How do i bring a bike onto a train?

BlackandGreen

Okay so I've booked my ticket and selected to put a bike on the train.
My local station is unmanned and usually the train only stops for a minute or so.



Where do I bring the bike? Can I store it in any carriage?

mikemac2

There will be two bike spaces at the back of one of the carraiges

I dont remember which carriage this is but there should be bicycle stickers on the door to help you identify

When stopped the ticket checker should step onto the platform. Well that if there is someone like this, there isn’t always. He will point it out

BlackandGreen

mikemac2 wrote: »

There will be two bike spaces at the back of one of the carraiges

I dont remember which carriage this is but there should be bicycle stickers on the door to help you identify

When stopped the ticket checker should step onto the platform. Well that if there is someone like this, there isn’t always. He will point it out

This is what I'm worried about tbh. Usually there's no ticket inspector, they (the machine) just checks the ticket when I get to heuston. And often the cars are labelled all wrong or mixed up. I'll keep an eye out for the sticker though. Wasnt aware of that thanks.

Pain in the hole tbh. Might just wait where the driver stops and ask them.

Corca Baiscinn

BlackandGreen wrote: »

Okay so I've booked my ticket and selected to put a bike on the train.
My local station is unmanned and usually the train only stops for a minute or so.


Where do I bring the bike? Can I store it in any carriage?

Like Mikemac2 said there are only 2 designated bike spaces in one of the carriages (unless you 're taking the Cork or Belfast train). On the train I get most often it's Carriage A, but you could try asking Irish Rail on twitter which one it is for your route. As far as I remember it's the same carriage that has the wheelchair space.

Is your station near the start of the route or half-way to the final destination? It's not unknown to have a booking but still find the spaces occupied by someone who didn't book a bike or booked and then took a different train, so good luck! Have to do the same thing myself soon, taking 2 trains!

Ray Bloody Purchase

It's very hit or miss if you'll get the space for your bike. It is very likely that the racks will be full. Either full with bikes or full with baggage.

Don't expect Irish Rail staff to be any help either. There'll probably be no one on the train to assist.

hasdanta

You could stand at the end of the platform where the top of the train stops. The driver usually peeks out the window before taking off and I'm sure he'd tell you which carriage to go to

Corca Baiscinn

Ray Bloody Purchase wrote: »

It's very hit or miss if you'll get the space for your bike. It is very likely that the racks will be full. Either full with bikes or full with baggage.

Don't expect Irish Rail staff to be any help either. There'll probably be no one on the train to assist.

The luggage thing drives me nuts as it's so easy to fix! Irish Rail does NOTHING at booking stage to tell intending passengers that Carriage X has NO LUGGAGE RACK. Most trains seem to have 4 or 8 carriages so people with suitcases or big rucksacks have a choice of the other 3 or 8 but if they have booked a seat in carriage X unknowingly, naturally they'll put their luggage near where they are sitting.

Then a big printed notice could be put at the bike storage "This space is reserved for bicycles!" How hard would that be?

ED E

Turn up without a bike booking: Sometimes refused boarding

Turn up with one: find the rack full with unbooked bikes.


IR + Bikes is unfortunately a recipe for a bad time.

L1011

The door for the bike areas and the wheelchair areas are meant to be blue with the other doors green now - but I don't think that's universally applied.

Jamie2k9

Bike picture on doors.

Which service are you traveling on and it might be easier to tell. The driver will wait once he sees you on platform.

whisky_galore

ED E wrote: »

Turn up without a bike booking: Sometimes refused boarding

Turn up with one: find the rack full with unbooked bikes.


IR + Bikes is unfortunately a recipe for a bad time.

Because this is Ireland and not Germany

whisky_galore

Corca Baiscinn wrote: »

Then a big printed notice could be put at the bike storage "This space is reserved for bicycles!" How hard would that be?

People will just ignore a sign and put bags there anyway.

BlackandGreen

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Bike picture on doors.

Which service are you traveling on and it might be easier to tell. The driver will wait once he sees you on platform.

Waterford line. Then changing to galway bound in dublin.

whisky_galore wrote: »

People will just ignore a sign and put bags there anyway.

That much I don't mind. I'll move their bags no problem.
I just don't want to get on the wrong carriage and be stuck with a big bike and nowhere to put it.

DoctorPan

L1011 wrote: »

The door for the bike areas and the wheelchair areas are meant to be blue with the other doors green now - but I don't think that's universally applied.

New livery that's being pushed out as the sets get refurbished. 2 proper sets refurbished complete with USB power ports.

Emme

BlackandGreen wrote: »

Waterford line. Then changing to galway bound in dublin.

The Waterford trains to Dublin are so packed in the mornings and evenings there is no room for bikes. I hate when people with bikes get on the train in Heuston 5 or 10 minutes before departure and people have to move to let them into the bike spaces. Likewise at Athy, Kildare, Newbridge and other stations on the way up. The Waterford line should ban bikes until they can properly accommodate both passengers and bikes. As for luggage in bike spaces it is there because there is no room anywhere else. You can't put it in aisles because it gets in the way of the teatrolley which should also be abolished on the Waterford line.

schemingbohemia

Emme wrote: »

The Waterford trains to Dublin are so packed in the mornings and evenings there is no room for bikes. I hate when people with bikes get on the train in Heuston 5 or 10 minutes before departure and people have to move to let them into the bike spaces. Likewise at Athy, Kildare, Newbridge and other stations on the way up. The Waterford line should ban bikes until they can properly accommodate both passengers and bikes. As for luggage in bike spaces it is there because there is no room anywhere else. You can't put it in aisles because it gets in the way of the teatrolley which should also be abolished on the Waterford line.

There are specific spaces for bikes on that train, why should they be banned, no one can sit in those spaces.
Next you'll be trying to ban wheelchair users.

Emme

schemingbohemia wrote: »

There are specific spaces for bikes on that train, why should they be banned, no one can sit in those spaces.
Next you'll be trying to ban wheelchair users.

Wheelchair users have no choice and trains currently don't serve them well enough.

There isn't enough room at the moment on the Waterford line for bikes on account of passenger demand and it doesn't look like improving any time soon.

BlackandGreen

I'll just aim for the off peak trains. Around midday can't be too busy as the mornings and evening trains.



Whats the Dublin - Galway train like? I'll be grand if I show up early I suspect.

Corca Baiscinn

Emme wrote: »

The Waterford trains to Dublin are so packed in the mornings and evenings there is no room for bikes. I hate when people with bikes get on the train in Heuston 5 or 10 minutes before departure and people have to move to let them into the bike spaces. Likewise at Athy, Kildare, Newbridge and other stations on the way up. The Waterford line should ban bikes until they can properly accommodate both passengers and bikes. As for luggage in bike spaces it is there because there is no room anywhere else. You can't put it in aisles because it gets in the way of the teatrolley which should also be abolished on the Waterford line.

I can understand your point re if train is so crowded that people are standing in the Bike carriage that it's hard to find space to manoeuvre but I don't understand yr point re luggage. There is only 1 bike carriage. Every train has a minimum of 4 carriages so at least 3 have luggage racks. Majority of passengers have bags that fit on the overhead racks so all that has to happen is for Irish Rail to make clear 'if u have big luggage DON'T SIT IN CARRIAGE A! As I typ e this I am sitting on a train in a bike carriage with my bike and there is hardly any luggage because the carriage is full of young wans who were on a day trip.