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Top ten tips for taking your bike on the train

9/8/2013

19 Comments

 
Picture
Platform one of Gleneagles train station, the place to go for the famous luxurious hotel of the same name
1. Always book a bike space

Most long distance routes require a booking for a bicycle. You will risk not being allowed onto the train if you do not have a reservation. It is free to reserve a space and you can book bike spaces online at both the Scotrail and Eastcoast trains websites. A list of services that require a reservation are listed on the Scotrail website. You will receive a free ticket for your bicycle reservation. Make sure that you carry this as it will be your only proof of a reservation.

2. Look for the cycle symbol on the train doors

Trains stop for about one minute at most stations so there is not long to get onboard. When the train pulls up at the station keep your eye out for the blue cycle symbol- this will tell you which door(s) to use for the cycle storage area. Some trains will have more than one area, so if you get on and discover it is full you can always try another carriage. If a train is particularly full of bikes the train guard will often pro-actively direct you to the specific door where there is available space. If your departure station is where the train starts its journey you could always turn up early to figure out where the bike spaces are and this will be less stressful than trying to do it at the last minute.
Picture
My bicycle onboard a train from Perth to Edinburgh
3. Don’t be surprised at how little space there is

Trains in Scotland do not have a lot of space for hefty luggage like bicycles. Most trains can only carry four bicycles. The bicycle storage areas are small and it can be challenging to manoeuvre your bike into them. It takes a bit of practice, but you soon get used to it.

4. Use the restraining belts to secure your bike

Most types of train have straps where you can secure your bike. It pays to use these as your bike could tumble over when the train goes over a bumpy section of track or a tight curve. The class 156 trains that are used on the West Highland Line require you to hang your bicycle vertically from a hook, but most of the other types of train in Scotland have horizontal storage.

5. Talk to other cyclists using the train

If you are not travelling to the end of the line it is important to speak to the other cyclists using the storage area. This is so that your bike does not end up behind other bikes when you need to get off at your stop. There is nothing worse than trying to manhandle somebody else’s bike in order to get your bike out. This is made even worse on a busy train when you are surrounded by standing passengers all waiting to get off. It is far better to make sure that your bike is on the outside of the storage area at the beginning of the journey if you know that you will be first off the train. Talking to other cyclists might even bring about new ideas for future trips and even new friends.

6. Don’t leave it to the last minute when you are getting off the train

Start to get your bike ready at least 5 or 10 minutes before your train is due to arrive at the station you are getting off at. The train will only stop for about one minute, unless it is the terminating station, in which case you do not need to worry. This is particularly important if you have panniers and other belongings to take off the train. You may also need a few moments to manouever your bike so that it can easily be wheeled out of the doors.
Picture
Kildonan station in Sutherland on the Far North Line has a low platform- notice the distance between the door and the platform. This can be tricky with a bicycle
7. Beware of short platforms

A small number of stations have shorter platforms meaning that not all of the train doors will open. Your bike could be in the carriage of the train where the doors will not be opened! Don’t worry about this as the guard will advise you what to do when checking your ticket- you may need to move your bike to the next carriage or they might make a special exception and open another door for you. There are very few short platforms- Conon Bridge and Beauly on the Far North Line are examples.

8. Get used to old station infrastructure

You will need the strength to lift and carry your bike short distances at some of Scotland’s stations. Much of the infrastructure dates from the Victorian era and is therefore not always cycle-friendly. For example, some stations have iron footbridges that are steep and can be tough to carry a bike over. A small number of stations have very low platforms where there can be a big drop from the train to the platform- this can make it tricky to get a bike down from a train or up to a train.

9. Enjoy the old station infrastructure

Although old stations may sometimes present practical problems with a bicycle they provide an opportunity to enjoy some beautiful railway heritage. Some station buildings are incredibly pretty and none are identical, so each new cycling route often starts with a unique piece of architecture. 
Picture
Dunrobin Castle train station. This is the station for Dunrobin Castle in Sutherland. Arts and Crafts architecture
10. Sit back, enjoy the scenery, buy a coffee

Some of the points above might make it sound stressful using the train to carry your bike, but it is generally straightforward and you will soon get used to it. The real joy of putting your bike on the train is that you have leisure time until you arrive and the chances are that you will be travelling through stunning landscapes. When the catering trolley comes around you can treat yourself to a coffee and sit back and enjoy the view whilst dreaming about where you will be cycling when the train arrives.

More information: Taking your bike on the train guide
Picture
Enjoy magnificent scenery on the West Highland Line
19 Comments
Kat
4/5/2015 07:48:44 am

Thanks for the tips. I'm a newbie to taking a bicycle on the train and I'm going on a cycle trip to some of the Islands this summer (Leaving from Edinburgh and taking train to Oban). This blog has really helped make me feel a bit more confident about taking my bicylce on public transport. Thank you :-)

Reply
Colin
6/5/2015 06:17:22 am

hi Kat, thanks for the comment. i am glad that the blog has been helpful. enjoy your trip to Oban

Reply
Damo
23/11/2015 06:16:22 am

Great article and blog, keep it up.
I might even dig my bike out.....

Reply
Colin
24/11/2015 04:52:16 am

Thank you Damo. Glad you enjoyed the article and blog.

Reply
Gill
29/2/2016 11:27:10 am

Really clear and helpful article. Thank you. I would add one small but important thing. If you book a bike space and then end up not using it because your plans change, please cancel your booking so that other cyclists can use that precious space!! I have been on trains where I was unable to take the bike because all the spaces were booked but no one ended up using the spaces. It's very frustrating!!

Reply
Colin
1/3/2016 01:38:05 pm

Thanks Gill. Does that mean that you can book a bike space without having a ticket for the train? And if you can cancel a ticket does it not automatically cancel the bike reservation linked to the ticket?

Reply
Graham Ashton
20/4/2016 07:09:18 am

Hi. I am travelling from Corrour to Glasgow Queen Street in July. Because of line works my bike reservation only takes me to Dalmuir. Can I catch any train for the rest of the way with my bike ?

Reply
Colin
22/4/2016 02:06:54 pm

Hi Graham. Yes, that sounds right. You should be able to take any train from Dalmuir. A good way of checking this (something I discovered recently) is to use the nationalrail.co.uk website and plug in the details of your train journey. When it comes up with the train times there is a column titled "additional information" that has various symbols for catering, seating etc. There is also a bike symbol and if you hover the mouse over it information will appear to tell you if that particular train requires bike reservations, how many bike spaces there are on the train etc. It will no doubt show that the train from Corrour to Dalmuir requires a bike reservation, but the train from Dalmuir to Queen Street does not. I think these trains don't have a bike space as such, but you are allowed to stand with the bike in a door vestibule. I hope that helps.

Reply
Graham Ashton
23/4/2016 11:44:42 am

Thanks Colin, that's very reassuring

Reply
Jim Parker
25/3/2017 02:13:45 am

Cycling club members are saying, in case I can't get a bike reservation on a service, I should just remove the front wheel, turn the handlebars and wrap the bike in a couple of large bin bags (or a CTC bike bag) and carry onto the train.
Has anyone done this successfully?

Reply
Colin
27/3/2017 11:26:19 am

Hello Jim. That sounds like good advice. Anything that you can do to make the bike smaller and just treat it like luggage should help. I have never seen someone do this, but I cannot see why not.

Reply
Kawser Ahmed link
2/4/2017 11:46:35 pm

These tips very very nice indeed. The best bike to carry in a train is the folding bike. This info-graphic might help you to choose the right bike for travelling or your daily use.
http://www.apexbikes.com/types-of-bikes/
Best regards
Kawser Ahmed

Reply
Lille Ulven link
5/5/2017 02:32:29 pm

Hi Colin,
Thank you for this article. It helps me a lot in planning my bike transportation from Edinburgh to Oban (and back).
A few questions:
1) How much time would you calculate as a minimum to change trains in Glasgow?
2) As far as I understand it a bike reservation for Edinburgh-Glasgow is not mandatory. But is it possible to reserve that anyway?
Thanks for your help in advance and happy cycling.
Lille Ulven

Reply
Colin
6/5/2017 10:02:30 am

Hi Lille, thanks for your message
If you are using Glasgow Queen Street station it is a small station so will take only minutes to change trains. All the platforms are close together for Edinburgh and Oban trains. There is also a direct Edinburgh to Oban train at weekends in the summer months, so no changing in Glasgow. I don't know the dates and times of this train. But I have used it before and you can try looking for the timetable on the scotrail website. You can't make a reservation on the Edinburgh to Glasgow trains but I have never experienced a problem getting my bike on. The only exception is the train operated by Cross Country that travels Edinburgh to the Glasgow Central station as this is a long distance train from England and will need bike reservations but it is not a frequent service and if you go to Glasgow Central you will need about 10 minutes to cycle or walk through the city to get to Queen Street station for the Oban train. Hope this info helps all the best

Reply
Lille Ulven link
6/5/2017 10:11:25 am

Thank you so much, Colin. This helps me a lot.

Stephen
8/6/2017 05:11:17 am

Colin, your first point is the killer: if you are trying to book bikes from England to Scotland it will involve multiple trains - in my case 4 - and the booking process forced me to buy a £140 ticket before I could book a bike - and if one train is full, the whole trip is kaput. I'd advise cyclists to drive, forget the trains. Very expensive and hard work, and the train conductors treated us with disdain. The cycling was great, the trains were a deterrent . Hard to recommend another try. June 2017 Chorley to Inverness.

Reply
Colin
11/6/2017 11:07:50 am

Hi Stephen, sorry you had a bad experience with the trains. It is a problem because there are so few bike spaces on the trains. It is good that Scotrail have improved the online booking system so that you can check if there is a bike space first before you pay for a ticket, but sounds like it doesn't work when it involves multiple train companies

Reply
Isabella
28/3/2018 09:19:00 am

I am traveling from US to do RIde Across Britain, September ‘18. I’ll arrive Inverness 7days before and make my way to Lands End vía rail with my bike and gear ( just 1 bag 15kg) I’m purchasing a Brit Rail Flexi Pass to use on the multiple trains I’ll be catching each day.

My planned stops are Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Manchester, Cardiff, Penzance and Lizard Point.

I welcome any advise for this journey.

Regards, Isabella

Reply
Archie Westwood link
24/9/2019 10:22:12 am

Hi Colin - have just found your excellent website and blog regarding taking bikes on trains. I've only been into a couple of your monthly blogs, but what an amazing resource - packed with useful information and the photographs are great. I'm looking forward to reading through all of your monthly blogs. Many thanks for taking the time to do all this.

Reply



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    My name is Colin Baird and I want to see all of Scotland by bicycle. Follow my blog on Facebook:

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