Travelling on trains with bikes

[Rustybucket]

Between London and Bristol, yes. If it is not full, you could just turn up. Do you want to risk it though when it is not difficult to make the reservation?

Im not 100% sure what time yet. Technicaly Bristol to Reading isnt London - does that make a difference?
Does everyone just use the Southern trains website to reserve a space?
Thanks again

 

[jefmcg]

Has anyone had any experience going from Bristol to Reading and then Reading to Staines with a bike?

Ill be taking my bike in the evening on a Saturday from bristol to Staines - will I need to reserve a space or can I just turn up?
Thanks

watch out for rail replacement services, they often occur between reading and waterloo, and you can't bring a bike on them. Otherwise turn up for that leg. There a bike places, but people also just stand with them in a door area.

 

[Rustybucket]

No, no difference, the number of spaces is limited and tends to be rigidly enforced.

OK thanks for your help Adrian! Is there a easy way to book a bike on this service?

& thanks also Jefmcg - good to know!

 

[Rustybucket]

You will know closer to the time what train you want both ways? If so buy the tickets via the Southern Website, it allows you to reserve the bike space as well as your seat on a specific train. Coach A, the standard class quiet carriage, is nearest the guard van/bike spaces. You can't reserve a bike space without also reserving a seat on a specific train.

OK - I am riding from Staines to Bristol, but getting the train back home - so will book a late train & then will just wait - As you said better to guarantee a space - tickets only £16 so might just try and blag it if I get there early!

Thanks again for your help!!!

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I have the same issue here in Melbourne. I would dearly love to ride up all those lovely hills in the Victorian Alps, because having done it a few times, I just want to go back there!
The regional train operators here also refuse to guarantee you can take a bicycle on their trains, and so I could arrange a weekend Alps cycling trip (i.e. an extra annual leave day or two to allow for travel times, plus Alps accommodation bookings), only to have it ruined at a Melbourne train station because they won't allow my bicycle on the train .

 

[Nicola10]

Ok I'm having trouble booking my bike onto a train from Glasgow to London for 27th May, it's now less than 12 weeks away. When I phoned up Virgin to book it, was on hold for about 20 mins, operator then comes back on and says, sorry your too early to book, try again in April. I tried to tell him that the whole reason for booking in advance is to get cheaper tickets and if I leave it to April, it might cost more and also there may be no spaces. Can you only book a bike on 6 weeks in advance?? Please someone help me out, I don't fancy driving to london.

 

[Rasmus]

Ok I'm having trouble booking my bike onto a train from Glasgow to London for 27th May, it's now less than 12 weeks away. When I phoned up Virgin to book it, was on hold for about 20 mins, operator then comes back on and says, sorry your too early to book, try again in April. I tried to tell him that the whole reason for booking in advance is to get cheaper tickets and if I leave it to April, it might cost more and also there may be no spaces. Can you only book a bike on 6 weeks in advance?? Please someone help me out, I don't fancy driving to london.

Book on the scotrail website - you can get the bike spaces through there as well without fighting someone on the phone.

I just checked and the 27th of May has indeed not opened up for advance tickets yet. 13th of May is open, so you should be able to book your ticket somewhere in the next 2 weeks...

 

[fimm]

On the EastCoast site, if you register, you can then tell them what dates you are interested in and you'll get an email when those tickets go on sale.
(I don't know if other sites do this too.)

 

[theclaud]

On the EastCoast site, if you register, you can then tell them what dates you are interested in and you'll get an email when those tickets go on sale.
(I don't know if other sites do this too.)

There's another thing you can get that does that. It's called @Adrian.

 

[Nicola10]

Thanks for the replies, guess I'm just panicking a little bit as I need to get to London with my bike on 27th at all costs. I've signed upto the east coast alerts

 

[Rasmus]

Thanks for the replies, guess I'm just panicking a little bit as I need to get to London with my bike on 27th at all costs. I've signed upto the east coast alerts

Don't forget that east coast runs direct trains from Glasgow to London Kings X. Takes a bit (~1-1.5hr) longer, but the best advance tickets are cheaper than with Virgin. The east coast website also lets you book bike space directly.

 

[Brandane]

Another alternative is the Scotrail sleeper, leaving Glasgow about 2340 every night and getting into Euston about 0630. You can use the seating section if on a budget, and it carries about 6 bikes (as with Virgin, bike goes free but must be booked). Proper sleeper berths make it a bit expensive, especially if traveling solo and not keen to share with a stranger.