Starting a tour in Frankfurt

[rich p]

My yearly dilemma in our non-cycling friendly world, is to transport my loaded tourers to a continental destination. Last year's, despite preferring not to fly, was solved by Easyjet, simply through cost and easiness. Inward to Lyon and back from Toulouse.

This year I want start in Germany but getting there is the thing.
I could fly but end up with the bike bag dilemma again as I'd be coming back from a different place and I'd like to not fly anyway.
The question really is then, is it feasible to get 4 loaded tourers from Calais, Dunkerque to Frankfurt using regional trains across borders?

I remember someone mentioning a long distance train service from Amsterdam so I'm wondering about Harwich - Hook and then to Amsterdam.

Another option is to drive and park up, then return to the car using local German trains.

Some of these ideas take up a considerable time and effort out of the 2 week trip which is also a consideration.

Any thoughts and ideas appreciated.

 

[willem]

Harwich Hook is easy. From there, there are numerous trains into Europe, including I am sure trains to Frankfurt. You do not need to go via Amsterdam. Trains from there will probably combine in Utrecht, Amersfoort or Arnhem with trains from Rotterdam. There will be long distance trains from Hook of Holland, but also local trains from Hook of Holland with space for bikes. Just look at the schedules at the Deutsche Bahn website. GErman trains are dead cheap if you book them well in advance. The same applies to the ferry.
Willem

 

[rich p]

Thanks Willem.
I've done the H2H ferry before so I'm comfortable with that aspect. Is there a Dutch website for trains or is the German one best? Is pre-booking necessary for people/bikes?
I'm happy to do research but picking brains is good too

 

[Will1962]

You can use the DB Bahn website (www.bahn.de) for the whole route (from HOH to Frankfurt). When searching, click on the "Further search options" link - it will then allow you to select "carriage of bicycles required" (the fast inter-city trains in Germany don't carry bikes, so selecting this option ensures that only trains that carry bikes are displayed).

You will probably have to change trains several times, and some of the connections will only give you two minutes to get from one train to the next. They are usually just across the platform, but you often end up having to take your luggage off the bike when it is on the train, and this will slow you down. It would be worthwhile checking the time of the trains on each leg to see if you can do it with longer connection times.

I don't think you can book bike space on dutch trains, but you can on the longer german trains (I believe you can book a bike space on the day if one is available).

The train from the Hook to Rotterdam has a big space for bikes (we had 12 fully loaded bikes on this train in September). Other dutch trains I've been on have small areas that can only accomodate 3 unloaded bikes. I've been on several German trains, and they often have large areas for more than a dozen bikes (individual spaces can be booked).

Will

 

[ComedyPilot]

Try Eurostar to Brussels, then an easy connection to Koeln and Frankfurt.

 

[rich p]

Thanks for the replies Will and CP.

I did a test booking on DB site and it comes out at £385 pp in March which is the latest allowed. Pricey cf air travel.

I'll have a look at the Eurostar option later - can you book the bikes on ES or just turn up?

 

[psmiffy]

Even though there are bike spaces on the ES when I used it I used the baggage option for the bike and my luggage - in the daytime as long as you get there early enough that so can they load the bike you can just turn up with the bike intact - charge I think was £20 - seperate company handles the baggage so you cant book the bike at the same time as the train

 

[rich p]

Ta smiffy. I'll pick your brains in the chatroom sometime

 

[Muddyfox]

Rich .. you can do Calais to Frankfurt in about 5/6 hours in the car .. the ferry crossing from Dover can be had for as little as £30 return and you'l probably only use a couple of tanks of fuel there and back .. just think how much beer that will buy whilst on tour

Simon

 

[willem]

The 385 pounds looks ridiculously high. For that we travelled as a family from Holland through Germany to Basel and back, with bikes, on the Intercity Nightline, with beds. For a Dutch travel agent who specializes in international train tickets (and knows all about taking bikes) see: http://www.treinreiswinkel.nl/
Willem

 

[rich p]

The £385 included the return cost of travel from my house to Harwich, the overnight ferry and the cost of parking. The train fare from Hoek to Frankfurt was £225 or thereabouts in March.
I'm not sure but it's possible that the prices would be higher in the high season?

It seems like a complicated non-starter anyway.

I'm starting to think that Channel tunnel and a 6 hour drive is the most convenient cost-effectiveoption.

 

[Bodhbh]

The cost of the Eurostar to Brussels includes free train travel within Belgium. Is it an option to get down to the German border on the freebie and cycle the rest?

I know you said you didn't want to fly, but I used BA to fly back from Munich to Heathrow last year, it was 58 quid one including taxes and the bike. I did look into flying into Frankfurt and it was similarly priced, although in the end took the Eurostar option as didn't mind adding a few days on.

 

[ComedyPilot]

Rich, have a word with AuntieHelen, she has travelled a number of times to Germany, and uses the low-price weekend ticket (about 35-40 € per day for 5 people) to have unlimited train travel but not on the high-speed ICE.

 

[rich p]

The cost of the Eurostar to Brussels includes free train travel within Belgium. Is it an option to get down to the German border on the freebie and cycle the rest?

I know you said you didn't want to fly, but I used BA to fly back from Munich to Heathrow last year, it was 58 quid one including taxes and the bike. I did look into flying into Frankfurt and it was similarly priced, although in the end took the Eurostar option as didn't mind adding a few days on.

Thanks Bod. I didn't want to get into the bikebag/box situation where you fly back from a different airport. I managed last year but it was a bit fraught. Ithink BA prices for bikes has gone up a lot IIRC.

Rich, have a word with AuntieHelen, she has travelled a number of times to Germany, and uses the low-price weekend ticket (about 35-40 € per day for 5 people) to have unlimited train travel but not on the high-speed ICE.

I'll do that CP. Good idea.

 

[willem]

Had a quick look at the DB site and on some arbitrarily chosen days the return Hook Frankfurt was about 135 euro excl the bike (but that is not expensive). I am a sure you can get better deals with special price tickes like schoenes Wochenende.
Willem