Bikes on trains in France

I've heard about how easy it is to take a bike on a train in France. But is
it really? Does anyone have any direct experience to share?

I know that not every train takes bicycles. But for those that do, is any
special packing--like a bag for the bike--required?

Is there an extra charge for traveling with a bike?

I've read that if you make a connection to a second train, you move your
bike from train A to B yourself--and that you might not be allowed to buy a
ticket for this if the connection is too close.

Does anyone know the actual rule about that, if there is one? Or the actual
practice?

Thanks for any advice!

OughtFour wrote:
I've heard about how easy it is to take a bike on a train in France.
But is it really? Does anyone have any direct experience to share?

I know that not every train takes bicycles. But for those that do, is
any special packing--like a bag for the bike--required?

Is there an extra charge for traveling with a bike?

I've read that if you make a connection to a second train, you move your
bike from train A to B yourself--and that you might not be allowed to
buy a ticket for this if the connection is too close.

Does anyone know the actual rule about that, if there is one? Or the
actual practice?

Thanks for any advice!

http://www.voyages-sncf.com/info_res.../TrainVelo.htm

"OughtFour" wrote...
I've heard about how easy it is to take a bike on a train in France. But
is
it really? Does anyone have any direct experience to share?

I know that not every train takes bicycles. But for those that do, is any
special packing--like a bag for the bike--required?

Is there an extra charge for traveling with a bike?

I've read that if you make a connection to a second train, you move your
bike from train A to B yourself--and that you might not be allowed to buy
a
ticket for this if the connection is too close.

Does anyone know the actual rule about that, if there is one? Or the
actual
practice?

Thanks for any advice!

I used a fair number of trains to take myself and my bike around France in
2001. The URL that Mr Chung posted should tell you most of what you need to
know. The French language portion of the SNCF website has more complete
information on bicycles than the English language portion, if that makes any
difference. The SNCF website has a trip planner that will book you a journey
on trains that accept bicycles.

When I was there the TGV (Train a Grande Vitesse) trains only took
boxed/bagged bikes, with a fairly small size limit. I had my bike in a
cardboard bike box that exceeded the size limit and got yelled at by the
conductor but was able to keep the bike on the train.

The only French trains that take unboxed bikes are the slower local trains.
I was able to get from Paris to Strasbourg on an Austrian train that was on
it's way to Vienna, but otherwise I would have taken a long, long time on a
series of French local trains. Not all the local/regional trains take
unboxed bikes, look for the bicycle logo on the schedule.

You do move your bags from train to train, and it would be up to you to
check connection times to make sure you can get your baggage from one train
to the next. I booked my rail journeys on line and carefully checked which
tracks the arriving and departing trains were on and kept that in mind when
choosing trains.

The French rail system is a hub and spoke, like the airlines, with Paris as
the hub. Different train stations in Paris serve different parts of France,
so for long journeys you may find yourself getting off the train in one
station, taking a taxi to another station and getting on the next train
there. You pay for the transport between stations and haul your own bags.

Like lots of European trains, French trains will split up in mid journey,
with one part of the train going to one city/country, and another part going
else where. I almost found myself in Geneva instead of Paris that way, I
woke up half the train dragging my bike box from one end of the train to
another at around midnight. Check the destination board outside the train
car as you are boarding (after that little epic I found myself checking the
destination board inside the car repeatedly throughout the trip...).

In spite of all this hassle, French trains are an excellent way to travel,
with or without a bike. The TGV trains are a real eye-opener if the only
train travel you've done before is in the US.
HTH,
--
mark

Robert Chung wrote:

http://www.voyages-sncf.com/info_res.../TrainVelo.htm

Here's a bit mo
http://fubicy.org/train/

Robert Chung wrote:
Robert Chung wrote:

http://www.voyages-sncf.com/info_res.../TrainVelo.htm

Here's a bit mo
http://fubicy.org/train/

Those are great links--thank you.

I was having trouble navigating the SNCF site.

mark wrote:
You do move your bags from train to train, and it would be up to you to
check connection times to make sure you can get your baggage from one
train
to the next. I booked my rail journeys on line and carefully checked which
tracks the arriving and departing trains were on and kept that in mind
when
choosing trains.

[snip]

In spite of all this hassle, French trains are an excellent way to travel,
with or without a bike. The TGV trains are a real eye-opener if the only
train travel you've done before is in the US.
HTH,

Thank you, Mark. I'm looking forward to it.

I'll be in Burgundy for about a week.

If I had more time I would simply bike all the time but there is so much I
want to see that I expect to take at least one trip by rail jut to cover
more ground.

I've heard there are bike-friendly regional buses, too, but I'll try to
learn about them once I arrive.

Thanks again!

On Tue, 29 Mar 2005 14:59:17 GMT in rec.bicycles.misc,
"OughtFour" wrote:

I've heard about how easy it is to take a bike on a train in France. But is
it really? Does anyone have any direct experience to share?

if you have full front & rear panniers + additional stuff, as i
did, it's not always easy, but it is always possible on those
trains that are equipped with cars that have bike/baggage
compartments.

I know that not every train takes bicycles. But for those that do, is any
special packing--like a bag for the bike--required?

no, except for the TGV & eurostar, which have rigid standards for
bike bags --- there is no way to take a bike with racks, fenders,
& panniers on the high speed trains since the bag dimensions are
for a bike without fenders with the wheels removed.

Is there an extra charge for traveling with a bike?

yes, but it's nominal, usually a couple of euros.

I've read that if you make a connection to a second train, you move your
bike from train A to B yourself--and that you might not be allowed to buy a
ticket for this if the connection is too close.

i found just the opposite --- at about 12:45 i wanted to buy a
ticket for the 2 p.m. train to limoges, and the stubborn clerk
instead sold me one for the train leaving in 5 minutes on the
platform farthest from the ticket kiosk!

trains don't always run on time, but even when they do, they
never wait in stations for very long. i found myself scrambling
to find the car with the bike symbol (and train crew were NOT
helpful, even though i was asking in french), and then scrambling
to get the panniers off the bike, on the train, and then get the
bike up into the vestibule and into the baggage compartment,
before the train started moving.

if you have to switch between trains in stations and you have to
change to a train on a different platform, that can be a real
panic, since you have to yard the bike up the stairs, across a
footbridge, and down the stairs to the other platform. that was
certainly the case when i arrived in calais from dover, and had
to switch in boulogne to the train for paris.

Does anyone know the actual rule about that, if there is one? Or the actual
practice?

the next time i do it, i won't be carrying camping gear and full
panniers, just small front ones with two sets of jerseys,
raingear, and a set of street clothes, and the bike will be set
up to break down into a bike bag so i can ride the TGV.

i wouldn't have camped last summer except that it was the only
way i could be where i had a good view on the hill climbs of the
mountain stages. the next time, i won't go during the Tour or
the peak of the summer tourist season, either. i'll go in the
spring or fall when there are a lot of reasonably priced rooms
available.

In article t,
"mark" wrote:

[...]
When I was there the TGV (Train a Grande Vitesse) trains only took
boxed/bagged bikes, with a fairly small size limit. I had my bike in a
cardboard bike box that exceeded the size limit and got yelled at by the
conductor but was able to keep the bike on the train.


The only French trains that take unboxed bikes are the slower local trains.
I was able to get from Paris to Strasbourg on an Austrian train that was on
it's way to Vienna, but otherwise I would have taken a long, long time on a
series of French local trains. Not all the local/regional trains take
unboxed bikes, look for the bicycle logo on the schedule.


Well, that's an approximation, but not the whole truth :-)
All trains accept boxed/baged bikes as soon as the dimensions are
under 120x90cm (4inx3in). A racing bike with front wheel off fits in
such a dimension. Otherwise :
* most loal trains accept bikes, without a fee. You load/unload
yourself, There may be a limit on the number of bikes (i.e. you may
be forbidden to come on a train if the hooks are full)
* some long-distance trains have either a bagage car of a
bike "compartment" (e.g., all trains on the Paris-Nancy-Strasbourg line
for instance, much less on the lines toward Brittany or Normandy...).
They are signaled by a bike pictogram on the SNCF schedule. There is
no fee, you load/unload yourself.
* some night train and TGV have a bike compartment. There is a fee
(I don't know how much) and you must book in advance (anyway, booking
is mandatory on these trains for all travellers). You load/unload
yourself.

You may try to hop on a train which do not have specific bike
equipment, but the conductor can throw you out (but some are rather
sympathetic to cyclists, so it may work). Get on the first or last
platform as you can more easily plead that you don't impede circulation.


[...]

Jean-Pierre