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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! |
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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 |
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"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 |
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Robert Chung wrote:
http://www.voyages-sncf.com/info_res.../TrainVelo.htm Here's a bit mo http://fubicy.org/train/ |
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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. |
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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! |
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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. |
#8
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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 |
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