The website seems rather unclear and EuroDespatch don't seem to be answering their phone.
I've got a ticket from Paris to London which I booked expecting to be carrying just a small bag, but now need to bring a bike with me. (Well, I could post it, but I'd rather it came with me.)
Depending on which part of the website I read, either:
- I can book my bike to travel on the same train as me, albeit in a different part of it
- I can hand it over and it supposedly turns up in London within 24 hours of me doing so
The second option is no use to me: I've got to get an onward train.
Anyone done it recently? Thanks.
No room in carriages for bikes, trains very busy too right now, I had to stand on Friday. Not sure where they would put a bike tbh. Typing from the 2010 Paris-London
You can book on a bike for 20 quid per journey.
Myself and mtb idle rode London to Paris a few weeks ago and when you get to hare du Nordic just drop of your bike down the side of the station. It's waiting at the other end.
Typing from the 2010 Paris-London
Jesus, the delays are so bad it's taking five years now?
when you get to hare du Nordic just drop of your bike down the side of the station. It's waiting at the other end.
Sounds good. Was that a pre-booked guaranteed place on the same train or just getting lucky?
If it's in a bag it's fine as normal luggage.
If you want it taken built, you'll need to book it on and see when it arrives.
Oh, yeah, I forgot that important detail! It'll be in a bike bag. Pretty sure mine is an old version of [url= http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/BAPXDLBB/planet-x-deluxe-bike-bag ]the Planet X bag[/url].
[url=www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-information/travel-planning/luggage/travelling-with-your-bike-eurostar]The Eurostar bikes page[/url] says [i]"Bike Over 85cm (in bike bag): Registered luggage service: On day of travel: £25/€29 each way"[/i].
[url= http://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-information/travel-planning/luggage/luggage-services#.U6Qn0ZRdV8E ]The Eurostar luggage page[/url] says [i]"If you're travelling with extra, oversized or restricted luggage, you'll need to use our registered luggage service, provided by EuroDespatch…We'll send your luggage on the first available train, as long as there's space. No matter what, we guarantee that it’ll be ready to collect at your Eurostar destination station within 24 hours of registering it."[/i] It says [i]"Luggage, suitcases, bags, etc (maximum weight 30kg per item) £20 each (up to 3 items, £40 for each additional item)"[/i], but also has a row for bicycles which links back to the previous page, implying that bicycles should be in bags and also saying [i]"to make sure that your bike travels on the same train as you during that time, you'll need to book a space for it with our registered luggage service"[/i], which is completely at odds with what the restricted luggage service page says.
Don't know about anyone else, but I'm none the wiser.
I took my roadbike out last year and I think it was £15 each way. Bike had to be bagged, checked and then they didn't guarantee to get it on the same train. Change at Gare du Nord for Gare de Lyon. No real aggro via the Metro.
We went last year from London to bourg-st Maurice.
Bike in a bag with eurodispatch, pre booked, no worries on the outward journey. Saw it being loaded, and picked it up from the platform myself on arrival.
Return journey was less smooth however. We pre booked as before, but on arrival at Gare Du Nord they said "sorry we're full" nothing we can do. No amount of bartering, or shaming myself with piss poor French would change their minds. Both bikes, and us left on the next train together, 1 hour later. I wasn't about to leave my uninsured 5k of bike with them to 'remember' to load it on the next train.
I watched the bike bags left unattended at the dispatch office for about 45 mins, in a public area with no one looking after them. Not good.
As far as I remember, there are limited numbers of spaces for ridable bikes out of bags on each train. But, I think it's first come type of service.
Right. Sorted now. If anyone comes here looking for info:
- The bike in the bag can be booked with Eurodespatch for a specific train. You need your Eurostar booking reference. This costs £30, and the bag needs to be dropped off at the Gare du Nord 90 minutes prior to departure.
- If you want to wing it, you can drop the bike off on the day and they'll charge £10 (or possibly a similar amount in Euros, I forget).
I didn't enquire about unbagged bikes: I've got an idTGV connection where a bagged bike is freely included luggage, so that's how I roll. (Or drag miserably, in this case. Not exactly looking forward to hauling the damn thing across Paris *and* London, but hey.)
- The bike in the bag can be booked with Eurodespatch for a specific train. You need your Eurostar booking reference. This costs £30, and the bag needs to be dropped off at the Gare du Nord 90 minutes prior to departure.
Sounds good in theory.... Our experienced differed greatly.
Anyone done this lately, we've booked to go down to Ventoux. Just wondered what the latest is.