

 

[Danny]

Thanks Vernon and bof - it seemed like the trains were come first served but not always easy to tell. As we are not travelling at peak periods the guards will hopefully be pretty relaxed about bikes.

 

[robjh]

Be careful if you are doing Peterborough to Cambridge by train, as a number of these trains have 'no bike spaces' or 'reserved bikes only' on the station indicators at Cambridge. I think it is just the limited capacity - some of these trains are only 2 coaches - and the high volume of cyclists hereabouts that means it would be best to reserve ahead on this leg. Having said that, you may well be lucky on any particular train and have no problem.
Cambridge-Ely-Kings Lynn has seemed unproblematic when I've taken that route - there are no dedicated bike spaces but they are tolerated in door spaces within reason.
The other cross-East Anglia routes, from Cambridge to Norwich and Ipswich, and around the Broads, have seemed similarly easy. I suppose you might end up one day on a grossly overcrowded train with 15 other bikes, but most times you should have no problem.

As for cycling Aldeburgh to Cambridge, it will never be high but it won't be flat, there is some nice rolling countryside in Suffolk with a lot of short hills and winding country lanes. It only really goes flat just around Cambridge, and then all points north.

 

[mchunt]

Cambridge to Peterborough is almost impossible by bike as xcountry trains service is nearly always crammed like sardines, much easier when it is dry to use the busway across to Huntingdon and then get a first capital train to Peterborough from there.

 

[Wobbly John]

On Cross country trains on the Peterborough line you are supposed to book a bike reservation they normally allow 2-4 bikes (there is normally a rack for 2 bikes in the first or last carriage). First capital connect on the Cambridge - King's Lynn line is 'bikes in doorways' There is a 'no bikes into Cambridge & London at rush hours, but it should be no problem on the Ely-KL section.

...or cycle it - it's flat but boring.

North Norfolk is hillier than you might think. NCN 1 is a great ride around the county just in from the coast. Avoid the A149 coast road as much as possible. I can recommend the Gin Trap inn at Ringstead for food & drink - only a few metres off NCN1

If you are finishing at Aldeburgh, you could head for Stowmarket instead of Ipswich for a train to Peterborough? I used that line on Sunday to get back to Ely from the Dun Run.

 

[slowmotion]

I've been in communication with Greater Anglia trains and most of them have a limited capacity - first come first served mode of operation regarding bikes. That's not particularly helpful if you want to guarantee arrival at Harwich in time for the Hoek of Holland ferry. I'm taking a train sufficiently early to allow several fall back positions to get to Harwich. A bit of a pain.

I thought that hit jackpot with a bookable train but it terminates at Manningtree with a five minute gap between its arrival and the departure of the Harwich train.

I went through that agony when considering taking the Liverpool Street-Harwich train to connect with the lovely Hoek overnight ferry. It seemed to all boil down to risking meeting a boshie guard at Liverpool Street.....and missing the ferry. In the end, I bottled it and stuck the bike in the motor and drove to Harwich, attracting £45 in parking fees over five days. Bonkers really. BTW, the ride from London to Harwich is on pretty horrid roads unless you are not in a hurry.

 

[Saluki]

If push comes to shove, you could drop the wheels out and put on luggage rack. I have done this a few times. I travel on east Anglian trains fairly often with a bike.