Taking a Bike on a Train In Current Conditions

[ianbarton]

In pre Coronavirus days I would sometimes drive to Chester or Prestatyn, drop the car off then cycle to Bangor/Anglesey and catch the train back to the car. Now that Wales had been declared a foreign country and you can't travel there from England I have been thinking about a new route. I could catch a train going south, after cycling five miles to the station and then cycle back home from Shrewsbury (about 30 miles from here) or somewhere like Ludlow. Almost all cycling is on quiet country roads, avoiding horrors like the A41.

Does anyone know what the current policy is about taking bikes on trains at the moment? If Network Rail is to be believed I don't need to pre-book and there should be two bike spaces on the train.

 

[vickster]

Trains are meant to still be for essential travel only, are your trips essential? If you do it, avoid rush hours so there’s space for those having to travel to work for example

 

[ianbarton]

On that line apart from morning and evening commuters to Shrewsbury the trains are almost deserted. A couple of my local rides cross the railway. If I have to wait at a level crossing there are maybe half a dozen people in two carriages.

 

[vickster]

Fair enough, just remember your mask
Can’t imagine there’ll be any issue with carrying a bike if the trains are empty

 

[fossyant]

I'd be avoiding any public transport !

 

[MarkF]

Go for it.

 

[classic33]

They may appear empty, but are often at maximum capacity. Passenger numbers are limited.

 

[Chris S]

If you're using Arriva Trains Wales then the two bike spaces will be at the back of the first carriage. There's just enough room for two medium sized bikes, nose to tail. Mine extended into the door area but the conductor didn't say anything, there was only me and another cyclist in the carriage.

 

[Dogtrousers]

It's something I've wondered too. In the happy days before the plague I used finish my Saturday rides at various places and get the train home as it increased the range of places I can go to and avoided having to slog through the suburbs at the end of a ride.

I've stopped doing that for now, but I'm not so sure that the reasons for stopping all hold true.

 

[Blue Hills]

If the trains are quiet i say go for it.
Off peak of course
I reckon now is the best time, services back up but most folks staying away.
Soon it may be more difficult to maintain distance.
Post cummings I have taken a few tfl trains out to shenfield or thereabouts from liverpool street. Station quiet, average of maybe 3 folks per long long carriage. I touched pretty much nothing and wore face coverings even when nota requirement. If train had filled beyond acceptable limits (they were nowhere nowhere near) i would have just got off and cycled more.
Have also used trains between london bridge and south london. Also very quiet. Avoiding overground as number of stops means it can fill up unpredictably.
Take everything with you. I had loads of water, tons of food, a coffee pot and stove. Oh and a trowel

Pic of bike with full self sufficiency kit on the back. There's two extra large water bottles back there.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I can't wait to get back on the trains, some of my favourite rides are riding up to Lincoln and getting the train back to Leicester.

@tallliman was saying the same thing on Sunday when we bumped into each other.

 

[Soltydog]

As Vickster says, trains are still supposed to be for essential travel only, but there appears to be nobody policing it on the routes I work Due to social distancing I think there's only around 15% of seating available, so trains may appear empty, but there could be no available seating left👍
Personally I'd leave it for now, on Northern there is a review & likely increase of services from 5th July, so maybe it will be a bit more back to normal then 🤔

 

[Supersuperleeds]

This is East Midlands Trains current view, so I think I'm going to leave it for a while longer

 

[Blue Hills]

This is East Midlands Trains current view, so I think I'm going to leave it for a while longer

View attachment 530835

Have had a few updates from various train companies over the last day or two, none as I recall anywhere near as restrictive as that.

Mind you from my last experience of east midlands trains I'd avoid them anyway.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Have had a few updates from various train companies over the last day or two, none as I recall anywhere near as restrictive as that.

Mind you from my last experience of east midlands trains I'd avoid them anyway.

My experiences have been pretty much great with them. They regularly let three of us on with bikes even though the space is only for two.