Bikes on cars in tunnels (or Le Tunnel specifically)

Now then

I want to go to the alps this summer. I have a car with roof rack and the Thule roof bars. Can I still go on Le Tunnel with this?

yes, but you have to tell them when you book as they’ll put you in a different style of carriage (the one with the motorhomes in it).

Could you squeeze them in the car at the Tunnel, and then refit to roof the otherside?
Have done this as it’s cheaper 😉

Cheers gents – much appreciated. Good thinking Loco, however my car has bugger all room in it (3 series) and whilst they ticked the box with ‘heated seats’ they didn’t tick the box with ‘folding seats’. Obviously the soap salesman that spec’d it from new wasn’t a cyclist!

No need to put them in the car, no difference in price for taking bikes on the roof, just let them know when you book online.

yes, look. 🙂

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DSC_0004 (Medium)[/url] by theflatboy[/url], on Flickr

I don’t recall being charged extra when we went in 2011.

Just make sure you don’t drive under any of the height barriers around the terminals.

Cool – those carriages are much taller than the one I was in at the weekend. Looks like Alps 2013 is a goer…

Remember to let the air out of the tyres before the trip. 😉

Rachel

In the on-line booking screen you are asked to identify type of vehicle from a drop-down list.
That list includes “car with bikes” or something to that effect.
I don’t think it’s any more expensive, just allows them to manage space on any “high vehicle” carriages I guess.

Jason, what bars, rack and box combo have you got there?

I bought a 750mm wide box last year with Whipbar through bars and am wanting to fit two bike carriers like you’ve got there. I reckon I’ve got 450mm to play with with the box right to one side.

Cheers,
Jamie

There are 2 types of carriage on the Chunnel- the car one which you can just squeeze a LR disco with the air suspension lowered onto, and the high vehicles one which they will put you on if you have bikes on the roof. There is no extra charge for high vehicles that I know of.

Why should you let the air out of your tyres, AllTheGear?

jamiea, they are Thule aero roof bar, Giro bike carriers and a Thule roofbox (sorry can’t remember the model, but looks similar to yours).

From memory I think I had the outer clamps on the box outside the roofbar fixings, which gave a bit more space for the bikes on the other side. It looks like your bars are a bit narrower, and you have to fix the box inside the roof mounts. I had three bikes on mine, so you may be okay with two. The box would’t open when the bikes where fitted.

Higher height deck = single deck (>1.85m I think)
Lower height deck = double deck (<1.85m)