Virgin trains book bike space

These must be stored in the appropriate bike space so look for the side of the train where you should get on with your bike. Youll find designated cycle spaces on all of our trains. Branson had sod all to do with the east coast, its 90% stagecoach and virgin in branding only. We take bikes free on all our trains, but for some journeys youll need to reserve a space in advance. Find out more about taking bikes on trains in the uk. In more modern virgin trains, the bike space is a hanging rack which has, i think, three spaces. Making bike reservations on virgin trains railuk forums. The space is minimal, allowing train operators to claim cycle storage is. As a general rule, these trains include most trains linking penzance, cardiff, bristol, swindon, southampton, portsmouth and brighton. Assembled bikes cannot be transported on italo trains. Depending on where youre travelling too you can sometimes also check in larger items to go in the guards van but i think you need to be travelling to the end of the. Folding bikes can be stored in the luggage racks to save space. On january 3 2018 i called to book 3 bikes on the virgin west coast service from. The rules for taking bikes on board differ for each carrier and train operating company toc, so its best to check before booking your trip.

Virgin brought in rather stricter rules, magically reducing bike spaces. Though the twocarriage trains have limited bike space, the guards are adept at squeezing c2c cyclists on. A free, advance reservation is required for each single journey with at least 24 hours notice when making a reservation, remember that it is no longer possible to book bicycles on line, and its advisable to make the bicycle booking when you buy your ticket. His girlfriend managed to grab the last spot on virgin trains, but james did not give up. Booking bikes on virgin west coast trains cycling uk forum.

If you travel on a train without a ticket, youll be. We can only carry a maximum of two bikes per train but conductors have responsibility for the safety of their train and have the right to refuse entry if the train is busy. Spaces cannot be reserved, so its first come first served. Virgin trains cycle policy dictates that you call and book a place for your bike before travelling. If the train is quiet, the senior conductor may allow more bikes on. Many of our newer trains have a space just for cycles, so look out for that as well.

Was refused entry to the train because i had to book a space for it not that i was told that when i bought my ticket because i bought it at a station apparently not serviced by virgin oxford. Bookings are mandatory on most cross border services virgin trains and cross country and it was always the case that you could book a space via train company website at the same time as booking a seat. This is not the first time that virgin trains have not offered any service in first class when ive travelled on the weekend and i suspect the staff shortage excuse is just that an excuse. Virgin trains legal name west coast trains limited was a train operating company in the united kingdom owned by virgin rail group, a joint venture between virgin group and stagecoach, which operated the intercity west coast franchise from 9 march 1997 to 7 december 2019. I didnt want a hot drink and the reason i book first class is to be ensure the seat side service even the reduced one offered on weekend services. London manchester york edinburgh book cheap train tickets in the uk. Bringing a bike feel free to travel with a folding bike any time. Ctc is campaigning against this move as we have with most other attempts by train companies to deny cyclists custom. Ive recently been trying to book a bike space on a train heading for englandshire. Theres space for two bikes on board each service, completely free of charge. Book tickets, check upcoming or past trips, reserve bike space and amend seating preference. They can sell out quickly so the further ahead you book and the more flexible you can be, the bigger the savings you can make and the less likely you are to be disappointed. Check out all the various equipment thats rolling down the uks tracks from pendolino and super voyager trains to make your journeys faster, easier and awesomer in every way were talking 125mph top speeds, and tilting mechanisms to whizz even faster around corners to stately and sedate carriages from a. Mar 29, 2017 does anyone know how to make bike reservations with virgin trains.

Find our best fares on your next flights to the us and beyond, with a fantastic choice of food, drinks, award winning entertainment and onboard wifi. Wikimedia commons has media related to richard branson. Virgin and others have all introduced it and the rest are following suit. Bikes on virgin trains cyclechat cycling forum bike. Virgin east coast claims it will bring back bicycle bookings and we will. Finding a book when youve forgotten its title the new. National rail encourages the integrated use of cycles and trains two. Why is it so hard to take a bike on a train when the usual. You can take your bike on any northern train if there is space. How to transport your bike around london and the uk. Folding bikes are treated as luggage and can be stored in the luggage areas. Scotrail, great western, virgin and others have all introduced it and the rest. How to book a space for your bike on an avanti west coast train.

Or if you want to subsequently book a bike reservation after you have booked your travel ticket, you can do so by calling 0345 528 0253. Everything you need to know about taking your bike on our trains including how to reserve a space which is compulsory on our intercity express train highspeed services and highly recommended whenever the option is available on other services. Just pack your bike up and store it in the luggage racks or overhead. These tend to be longdistance mainline and intercity services. We work hard to make sure all trains run as planned, but if things go wrong you may be able to claim compensation.

Virgin trains is now one of the more generous, and generally helpful, companies, as far as cycles go, offering secure space and straps in the engine first or last carriages of east and west coast services so long as you book. All trains have limited bike space, typically three to six spaces per service. Crosscountry, no but 2 spaces per train for reserved bikes, 1 for an unreserved bike. Virgin trains can carry four bikes at a time with an interesting exception and you have to prebook. Turbo trainer tyre compatibility on pinnacle arkose bike. On most of our trains we have two reservable bike spaces and one further space for unreserved bikes. If youre travelling with a folding bike you dont need to book. If youre travelling on ter regional trains, you can take a fully assembled bike free of charge and without booking in advance, simply hang it up in the designated space. Reserve a bike space in advance only possible at the station or through the call centre of the rail operator. If you have any questions about your account, please get in touch. I tried phoning the virgin helpline that is on their website but got told i need to make the reservation at least 2 weeks in advanced. All virgin trains feature wifi free in first class, power sockets all first class, tables only in standard, bike storage, luggage space, toilets, onboard shop and a quiet zone. The booking is annoying, i normally ring up the bike line find out which trains have space and book all the tickets accordingly whoch can also help with getting a seat in the right car. Handy in some ways, although not if you are very precious about your bike.

Taking your bike on a train in the uk is free, but you may still need to book a space for your bike. Dec 19, 2011 travelling with a bike on first transpennineexpress services how to book a reservation. Bikes on trains bringing your bike on a train thameslink. Great news bikes are allowed on avanti west coast trains trains. If your bike is in a space designated for wheelchairs, you must remove it if a passenger using a wheelchair needs it. Space is allocated on a first come, first served basis. For the journey home, newcastle has excellent rail connections, and sunderland hourly trains north and south. Bikes without a reservation will be accepted on a first come, first served basis and can only be carried subject to space being available. If your bike would obstruct other passengers when theyre boarding, alighting or standing, we may need to ask you to remove it or not to bring it on board even at times when bikes are normally allowed.

The cycle space on trains is clearly marked, both internally and externally. Find cheap train tickets with avanti west coast book online. Virgin trains not only have a website but they also have an app which can be useful when away from home on a. As space is limited, we are unable to convey tandems, tricycles, bike trailers, motorbikes, scooters, mopeds or motorised bikes on any of our trains. Ensure to reserve a space online free of charge to make sure that there is a space for your bike. Taking your bike by train in the uk needs a combination of luck, patience and an encyclopaedic knowledge of the rail industry. Bikes on public transport london bicycle tour company. I know booking bike reservations on trains is a hassle, just wanted to alert people that if youre using avanti west coast, you can reserve a bike space online when you book tickets through them.

Theres space for your bike in different parts of the train. Trains york to london operated by virgin trains east coast trains london to cardiff trains cardiff to london. The east coast trains arent too bad as anything that would fit as plane carry on baggage fits in the overhead racks and then bigger bags go at the end of the trains. Staff are usually happy to shovel on as many bikes as will fit.

If your bike is in a space designated for wheelchairs, you must remove it if a passenger. Bikes and trains are generally considered two of the most environmentally friendly ways to travel. Change the channel select site singletrack snow singletrack charged singletrack tech. Jul 31, 2017 on some older virgin trains the bike compartment is the fairly large space behind the engine. All trains can accommodate up to two bikes and space is allocated on a first come, first served basis we cant reserve space for bicycles. Best deals complete timetable rail times and fares easy and fast. Manufactured by siemens in sacramento, ca, each of our florida trains offer a bestinclass ride packed with unique features. Im not sure if you use avanti for booking other connecting services but it was better than ringing up. Go for a long jaunt through the countryside, or speed up your journey home. For some journeys, youll need to reserve a space for your bike, as these services are long distance routes and often busy.

On the glasgow trains, never book first class otherwise you will have a long walk at euston. If youre coming from further afield, though, you will need to book bike space on virgins west coast route. Apr 17, 20 i found my bike would not fit in the space allowed on a glasgow london service with its luggage on, and given the bike compartment is accessible at intermediate stations, and having had stuff nicked off a bike on an old non virgin 125 train, i remove everything important from my bike. Check out selected results from nypl title quest 2019, held august 2, 2019, as well as title quest 2018 this is an update of a previous post by sharon rickson it can be tough to remember the title and author of a book you read a long time agoeven if it was a book that was really important to you. If you are travelling with a bike and have purchased an advance ticket for a train on which bikes are permitted but bike reservations are not possible, and there is no room for the bike on the booked train for the advance ticket, then you can travel on the next train with the same ticket on which there is a bike space available. Brightline trains are like nothing youve ever seen before. Virgin trains london 2020 all you need to know before you. Advance reservations are compulsory and spaces must be reserved in advance, although you can now book space as little as ten minutes before departure at a booking office or travel.

There are plenty of reasons to leave the car at home and take the bike instead keep fit, have fun, and do your bit for the environment. Now virgin trains east coast have removed online cycle reservations how do you reserve a bike space on the train. Last week he found himself in a tough situation when he forgot to book a spot for his bike on a train to inverness. Look for the option to reserve a bike space when you prebook your ticket.

Avanti west coast trains formerly virgin trains tickets. If you are considering taking your bike on to a train, whether it be a one off or as part. Proof is all over the world, including a number of american cities such as new york, washington dc, portland, san francisco, etc. While all bikes go on the train for free, sometimes you may need to book a space onboard for your fullsized bike. There are luggage racks for big suitcases and backpacks near the entrance doors, for smaller bags there is space in the overhead luggage racks and under your seat. Moving bikes around on public transport in cumbria. If you have a foldup bike, you dont need to reserve a space, and you can travel at any time.

Designed specifically for travelers with limited time in london, this tour allows you to check off a range of southern englands historical attractions in just one day by eliminating the hassle of traveling between each one independently. This guy was not allowed to put his bike on a train, so he. Packed it in its case and it went into the guards compartment. Virgin trains find stations, train times and book tickets. Alternatively you can reserve a bike space at a station prior to travel.

Once your journey is selected, have a look for the reserve a bike space tab within the choose seats part of the booking process. Sep 26, 2016 all up, it was an impressive way to travel a couple of hundred kilometres in a short space of time. Virgin trains west coast, yes, but reservations can be made up to 10 minutes. Edinburgh to inverness would suggest that it was virgin trains east coast, which is a total separate entity to virgin which operates on the west coast. Virgin also acquired european shorthaul airline euro belgian airlines and renamed it virgin express. Travelling with a bike on first transpennineexpress services how to book a reservation. Virgin trains introduces slow tv with a mindfulness channel on. Booking bikes on trains via virgin east coast website no longer possible. Different virgin trains have different cycle accommodation. If youd like to reserve a space for your bike on one of our trains, the easiest way is to do so when you book your tickets. Now, if you happen to be looking into train travel in the uk for yourself, the virgin trains route network in the uk looks like this. Bicycles are often transported free of charge on trains. When cities are made bicycle friendly with protected lanes, bikeshare systems, and lots of bike parking, many people will ride. Fifty years later, his son kenneth was encouraged to write a book on his.

I contacted support but the issue is still not resolved over a month later even after making a complaint via virgin customer services. Follow these golden rules for virgin and other services, and you should be ok. Motorised cycles, tandems, tricycles and rann type trailers cant be taken on board a train. Booking a bike on scotrail website citycyclingedinburgh forum.

For the scotrail trains that do book definitely includes edinburgh to inverness, and the west highland line from glasgow to oban, fort william, mallaig etc you can book bikes from the virgin east coast and possibly others website. While vertical storage is an effective use of space, it deters cyclists from using trains. With direct rail you can search for virgin trains train times and book a virgin trains train ticket simply and securely online and all at the lowest prices. Yes, we love to be green so you can carry your bike free of charge on lner trains as long as you have a valid ticket and you have made a reservation for your bike. I have been experiencing an ongoing problem with my virgin trains online account where i have not been able to book tickets. Moving bikes around on public transport in cumbria cumbria. Yet on their website it states that you can book them right up until departure time. For all other sncf trains the rules differ depending on the type of train and time of day, bike spaces may need to be booked in advance and may require a ticket to travel. So what could be better than combining the two to complete your commute to work. Sixty per cent of people live within 15 minutes of a railway station. The topic travelling with a bike in a box on virgin trains to heathrow is closed to new replies. Designed by a team of architects and interior designers from rockwell group, each train was built with your comfort in mind.

Unless you hire a car, visiting stonehenge, bath, and windsor castle in one day is next to impossible. The size of the bike storage is the same on all of our trains. Calls to this number are charged at 7p per minute, phone networks may charge an additional fee. The folded bike will count towards your luggage allowance 2 pieces of luggage and one piece of hand luggage per person. The second part of my journey was meant to be with virgin, and i was travelling with my bike. In an interview in time magazine, published on 10 august 2009. Virgin trains recorded the highest passenger satisfaction rating of any franchised train operator in britain in the most recent survey by. Virgin trains have special bike storage areas onboard our trains with space for up to 4 bikes or 2 tandems.

Bicycles go handinhand with trains, and are the perfect lastmile transport solution. Bikes can be carried on these services without a reservation provided the guard can find space, but if a bike with a reservation is then brought on board, you may be evicted. Virgins trains are long and it can be an anxious and hazardous run to the opposite end if you. Scotrail annoyingly did away with online bike booking on their own site when abelio took over. Travelling with a bike how to book a reservation youtube. In general, trains with a seat reservation system also have a bike reservation system. Virgin brought in rather stricter rules, magically reducing bike spaces on diesel high speed trains from five to three, although the electric trains still carry five. Book when you buy on our website visit the booking office from 19th may 2019 you can book a cycle space up to 15 minutes before you travel, but its best to book early as space on each train is limited and can book up quickly. Our nation will be back on the rails soon, but until then weve parked our site and you can buy tickets directly from our friends at train genius. At the station, be sure to check which carriage you need before the train pulls in. To reserve a space for your bike and for more information call us on 03447 369 123 option 3. Remember that bike spaces are limited usually four per train so try to book early if you plan on bringing your bike. Weve made it easier to bring your bike with you onboard. Italo italy you can take a folded bike on italo trains free of charge, if it is stored in a bike bag and its no larger than 120 x 90cm.

If you want to book a train and bike space online you need to do it on either london midland or east coast websites. A bike reservation facility is built into the booking path on the avanti west coast website and it shows how many bike spaces are still available on each departure. Oct 26, 2009 taking your bike by train in the uk needs a combination of luck, patience and an encyclopaedic knowledge of the rail industry. Do rail companies need to change their bike policies. He created v2 records in 1996 to reenter the music business, owning 5% himself.