Bikes on Trains

Hi all,

Im new on here, so be nice!

I want to start riding my bike to work again, after stopping earlier in the year after the stress I had to go through on the National Express East Anglia service in the evening.

So, im thinking of biting the bullet and starting it up again to get fit.  However im trying to find the best way to avoid stress, and that would be to avoid the NEEA service.  Does anyone know if the C2C service has spaces for bikes on it?

Mine isnt a fold up, so it takes a bit more space, and I dont want a fold up so please dont suggest that ;-)

 

Replies

Hi Pimpmyride (what kinda of username is that?!)

You could do a lot worse than look at this website for ideas on how to get your bike on a train.

http://www.greentraveller.co.uk/blog/taking-your-bike-railway-cycle-policies-uk-trains

Happy cycling!

 

 

Great thank you.  Its actually information I had already found on the C2C website.  however things are not always as they seem (or have been stated), so I was keen to see if anyone else uses their service and if they knew what the bike situation was with C2C.

As I say, I know its a nightmare on National Express East Anglia, so im keen to find a less stressful journey.

It depends on the route. More modern trains have 4 coaches. One is the silent coach, no electronics etc., 2 are normal coaches, and one is the toilet, invalid, cycle carriage. This has enough space for at least 2 bikes if not used by wheelchairs or pushchairs. You have to check though what time of day you're allowed to carry your bike on any train though.

  • By BromyG at 10:37am 07 Nov 2011

Hi Pimpmyride, Just found your message.

I regularly travel on c2c (with my Brompton) and would confirm that the trains do have cycle spaces, BUT, you cannot take non-folding bikes on any train during the morning or evening peak period.  I believe the first train out of Fenchurch Street in the evening that allows non-folding bikes is the 18.45 and this is strictly controlled at the ticket barriers.

The limited cycle space on the train is next to the disabled toilet and is nearly always full (even with full size folders during peak times), though with the 12 coach trains there will be spaces in each of the three four carriage units.

The ideal choice for train commuting would be a folding bike, but if this is not an option and you're able to travel outside of the peak periods, go for it!

Oddly the enforcement seems extremely variable with South West Trains out of Waterloo, which has broadly similar written policies - there's almost always at least one non-folding bike on evening rush-hour trains (not mine!)

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