I'm travelling from Newcastle to Leamington SPa. No changes.
I've never taken a bike on a train before so what's the deal?
Do I need to book?
Do they put the bike on and take it off?
What are the chances of the train leaving before I've got the bike off?
Is it secure?
Etc., etc.
Ta!
You need to book, you will have to put it on yourself and strap in secure and the train waited while we got off!
Ask for seats nearer the front of the train as we walked all the way to Durham before we found our seats!!
My experience when travelling from York to Whitehaven via Newcastle
Cross country are good - limited bike space though so it's best to book. They usually have bike compartments in one or two of the coaches for you to secure them in. Some trains have a separate coach for bikes which gives loads more room but is a pain in the ass as you have to get off the train and leg it to the bike coach before they bugger off - which is always a little worrying. If your train has this it's best to fund the guard when your on the train to tell him when your getting off so he knows you've got to get your bike before he leaves. All in all it's pretty easy though and I've always found cross country by far the most accommodating.
As someone who takes my bike on xc trains every day I have a lot of experience with this.
1) You don't need to book (there are 3 bike spaces and only 2 of them are bookable). However, it is advisable to book (doesnt cost anything) because inevitably there will be other people with bikes.
2) You put the bike on yourself - coach D I think. There are hooks to hang the bike by its front wheel. There are some unreservable seats just insie the coach too - so you might be able to sit near your bikes without too much trouble.
3) I stand next to my bike to make sure it doesnt get nicked, but then I only travel for 15 mins (Newcastle to Durham).
4) I am not sure if you can book a bike space using cross country's own website, which in the past meant that if you wanted to book a bike space, you had to go to the station and buy the ticket. However, I now go onto the East Coast website and book onto the xc train and there is a bike reservation button (small - near the bottom of the seat reservation page). You have to reserve a seat to enable the bike reservation button.
5) If you bring a bike lock then you should be able to lock the bike to the train, thus avoiding theft. I would recommend a U-Lock along with a cable so you can loop through the wheels. Probably worth it if you're going all the way to Leamington Spa.
All in all - although it sounds complicated, its pretty easy.
Brilliant.
Thanks all for the replies.