Alps MTB trip by train – anyone done it?

Some friends have just come back from skiing in Les Arcs – they decided to go by train as it was lower emissions than flying.
They used the Eurostar/Ski Train.
This seemed like a good solution for an MTB trip.
Had a look but this doesn’t seem to run outside of Ski season……
So guessing it would be Eurostar to Paris and then train to Les Arcs from there?
Obviously longer than flying but more relaxing than driving.
Any one done this or similar?

I had a vague look a few years back.
You have to cross london (depends where you start from) and paris with your bike which needs to be in a bike box/bag.

I think. Happy to be corrected, would otherwise be more pleasant than either driving or flying.

some useful discussion on booking international train tickets with bike spaces here

https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?t=153660&start=360

cheers,

Keith

I didn’t think there’s any way to take bikes on the Eurostar, even bagged up, but just looked and it appears you can now…!

We’ve used the train for skiing from Sheffield since 2019. Post-covid, the overnight snowtrain that goes direct from St Pancras to Bourg doesn’t run (unless you buy an all in one package deal through Travelski), so we’ve done Sheffield to STP, walk across the platform onto the Eurostar to Gare du Nord. Its about 20 minutes platform to platform on the RER to get to Gare du Lyon, then sit there on the TGV until you get to BSM. Its about 12hours door to door for us, so about the same as flying and a lot less time and effort compared to driving.

at one point, Eurostar had stopped taking bikes, but they may have restarted recently.

update – they have, but only selected services, and your bike has to be boxed. Bloody useless

https://help.eurostar.com/faq/uk-en/question/Can-I-take-my-bike-on-Eurostar
https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-info/travel-planning/luggage/bikes

We’re just back from a ski trip by train. Was ace, highly recommended. Tip, if you book far enoug in advance then it’s about a €15 upgrade to first class in french trains, they’re LOVELY

Bit out of date but the venerable Mark of STW did this….
https://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/singletrack-issue-127-verbier-by-train/

I looked into it a couple of years ago having taken the snowtrain a few times in the past. The biggest issue was that a typical bike bag was larger than the rail companies would allow on the train. My Polaris bag definitely was 😕

transfering bike bags across Paris would be a pain but doable but that doesn’t help if they refuse to take the bike on the train.

I did it once pre-Covid, bike disassembled in a cut-down cardboard bike box. It was an adventure, but I don’t think I will be doing it again. If you look at the timetables, you will probably have to stay in London to catch an early Eurostar. I had to collect my bike from the baggage department at Gare du Nord, which is a bit of a trek. I should have pre-booked a taxi to Gare de Lyon, but had a stressful journey on the tube (the taxi queue was humongous), not helped by a line closure meaning I had to use the small ones not the bigger trains. It was a tight connection. Although my box was within baggage limits, there was no room for it at the end of the carriage on the TGV so it was getting in the way and was all a bit embarrassing frankly. I changed at Chambery onto a local train to Bourg St Maurice, which was a bit easier. I was able to get back to Cardiff in a day, 7 legs to the journey and around 12 hours.

The alternative is to take the bike as a bike and cycle across Paris of course, perhaps with a trailer for your gear.

And, baggage limits and train capacities may have changed. Some TGVs have baggage cupboards underneath, but not all I think and I have no idea how you find out.

If you like train adventures, go for it, but you will need to research the possibilities carefully.

Thanks all, looks like getting the bike on Eurostar is the biggest barrier!

Thanks all, looks like getting the bike on Eurostar is the biggest barrier!

Another option is to get the ferry or even Eurotunnel – you can go by bike though they put you on a shuttle bus
https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/travelling-with-us/vehicles/bicycles/

I took the ferry and train few years ago. Works ok and you can do it in a day, worst part was Calais (need to cycle to the station, then slow train to Paris).
Thinking of doing it again this year, my plan is to take the bike in a soft bag on the Eurostar (so I can fold it instead of lugging a box).
At the moment I’m thinking of taking a night train to Andorra instead the Alps (meaning no need to stay in London the night before).

something ive wondered, as a work around to dragging a bike box around on these trips: Could you post your bike the week before? and then Post it home? i wonder how much that would cost.
Bit of risk involved. and with Brexit it would probably end up stuck in customs.
i suppose it ends up sat in a couriers van, which kinda defeats the point of taking the train.

depending on how many are in your group, you could nominate two of you to take a van of bikes, and the rest of you take it easy, on the train.

does anyone make an alps appropriate bike that can be split down into a suitcase sized box? Tyres off, collapsed air fork, nested swingarm, etc. that could be an interesting (possibly impossible) design project.

does anyone make an alps appropriate bike that can be split down into a suitcase sized box? Tyres off, collapsed air fork, nested swingarm, etc. that could be an interesting (possibly impossible) design project.

Allen Millyard?

does anyone make an alps appropriate bike that can be split down into a suitcase sized box? Tyres off, collapsed air fork, nested swingarm, etc. that could be an interesting (possibly impossible) design project.

can you get the swing arm off an orange alpine without having to fiddle with the rear brake hose?

Have a look at Briancon as a final destination. There was a tread recently about routes in that area. It may be easier to get to than Les Arcs?

Could you post your bike the week before? and then Post it home?

Swiss trains do something really cool where you can send your bike ahead/ keep a box at a station ready for you. Could be helpful for a point to point ride, but I wouldn’t dare post my bike from the UK these days. Putting some pikes on a Brompton is probably a better idea.

can you get the swing arm off an orange alpine without having to fiddle with the rear brake hose?

Interesting question. Probably so long as the hose isn’t clamped super tight you might be able to undo the pivot and then turn the whole thing around and do it back up (either rotated around the pivot so it’s outside the downtube or, preferably, flipped so it’s still inside the front triangle).

Enduro goes rinko.

It’s an interesting thought exercise.

A few years ago me and two friends did a trip to Valence to explore the Ardeche, we had to pack the bikes in a soft bike bag (think a Raleigh one) to get on to the TGV. Also weren’t able to go on the first Eurostar train in the morning because they weren’t able to load the bikes in, but we got upgraded to first class on the next train and ate our weight in Crossaints so I guess that’s ok. It was not horrendous. I would leave around an hour to transfer between Paris stations for peace of mind though (gare du l’est is a five minute walk if you don’t get distracted by bakeries)

Anyone done this more recently? I’m thinking more road than MTB but don’t suppose that makes much difference. I looked into it a few years ago and had reluctantly come to the conclusion that it probably didn’t make a lot of sense, but then Covid happened and made it all moot.

Also the Pyrenees would be an option, but I doubt that changes the equation much.

I did it in 2019 to Bourg St Maurice with a bike in a bike bag on the daytime train. I’d previously done it once in winter when the night trains were still running to Bourg because it meant that I got an extra two days skiing.

This summer I’m doing it to Briancon, getting the Eurostar to Paris, then the night train to Briancon. It’ll get me two extra days riding. With night trains, there’s no need for an overnight stay in Paris or London, and it means that I get an extra day or twos holiday because of this.

Going there if you’re using day trains, it’s just about possible to get there in one day, as long as you live close enough to get to London for a morning Eurostar, and don’t mind a late arrival in the Alps. Getting back is much easier because you gain an hour on the journey due to the time difference.

I really enjoy it, because it’s a bit of an adventure, it’s much nicer than travelling by train, and it means that the days spent travelling feel like part of the holiday.

If you book early then it’s slightly more expensive than flying, especially if you’re paying parking charges and/or staying in an airport hotel.

Booking is a massive PITA. Every ticket becomes available at a different time, meaning that you have to be very organised.

Bike Carriage on Eurostar is very tight. The maximum dimensions of bike bag that they can take mean that you can’t use a standard bike bag, and instead need to put it in very small, lightweight one. I’ve got one that’s called a Ground Effect Tardis but Evoc make one too I believe. I’m hoping that they’ll have started taking fully assembled bikes again by this summer, because if they have it’ll make my journey much easier.

Flying with a bike is much easier, but nowhere near as much fun.

Interesting, thanks @Kramer. According to Seat 61 you can indeed take fully assembled bikes on Eurostar, but there are very few spaces.

I really enjoy it, because it’s a bit of an adventure, it’s much nicer than travelling by train, and it means that the days spent travelling feel like part of the holiday.

I assume you meant ‘plane’ here, but yeah, I’m already on board with this. I haven’t flown for several years now, and I’ve taken my bike around the UK on the train lots of times, and spent a fair bit of time on trains in Europe. Best way to travel IME. That said though, there’s a limit to the amount of faff and struggling with awkward luggage on busy trains that I want to sign up for.

EDIT the trip that @greyspoke describes is the kind of thing that puts me off TBH.

@MrSalmon

According to Seat 61 you can indeed take fully assembled bikes on Eurostar, but there are very few spaces.

As far as I’m aware, that’s only to Brussels, not Paris, and that’s what it says on Seat61 too?

I’m currently in the process of booking my trip this summer and will try and upgrade to fully assembled if it becomes possible.

Looking at what @greyspoke wrote, I agree, getting it across Paris is a faff. And that was with a bike bag with wheels. Doing it in a box would be much worse. That’s why I bought my lightweight bike bag, my plan was that next time I’d take the bike fully assembled on Eurostar, ride it across Paris and put it in a bag for the TGV portion of the journey, then reassemble it again afterwards. Then Covid hit and changed all the rules. 🤷🏼‍♂️

The fact that you currently can’t take a bike fully assembled on the TGVs from Paris to Lyon makes it more complicated than it needs to be. Things are changing but it’s slow. A way round this is to use RER local trains only, but that would add another day to the journey.

However, apparently, sleeper trains from Paris to Bourg are due to restart in 2025, and they should have bike spaces on them which will make things much easier.

I’ll probably start a thread about my trip to Briancon this summer.

As far as I’m aware, that’s only to Brussels, not Paris, and that’s what it says on Seat61 too?

Yeah, I didn’t read it properly!

Putting it in a bike bag in Paris does seem like the best option at the moment.

Also the Pyrenees would be an option, but I doubt that changes the equation much.

I missed this earlier, but I believe it does, I think the TGVs to the west of France have bike spaces as opposed the ones on the high speed line to Lyon.

You can get trains to the Alps from Lille Europe. You don’t have cross Paris, but you might have to change in Lyon. 

I can’t get raileurope.com to route that way either, but should be possible with separate ticketing.

Some TGVs accept unboxed bikes so it could be feasible to go all the way without disassembly but would take some planning

You can get trains to the Alps from Lille Europe.

Unfortunately you can’t get a bike to Lille on the Eurostar.

If you want to get to the Eastern Alps then an alternative route would be to go to Brussels and then get the Nightjet to Zurich/Innsbruck/Vienna?

Could you post your bike the week before? and then Post it home? i wonder how much that would cost.

When I’ve looked, it’s been expensive, a few hundred each way.

Bike boxes are too big for standard courier services. The bike companies must make specific arrangements with them for delivery.

Unfortunately you can’t get a bike to Lille on the Eurostar.

It’s Brussels train?  Do they not provide the service to take it off the train at Lille? 

It’s Brussels train?  Do they not provide the service to take it off the train at Lille?

No.

I’ve priced Ebbsfleet to Bourg St Maurice via Paris on Eurostar/TGV 3 times now over the last few years & it always works out nearly three time as much as flying to Geneva + transfer.
Bike space or lack of it has always been the factor that has worried me the most.

I’ve done both a few times, and all in, I don’t think they’re that different, although the train is more expensive.

I’m keeping a spreadsheet this year, so will add it all up.

Last year, plane + transfers came to ~£400 per person I think.

On Eurostar, if you can pack your bike within the luggage dimensions you can get it on without booking as your normal luggage. It just has to fit through the X-ray. I’ve done this with road bikes a few times, you need a small bike bag and a care free attitude to your bike getting scratched rattling around in a cheap bike bag. This works fine on a bike tour but I wouldn’t do it with a nice bike and a modern enduro bike won’t fit. Other options are booking a bike on which is limited to a few per train or as freight which still needs a bag, but we’ve used plastic mattress bags for that in the past. It’s not easy  

@kramer

Do you have any information on the route you are taking to briancon? I am trying to figure out how to get to that region for an event late June and every option looks to be very complicated and Loooooong!

@alansd1980 I’m getting the Eurostar to Paris then the night train to Briançon.

I’m hoping that Eurostar may be taking fully assembled bikes to Paris at that point, as it’ll make things much simpler. However if they’re not, I’ll reassemble my bike in Paris to take it on the night train.

Thanks Kramer. You are not doing the alps epic by any chance? 

I will have another look. Couldn’t see any options but maybe they haven’t been released yet. 

I’m not doing the Alps Epic. About the only epic thing I do is snore. 🤣

Yeah, one of the issues with taking your bike by train to the Alps is that different legs of the journey become available at different times. I book Eurostar when it first becomes available and then book the other segments later.

If normal trains will take bikes, could you not get the train to Folkestone, ride to the Eurotunnel terminal, head over there then back on the french trains in Calais? Bit faffy but no disassembly required

I regularly travel all over France (where I live) by train with a bike either at the start or end of a ride including cross Paris transfers via the metro. If the TGV does not have bike spaces then it can be bagged/ boxed and taken without any extra cost or booking. There are maximum sizes, but all doable ime. Finish ride. Head to nearest shop, buy a roll of large heavy duty bin bags and a roll of parcel tape, wheels off, wrap it all up. Bish bash bosh. Or better still for the environment, buy a rinko style bag that packs down and can come with you on the bike. Also serves as a bivvy bag.

A friend once flew over from the UK for a 2 day ride with me. Flew to Lyon, assembled bike, rode out of airport to nearby woods identified beforehand, secreted his cardboard box, rode to mine. At the end of the trip recovered the box for flight home.

To avoid trains in france where your bike has to be boxed/ bagged/ disassemblemed i.e take the TER rather than the TGV, then the German train travel site is the one to use for planning:https://www.bahn.de/

My event starts on Saturday morning and I made the mistake of thinking I would be able to travel on Friday from just outside London. The event has transfers on Friday morning at 10 from Marseille but no flights from London arrive in time so it would mean a Thursday evening flight and hotel. I am now wondering how easy getting home will be the following Thursday. 

Its a 5 day ride so will have a reasonable amount of kit so going across Paris could be a bit of a headache