Bikes on trains

[Dunlopdave]

Hi all
Never used the Trains with my bike before can you use any train/carriage do you have to pay extra????

 

[Dunlopdave]

Not any train. Busy commuter trains tend to have a ban on non-folded folders. Other trains have quotas which may or may not be enforced. That aside as you please at no additional cost.
Any specific journeys you have in mind?

Yes from Horley to Chichester as we have a static caravan in Selsey and do most of my cycling in that area and trying to stop using my car so much.I can cycle about thirty miles no probs maybe as I get fitter I could cycle all the way(bout 50 miles) but it would be a hilly journey I reckon about 6 hours,

 

[snorri]

http://www.southernrailway.com/your-journey/cycle-policy/116/

 

[Ticktockmy]

Yes from Horley to Chichester as we have a static caravan in Selsey and do most of my cycling in that area and trying to stop using my car so much.I can cycle about thirty miles no probs maybe as I get fitter I could cycle all the way(bout 50 miles) but it would be a hilly journey I reckon about 6 hours,

I live in Crawley, and head down to Selsey quite often, the London Victoria to Pompey or Southampton section of the train takes bikes most times, Normally the first 4 coaches of the train split at Horsham then run nonstop to Barnham, next stop is Chi. The Selsey road on a bike is a nightmare (Bloody narrow and dangerous) Best to head down to the Canal basin, then follw the cycle path Sustrans Route 88 - Chichester to Sidlesham/Pagham Harbour Information Centre, then is back onto the road the short distance to Selsey. The Selsey cycle network have details here:http://www.manhoodcyclenetwork.org.uk/

 

[Dunlopdave]

I live in Crawley, and head down to Selsey quite often, the London Victoria to Pompey or Southampton section of the train takes bikes most times, Normally the first 4 coaches of the train split at Horsham then run nonstop to Barnham, next stop is Chi. The Selsey road on a bike is a nightmare (Bloody narrow and dangerous) Best to head down to the Canal basin, then follw the cycle path Sustrans Route 88 - Chichester to Sidlesham/Pagham Harbour Information Centre, then is back onto the road the short distance to Selsey. The Selsey cycle network have details here:http://www.manhoodcyclenetwork.org.uk/

Yeh wouldn't dream of using Selsey road always use the 88 ,up to Chi,pick up the salterns way and round chichester harbour/Itchenor/witterings,along the coast to bracklessham and back to Selsey 28 mile round trip hardly any of it on roads excellent ride, sorry I've gone off tangent I only wanted to know about the trains!!

 

[hondated]

Thanks for asking the question as the info will be useful as I wanted to take my bike from Eastbourne to Portsmouth in 2012

 

[Tim Hall]

The bike spaces on Southern trains are by the disabled loo/tardis. This is the second or third carriage in a set of four, depending on which way the train is facing, if you see what I mean. Look for the wheelchair and bike symbols, or more importantly two big red stripes either side of the doors. Each set of four (there are some sets of three) carriages can take two bikes. So if your train is eight carriages, that's four bikes. Judicious positioning and a winning smile can increase this significantly.

 

[ChrisPAmbulance]

A good place to start is the National Rail Enquiries website http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

When your journey details appear in the journey planner, a cycle icon against a train indicates that the train operating company has a cycle policy. Click on this cycle and a couple of more clicks will take you to the cycle policy itself.

Most of the local/commuter trains have an area set aside for wheelchairs and cycles. This is usually indicated by a wheelchair and/or cycle picture on a plate on the outside by the nearest door (On most trains, it is in the centre carriage.

On some of the more long haul trains, there are special cycle racks in one of the carriages (You hang your bike from a couple of hooks in the cieling), and these companies have a maximum number of cycles policy and you are advised to book in advance. However, I have never seen these checked and have even wedged a third bike into the rack with no trouble and nothing said.

I have travelled from Stafford to Widney Manor with my bike for commuting (often at the extreme ends of rush hours) and have never hit problems (yet!).

 

[dalewheeler]

As others have said, it depends on the train operator [company]. They all appear to have diffferent rules.

Down here in the south east they are free and you don't have to book, but Southern and South Eastern have different markings on the train doors to indicate which are the bike/disabled bits

 

[snorri]

Old thread revival, the OP hasn't been online for 3 months.