The train and the bicycle. Two modes of transport that respect the environment, allowing you to cross France at your own pace, from village to village, on cycle routes or greenways. On all trains, bicycles disassembled and stowed in a cover are considered simple baggage and can therefore be carried free of charge. While bicycles that cannot be dismantled are only accepted in areas that have designated areas for this purpose, tricycles, scooters and tandems are not allowed anywhere due to their size.
As soon as the good weather returns, and even more so in the heart of summer, riding a bike on the train can turn into a headache. on Twitter, many travelers complain about the lack of dedicated areas on the TER or TGV. In order to guarantee a place for all cycle tourists (and their bikes), some regions now make it mandatory to book a “bike ticket” during the summer season.
“There will always be a battle between the space the bike takes up and the seat we remove to put it on. A bike with luggage means two less seats. A cargo bike with about three seats“, decoded @BB27000, an SNCF driver who popularizes the rail world on Twitter. “A fair balance must be found for all, and the decision makers are not necessarily the same. In the case of TGV, SNCF decides: In Intercités, the state decides. And the region decides on TER.»
by TGV inOui
Folding and demountable bicycles contained in a 130 cm x 90 cm cover, combined with regular luggage, can be carried free of charge. Some TGV inOui trains accept stationary bicycles, provided you reserve a seat (€10) when purchasing your ticket. If this option is not offered during the search, it means that all seats are occupied or the train does not have an allocated space.
According to our research on SNCF Connect, very few TGVs are eligible. It is not possible to load your unassembled bicycle on Paris-Lille or Paris-Montpellier, regardless of the date; the error message.We can’t find any trains with bike space available» is shown repeatedly…
In intercity
The principle is the same as in the case of TGV inOui. folded or disassembled bikes are admitted free of charge, while a space must be reserved for stationary bikes (€10). This service is available on both day Intercités and national night trains.
in Ouigo
High-speed Ouigos only accept folding or disassembled bikes stored in a cover. The option (€5) can be withdrawn at the time of booking and up to 1h30 before departure. Bicycles that have not been disassembled are only accepted on the classic Ouigo Trains, which will be in service from April 2022 (€10 surcharge).
by the Lord
Transportation of bicycles in regional trains is free of charge and without reservation. But faced with the influx of cycle tourists seen in recent years, particularly in 2020 and 2021, several regions now require summer bookings. A way to guarantee a seat on the plane, especially since the manager can refuse a two-wheeler if he thinks it’s disturbing the passengers. Our guide, region by region.
- Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes: free, no reservations.
- Burgundy-Franche-Comte: free, no reservations. From July 1 to August 28, 2022, a reservation is required on the Paris-Dijon-Macon and Paris-Morvan routes, except for chartered travelers.
- Brittany: free, no reservations. Until August 28, 2022, a reservation is required (€1 per bike) on all TER trains except the Auray-Quiberon line. Additional areas are planned on the Rennes-Saint Malo, Rennes-Brest, Rennes-Quimper and Quimper-Nant lines.
- Centre-Val-de-Loire: free, without reservation on Rémi trains.
- Big East: free, no reservations.
- Hauts-de-France: with free, unreserved TER and superfast TER. In the latter, only folded or disassembled bicycles are allowed, which are stored in the cover.
- Ile-de-France: Bicycles are allowed free of charge on all RER and Transilien trains outside peak hours (6:30 to 9:30 and 16:30 to 19:30 on weekdays). Special areas are available on all trains on the H, K, J and L lines and on some trains on the N, P, R, RER D and RER E lines.
- Normandy: free and without reservations. Until August 28, the number of seats in some trains on the Caen-Granville-Ren and Caen-Le Mans-Tour lines will increase from 6 to 16.
- New Aquitaine: free, no reservations.
- Occitania: free, without reservation, except for the Narbonne-Toulouse line (until August 31) and the Yellow train (until September 26), where booking the “Serene bike access” option is free (except for subscribers).
- Pays de la Loire: free, no reservations. By September 11, as part of the “Train Loire à vélo” summer operation, add bicycle spaces on the Orléans-Tours-Nantes-Le Croisic line. Reservations are not required but recommended.
- Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur: free, no reservations.
On international trains
- In TGV Lyriabicycles are allowed free provided they are folded (or wheels removed) and stored in covers (maximum 120cm x 90cm).
- in the house of Talisbicycles may be taken on board without extra charge if they are disassembled, wheels included and contained in a non-hard cover not exceeding 135 x 85 x 30 cm.
- in the house of Eurostar:, bicycle transport is temporarily no longer allowed. “Our bike transport service cannot resume this summer due to security and customs issues beyond our control. Our teams assure that they will be able to restart this service, hoping to have better news in September“, the company notes on its website.
Source: Le Figaro
