Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Rides and Touring => Topic started by: robgul on 26 July, 2023, 10:24:13 am
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I'm tearing my hair out with the SNCF and other websites trying to find trains for this journey - you put in the details and up pop a load of answers that are wrong!!
I'm trying to get from Calais (Ville/Town, not Frethun) to Paris Gare du Nord leaving around 0900 on a weekday with a bike (non-folding, not boxed/bagged) - the TGV/OUI hi-speed trains don't take bikes so it should be the TERs BUT can I find any relaible info . . Trainline et al only give TGVs as an answer
Has anyone actually managed this - and if so where did you book/buy tickets etc.?
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Is the Man in Seat 61 any help?
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Is the Man in Seat 61 any help?
No - he must have gone to the loo! His info about bikes is only very general with just high-level policy stuff.
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Bahn.de has an “only local trains” option that shows a TER route at 9:20, changing in Boulogne.
(“Sprachauswahl“ in the menu to change to English)
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I've had a poke around in the "SNCF Connect" app (on android) and have managed to get it to show me a TER from Calais Ville to Paris Nord at 09:20, arriving at 13:34 with one change (at Amiens - select "via Amiens" to get TER trains and not TGV)
The important thing to remember when booking a TER is to *NOT* add a bicycle when searching for a journey. If you try to add a bike, it won't show TER trains as bikes are not bookable.
I have also managed to get the Trainline app to show the same journey - input start as Calais Ville, destination as Paris Nord and the via (in small letters immediately under destination) as Amiens.
Hope this helps!
(Edit to say that you can purchase tickets in either of these apps)
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I've had a poke around in the "SNCF Connect" app (on android) and have managed to get it to show me a TER from Calais Ville to Paris Nord at 09:20, arriving at 13:34 with one change (at Amiens - select "via Amiens" to get TER trains and not TGV)
The important thing to remember when booking a TER is to *NOT* add a bicycle when searching for a journey. If you try to add a bike, it won't show TER trains as bikes are not bookable.
I have also managed to get the Trainline app to show the same journey - input start as Calais Ville, destination as Paris Nord and the via (in small letters immediately under destination) as Amiens.
Hope this helps!
(Edit to say that you can purchase tickets in either of these apps)
Many thanks. That's perfect - clever wheeze to put in an intermediate station to rule out the TGVs - I just KNEW there was an answer!
The 0920 -1334 works a treat as the plan (but not until May next year) is train to Folkestone West or Dover and cross by Eurotunnel Bike Service or ferry - overnight in Calais - train to Paris and then ride about 20 miles that afternoon to the first overnight on the Seine a Velo route to Honfleur - and then on to Caen/Ouistreham for the overnight ferry to Portsmouth and train home.
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I've managed to find direct TER K16
It's only 3 times a day...
0636
1438
1738
K21 to Amiens then K11 gives you more options, and Amiens is quite nice IIRC
And its easiest to see on the TER Hauts de France page (formerly Nord-Pas de Calais)
https://www.ter.sncf.com/hauts-de-france
You can also filter to Train REgionale so it's just TER combinations it shows but may wipe out options with longer stop overs at Amiens
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I've managed to find direct TER K16
It's only 3 times a day...
0636
1438
1738
K21 to Amiens then K11 gives you more options, and Amiens is quite nice IIRC
And its easiest to see on the TER Hauts de France page (formerly Nord-Pas de Calais)
https://www.ter.sncf.com/hauts-de-france
You can also filter to Train REgionale so it's just TER combinations it shows but may wipe out options with longer stop overs at Amiens
Thanks - those times don't work . . . but at least I now have a path through the SNCF jungle!
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I've had a poke around in the "SNCF Connect" app (on android) and have managed to get it to show me a TER from Calais Ville to Paris Nord at 09:20, arriving at 13:34 with one change (at Amiens - select "via Amiens" to get TER trains and not TGV)
The important thing to remember when booking a TER is to *NOT* add a bicycle when searching for a journey. If you try to add a bike, it won't show TER trains as bikes are not bookable.
I have also managed to get the Trainline app to show the same journey - input start as Calais Ville, destination as Paris Nord and the via (in small letters immediately under destination) as Amiens.
Hope this helps!
(Edit to say that you can purchase tickets in either of these apps)
Many thanks. That's perfect - clever wheeze to put in an intermediate station to rule out the TGVs - I just KNEW there was an answer!
The 0920 -1334 works a treat as the plan (but not until May next year) is train to Folkestone West or Dover and cross by Eurotunnel Bike Service or ferry - overnight in Calais - train to Paris and then ride about 20 miles that afternoon to the first overnight on the Seine a Velo route to Honfleur - and then on to Caen/Ouistreham for the overnight ferry to Portsmouth and train home.
The site that I use (I am not a regular train user but a lot of planning was done with this one) is this one https://www.horaires-de-trains.fr/horaires-ter.html .
I have a couple of warnings. First you need to know the correct name of the stations that you are interested in, otherwise you will go round in circles getting nowhere. Don't forget to tick the TER only box if that's what you want.
Second if the timetables aren't out for the dates you are planning on you will not get an answer (I think it says "Pas disponible" or something like that IIRC. I had a lot of this planning for Britanny, the timetables were only for a couple of months forward and certainly not for the next year. Asking at the end of december or beginning of january for times at the beginning of may didn't work for Britanny/Pays de Loire).
Third check the region's policy for bike transporting. Some will refuse to carry bikes during commuter rush hours, except folded and bagged folders - they can't refuse those. 9h20 might well fall foul of this (just, one would expect limitations 7h00 - 9h00 but not after that), most of the time you won't have a problem - until you come up against the jobsworth who applies the rules (or the commuter who wants to make trouble). The editor of The 200 magazine reckons you can always get away with breaking the rule, I am a bit more cautious (which is why my folder is turning into my principal tourer!). That said, in may we didn't even see a controller, I could have taken the full tourer!
I have always understood that you don't book a TER, just turn up and buy your ticket at the machine in the station (and leave a bit of time for understanding how the machine works, at Nantes I nearly missed my train dealing with an uncooperative machine).
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Thanks for the tips - although we're planning for next year we don't expect to be able to book trains until about 8 weeks ahead (we've used trains for people and a van for bikes the last couple of years and Trainline (or Capitaine Train as was) for bookings without a problem - just people meant TGVs were OK)
I've stored all the info away ready for booking in due course along with the Channel crossing.
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jumping in here rather than starting a new thread as closely related to the above topic.
Robgul Im going in circles too trying to find a way via rail to get from Vannes to Paris then on to Utrecht for an event.
The bikes fitted with fenders and rear panniers, dynamo lights etc so unbroken down and rideable across Paris etc is a must.
Seems the SNCF to Paris is doable, but then the Thalys trains need bikes boxed up.
Anyone know of a work around or is it a case of give up and fly/drive.
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I have continued to grapple with various ideas with a bike and trains in France (and into Belgium) - it seems that the "trick" is to ask for routes with intermediate stops that are only served by local trains (viz the Calais - Amiens - Paris example up-thread)
This may be useful as a guide to all SNCF lines with colours differentiating train types http://www.projectmapping.co.uk/Europe%20World/Resources/SNCF-Route-Map-2016-09.jpg
This is the best I found for Belgium http://www.projectmapping.co.uk/Europe%20World/Resources/Belgium1.gif
Once you get into Holland it's probably easier given the bike culture.
. . . perhaps Dr Strabismus (whom God preserve) of Utrecht may be able to help*
*you'll need to be old enough to remember Beachcomber and the TV show fronted by Spike Milligan!!
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jumping in here rather than starting a new thread as closely related to the above topic.
Robgul Im going in circles too trying to find a way via rail to get from Vannes to Paris then on to Utrecht for an event.
The bikes fitted with fenders and rear panniers, dynamo lights etc so unbroken down and rideable across Paris etc is a must.
Seems the SNCF to Paris is doable, but then the Thalys trains need bikes boxed up.
Anyone know of a work around or is it a case of give up and fly/drive.
It's possible! Just depends how many days** you want to take over the journey. (** May be a slight exaggeration, but sadly only slight!)
Ferreting around in the SNCF Connect app, there are *some* TER trains to Aulnoye (near Valenciennes) which have connections through to Erquelinnes in Belgium.
From there, you'd be in the hands of SNCB/NMBS via Charleroi and Brussels, but I think you'd be OK with a bike. Checking the NS website, reveals that it is permissible to take a bike on the Intercity Direct International service from Brussels, presumably changing at Rotterdam Centraal for Utrecht.
The downsides with this route:
- There's only 3 TER services a day from Paris Nord to Aulnoye - welcome to SNCF's attitude to non-TGV services!
- There's a lot of changes along the way, increasing the possibility of missed connections.
- Needing to deal with 3 different train operators and their ticketing systems as the only international tickets assume the use of a TGV/Thalys service.
Another alternative I can think of is to take the TER from Paris Nord to Calais Ville (some direct, some changing at Amiens or Le Touquet),
the TER connection to Dunkerque,
cycle across the border to De Panne in Belgium (uses a cycle route laid on the route of the former railway line between the two!),
train from De Panne to Antwerpen Centraal,
change to the IC-Direct to Rotterdam,
thence to Utrecht.
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jumping in here rather than starting a new thread as closely related to the above topic.
Robgul Im going in circles too trying to find a way via rail to get from Vannes to Paris then on to Utrecht for an event.
The bikes fitted with fenders and rear panniers, dynamo lights etc so unbroken down and rideable across Paris etc is a must.
Seems the SNCF to Paris is doable, but then the Thalys trains need bikes boxed up.
Anyone know of a work around or is it a case of give up and fly/drive.
It's possible! Just depends how many days** you want to take over the journey. (** May be a slight exaggeration, but sadly only slight!)
Ferreting around in the SNCF Connect app, there are *some* TER trains to Aulnoye (near Valenciennes) which have connections through to Erquelinnes in Belgium.
From there, you'd be in the hands of SNCB/NMBS via Charleroi and Brussels, but I think you'd be OK with a bike. Checking the NS website, reveals that it is permissible to take a bike on the Intercity Direct International service from Brussels, presumably changing at Rotterdam Centraal for Utrecht.
The downsides with this route:
- There's only 3 TER services a day from Paris Nord to Aulnoye - welcome to SNCF's attitude to non-TGV services!
- There's a lot of changes along the way, increasing the possibility of missed connections.
- Needing to deal with 3 different train operators and their ticketing systems as the only international tickets assume the use of a TGV/Thalys service.
Another alternative I can think of is to take the TER from Paris Nord to Calais Ville (some direct, some changing at Amiens or Le Touquet),
the TER connection to Dunkerque,
cycle across the border to De Panne in Belgium (uses a cycle route laid on the route of the former railway line between the two!),
train from De Panne to Antwerpen Centraal,
change to the IC-Direct to Rotterdam,
thence to Utrecht.
If you ride on the road there's a coffee shop in the old border/customs building in the middle of the road (I was fined there in 1971 for not having a GB plate on my car back when they checked UK passports and a "green card" for the car insurance!)
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jumping in here rather than starting a new thread as closely related to the above topic.
Robgul Im going in circles too trying to find a way via rail to get from Vannes to Paris then on to Utrecht for an event.
The bikes fitted with fenders and rear panniers, dynamo lights etc so unbroken down and rideable across Paris etc is a must.
Seems the SNCF to Paris is doable, but then the Thalys trains need bikes boxed up.
Anyone know of a work around or is it a case of give up and fly/drive.
It's possible! Just depends how many days** you want to take over the journey. (** May be a slight exaggeration, but sadly only slight!)
Ferreting around in the SNCF Connect app, there are *some* TER trains to Aulnoye (near Valenciennes) which have connections through to Erquelinnes in Belgium.
From there, you'd be in the hands of SNCB/NMBS via Charleroi and Brussels, but I think you'd be OK with a bike. Checking the NS website, reveals that it is permissible to take a bike on the Intercity Direct International service from Brussels, presumably changing at Rotterdam Centraal for Utrecht.
The downsides with this route:
- There's only 3 TER services a day from Paris Nord to Aulnoye - welcome to SNCF's attitude to non-TGV services!
- There's a lot of changes along the way, increasing the possibility of missed connections.
- Needing to deal with 3 different train operators and their ticketing systems as the only international tickets assume the use of a TGV/Thalys service.
Another alternative I can think of is to take the TER from Paris Nord to Calais Ville (some direct, some changing at Amiens or Le Touquet),
the TER connection to Dunkerque,
cycle across the border to De Panne in Belgium (uses a cycle route laid on the route of the former railway line between the two!),
train from De Panne to Antwerpen Centraal,
change to the IC-Direct to Rotterdam,
thence to Utrecht.
If you ride on the road there's a coffee shop in the old border/customs building in the middle of the road (I was fined there in 1971 for not having a GB plate on my car back when they checked UK passports and a "green card" for the car insurance!)
That's pretty much where the railway crossed the road (right on the border) and is where the excellent quality French cycle path finishes and you drop back onto the road for the last bit into De Panne. (other routes to De Panne are available, etc.)
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messing around on db and using my memory of border corssings suggests
Paris - Rouen by TER
Rouen - Lille by TER
Lille/Rijsel - Kortrijk to get over the border
Kortrijk to Antwerp
Antwerp to Amsterdam
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This trick provides some interesting options for the journey above.
Local transport under “mode of transport”.
Bahn.de has an “only local trains” option that shows a TER route at 9:20, changing in Boulogne.
(“Sprachauswahl“ in the menu to change to English)
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messing around on db and using my memory of border corssings suggests
Paris - Rouen by TER
Rouen - Lille by TER
Paris (Nord) - Amiens - Lille will be quicker (and shorter (also with more trains than the 3 or 4 a day from Rouen!)), plus you'll have to go through Amiens from Rouen anyway. Good call with the route via Mouscron and Kortrijk though, I'd forgotten about that one. (And yes, I have used it - several times!) :-[
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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.)
We did this years ago: it's tricky but possible and we were camping so had loads of kit. I think we bought some sort of garden rubbish bags in a garden centre and put all the camping kit in there, the bikes were wrapped in tarpaulin we bought, parcel tape is your friend.
It takes maybe 40 minutes to get the bike down to size. It's all an incredible pain, of course, but we did get on the trains we wanted to: and they included Eurostar, which tells you how long ago it was!
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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.)
In August I took a night train from the south of France to Paris for PBP (and back again). No bikes are allowed on that night train, but no one said anything at Latour-de-Carol or Paris when I arrived with my bike in a Decathlon bag (https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/bike-transport-cover/_/R-p-326610?mc=960035).
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TER are free bikes without reservation; in theory there is a limit. Intercites are €10 reservation fee (I avoided these)
Based on my experience last week
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Right, there's a trick from Gare du Nord to the Netherlands
Usual I use the TER from Gare du Nord to Maubeuge, then the local Belgian train to Charleroi. From there on, all IC and local trains take bikes.
BUT, Bahn.de doesn't know this, so you're stuck using most search engines (since they use bahn.de to search). So you have to untick the box 'bike' and untick the box 'ICE/TGV' deep in the depths of the selection menu. Then you'll find a connection using trains where you don't have to box your bike.
On the TER your bike is free. You'll either need an international bike ticket from the last French railway station to Utrecht, or you just do it in bits, Belgian biketicket (some railway stations just across the border work fine for that) and a Dutch bike ticket.
Belgium has no (enforced) blocked time for biketickets, the Netherlands has, during weekdays in the rushhour (except july/august).
But in Belgium, there's another exception, you're not allowed to enter/exit a bike at Brussels Central railwaystation. Use Brussels-South(Midi) or North in stead.
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I'm tearing my hair out with the SNCF and other websites trying to find trains for this journey - you put in the details and up pop a load of answers that are wrong!!
I'm trying to get from Calais (Ville/Town, not Frethun) to Paris Gare du Nord leaving around 0900 on a weekday with a bike (non-folding, not boxed/bagged) - the TGV/OUI hi-speed trains don't take bikes so it should be the TERs BUT can I find any relaible info . . Trainline et al only give TGVs as an answer
Has anyone actually managed this - and if so where did you book/buy tickets etc.?
If you use the SCNF site, try using this link: https://www.sncf-voyageurs.com/en/travel-with-us/booking-and-itinerary/itinerary/
Use the 'Untick all' function and then just tick 'Transilien / RER' and 'TER'. These will bring up the services that you can use with unpacked bikes (you can only take unpacked bikes on Transilien trains after 9.30a/m. though on weekdays).
Calais Ville to Paris Gare du Nord is about 4 hours.
The staff in the ticket office at Calais Ville speak English and are very helpful.
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Re TER. The trains are regional. The rules are made by each region and applied accordingly. Thus in Brittany in summer you need a bike ticket to take a bike (unbagged) in a TER. Just over the "border" in Pays de Loire you don't. The degree to which the rules are enforced also depends on available personnel. Going from Redon through Nantes and up to Sucé sur Erdre last may I religiously bagged my folder and didn't even have my ticket checked, on either train or in the stations, no controllers in sight on the trains.
The editor of the "200" reckons that you can always travel with the bike as is, just make sure that your chain isn't going to spread grease on another traveller's luggage and don't obstruct the passageways. His opinion was that the worst that can happen is occasionally being asked to wait for the next train. I wish I shared his optimism! (Of course if you are depending on connections being asked to wait for the next train could be catastrophic!)
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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 >:(
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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
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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.
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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?
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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!
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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.