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E-Bike on a train from Santiago de Compostela to Porto

E

Eben Jacobs

Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2019 will be my first
Has anyone traveled from Santiago de Compostela to Porto by train with an E-Bike? I know it is 2 x trains to take, but want to know if I can take the E-Bike that is not boxed with me even if there is a cost.

Any advice on this topic will be much appreciated.
 
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I haven't done this, but for sure, you can take regular bikes on most Spanish and Portuguese trains. I don't know if the E bike changes anything. Here's a website with a little more information:

Taking a bicycle on a train in Europe. A comprehensive guide.

Discover the ultimate guide to taking your bicycle on trains in Europe. Explore the freedom of combining cycling with train travel.
wobblyride.com
 
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Thank you for the link. Unfortunately I have no knowledge of the type of train that runs between Santiago and Porto. So I am still a bit unsure and confused.
 
If you go to the Portuguese Rail site you get this

Internacional
Train number 420		Vigo-Guixar08:582h22
Valenca08:36
Viana do Castelo09:17
Nine09:51
Porto - Campanha10:20
Click to expand...

Then in the FAQ's on bikes on International Trains


You might also want to check the bus routes.
 
Get a Spanish mobil number + data while on the Camino
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
I’ve taken one from Vigo to Porto. It’s an old slow commuter train and bike must go into a small compartment at the end of the train car. Depending on how many other bike there are this is either a simple or a frustrating task. But the Portugues rail employees will guide you in their usual friendly and helpful ways.

From Santiago to Vigo I took one as well. There is a much more useable place in the center of the train where bike can be secured.
 
I thank you so much for this confirmation. It really gives me peace of mind.
 
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Everything you need to know about the sports equipment that you can take on the bus: skis, surfboards and snowboards, and bicycles, among other elements.
www.alsa.com

Just to say that from last week, January 10th, electric bikes/scooters are no longer allowed on ALSA *buses*, the major bus company on the route. Exploding/igniting battery worries. Flixbus/Monbus also jointly operate the route, change of bus at Vigo, will see if they have similar prohibition.
 

Condiciones generales de transporte de FlixBus

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www.flixbus.es

Flixbus (Spain) prohibit carriage of 'electric scooters or similar articles'. See at 14.7.2.1 Monbus site doesn't mention electric bikes or scooters. More and more bus companies are probiting them on board.
 

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I've taken pushbikes on trains in Portugal and Spain and an ebike in Spain, not in Portugal.

My experience is this: unless you use the slow Media Distancia (MD) trains in Spain you'll need a bike bag (Decathlon, 60 euro). The bike needs a ticket and the train conductor gets the final say on whether it goes on board or not.

Go early to the station and be ready for intense discussion with ticket and train staff, who see themselves as civil servants but are usually kindly, but not always.

Portugal is far more relaxed, they often have a carriage at the back where you can put the bike.

As for the ebike, just pop the battery in your rucksack and with the bike in the bag no-one will ever know . And if it explodes en route you can always toss it out the window.

Good luck
 
I am not an expert but I was told by a bike rental shop in Porto that both buses and trains have limits for number of bikes - and not alot. Some as low as 2 bikes and as high as 5 bikes - which is still not a lot. The bikes have to either be in a bike bag, box, or wrapped in plastic (saran wrap works). So are you willing to get to the train station, have a ticket for yourself, but then they tell you that they will not take your bike? Now what would you do? The company that I was renting from charged 70 euros to leave the bike in Santiago and they would look after getting it back to Porto, which seemed a bit high but was worth the peace of mind. As a suggestion, why not contact Ivar who runs this site? His business has expanded to include the shipping of bikes. See what he would charge - and let us all know. Good luck.
 
You can mail bikes with Correos for €48 but they don't take the batteries. Specialists like SEUR/DPD will do it but at a higher charge (ho ho.)
 
Camino Preparation Guide
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Please, do not use motorcycles on the Caminos. Sensu stricto, an E-bike is a low HP motorcycle. Anybody doing the Camino on cars and/or motorcycles, should stay away from the trails and albergues and should not receive a Compostela
 
MiguelMorales said:
Please, do not use motorcycles on the Caminos. Sensu stricto, an E-bike is a low HP motorcycle. Anybody doing the Camino on cars and/or motorcycles, should stay away from the trails and albergues and should not receive a Compostela
Click to expand...

Context: The phrase 'E-bike' tends to refer to peddle-assisted system (PAS) and are restricted to 25km/h in the Europe. Other electric bikes which have hand throttles and don't need peddled meet the definition of motorcycles and should be ridden on roads with insurance and helmets.

Some reading if you have insomnia


Regrettably some people will ignore the law and ride them where they shouldn't. Other vehicles such as e-scooters, off-road bikes, 4*4's are also driven where they shouldn't be. It's not just pilgrim routes.
 
MiguelMorales said:
Please, do not use motorcycles on the Caminos. Sensu stricto, an E-bike is a low HP motorcycle. Anybody doing the Camino on cars and/or motorcycles, should stay away from the trails and albergues and should not receive a Compostela
Click to expand...


I use an ebike on the Camino and take it on trains and I prefer to use the rustic trails and not the highway.

I don't see why this should be a problem for anyone. The Camino trail is a public route and open to anyone. Many Spanish cyclists use it, and since it's their country, who can tell them not to? The Camino is for all
 
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MiguelMorales said:
Please, do not use motorcycles on the Caminos. Sensu stricto, an E-bike is a low HP motorcycle. Anybody doing the Camino on cars and/or motorcycles, should stay away from the trails and albergues and should not receive a Compostela
Click to expand...
Posting the same comment on two different threads does not make it true. You are wrong. Both the law and the Pilgrims office say so.
Barbara said:
Oh for heavens sake. How many times does it need to be explained? If you have to pedal, it's assistance. Not a motorcycle. Legitimate on tracks and qualifies for a Compostela.
Click to expand...
It is not up to you or I to decide how somebody should do their pilgrimage. Let alone where they can stay, or whether or not they should get a Compostela.
 
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