A cyclist has revealed their frustration in trying to book their bicycle onto a Eurostar train, with a consumer affairs journalist at the Guardian who took up their complaint describing the current process, which requires passengers to book their train tickets and carriage of their bike separately, as “farcical.”
Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the cross-channel train operator permitted a small number of full-sized bicycles, as well as bikes that had been disassembled and placed in boxes or bags, to be carried on its services.
But the onset of the pandemic in early 2020 led to Eurostar suspending its oversize luggage policy, meaning that the only bicycles allowed on its services were folding ones, provided they are stowed in a bag.
Earlier this year, the oversize luggage policy was reinstated, and Eurostar confirmed to Cycling UK that from 1 June 2023 it would carry fully assembled and boxed or bagged bikes on certain services from London to Brussels.
Where permitted, and subject to availability of space, sports equipment including bikes can now be taken on those services for a charge of £45 if booked more than 48 hours before departure, or £60 if booked later than that.
Boxed bikes are also permitted on some trains on the London to Paris route, although the national cyclists’ charity points out that “restrictions following Brexit have added to the complications for the international train service which have prevented the carriage of non-boxed bikes to Paris.”
In a comprehensive article on its website outlining the history of cycle carriage on Eurostar and the current situation, as well as alternative options (beyond flying, or taking a motor vehicle) for people wanting to cross the Channel with their bikes, Cycling UK said that following a meeting with the train operator in May this year, it “has good reason to believe Eurostar is doing all it can to return to its pre-pandemic level of service which allowed for the carriage of assembled bikes to all main termini.”
Cycling UK added, however, that “It does not see the current level of service as adequate as a long-term solution for cycle tourists,” as well as pointing out that “Contrary to the pre-coronavirus service, customers must now travel on the same services as their bike, and they must collect it on arrival directly on the platform.
“If there is no space on your chosen train for your bike, it is possible that it can travel on an earlier train and be available for collection on your arrival.”
But the experience of one London cyclist who wrote to the Guardian to tell of their problems in trying to ensure that they could travel with their bike by Eurostar suggests that the process is far from straightforward.
The would-be traveller said that since learning at the start of the year that bicycles would once again be permitted on services to Brussels, they had been trying to make a booking for their summer holiday.
“It’s not possible online, and, when I’ve emailed and called, promised responses never came,” the cyclist continued.
They added: “There has been a huge increase in bike touring which, combined with train travel, means a low-carbon holiday. So why has Eurostar made it impossible to access the service?”
In response, the newspaper’s consumer affairs journalist Anna Tims wrote in her Your Problems column that the rail operator’s website “tells passengers who wish to book non-folding bikes on board unspecified ‘selected trains’, to send an email and, ironically, to do so early to avoid disappointment. You’ve been trying for more than four months.”
(In its article about Eurostar’s policy on its website, Cycling UK does list the various services on which bicycles are permitted).
“My initial enquiries made no headway,” Tims continued. “Eurostar told me that it did not yet have an online system for checking availability and witlessly referred me back to the website.”
Eurostar told her that “We remain fully committed to providing an efficient and accessible service for customers who wish to bring bikes on board and will continue to look at how we can do better.”
Tims went back to Eurostar, and eventually managed to secure confirmation of the London to Brussels services on which bicycles are permitted, but she added that there was “a catch” – namely, that “You can’t request the bike booking until you’ve bought your non-refundable train tickets, and responses to emails take between seven to 10 days.
“If you’re lucky, you get permission to pay £45 to check your bike in; if you’re not, you’ve got a ticket that’s no use for a cycling holiday.
“This is farcical,” she said. “It appears that Eurostar knows it, but is in no hurry to reform.”
Noting that the cyclist who had contacted her had now succeeded in making a reservation for their bikes, she added that Eurostar had told her that “We are working hard to decrease the turnaround time for bike requests, and we are also looking at improving how we display information online.
“This also means an online booking tool to simplify reserving bikes and luggage,” Eurostar added. “We are looking at launching this in the near future.”
Cycling UK’s article also addresses planned changes to Eurostar’s booking system which it hopes will make the process easier.
“Eurostar has confirmed that it is also looking to develop an online booking tool for bike carriage and will make all efforts to consult the cycling community, including Cycling UK, over this,” the charity said. “Due to the planned launch of the new Eurostar website in October 2023, the development of this functionality will not come until next year.
“Cycling UK hopes the new system will streamline the whole process, making reserving space for your bike as simple as booking your ticket, but does not expect it to be introduced imminently,” it added.
Previously, in 2015, Cycling UK, then known as CTC and working alongside the European Cyclists’ Federation as well as groups representing cyclists in several continental countries, succeeded in getting Eurostar to scrap a planned change to its luggage policy that would have prevented full-sized bicycles from being carried on its trains unless they had been disassembled and boxed up.
> Eurostar backs down: campaign forces company to scrap bike box rule
CTC’s chief executive at the time, Paul Tuohy, said: “It’s fantastic news that the views of so many of our members and other cyclists across Europe have been listened to. This proves how a successful, well-run campaign can be a massive force for good and make things happen.
“We at CTC would like to thank everyone who supported our online action, as well as other cycling bodies across Europe, the APPCG [All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group, now the All Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling and Walking], and the Mayors of London and Paris.”
11 thoughts on “Eurostar bike booking process branded “farcical””
They do not give a fig. The
They do not give a fig. The service is oversubscribed and since Brexit they bc are unable to adequately process people through customs. As a consequence they don’t want any cyclists. It is deliberate obfuscation. Bastards should try harder.
Eurostar is such a
Eurostar is such a disappointment.
Apart from its ongoing antipathy to bicycles, the range of destinations served both within and outwith the UK is so poor and worsening. Services south of Paris dropped, Kent stations dropped, through ticketing from UK stations dropped, direct services to Germany promised but undelivered. Not to mention the aborted regional and overnight services (at least the emergence of budget airlines was a reasonable reason for dropping those).
You’d think that with the climate crisis, a renaissance of overnight trains and the continued success of high-speed rail there might be some incentive to overcome technical and political barriers. Maybe it’s no-one’s job to do better?
It’s so much easier if you
It’s so much easier if you can diassemble the bike to fit within the permitted luggage dimensions. For a road bike, likely to be wheels, saddle, pedal(s), & handlebars, so the forks can be reversed. Then it travels with you & can continue by TGV.
A cut-down bike box works, but isn’t easy to carry, but free. The Tifosi Lightweight Bike Bag cost £50-£60 (less than a single booked return trip!) & is relatively simple to re-size to custom fit your bike (It can easily be hand sewn). Without having padding, it packs down small, so you could cycle with it. Note, as you load it on the train etc, it’s your responsibility to look after it, unlike on a plane.
Pre-pandemic (2018) I asked
Pre-pandemic (2018) I asked Eurostar if I could bring a bike with me bagged as you suggest and they said no; I asked what they would do if I came with it disassembled in a bag that was under the maximum luggage dimensions and they said that when it was identified as a (non-folding) bike at the X-ray check I would not be allowed to board unless I left it behind. Have they changed this daft policy?
I travelled in 2016, with a
I travelled in 2016 with a bike bag that was slightly oversize. They objected to the size at St Pancras (they even had a measuring stick!), although not at Lille for the return trip where it easily went through the oversize X-ray.
In neither case did the fact it was a bike seem to be important. I can’t see why it would be but their policy for ‘carry on’ bikes seems limited to folders and children’s, so you might be at risk if encountering a particularly jobsworth employee.
Ah, wish I had risked it now,
Ah, wish I had risked it now, I took them at their word and rented a bike in France.
For my next trip, I’ve
For my next trip, I’ve decided to hire a bike, as it’s just less hassle compared to having a bulky bag & taking multiple trains etc.
The policy changed so that in
The policy changed so that in 2017 the bike had to 85×85 max to be taken on board.
Pub bike wrote:
That’s a heck of a gearing!
Pub bike wrote:
IIRC, that was also the case in September 2016 when I travelled. I do remember it was up to 120cm before (and still was, maybe is, on TGVs).
I carried bike in a cardboard
I carried bike in a cardboard box in summer 2019, with no issues. They did ask what was in the box & casually used the measuring stick, but only for height, which seemed just to check it would fit in the larger X-ray machine. Anyway, is it a bike, if it’s a collection of parts?
At Gare de Lyon, TGV hesitated to let me through the gate, but a guard came with me & had no issue on the train when it fitted in the normal luggage area. On returning, I just loaded on the TGV.
I think in a bike bag, there would be less hesitation/if any.