Can I bring my bike on a train?

Hi all,
I get the train in and back from Clonsilla to Maynooth every weekday. Due to the train being late it arrives around 9:40 and gets to Maynooth at ~10:00. The problem is that my lectures start at 10 so I have to walk quickly to my lecture from the station. Takes around 5-10 minutes. I was wondering can I take my bike on the train at this time? Part of this decision would be influenced by the fact my bike was stolen from Clonsilla two weeks ago and I had to replace it.
Any info appreciated

p.s Sorry if this is asked frequently.

the_syco

IIRC, bikes are not allowed on the commuter trains. Check it before you bring it, as even though it'll be easy in the morning, the security will probably stop you on the way home if it's a normal non-foldable bike.

munchkin_utd

from irish rail bike policy page

Bicycles on Commuter and DART Trains

Bicycles are allowed on Commuter and Dart services between 10:00 and 15:30 and after 19:00 Monday to Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday. Customers are asked to stay with their bicycles in the vestibules at all times and ensure they do not allow their bicycles to become a nuisance to other passengers. The provision of bicycles on Commuter and Dart services is at the discretion of station staff. Bicycles that are folded and covered can be carried on all Commuter and Dart services with no time restrictions.

If you are travelling with your bicycle please note the following.

• Customers should dismount from bicycles when they are in the stations on the platforms
• Customers should use accessibility ramps and lifts rather than stairs within stations
• Customers should stay with their bicycles onboard trains
• Unaccompanied children cannot bring bicycles onto trains
• No motorised bicycles are allowed on trains
• No bicycles with attached trailers are allowed on trains

http://www.irishrail.ie/your_journey/bicycle_information.asp

TRANSLATION:
No, for before 10am you CANNOT bring your bike
Maybe acquire (buy or borrow) a crock of a bike (that nevertheless is in some sort of working order) to deposit at your destination and cycle that to and from the station.

Cookie_Monster

Bicycles that are folded and covered

so you can tilt the handle bars flat with the frame and stick a bag over the seat and you'll be fine :pac::pac:

January

Get an earlier train ye lazy feck*r

TheChrisD

Sure if you're going from Clonsilla outbound at that hour of the morning there really shouldn't be much of a problem bringing it on anyway.

But also bear in mind bringing it back in the evening.

TheChrisD

TheChrisD wrote: »

Sure if you're going from Clonsilla outbound at that hour of the morning there really shouldn't be much of a problem bringing it on anyway.

But also bear in mind bringing it back in the evening.

But can I be fined for bringing it on before this time?
The train is usually dead when I'm coming home too.

L1011

One thing to also consider is having to hoik your bike over the canal bridge or cycle it up the actually quite aggressively inclined ramps at either end of the station to the roads...

TheChrisD

Deleted User wrote: »

But can I be fined for bringing it on before this time?
The train is usually dead when I'm coming home too.

I would be very surprised if you could, especially given how they note that it's at the discretion of the station staff (if there even are staff at that hour :rolleyes:).

I doubt that they would hold themselves strictly to those times, really they're just saying you can't have it on the train during peak times when it's most likely to be packed to bursting, so even if it was bang in the middle of the peak time, if you know the train is going to be dead and the person at the station does too, common sense should prevail and you should be grand.

But it may be best to ask the person at both ends at some point before trying.

TheChrisD

TheChrisD wrote: »

But it may be best to ask the person at both ends at some point before trying.

Yeah I'll do that this morning thanks for all your help.

Victor

Aren't some of those services busy with Maynooth students?

ongarboy

Do these rules exclude the fold up bikes you sometimes see? I have seen commuters use them during services before 10am in the morning.

Orion

Folding bikes are allowed at any time.

I know Maynooth staff are lenient on this - there's a guy brings his bike every day to Castleknock on the 7:15 one. You'd hope the Clonsilla staff would apply common sense too.

Orion

Just as a follow up - why not just cycle to Maynooth from Clonsilla. It's a nice cycle - about 40 mins iirc.

January

Macros42 wrote: »

Just as a follow up - why not just cycle to Maynooth from Clonsilla. It's a nice cycle - about 40 mins iirc.

If he done that he'd waste away, he's already a skinny malink who eats rings around himself as it is.

January

January wrote: »

If he done that he'd waste away, he's already a skinny malink who eats rings around himself as it is.

Enough of that you. They let me take it on the train this morning Staff said yeah go ahead. Maynooth were the same. Cycling to and from the train station is hard enough as it is. I'm going to wait to get a better bike before I attempt the full cycle really. Train was a bit packed on the way home with Justin Bieber fans. :rolleyes:

monument

Deleted User wrote: »

Enough of that you. They let me take it on the train this morning Staff said yeah go ahead. Maynooth were the same. Cycling to and from the train station is hard enough as it is. I'm going to wait to get a better bike before I attempt the full cycle really. Train was a bit packed on the way home with Justin Bieber fans. :rolleyes:

That's good to see.

The peak time rules seem to be enforced with discretion which is a good thing given you can often get a train half empty in those times depending on direction or the exact time.

It really should only be enforced when trains are jamers -- at peak times and outside peak times but at times of busy events.