Booking you bike on the train

[apb]

So i'm doing a small tour in france and i have book a train ticket to get back to Bordeaux.

I just called them to see if it's ok to take my bike on the train and they said. "Sorry, but to have a bike on the train you can't use the website, you have to call us and the tickets are not refundable".

So the ticket i bought last night can't have a bike attached to it. and is not refundable and i will have to buy another ticket to catch that train with a bike.

Does anyone know how i can get around this?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

http://www.seat61.com/bike-by-train.htm#France

any help?

I fear you may be a bit like the Welsh road directions I was once given "I wouldn't start from here!"

 

[fraefreuchie]

Hi apb. Sorry to hear of your misfortune. I'm assuming that you have booked to go on an intercity train from Montpellier to Bordeaux. For this train you need to book a bike space at the same time as you purchase your ticket. I am pretty certain that you can't add a reservation for your bike later. However are you sure that you have a non refundable ticket?

The SNCF ticket conditions say that for a ticket purchased at least 10 days before travel it is fully exchangeable until the day before departure

LOISIR RÉDUIT : Service d'échange et de remboursement gratuit jusqu'à la veille du départ, avec retenue de 10 euros le jour du départ, non échangeable et non remboursable après départ.
You should be able to exchange your ticket for a new ticket with a bike booking at a cost of 10 euros for the bike.

There is a whole site about taking your bike on a train in France http://www.bikes.sncf.com/

Good luck and enjoy la belle France.

 

[apb]

hey both, thanks for the advice. I will have a closer look are the refunds policy and sort it out today.

thanks again.

apb

 

[fraefreuchie]

How did you get on?

 

[apb]

I called them a few times. The last person I talked to tried his best to offer me advice, such as a bike bag etc. but in the end I re-booked the tickets to avoid the hassle of dismantling the bikes.

So a £70 lesson

 

[apb]

So if you and a friend want to travel from Montpellier to Bordeaux on the 9th of May I'm the guy to talk to.