Bicycles on Trains

dermot_sheehan

Does anyone know if its possible to take a normal (non-foldup) bicycle on intercity trains and if any special procedure or ticket has to be used? I've taken it on the enterprise before where it travels in a special compartment at the front of the train but was wondering if its the same for other intercity routes? The irishrail website doesnt seem to have clear information on this.

daymobrew

From Iarnrod Eireann FAQ:

Q. Can I bring my bicycle onto the train?
A. Bicycles can not be conveyed on DART or Commuter trains unless folded and suitably covered. On Intercity trains bicycles not folded and covered can be conveyed in the guards compartment or the special cycle racks where provided. A valid ticket for the bicycle must be obtained before travelling.

Please check at your local station before travelling.

I have read reports here of people bringing non-folding bikes on commuter and DART trains at off-peak times.

MarkoP11

Folding bikes are considered luggage and go free on all trains, its not terribly clear in the IE info

Same applies on Luas

ODS

A few years ago on tv (UK) this came up, afaik the rule is that if it is "hand-luggage", that is to say incased in cardboard, then it goes free of charge... there was quite a funny scene of them getting away with a surfboard wrapped in brown paper

DadaKopf

It's so uncivilised. In Berlin, you can bring any bike you like on the S-Bahn, even the U-Bahn if you can carry it. Most national trains are OK with bikes, too.

We live in the stone-age.

talkingclock

DadaKopf wrote:

It's so uncivilised. In Berlin, you can bring any bike you like on the S-Bahn, even the U-Bahn if you can carry it. Most national trains are OK with bikes, too.

We live in the stone-age.

You even can buy from BVG a monthly bicycle ticket for just 8 euros and with that very ticket you can take your bike with you in the undergrounds, trams, suburban trains, trams etc as many times as you want! Even in the night busses you can take your normal bike!

daymobrew

The trains on the San Francisco/San Jose line (Caltrain) have special sections on their trains to carry 16 or 32 bikes. It was introduced when I lived there (96-01) and it was immediately popular, often oversubscribed which would leave cyclists on the platform.
On the buses in the San Francisco/South Bay area there is a special rack on the front of buses for your bike. I never used this but saw it in use. I know it raises the question of security, but for some reason, that wasn't an issue in SF/SB.

JazzyJ

daymobrew wrote:

The trains on the San Francisco/San Jose line (Caltrain) have special sections on their trains to carry 16 or 32 bikes. It was introduced when I lived there (96-01) and it was immediately popular, often oversubscribed which would leave cyclists on the platform.
On the buses in the San Francisco/South Bay area there is a special rack on the front of buses for your bike. I never used this but saw it in use. I know it raises the question of security, but for some reason, that wasn't an issue in SF/SB.

Same with the BART there - bikes are allowed on except for a few trains at rush-hour.

DadaKopf wrote:

We live in the stone-age.

So true.

Chris_533976

If the service isnt too crowded and theres room for a bike, then it should be ok to bring a bike. If theres not room, people are more important than the bike.

spacetweek

DadaKopf wrote:

It's so uncivilised. In Berlin, you can bring any bike you like on the S-Bahn, even the U-Bahn if you can carry it. Most national trains are OK with bikes, too.

We live in the stone-age.

This is rubbish - it's the other way around. Unless they have a bike rack in the train (which I've only seen in Copenhagen), then your bike is going to be in everyone's way. It's perfectly reasonable not to allow them.

talkingclock

spacetweek wrote:

This is rubbish - it's the other way around. Unless they have a bike rack in the train (which I've only seen in Copenhagen), then your bike is going to be in everyone's way. It's perfectly reasonable not to allow them.

EVERY fecking single underground train has it's own space for bicycles - dedicated bicycle aereas with flip-up seats. If there is no bike then you flip down your seat.

that's how it works in modern times

monument

As I've said before here, buses in LA also have front mounted bike racks, and the rail section of the Metro allows bikes on at off peak time.

daymobrew

Chris_533976 wrote:

If the service isnt too crowded and theres room for a bike, then it should be ok to bring a bike. If theres not room, people are more important than the bike.

People here cannot be trusted to make honest decisions like that, hence blanket bans.

Stark

Aye. As far as I know, many of the train and bus staff in Dublin are okay wtih you bringing on a bicycle as long as the train/bus is quiet. But it's really one of those things best left as an unwritten rule. It's bad enough having to put up with buggies!

Victor

Aparently the new rail cars will only have 1 bicycle space per three-car unit (2 per 6-car unit).

westtip

Stark wrote:

Aye. As far as I know, many of the train and bus staff in Dublin are okay wtih you bringing on a bicycle as long as the train/bus is quiet. But it's really one of those things best left as an unwritten rule. It's bad enough having to put up with buggies!

You obviously don't have kids mate and you clearly cannot remember back to the days when you were shoved in a buggy by your mother. Remember no kids in buggies means no one to go out and earn a living in thirty years time to pay the taxes to pay for your pension .....and your bus pass.

SectionF

South-Western trains in England have space for three bikes at the rear of many carriages.
I'd like to know for definite whether the DART officially allows folding bikes. I've seen one, once, but the staff at my station aren't the friendliest and I can't imagine them letting me use one if there's any doubt. Does anyone know if Irish Rail have a stated policy?

MarkoP11

Yes you can bring a folded bike on any Irish Rail service at no extra cost its section B 38.1.2 in the T&C's

The only issue is the rule book says it should be covered in some way

Staff have no right to vary the rules, so if they refuse take names and cause a fuss

SectionF

Great news -- thanks!