trains, london to manchester with bike…. and where to go from there…

want to spend a few days visiting a friend in manc. it’s been ages since i travelled in the uk by train.

which service is the best, i.e. cheapest and allow bikes (preferably FOC).

travelling outside of peak times isn’t a problem.

secondly, is there any decent riding accessible with train within reasonable travelling time from manc? are there any trail centres accessible with train? never ridden at a trail centre and it’d probably be good for my mate.

cheers

Try this

UK bike rail page

APF

Can’t help with getting there but access to the Peak is easy enough on National Rail

Picadilly to Hope is about 45 min and a tenner return

OR

Picadilly to Marple is about 20 mins and a fiver return

Seconded above- train from piccadilly to Marple is 25mins from platform 1. From Marple you can access lots of places in the Peaks.

Train to New Mills is 30mins and you can easily go along the Sett Valley Trail from New Mills (few kms) and do lots of different Hayfield rides.

I don’t think there is any Trail Centre that is accessible via train from Manchester. Well not very easily anyway.

cheers guys….

just remembered that i can’t get across town (he big one, london) with the tube so will have to ride from liverpool st.

virgin trains leave from euston. is this the case for other trains…?

i’m not used to this dismembered rail system. in germany there is onlyone train operator (not entirely true. there are small operators but they work the silly, pissy little lines, but are still integrated into the main system).

You’re allowed to take your bike on certain tube lines as long as it’s off-peak. More details at TFL, but you can get your bike + kit on the circle line and just tube round to Euston Square.

Linky: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/11701.aspx

they only talk on folding bikes. i’ve not got a folding bike.

liv’pl st to euston would only take 20mins or so, but i’m carting luggage as well.

thanks for input.

alpin my mail is in profile if you want to ride Rivvy [big mast you can see from Manc 15-20 miles away] you can get the train to horwich/Adlington/chorley and ride from there probably under a tenner and I will give you a guided tour if you want date dependent. Last two places better for me. mini downhill track at Chorley but nowt special
No trail centre tbh that are near stations that I am aware off.

Not just folding bikes – click on the map in the link 😉

Tube

You can take a folded bike anywhere and anytime.
Click map for full PDF of where you can travel with your non-folding bike

cheers boys… may get in touch JY..

thanks.