Taking a bike on a train

[Mazz]

Anyone know how to reserve a place on a train for your bike? I had a look on the TrainLine app, but couldn't find anything on there to make a bike reservation for your journey. Thanks

 

[Mazz]

Have you not heard about the rail strikes that will last until Xmas?
You'll be lucky to find a train never mind one with bike space.

Have you not heard of a bicycle drivetrain?!

The app seems great for booking tickets but fails miserably at bike reservations, or maybe it's well-hidden in the app?

 

[Slick]

I think it varies from operator to operator and even which line you want to book. In Scotland for example I can book some online and others I have to call scotrail to book.

 

[mjr]

GWR.com used to work for any UK trains, but I've not travelled on a train that requires bikes to be booked for some time (Great Northern don't, nor do local Greater Anglia), so I wouldn't know if it broke recently.

 

[KnittyNorah]

It's both impossible and unnecessary to make a reservation for a bike with some operators eg Northern, and with others, such as TransPennine, although you must make a reservation, making one is no guarantee at all that you can actually take your bike on the train. Best work out your route first then check the operator's websites individually wrt bike policy and proceed accordingly - phone calls or an in-person visit to a railway booking office might be needed to clarify matters.

 

[IaninSheffield]

As folks have said, different operators have different rules, however, there are sites like redspottedhanky where you can make bike reservations (if available) when booking your travel ticket.

 

[Mazz]

It's both impossible and unnecessary to make a reservation for a bike with some operators eg Northern, and with others, such as TransPennine, although you must make a reservation, making one is no guarantee at all that you can actually take your bike on the train. Best work out your route first then check the operator's websites individually wrt bike policy and proceed accordingly - phone calls or an in-person visit to a railway booking office might be needed to clarify matters.

So when you phone up, do they give you a booking reference number or something like that?

 

[PaulSB]

Anyone know how to reserve a place on a train for your bike? I had a look on the TrainLine app, but couldn't find anything on there to make a bike reservation for your journey. Thanks

I don't do this often but when ive needed to haven't found it too tricky. First I check to see if online reservation is possible. If not I buy my ticket by phone or in person at the station. I've always found whoever I speak to helpful and willing to check bike space availability at the same time as booking the travel ticket.

I agree in this age it should simply be online but that's life.

 

[Dogtrousers]

First thing to do is go to nationalrail.co.uk journey planner and find the service you want. Then click the little bike icon This will enable you to find the operator, their bike policy, and whether reservations are required.

From then on things vary by train operator, as people have said above.

Here's a random example

It's not always easy

 

[Brandane]

From bitter experience, it can be a minefield if you are travelling any distance involving multiple trains with different operators.
Locally, it couldn't be easier. Just turn up and put your bike on the train and go! That is Scotrail on the Clyde coast routes, but you don't have to go far for the policy to be different. e.g. still with Scotrail - do not even attempt to travel on the Glasgow/Inverness line without a bike reservation, and they only take 4 per train. Strictly enforced, too.

 

[Threevok]

From bitter experience, it can be a minefield if you are travelling any distance involving multiple trains with different operators.
Locally, it couldn't be easier. Just turn up and put your bike on the train and go! That is Scotrail on the Clyde coast routes, but you don't have to go far for the policy to be different. e.g. still with Scotrail - do not even attempt to travel on the Glasgow/Inverness line without a bike reservation, and they only take 4 per train. Strictly enforced, too.

It's nice to hear somebody does. Every time I've taken the bike on a train, I make a reservation and all the bike racks are full (TFW)

I blame Tom Hardy for the last debacle

 

[Spartak]

It's not always easy

You should try booking a bike onto the Eurostar....

 

[T4tomo]

You should try booking a bike onto the Eurostar....

anyone who can successfully do that get automatic membership of Mensa and a Krypton Factor special lifetime achievement award

 

[mjr]

First thing to do is go to nationalrail.co.uk journey planner and find the service you want. Then click the little bike icon This will enable you to find the operator, their bike policy, and whether reservations are required.

Unless it's one of the train operators like Anglia who have different policies on different services, which national rail unhelpfully list all the policies for all services, leaving people confused, scared and/or none the wiser.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Pop down your local station and let them sort it out for you.