Just wondered how much it costs to take your bike on a train and do you need to go in special carriages etc.

Anything I should/need to know?

Specifically I was thinking of the Manchester to Leeds train

You have to book long distance trains in theory. Local trains just turn up and get on Its free IIRC. Sit somewhere near you bike and watch it at every station. Big trains they go in the guards van, small trains have a specific place marked by a cycle symbol on the door – usually full of luggage that you have to get someone to shift despite the sign say no luggage here.

If Manchester Leeds is a small local train it should just be turn up and get on

You book it on and sometimes get a ticket to attach to it. Remember yr cycle lock and stand by your bike at every stop looking mean. As TJ said bigger trains it goes in the gaurds caridge so book a seat near there when you book your bike on, or sit in the vestibule.

Manchester to Leeds will be an Arriva TransPennine Express localish train. No need to book, in fact you can’t, but turn up decently early and force your way to the front, otherwise you’ll find the bike stowage area filled with either luggage and/or people, who will abuse you for even suggesting they look at the “please vacate this area when required for bicycle storage” signs.

If it’s come from Manchester Airport already expect the stand in the doorway with your bike and get in everyone’s way as every last crevice will be filled with luggage, most of which would be small enough to fit in the overhead racks.

Remember yr cycle lock

Mind I saw a guy once who snapped his key in the lock, was a shame watching him panic on his face when he arrived at the station, quite funny at the same time mind! 😀

Some guards will be a ‘jobsworth’ about the 2 bikes per train limit on most local services. If you’re getting on at the start of the train’s route, get there early and install yourself. Even if there are 4 bikes travelling, if you get on and sit down before the guard notices (sometimes the train crew aren’t around at first) they won’t throw you off.
Sometimes you find a guard who packs bikes, prams and passengers on like he’s the local scrapman! I was on a Northern Rail single coach train the other day and there were 3 prams, 3 bikes and about 50 people without seats, all crammed on.
Oh yeah, buy a ticket before travel, don’t try and fare-dodge. My mate got stung for a 180 quid fine recently.

Blimey I have it easy on my local train from Northampton to Milton Keynes. No-one bats an eyelid at me and my bike. I will refrain from complaining about the folk who stand in front of the doors trying to get on as I am trying to get off and think myself lucky I don’t have to abide by the rules some of you do.

Its First Trans-Pennine now. Check their conditions of carriage.

my 1st rule, if at all possible avoid taking a bike on a train.

my 2nd rule, if rule 1 fails, avoid anything close to rush hour.

my 3rd rule, if rule 2 fails, avoid traveling by train.

In my experience Scotrail at least have made it almost impossible to get a bike on a train, though I gave up trying a couple of years ago so it might have gotten better.

I did okay with Scotrail a few weeks ago. I did book though.

You have to phone them to book as I could not see it anywhere on line.

Yeah thats the thing, I almost always book online but you can’t book a bike on online, but every time i rang there were only 2 spaces or whatever on the train and they’d be booked, mind you it was usually only a few days before travel as I’m not too organised. i guess you could try winging it and see if you get on but seeing how grumpy most train managers or whatever they are called now are, I’m not sure I fancy the risk of not getting on.

I’ve done Manchester to Leeds recently, iirc it was just before the real rush hour push in the morning. I decided to wait to see if there was space on the train before buying a ticket. Think it costed about £17 one way, the bike was free.

The bike store site was full of huge cases as Handsomedog advised above. Still enough room to use the velcro straps to stand the bike up though. I didn’t use a lock as I sat with eyes on the bike, mainly to check if the trolley could get past.

The bike store was in the middle of the train.

Cheers everyone

I’ve read the TnC’s of Southern and SWest Trains. Both positively encourage bikes on thier trains.
You don’t mention what type of bike you have, is it a foldie? if so then fold it and if theres no room in the bike compartment, stick it in the doorway and stand next to it. If it’s a non foldie then you’ll be far better off in the bike compartment. I’ve yet to have the conversation with ANYONE about my foldie.. a couple of guys who do bring on non foldies have blocked the doorways and both passengers and guards have asked them to move them, only right they do so if it’s blocking entry/exit.
My trains are busy too and 7/10 time I have to stand with my bike and in all that time no one yet has whinged at me.

Hi,
I’m a bit late to this thread, sorry.
Does anyone leave their bike in the guards van quite happily? Travelling from Kings X to Leeds soon and they book the bikes in beforehand (all online). Just wondered if anyone had any experience of this.

Ta.

Does anyone leave their bike in the guards van quite happily?

Yes. Travel between York & KX weekly, and other than the odd jobsworth demanding to see the reservation (which I always have anyway) I’ve not had a problem. That’s with an Explosif or Ti456, so not any old tatt.

Thanks, just what I needed to hear.

🙂

If you’re leaving a bike in the guards van or anywhere you cant watch it, make sure you lock it, pref to something immovable.

I’ll get himself to lock it to his leg 😉

Hello dear! Fancy meeting you here.

Took me 3 phone calls and 6 different folk before I could get a bike booked on First Great Western this afternoon. That was despite knowing exactly which train I wanted.

Cross Country were a cinch in comparison!

Get a room you two!

Oh…

Travelling from London, long distance needs bikes to be booked on, and on return journeys. This can’t be done online annoyingly, so ‘phoning to book tickets is best unless you are passing the station before you travel. Rules will state you can’t lock bikes up, certainly not to any fixed part of the train, but I always use a cable lock to prevent someone running off with me bike/slow them down a bit at least. Even better if two or more of you are travelling, lock bikes to each other. Pretty safe though tbh. Great Western trains have more space than Virgin. Try to book seats as close to bikes as poss.

Shorter journeys, just turn up and bung bike on board. If the bike storage area is full of luggage put there by ignorant dickheads, just get the guard to tell everyone to either move their bags and cases, or the train doesn’t move. 🙂

Oh, and be prepared for people giving you dirty looks. Just give them one back.

Try not to stab them in the neck with a Biro.

Just out of interest. I happened to have to take a bike on the West Somerset Railway over the weekend. An absolute pleasure it was too. It runs in, well West Somerset, and the train have the old style guards van. Bucket loads of room for, probably, 20 bikes. And you could stay with your bike all the way. I think this was the exception that proves the rule with regard to train travel with bikes.

locally just bung it on and stand/sit next to it, no charge, always off peak though, might be a different story in rush hour