French train - Calais to Paris with bike(s)

[FifeingEejit]

What a shame, so much for progressive mainland Europe and carbon footprints. It's just going to be more reliable to fly a day early and build up the bike at the other end.

In which case...
nah Gare du nord is not the place to be disassembling a bike.

[Paul H]

Or there's the coach. Not everyone's cup of tea, but if you can stand the boredom, the discomfort and have the time it's sometimes a viable option. I did Utrecht > Paris a few years ago, Flixbus with a bike space booked.  I went overnight with a transfer somewhere that sounded interesting but in reality was a bus depot on an industrial estate. Couple of other breaks to stretch the legs, coach got in an hour earlier than scheduled.

[Regulator]

Blimey they don't make it easy do they. The hoops to jump through and lack of clarity look more onerous than actually riding RATN.
The bike I want to take would be set up with aerobars, rear pannier rack, chunky mudguards. I can see now some guard giving me the head shake and missing crucial connections.
What a shame, so much for progressive mainland Europe and carbon footprints. It's just going to be more reliable to fly a day early and build up the bike at the other end.
If I had more time I'd go a few days early and weave through the hurdles, but I don't want to risk missing the event. I'd happily ride a couple of hundred km of so but its 1000 km to Utrecht from our place.
Thanks for all the input and sorry its not going to work out.
I'd planned for us to ride the train to Donaueschengen via Paris from Vannes later in the Summer when we ride the Danube, but that's obviously going to need a rethink too.

I have ridden extensively in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany using the train network.  My experiences to date have been nothing but positive.

Only once in France have I had an issue, when a guard asked me to move my bike - and held the train whilst I did so.  I've never had an issue in Belgium.

When I did my Rhine ride from Cologne to Hoek van Holland it was easy.  I cycled from the Hoek van Holland to Rotterdam.  I went to the ticket office in Rotterdam Central (you can take your bike in) and a very helpful young lady sorted out a ticket (which was surprisingly cheap) from Rotterdam to Cologne.  She even printed off an itinerary with the various changes, including the time between trains and which platforms I needed to change to.

Generally the trains are clearly marked as to where bikes can be stored and often the platforms will have markings for bike carriages (I found this in both the Netherlands and Germany).

I've never found train supported cycling on the continent to be as difficult as it is in the UK.

[Kim]

I've never found train supported cycling on the continent to be as difficult as it is in the UK.

Although bear in mind that attitudes to disability vary in ABROAD, and you may be taken by surprise (or thwarted entirely) by the lack of step-free access to platforms, trains, etc.  This post sponsored by carrying (in multiple trips, hoping nothing unattended got stolen) a bike and 4 panniers down a double flight of stairs at Gent Sint Pieters with a b0rked ankle.

[morbihan]

Blimey they don't make it easy do they. The hoops to jump through and lack of clarity look more onerous than actually riding RATN.
The bike I want to take would be set up with aerobars, rear pannier rack, chunky mudguards. I can see now some guard giving me the head shake and missing crucial connections.
What a shame, so much for progressive mainland Europe and carbon footprints. It's just going to be more reliable to fly a day early and build up the bike at the other end.
If I had more time I'd go a few days early and weave through the hurdles, but I don't want to risk missing the event. I'd happily ride a couple of hundred km of so but its 1000 km to Utrecht from our place.
Thanks for all the input and sorry its not going to work out.
I'd planned for us to ride the train to Donaueschengen via Paris from Vannes later in the Summer when we ride the Danube, but that's obviously going to need a rethink too.

I have ridden extensively in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany using the train network.  My experiences to date have been nothing but positive.

Only once in France have I had an issue, when a guard asked me to move my bike - and held the train whilst I did so.  I've never had an issue in Belgium.

When I did my Rhine ride from Cologne to Hoek van Holland it was easy.  I cycled from the Hoek van Holland to Rotterdam.  I went to the ticket office in Rotterdam Central (you can take your bike in) and a very helpful young lady sorted out a ticket (which was surprisingly cheap) from Rotterdam to Cologne.  She even printed off an itinerary with the various changes, including the time between trains and which platforms I needed to change to.

Generally the trains are clearly marked as to where bikes can be stored and often the platforms will have markings for bike carriages (I found this in both the Netherlands and Germany).

I've never found train supported cycling on the continent to be as difficult as it is in the UK.

Thats encouraging to hear. Given more time and on a less stressful schedule (getting to an ultra event) I'd happily give it a bash. However, multiple local trains with differing rules, seemingly random rules and regs applied, Im not prepared to risk it for the Spring trip to Holland.
I even looked at ferry/riding options but that doesn't  jive either.

[morbihan]

As the year closes out Im still futzing around trying to find a workable solution to getting to the start line of RATN without bagging and flying the bike, or driving 2500km (there and back) from Brittany.
I have met a lot of dead ends plugging in options on train websites, but one other possibility Ive looked at is to ride across to the ferry from South Oxon to combine with a family visit. That brings down travel distance to a longish day ride to Harwich ferry (about 220km) Then a very respectable ride from Rotterdam to the start at about 120km.
Anyone got feedback on riding to  the Harwich ferry and any bits to avoid circuiting N London due east?

[robgul]

Back to my original post - I've now found that the Eurotunnel Bike Service now only has one crossing per day - at 0800 from Folkestone - which pretty much makes it necessary to stay at the Holiday Inn Express (the pick-up point) at great expense.   Previously there was a morning and mid-afternoon service that worked fine for us to leave from home in the morning and via London to Folkestone.   So, it's the ferry 

[quixoticgeek]

As the year closes out Im still futzing around trying to find a workable solution to getting to the start line of RATN without bagging and flying the bike, or driving 2500km (there and back) from Brittany.
I have met a lot of dead ends plugging in options on train websites, but one other possibility Ive looked at is to ride across to the ferry from South Oxon to combine with a family visit. That brings down travel distance to a longish day ride to Harwich ferry (about 220km) Then a very respectable ride from Rotterdam to the start at about 120km.
Anyone got feedback on riding to  the Harwich ferry and any bits to avoid circuiting N London due east?

You can take the bike on non rush hour trains from Liverpool Street to Harwich, so you could reduce the ride to being only as far as Liverpoolstreet.

Alas the "any greater anglia station" ferry ticket isn't valid with a bike.

J

[arabella]

For the unwary - it's not obvious arriving by bike+train where you need to go to rejoin the vehicular traffic to board - but you certainly don't follow the pedestrians!  We muddled our way there eventually.  We probably ought to have tried to leave the docks for the town until we saw directions for car departures, behind us.

Avoiding Londonton you could aim for Chelmsford, Witham, Colchester and particularly Manningtree if you fancy some train assist on the last section (more of the trains stop at these, particularly Colchester & Manningtree).  Mostly you'd need to change at Manningtree for the Harwich branch.

[morbihan]

thanks for the tips, this is looking like the highly likely option.
Really sorry to derail the thread OP. Could a mod split it off into another?

[morbihan]

Id probably be departing from Watlington, unless Ms Morbihan is particularly callous and bins me at Heathrow where we do our car pick up/drop off and she will be flying back home from.
 Plugging in a komoot route (bike tour mode) puts me across the Chilterns and some bumps. If anyone is familiar with the erea, would it be be better to skirt the Chilterns and cut through the likes of Tring? Im not too fazed about a few hills but cognisant of the fact Im riding to a race so want to stay pretty fresh. Having said that, if it means more pleasant riding on quieter roads for a bit of climb I'd select that every day of the week.
The key to this whole option BTW is it would be the return leg of a trip to Morbihan. We drive there and back via the channel ferry and have a car stored in UK.  I'd do the event, then either drop the bike off at a LBS after to be packed up and sent back to our base town in Western France or bag  it up and fly it back home with me to Bermuda.
It's a shame that the train across France isn't so clear cut and given more time Id give it a go. At least this way I get two ferry rides!

[robgul]

Id probably be departing from Watlington, unless Ms Morbihan is particularly callous and bins me at Heathrow where we do our car pick up/drop off and she will be flying back home from.
 Plugging in a komoot route (bike tour mode) puts me across the Chilterns and some bumps. If anyone is familiar with the erea, would it be be better to skirt the Chilterns and cut through the likes of Tring? Im not too fazed about a few hills but cognisant of the fact Im riding to a race so want to stay pretty fresh. Having said that, if it means more pleasant riding on quieter roads for a bit of climb I'd select that every day of the week.
The key to this whole option BTW is it would be the return leg of a trip to Morbihan. We drive there and back via the channel ferry and have a car stored in UK.  I'd do the event, then either drop the bike off at a LBS after to be packed up and sent back to our base town in Western France or bag  it up and fly it back home with me to Bermuda.
It's a shame that the train across France isn't so clear cut and given more time Id give it a go. At least this way I get two ferry rides!

If you are out in the far west of London you could hop on the Elizabeth Line (some timed bike restrictions) to the far reaches to the east into Essex and enjoy the countryside en route to Harwich.

[Kim]

Plugging in a komoot route (bike tour mode) puts me across the Chilterns and some bumps. If anyone is familiar with the erea, would it be be better to skirt the Chilterns and cut through the likes of Tring? Im not too fazed about a few hills but cognisant of the fact Im riding to a race so want to stay pretty fresh. Having said that, if it means more pleasant riding on quieter roads for a bit of climb I'd select that every day of the week.

Having started many rides with an ascent of Watlington Hill, I'd say it was no big deal if you take it slow and steady.  The drama's all over by the time you reach the reservoir, and from then it's just a gentle plod to the top.  At which point it's mostly downhill all the way to wherever.  Certainly preferable to busier roads.

[morbihan]

Plugging in a komoot route (bike tour mode) puts me across the Chilterns and some bumps. If anyone is familiar with the erea, would it be be better to skirt the Chilterns and cut through the likes of Tring? Im not too fazed about a few hills but cognisant of the fact Im riding to a race so want to stay pretty fresh. Having said that, if it means more pleasant riding on quieter roads for a bit of climb I'd select that every day of the week.

Having started many rides with an ascent of Watlington Hill, I'd say it was no big deal if you take it slow and steady.  The drama's all over by the time you reach the reservoir, and from then it's just a gentle plod to the top.  At which point it's mostly downhill all the way to wherever.  Certainly preferable to busier roads.

I assume that's the hill with the white mark up to Christmas common? V close to where I stay with in-laws and have been up it many a time Kim, both on the bike and yomping up with easel to paint the view, and walking the pups. It was more the constant up and down for quite a few Km that komoot spat out for a route east to Harwich.. Thats why I thought it might be prudent to skirt the Ridgeline entirely and cut across further up, but of the roads are shyte then Ill happily do the lumps. My riding experience round there is v local so Im not too up with what's over the horizon.
@Rob, Il'd like to roll from the house to the ferry and forego the trains, but thanks for the insight. My fear of cancelled/bike banned/no show/missing trains is greater than the extra km's.

[Kim]

Squinting at a map, and bearing in mind you're aiming for Harwich rather than That London, I'd agree it makes more sense to avoid the Chilterns.  A blat along the B4009 towards Tring seems eminently sensible - it's not as pretty as the uppy-downy stuff, but it's a decent road and there's no real drama traffic-wise (maybe a little congestion in Chinnor at busy times).

I've no experience of anything east of Hemel, until you get to DunRun territory.

[morbihan]

Squinting at a map, and bearing in mind you're aiming for Harwich rather than That London, I'd agree it makes more sense to avoid the Chilterns.  A blat along the B4009 towards Tring seems eminently sensible - it's not as pretty as the uppy-downy stuff, but it's a decent road and there's no real drama traffic-wise (maybe a little congestion in Chinnor at busy times).

I've no experience of anything east of Hemel, until you get to DunRun territory.

Thanks Kim!

[Frank9755]

Can you still take a bike in any French train as long as it's inside a sort of bag? (Called a housse if i remember correctly.)

Yes, including TGVs, if you get it down in size to 120x90cm.  Unlikely anyone would check so could probably be a bit over.
Both wheels out should do it comfortably.  Back mudguard would probably have to go with the wheel. You can buy bike bags designed especially for the purpose - can't find the link at the moment but they are out there.

I am going to be doing this a bit next year!

[Ivo]

Can you still take a bike in any French train as long as it's inside a sort of bag? (Called a housse if i remember correctly.)

Yes, including TGVs, if you get it down in size to 120x90cm.  Unlikely anyone would check so could probably be a bit over.
Both wheels out should do it comfortably.  Back mudguard would probably have to go with the wheel. You can buy bike bags designed especially for the purpose - can't find the link at the moment but they are out there.

I am going to be doing this a bit next year!

The maximal dimensions are linked to the dimensions of the luggage racks in a TGV. Decathlon usually offers French regulation bikebags.