Bikes on European Trains

[mspath]

This is a handy updated guide to the rules per country and service for taking Bikes on Trains in Europe

Britain, France, and Spain plus many other countries are cited

 

[SabsP]

This is a handy updated guide to the rules per country and service for taking Bikes on Trains in Europe

Britain, France, Spain and Portugal plus many other countries are cited

Great link!
Word of advice for those who want to take their bike on the train here in Belgium. Try to avoid peak hours when boarding a train ( 6.30 till 9 in the morning and 4.30 till 6.30 evening ). It will be too crowded seeing many regular commuters will take up space with their folding bikes.
In most of the intercity and interegion trains there are designated carriages where you can sit next to your bike to keep an eye on it.
If visiting a town I would advice though to park your bike at your accomodation or in a guarded parkinglot seeing the area around the trainstation is notorious for getting your bike stolen.

Belgium has great routes for cycling ( the Netherlands are champion of course when it comes to decent roads for cycling ! ) to Santiago. Especially the Via Monastica and before you know it you will have reached the border with France...
There is also a list of people ( Flemish Confraternity of St James ) who will accomodate " Pilgrims on the bike ".

 

[mspath]

Even now I love bikes; summer 1959 I biked using 3 speeds from London to Rome in four months. What a trip!

 

[Peregrinopaul]

Even now I love bikes; summer 1959 I biked using 3 speeds from London to Rome in four months. What a trip!

This might be an impertinent question, @mspath, but how old were you when you cycled London to Rome? Were you in company?

 

[mspath]

This might be an impertinent question, @mspath, but how old were you when you cycled London to Rome? Were you in company?

I was 20. It was my first trip to europe. Went with AYH, American Youth Hostels, for 2 months then with I other girl. Stayed in youth hostels.

Wore no helmet, simple clothes and used canvas paniers but after walking up the Alps the 80 k descent into Nice was great.

Most importantly I learned not only how to patch tyres but the importance of tenacity and the simple pleasure of following a dream to make it come true.
...Even then it was Ultreia.

 

[Peregrinopaul]

…but after walking up the Alps…

I was going to ask about the Alps with 3 gears!

 

[Peregrinopaul]

I hitch-hiked London to Rome in 1963. (Should you be curious, I was 18). The European youth hostels were wonderful in those days.

 

[Peregrinopaul]

But back to the topic of your actual thread. It all sounds easy and convenient, but you need to be aware that there are only a few places for assembled bikes on French trains, and if they’re taken you have to wait for the next one.

 

[VNwalking]

Even now I love bikes; summer 1959 I biked using 3 speeds from London to Rome in four months. What a trip

I was 20. It was my first trip to europe. Went with AYH, American Youth Hostels, for 2 months then with I other girl. Stayed in youth hostels.

Wore no helmet, simple clothes and used canvas paniers but after walking up the Alps the 80 k descent into Nice was great.

Most importantly I learned not only how to patch tyres but the importance of tenacity and the simple pleasure of following a dream to make it come true.
...Even then it was Ultreia.

I'm unlikely to need your very useful link, and know this is not the point of the thread, but just to say... @mspath, you are an inspiration.
The image of someone pushing a 3-speed up those switchbacks? Oh, my.
Indeed - Ultreia in all things!

 

[lt56ny]

Even now I love bikes; summer 1959 I biked using 3 speeds from London to Rome in four months. What a trip!

I had a Robin Hood three speed.

 

[Crosscheck]

I had a Robin Hood three speed.

The Robinhood was a nice bike. I had an old Hercules but I sold it a few years ago because I needed the room. These old British bikes with Brooks saddles are so heavy but roll so smooth. I still use Brooks saddles on some of my bikes

 

[lt56ny]

The Robinhood was a nice bike. I had an old Hercules but I sold it a few years ago because I needed the room. These old British bikes with Brooks saddles are so heavy but roll so smooth. I still use Brooks saddles on some of my bikes

Are the bikes you are talking about similiar to this one?
In New York City we called them truck bikes. Very heavy. They were some people who rode them but it was mostly guys who were delivering groceries or other things to people's houses.

 

[Crosscheck]

Are the bikes you are talking about similiar to this one?
In New York City we called them truck bikes. Very heavy. They were some people who rode them but it was mostly guys who were delivering groceries or other things to people's houses.

Here is a link to the Robin Hood three speed. Other brands were Raleigh, Hercules, Triumph, and many others.

Robin Hood, an English 3-Speed - bike

 

[lt56ny]

Here is a link to the Robin Hood three speed. Other brands were Raleigh, Hercules, Triumph, and many others.

Robin Hood, an English 3-Speed - bike

Will definitely check it out for a trip down memory lane.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I was 20. It was my first trip to europe. Went with AYH, American Youth Hostels, for 2 months then with I other girl. Stayed in youth hostels.

Wore no helmet, simple clothes and used canvas paniers but after walking up the Alps the 80 k descent into Nice was great.

Most importantly I learned not only how to patch tyres but the importance of tenacity and the simple pleasure of following a dream to make it come true.
...Even then it was Ultreia.

I don't know how I missed this thread months ago, but I love your story; thanks for sharing it!

 

[Jeff Crawley]

My first nice bike was a Triumph, which my father bought for me in 1966-67. All of the other bikes were single speed Murray and Schwinn bikes with coaster brakes, so we called them "English Racers." In comparison to the others, our "racers" were rather light. That bike took me all over Connecticut at a period when parents didn't take their children around, and it cemented my love of riding. Today, I still ride, but on a custom road bike. (I'm 55 years old.) When I'm 65, I want to have a "retirement bike" manufactured for me that looks more like the old Triumph.

You might enjoy browsing this site Three Speed Tour - the essentials being a Thermos flask of tea and a nice piece of fruit cake.

I understand that some riders wear Plus 4s (or the less baggy Plus 2s) but then Minnesota . . .