bicycle bookings on trains

[ElyDave]

Do I need to go back and reserve a bicycle space after completing the booking?

It's not come up as an option as I'm doing the booking.

Thanks

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Reserving a bike while booking a train ticket is an option for a couple of websites. Scotrail is one of them.

[Deano]

It's best to book bike space and tickets at the same time - but give 'em a call if you've already got tickets, and you can add a bike on (unless the spaces have already gone, or they don't let you book bikes on that service).

It's a bit of a mess, but generally works out OK. Go to a station and talk to a knowledgeable member of staff if you're really stuck.

[yorkie]

Train Operating Companies who currently allow booking of bikes online at the same time as ticket purchase include (to the best of my knowledge!):

ScotRail
Transpennine Express
gWr (aka Great Western)

There may be others, I would be very grateful if anyone knows of any to let me know.
(Virgin Trains East Coast **used** to allow bike bookings, but removed the capability when they revamped the website.)

[ElyDave]

Thanks

I was looking at the Trainline, which DOES NOT

[telstarbox]

Don't use the Trainline - you can get the same tickets on other sites without paying their booking fee.

[delap]

I used GWR to successfully book a bike a couple of weeks ago.  AIUI it doesn't matter which TOC (or third-party) website you use to book tickets, the back-end is the same.  As noted, some charge booking or delivery fees.  IIRC, GWR sent the tickets out by post for free

[arabella]

A complicating factor I discovered during my latest attemptS to book cycle tickets for a Fri/Sun weekend trip:
Cycle reservations don't necessarily appear at the same time as person tickets for the same train.

The Friday tickets were released abundantly in advance and could be booked when I first try.
No success with the Sunday one "restricted" says bod at Naaarch station where I was killing time.
So I ring GWR and are told that the tickets aren't yet released, and it varied blah blah blah.  In short, they couldn't book me the tickets even at 7 weeks out from the journey though they did suggest (and I'm not sure I believe it) that M-F cycle tickets are released 10-11 weeks in advance (not 13 weeks like the person tickets) and weekend ones more like 8 weeks.
I tried again in person at my local station with a mere 5.5 weeks to go, still nada
I finally got the tickets today, 4 1/1 weeks to go.
Just as well they still had some then. 

[ElyDave]

OK, well no point me looking yet then by the looks of it - I'm planning ahead to the first weekend in August.

I guess I can get hotels etc all lined up ready and book the train tickets last minute (relatively)

[seasider]

Here in Poulton (nr Blackpool) last year I booked Bristol to Brum to Preston on the web then walked up to the local station at a quiet time of day and asked the booking clerk to print out the tickets and book my bike on said trains.Five minutes later all sorted, it was her first time for cycle reservations and everything worked well on the day of travel except that I got on the train at Bristol an hour earlier than booked,got thrown off at Cheltenham and spent a cold hour on the platform waiting for the booked train.

[Joe.B]

I often use that method, it can be very useful if you have purchased an open return on account of not knowing in advance when your return journey will be. On the routes i regularly use it's usually no problem making a bike reservation the day before, the summer peak is the only time i won't take the risk.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Train Operating Companies who currently allow booking of bikes online at the same time as ticket purchase include (to the best of my knowledge!):

ScotRail
Transpennine Express
gWr (aka Great Western)

There may be others, I would be very grateful if anyone knows of any to let me know.
(Virgin Trains East Coast **used** to allow bike bookings, but removed the capability when they revamped the website.)

Hull Trains.   I booked them on the way back from the York Arrow last year.  I did have to ride 30km back to Howden from York, which wasn't the easiest after a couple of breakfast pints of Mild, but the website allowed cycle booking at the same time as the ticket and the fare was £12.50 from Howden to Kings Cross, which is a darn sight cheaper than anything I would have got back from York.