Taking your bike by train . . .

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	Taking your bike on Eurostar...  You can now take your bike on Eurostar, either in the luggage compartment for £20 each way (pre-booking required) or as normal luggage free of charge semi-dismantled in a zip-up bike bag.  Full details in the text...
	Taking a bike beyond Paris & Brussels:  City Night Line sleeper trains are particularly bike-friendly, as they have bicycle compartments and take bikes for 10-15 euros per journey.  Routes include Paris to Berlin, Paris to Munich, Amsterdam & Cologne to Copenhagen, Dresden, Prague, Zurich, Munich.  You can book online at www.bahn.de or by phone from DB's UK office, 08718 80 80 66.  More details info in the text...
	Cycle compartments: This is the cycle compartment in the City Night Line sleeper train from Amsterdam & Cologne to Prague...
	Bike bags:  In an ideal world you'd always find a train that takes bikes in the luggage van or special bicycle compartment.  However, on many routes packing your bike into a zip-up bike bag is the only option, with pedals & wheels removed and handlebars turned.  Bags cost £50-£100, this recommended dhb one is about £75.  See www.wiggle.co.uk.  Photo courtesy of Wiggle Online Cycle Shop.

On this page...

...you'll find advice on how to take you bike with you by train from the UK to countries all over Europe.  You can take your bicycle with you on many European trains, though the arrangements vary on different services and in different countries.  This page has a summary of the options.  If you have any feedback on taking bikes to Europe by train that might help fellow cyclists, please let me know. 

Step 1, taking your bike on British trains

Step 2, taking your bike from London to Paris or Brussels by Eurostar;  The ferry alternatives.

Step 3, taking your bike on trains beyond Paris & Brussels

Taking your bike by train from the UK to...

France Belgium Luxembourg Netherlands

Switzerland Italy Germany Austria

Spain Denmark, Norway, Sweden Other destinations (Prague, Moscow, Istanbul)

Reports & advice from fellow cyclists...

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Folding bikes, tandems, motorbikes...

OK, lets deal with these first.  Small folding bikes (for example, Bromptons) count as normal luggage, so no problem (though it's best to put them in a cover).  However, tandems are not usually carried on trains (even UK ones) at all.  Motorbikes are not carried on any European passenger trains, only on special motorail trains which run on a few key holiday routes, so for motorcycle transport see the Motorail page.

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Step 1, taking your bike on British trains...

You can take your bike on almost all British trains, as long as you avoid Monday-Friday peak hours around London & other big cities.  Sometimes bikes go free on a 'turn-up-&-hop-on' basis, on other trains you must make a reservation for your bike and pay a small fee.  The arrangements vary on each UK train operator, but they are explained on these websites:

• www.atob.org.uk/Bike_Rail.html - the A to B Bike/Rail page, a truly excellent summary of arrangements on each UK train operator.

• www.nationalrail.co.uk/passenger_services/cyclists.html - the cycle page on the official National Rail website.

Step 2, getting your bike from London to Paris or Brussels by Eurostar...

The next step is to get your bike to Paris, Lille or Brussels on Eurostar, although there are several useful ferry alternatives, explained below.  There are three options for taking bikes on Eurostar:

• Option 1:  In a 'bike bag' as carry-on luggage, semi-dismantled, free of charge:  You can officially take your bicycle with you on Eurostar as carry-on luggage, free of charge, if you put it in a special zip-up 'bike bag' with the wheels, pedals & saddle removed and handlebars turned to reduce bulk, so that the dimensions do not exceed those of a normal suitcase.  120cm x 90cm is a good size to aim for.  This allows it to pass through the X-ray machines at the Eurostar terminal, and it can be stowed in the normal luggage racks the end of each coach.  If you have any queries, call Eurostar on 0870 5 186 186 (+870 5 186 186 from outside the UK).  Bike bags are available from cycling shops, for example, www.wiggle.co.uk.  Eurostar website bicycle information page.

• Option 2:  Take it with you for £20 using one of the special bike spaces on board Eurostar:  To avoid having to buy a bike bag and dismantle your bike, you can pre-book one of the bike spaces on the same Eurostar as you for £20 each way - assuming other cyclists haven't already booked up all the available bike spaces, of course.  First buy your Eurostar ticket, then call Eurostar's baggage line on 0870 5 850 850 to book a bike space on the same train (call +870 5 850 850 from outside the UK).  You will need to quote your Eurostar booking reference.  This is a relatively new service which started in April 2008.  It's a huge improvement over the previous system set out in option 3 below, and it's already proved very successful, with a 300% increase in bikes carried.  For details, see the Eurostar website bicycle information page or call the Eurostar registered baggage line on 0870 5 850 850.  To protect your bike whilst in transit, you can buy a polythene protector bag for about £4 from www.ctcshop.com.  You drop off the bike at the luggage office at St Pancras (a 5 min walk from the departure gates, it's well signposted) and pick it up at the luggage office at Paris Nord or Brussels Midi.  Allow time to do this as well as check in yourself.

• Option 3, send it as registered baggage for £20:  You can send your bicycle on Eurostar from London to Paris or Brussels as registered baggage for a fee of around £20 each way.  You will need to show your Eurostar ticket or booking reference to qualify for this service.  In around 80% of cases, if it's checked in at the baggage office an hour before departure, it will travel on the next train, but all Eurostar will 100% guarantee is that your bike will be available for collection at your destination within 24 hours of checking it in.  The advantage of this service is that (a) you can send your bike a day or two ahead, it doesn't have to travel on the same Eurostar as you, and (b) you can just turn up on the day, pay your £20 and check it in, without pre-booking.  For details, see the Eurostar website bicycle information page or call the Eurostar registered baggage line on 0870 5 850 850 (+870 5 850 850 from outside the UK).  To protect your bike whilst in transit, you can buy a polythene protector bag for about £4 from www.ctcshop.com.

The ferry alternatives...

• London-Paris by train+ferry:  It takes a lot longer than Eurostar and isn't necessarily any cheaper, but you can take your bike with you from London to Paris by train+ferry+train if you prefer, see the London to Paris by train+ferry page for times & costs.  Bikes are carried free of charge between London and Dover in the bike area on all trains except those arriving in London before 10:00 Monday-Friday, or leaving London between 16:00 and 19:00 on Monday-Friday.  Bikes are then carried free between Dover and Calais on the ferries.  Once in Calais, bikes are carried free on both the local trains from Calais to Boulogne, and the connecting express trains from Boulogne to Paris.  On the Boulogne to Paris trains, cycles are carried in the special bicycle compartment which is normally in coach 14, marked with a bicycle logo (pictured, right).

• UK-Netherlands by ferry, for trains to Berlin, Prague, Copenhagen, Zurich, Munich...  An option well worth considering is taking a bike-friendly overnight ferry (with cabins to sleep in) from Harwich in Essex, Newcastle or Hull to the Netherlands, spend a day exploring Amsterdam, then take a City Night Line sleeper train (which have large bicycle compartments) from Amsterdam to Prague, Copenhagen, Munich, Dresden, Basel, Zurich.  You can travel from London to Amsterdam by train & overnight ferry with your bike, see the Netherlands page.  DFDS Seaways (www.dfds.co.uk) sail overnight from Newcastle to Amsterdam, ideal if you live in the north of England or Scotland.  P&O (www.poferries.com) sail from Hull to Rotterdam.  Bikes travel on City Night Line sleeper trains for a small fee, 10-15 euros per journey.

• UK-Spain by ferry:  Bike-friendly cruise ferries sail from Portsmouth to Bilbao (www.poferries.com) & Plymouth or Portsmouth to Santander (www.brittanyferries.co.uk).

• Other ferries:  From the West Country & South Coast there are ferries to France then trains to Paris, see www.brittanyferries.co.uk (from Plymouth, Poole & Prtsmouth) or www.ldlines.co.uk (from Portsmouth or Newhaven) then see the advice on taking bikes on trains in France.  If you live in Ireland, direct ferries link Ireland (Rosslare or Cork) with France, www.irishferries.ie.

Step 3, bikes on trains beyond Paris & Brussels...

• Option 1:  In a bike bag as carry-on luggage, semi-dismantled, free of charge:  In practice (meaning sometimes officially, sometimes unofficially), you can take a bicycle with you as carry-on luggage free of charge on just about any train, national or international, if you put it in a zip-up 'bike bag', with wheels and pedals removed and handlebars turned.  Aim for dimensions not exceeding 120cm x 90cm.  Bike bags are available from most cycle shops, for example www.wiggle.co.uk.  Just remember that it will be a fairly anti-social piece of luggage which may not endear you to your fellow-passengers in a crowded 6-berth couchette compartment on a night train.  So if there's two of you, booking your own 2-bed sleeper would be better, for example.  Lugging a bike bag around can be hard work, and so is dismantling and reassembling the bike each time it goes in and out of the bag.  On the plus side, this option allows you to keep your bike with you, you can take it on almost all trains across Europe, and you can look after it, unlike flying.  On a journey deep into eastern Europe, for example from the UK to Istanbul or Sofia or Moscow, this is the only option.

• Option 2:  Take it with you in the baggage van or bicycle compartment:  Many European trains allow you to carry bikes a special bicycle compartment, sometimes free, sometimes for a small fee.  If a fee is charged, it's typically about 5-15 euros per journey.  But first let's manage your expectations:  Bikes are generally allowed on local & regional trains in most countries, at least outside peak hours.  Many inter-city trains also take bikes, although notably not in Spain, and in France only a few French TGVs take bikes that aren't in a bike bag.  International trains are the biggest problem:  On the plus side, City Night Line sleeper trains take bikes for a small fee in a special bike compartment on routes such as Paris-Berlin, Paris-Munich, Amsterdam-Prague, Amsterdam-Copenhagen.  Some Lyria TGV trains between Paris & Switzerland now also take bikes.  But the Paris-Madrid & Paris-Barcelona trainhotels only take bikes if they're in a bike bag (and you & your travelling companions have sole occupancy of a sleeper compartment).  The Artesia sleeper & daytime trains between Paris & Italy don't take bikes at all, except unofficially in bike bags.  Thalys trains linking Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam & Cologne don't take bikes except in bike bags, and long-distance trains into eastern Europe such as Cologne-Moscow, Bucharest-Istanbul or Vienna-Sofia don't take bikes (except unofficially in bike bags) simply because these trains don't have a baggage van, they often consist of just one or two through sleeping-cars which are shunted from train to train.  The information below may help in taking bikes to specific countries.

• For more specific information on travelling with your bicycle within any given country, visit the website of the relevant national train operator, the useful links page has a list of all European railway websites.  Admittedly it often takes a while to find the bike information on many sites, the site map is often the best place to start.  Remember that Google language tools can translate webpages from other languages, as you'll often find only sketchy information on bike transport on the English version of some sites..

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Taking bikes by train to France...

• You can officially take a bike with you semi-dismantled in a zip-up bike bag on any French train, including high-speed TGVs, free of charge.  Dimensions should not exceed 120cm x 90cm.  No separate bicycle reservation is necessary.

• Most high-speed TGV trains in France don't take bikes unless they're packed in a bike bag.  But there are exceptions:  On most TGV trains from Lille or Paris to Avignon, Marseille, Cannes, Nice, you can put your bike in the luggage van if you reserve a space in advance and pay a small fee (about 10 Euros).  Obviously, it's much easier changing from Eurostar to a TGV at Lille than having to cross Paris, so look for a connection at Lille.

• Most overnight Lunéa trains within France take bicycles in a special bicycle compartment if you reserve space in advance and pay a small fee (about 10 Euros), while you sleep in a couchette or reclining seat.  Lunéa routes include Paris to Lourdes, Cannes, Nice, Narbonne, Perpignan, Toulouse, and the Spanish frontier at Irun & Portbou.  This makes an afternoon Eurostar then an overnight Lunéa train a good way to get your bike from the UK to southern France.  You'll have to cycle across Paris, though.

• Bikes are carried free of charge in the luggage van on most local, regional and non-TGV inter-city trains, but not during the Monday-Friday peak hours on Paris commuter routes.

• For more information see the French Railways bicycle mini-website, www.velo.sncf.com (in French, but you try using Google to translate)

• To ask about or arrange bike transport on trains in France, and to buy tickets, call Rail Europe on 0844 848 5 848, lines open 09:00-21:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays, 10:00-17:00 Sunday.  Bear in mind that you may still have to call Eurostar separately on 0870 5 850 850 to book your bike on the Eurostar.

• The London to France page explains more about the best routes, train times & fares for travel from the UK to destinations all over France.

Taking bikes by train to Belgium...

• Take Eurostar to Brussels.  Eurostar tickets to Brussels are valid to any station in Belgium.

• Once in Belgium, bikes can be carried on most Belgian internal trains by buying a 'bike card' for about 5 euros at the ticket office before boarding.

• For more information on taking bikes on trains within Belgium, see www.sncb.be.

• Don't forget that overnight cruise ferries sail from Hull to Zeebrugge in Belgium (www.poferries.com) & from Edinburgh (Rosyth) to Zeebrugge (www.norfolkline-ferries.co.uk).

Taking bikes by train to the Netherlands...

• Take Eurostar to Brussels, then take the hourly InterCity train from Brussels to Rotterdam, Den Haag or Amsterdam.  Timetables, fares & how to buy tickets for this journey are shown on the UK-Netherlands page.  Arrangements for taking bikes on Eurostar are shown above. 

• Bicycles can be carried in the baggage van on the hourly InterCity trains (but not the high-speed Thalys trains) from Brussels to Rotterdam, Den Haag & Amsterdam on payment of a small fee (around 9 euros) at the ticket office before travelling.

• However, bikes are only carried on high-speed Thalys trains from Brussels to Rotterdam & Amsterdam if they are placed in a zip-up bike bag not exceeding 90cm x 120cm and taken on board as carry-on luggage.

• Alternatively, you can take bikes from the UK to the Netherlands via the Harwich to Hoek van Holland ferry, see the Netherlands page.  This is a good option.

• If you live in the North of England or Scotland, don't forget the Newcastle-Amsterdam & Hull-Rotterdam overnight cruise ferries, both of which are bike-friendly.

• For more information on taking bikes on trains from Belgium to the Netherlands, see www.sncb.be.  For information on taking bikes on trains in the Netherlands, see www.ns.nl.

• Once in the Netherlands, bikes can be taken on all trains except in peak hours (06:30-09:00 & 16:30-18:00 Monday-Friday, no restriction on national holidays or in July & August).  You need to buy a one-day bike ticket for around 6 euros.

Taking bikes by train to Luxembourg...

• Bicycles can be carried in the baggage van on the hourly InterCity trains from Brussels to Luxembourg on payment of a small fee (about 9 euros) at the ticket office before travelling.

• For more information on taking bikes from Belgium to Luxembourg, see www.sncb.be.

Taking bikes by train to Germany...

• There are many options for train travel between the UK & Germany, see the UK-Germany page for routes, timetables, fares & how to buy tickets.

• One of the best options for cyclists is to take an afternoon Eurostar to Paris, cycle the 1/4 mile from Paris Nord to Paris Est, then take the City Night Line sleeper train to Berlin or Munich.  Bicycles are carried on these City Night Line sleeper trains in a special bicycle compartment for a small fee, about 15 euros.  The cycle compartment is marked with a bicycle logo, pictured above.  The best UK agency to arrange this is Deutsche Bahn UK, on 08718 80 80 66, lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 weekends.

• Daytime travel to Germany is more difficult unless you use a bike bag.  This is because bikes are only carried on the Brussels-Cologne Thalys or ICE high-speed trains if they are packed in zip-up bike bags not exceeding 120cm x 90cm.  Unpacked bikes are not carried.

• Thalys & ICE trains are the only direct services between Brussels and Cologne.  However, bikes are carried in the baggage area on the various local services linking stations between Brussels & Cologne, although this requires a change of train (and perhaps even two changes) and you'll need to pay a small fee (5 euros) to take a bike on a train in Belgium.  You can find train times for these local services at http://bahn.hafas.de, using the advanced search facility with the 'no ICE/high speed trains' box ticked so it ignores Thalys and ICE trains and only finds local services.

• Once in Germany, bicycles are carried on most InterCity (IC) trains, but not on high-speed ICE trains, for a small fee of about 9 euros, providing you make a prior reservation for your bicycle.   To find a train that will take both you and you bike, use the online timetable at http://bahn.hafas.de, ticking the 'carriage of bicycles required' box.  You can book a bike space and buy your ticket online this way, too.

Taking bikes by train to Austria...

• Perhaps the easiest option is to take Eurostar to Paris, cycle the short distance from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l'Est and take the City Night Line overnight sleeper from Paris to Munich.  Next morning, take a connecting train from Munich to Salzburg, Innsbruck, Linz or Vienna.  The UK-Austria page explains the train times, fares & how to buy tickets.

• See above for the bike arrangements on Eurostar. 

• Bikes are carried in the spacious bicycle compartment on the City Night Line sleeper train from Paris to Munich for 15 euros each way.  You'll need to reserve a space. 

• You can't take bikes on the RailJet train from Munich to Salzburg, Linz or Vienna that you'd normally take as a passenger, but you can take it on the regular regional trains from Munich to Salzburg and change there onto an Austrian InterCity train to Linz & Vienna which also takes bikes.  To find trains that will take bikes between Munich & destinations in Austria, simply use the journey planner at http://bahn.hafas.de with 'carriage of bicycles required' box ticked.  You may need to buy an international bike ticket at Munich station for about 12 euros.

• Another option is to take an overnight ferry to Holland, spend a day in Amsterdam, then take the City Night Line sleeper from Amsterdam to Munich then change for Austria.  Bikes are carried in a special bicycle compartment for 10 euros.  You can travel from London to Amsterdam by overnight train+ferry via Harwich in Essex, see the Netherlands page, or by overnight cruise ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam (www.dfds.co.uk) or using the Hull-Rotterdam ferry (www.poferries.com), ideal if you live in the north of England or Scotland.

• Once in Austria, bikes can be taken in the luggage van of most medium & long distance Austrian InterCity trains and some EuroCity trains.  You need to buy a one-day IC/EC bike ticket, about 7 euros.  Reservations can be made for your bike on specific trains, but you can simply turn up with your bike ticket and put your bike on board if there is space available.

Taking bikes by train to Switzerland...

• Take your bike to Paris by Eurostar as shown above, cycle cross Paris, then take a Lyria TGV from Paris to Geneva, Lausanne, Bern & Zurich.  Timetables, fares & how to buy tickets are shown on the UK-Switzerland page.

• Bikes can be taken on all Lyria TGVs between Paris & Switzerland as carry-on luggage in zip-up bike bags if no bigger than 120cm x 90cm.  They go free of charge this way, and no reservation necessary for the bike.

• Bikes are carried on some Lyria TGV trains from Paris to Geneva, Lausanne, Bern & Zurich, in special 4-bike compartments at the end of each TGV unit.  You must pre-book a bike space and pay a small fee (around 15 euros).  To book, call Rail Europe on 0844 848 5 848, lines open 0800-2100 Mon-Fri, 0900-1800 Sat, 1000-1700 Sun.

• Bikes are carried for a fee of about 15 euros on the one or two daytime trains between Brussels and Switzerland, use http://bahn.hafas.de to find train times.

• Bikes are carried in the cycle compartment of the Amsterdam-Zurich City Night Line sleeper train.  You can reach Amsterdam by train & ferry from London, or via the DFDS Seaways Newcastle-Amsterdam & P&O Ferries Hull-Rotterdam overnight cruise ferries, both of which are bike-friendly.

• Once in Switzerland, bikes are allowed in the luggage van free of charge on almost all Swiss domestic trains, see the Swiss rail website www.sbb.ch for details (use the site map and look for 'bicycle').  There are a few trains that don't take bikes, if you use the journey planner at www.sbb.ch these will be shown with a crossed-out bike symbol.  Bike spaces must be reserved in summer (March-November) when using ICN tilting trains.

Taking bikes by train to Italy...

• The usual way to reach Italy by train is to take Eurostar to Paris, cross Paris, then take one of the two Artesia sleeper trains from Paris to Bologna, Florence, Rome, Verona or Venice, or one of several daytime Artesia TGV trains from Paris to Milan.  Timetables, fares & how to buy tickets for this journey are shown on the UK-Italy page.  However, bikes are not carried on either the Artesia sleeper trains or the Paris-Milan Artesia TGV trains, except unofficially as carry-on luggage in zip-up bike bags.  If you take a bike on the Paris-Italy overnight trains in a zip-up bike bag, I'd suggest booking a whole compartment (in other words, both beds in a 2-bed, or all 4 berths in a 4-berth) rather than impose your bike on fellow passengers in a shared compartment.

• The route via Switzerland (see here) isn't much better for bikes.  Bikes are not carried on Cisalpino tilting trains between Switzerland an Italy, either, except on the Geneva-Milan route where they can be carried on non-tilting trains in a zip-up bike bag.  You can check details on which Cisalpino trains carry bikes at www.cisalpino.com.

• Once in Italy, bikes can travel on any train if they are semi-dismantled and placed in zip-up bike bags, or they can travel in the luggage van on most local & regional trains for a 3.50 euros 'bici in segito' bicycle pass (valid for 24 hours after stamping at the platform entrance).  They can also travel in the bike spaces on a few InterCity & EuroCity trains for a bicycle supplement of 5 euros, but not on high-speed Eurostar Italia AV or Eurostar City trains.  The local, regional, InterCity & EuroCity trains on which bikes can be taken are indicated with a bike symbol in the timetables (use www.trenitalia.com, make a journey enquiry, then select a train and click 'details by selection').  Bear in mind that it can take some ingenuity to get from (say) Milan to Rome by local or regional trains, often involving breaking the journey into short sections.

Taking bikes by train to Spain...

• Take your bike to Paris by Eurostar as shown above, cross Paris, then take the overnight 'trainhotel' sleeper trains from Paris to either Barcelona or Madrid.  Timetables, fares & how to buy tickets are shown on the UK-Spain page.

• Bikes are officially allowed on the trainhotels from Paris to Madrid & Barcelona free of charge as carry-on luggage, if you (a) pack your bike in a zip-up bike bag with pedals removed and handlebars turned, and (b) occupy the whole compartment, in other words your party books all 4 beds in a 4-berth or both beds in a 2-berth sleeper, as opposed to imposing your bikes on fellow passengers in a shared compartment.  The bikes will probably need to sit on the floor of your compartment, although this won't leave you much room to spare!  Undismantled bikes aren't carried on these trainhotels.

• If you want to take your bike to Spain without dismantling it and having to use a bike bag, you can take your bike in the bicycle compartment of the French Lunéa trains from Paris to the Spanish frontier points at Hendaye/Irun (at the northwest end of the Pyrenees) and Cerebère/Portbou (at the southeast end).  You need to reserve space in advance and pay a small fee (about 10-15 euros), while you sleep in a couchette or reclining seat.  You can book your Eurostar, couchette ticket and bicycle space by phone with Rail Europe on 0844 848 5 848.

• Don't forget the direct cruise ferries to Spain, Portsmouth to Bilbao with www.poferries.com or Plymouth/Portsmouth to Santander with www.brittanyferries.co.uk.  Both are bike-friendly and a great way to reach Spain.

• Once in Spain, the problem begins.  Bikes are not carried on any fast long-distance daytime trains, even in bike bags.  This means bikes cannot be taken at all on AVE, Altaria, Alvia, Alaris, EuroMed, Arco, or Talgo.  Bikes may be taken on regional, local and suburban trains.  Bikes may also be taken on overnight sleepers, if placed in a bike bag and if you occupy all the berths in a compartment.  So for a trip with your bike to Granada, Seville or Malaga you could (for example) take the trenhotel Paris-Barcelona, spend a day there, then take the direct trenhotel from Barcelona to Seville/Granada/Malaga, with your bike in a bike bag and you and your companions having sole occupancy of a sleeper compartment on both overnight trains.  For more information on taking bikes on trains within Spain, see www.renfe.es.

Taking bikes to Denmark, Norway, Sweden...

• The easiest way is by ferry direct from the UK.  DFDS (www.dfds.co.uk) sail 3 times a week from Harwich in Essex to Esbjerg in Denmark, see the Denmark page.  There are no longer any direct ferries to Norway or Sweden.

• Once in Denmark, bikes are carried in the luggage van of all Danish InterCity and some regional trains.  You'll need a bike ticket, valid all day, for 60 Kr (£7.50).  Between May & August, you need to reserve a space for a bike on all InterCity trains, so contact Danish Railways (DSB) through their website www.dsb.dk to ask about this.

• There are a limited number of bike spaces available on the Öresund Link trains between Copenhagen & Malmö in Sweden, and between Copenhagen & Gothenburg.  But bikes are generally not carried on inter-city trains within Sweden, including the Copenhagen-Stockholm or Gothenburg-Stockholm X2000 trains, or the sleeper trains to northern Sweden.  You could try using a bike bag and arguing that it was normal luggage.  Feedback would be appreciated!

• Bikes can be taken on the overnight cruise ferry from Copenhagen to Oslo in Norway, see www.dfds.co.uk for timetable, fares & online booking.

• The daily City Night Line sleeper train from Amsterdam and Cologne to Copenhagen takes bikes in a bike compartment for 10 euros per bike, see the Denmark page and book online at www.bahn.de.  You can reach the Netherlands by ferry from Harwich, Newcastle or Hull.

Taking bikes by train to other destinations (Prague, Moscow, Istanbul...)

• Bicycles are carried on the overnight City Night Line sleeper trains between Amsterdam/Cologne and Copenhagen, Prague, Munich & Zurich.  A small charge is made (about 10-15 euros) and your bike travels in a special bicycle compartment (marked with a bicycle logo, see the photos above).  The best UK agency to arrange this is Deutsche Bahn UK, on 08718 80 80 66, lines open 09:00-20:00 Monday-Friday, 09:00-13:00 Saturday & Sunday.  Because Thalys don't take bikes (other than in bike bags), consider travelling from London to Amsterdam by overnight train+ferry via Harwich-Hoek van Holland (see the Netherlands page), spending a day in Amsterdam then taking the City Night Line train from there. If you live in the north of England or Scotland, DFDS Seaways (www.dfds.co.uk) sail overnight from Newcastle to Amsterdam, P&O (www.poferries.com) sail from Hull to Rotterdam.

• Other than this, putting your bike in a bike bag is likely to be your best option.  To places such as Moscow, Athens, Sofia or Istanbul it will be pretty much the only option.

Travellers' reports...

• Traveller Robin Bevis cycled all the way from the Channel to the Black Sea, then returned to the UK by train with his bike:  "Two of us travelled back to the UK last year from Romania by train with our two touring bicycles, having cycled to Constanta from St Nazarre at the mouth of the Loire to the Black Sea - this is the Eurovelo 6 Two Rivers route.  Constanta to Bucharest: No problem, just put your bikes (with panniers removed) in the van on the reasonably regular regional trains - though at the time we travelled these were very very slow due to line improvements.  Bucharest to Budapest: We booked our rail tickets through the Deutsche Bahn UK office.  They are very good, but they said that they could not get Romanian Railways to book our two bicycles.  We double checked at Bucharesti nord the day before, and on the day all seemed well - we were assured that (a) our cycles could be carried, and (b) that there was no booking necessary.  On departure the platform manager said put them in the guard's van but there wasn't one, so he and a train guard said put them in an unoccupied sleeping compartment, which we did.  We went to ours two coaches along.  About an hour into the journey two 'aggressive' train guards arrived at our compartment and said we had to get off the train as our bikes could not be carried, that it was illegal etc etc. At that moment it wasn't clear what we could or should do or that it was probably a ruse to bribe us, as eventually they did settle for cash (50 Euros was what they threateningly haggled for). It was an unpleasant and worrying 15 minutes with armed train guards but at least they then left us alone and in fact both left the train a few stops on and we arrived in Budapest keleti pu in time for our onward booked DB train to Berlin!  Budapest to Berlin:  This is an excellent 'four capitals' train ride on a German EuroCity train that runs 3 times daily between Hamburg and Budapest.  Bicycles are carried for a small fee based on distance travelled, in a specially converted carriage either at the front or the rear of the train and you sit near them in the other half of the carriage.  Just great!  Berlin to Paris:  Bikes carried in guard's van, no problems, no need to book, no charge.  Paris to Calais via Boulogne (two trains):  Cycles are carried in a small but just adequate converted compartment on the first train to Boulogne and then in more modern unit in a decent bike space to Calais.  Again no problem, no booking and no charge.  It took two days but was actually pretty easy (the Romanian guards excepted) and the 12 hour trip on the DB train from Budapest to Berlin was wonderful and scenic especially alongside the river Elbe and through parts of the Czech lands south of Praha, as was the trip through Transylvania the day before."

More information:

Further feedback, photos or reports about taking bikes by train into Europe are always welcome!

 

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