Published by Lyn on 14 May 2013
Choosing how to get to France for your cycling holiday can be confusing – especially if you want to take your bike.
Taking your bike on Eurostar is pssible with a little planning. Photo: Asha
Train and airline bike carriage policies are constantly changing, and sifting through them all to work out what they mean (and how much they will cost you) can be time-consuming.
Eurostar has changed its bike carriage policy several times in the last year or so – the most recent changes and the confusion they have caused are illustrated by this post on the Guardian.
I've updated our Trains to France info page to reflect the lastest Eurostar policy change, and I'll make further changes as they are announced.
One under-used train service by cyclists, I think, is the Eurotunnel. It's a little-known fact that you can wheel your bike onto the Eurotunnel train services at Folkstone for £16 each way, and save the hassle of dismantling your bike or booking it on a luggage transfer service as recommended by Eurostar.
Cyclist tickets for Eurotunnel need to be booked at least 24 hours ahead (see the website or phone +44 (0)13 0328 2201), and you need to board the train via a designated pick-up point, but the process is otherwise fairly painless. This provides a good alternative to Eurostar and to ferries to France – assuming, of course, that you are happy with a northern entrance into France and that your cycling tour isn't starting in Paris or further south.
For more info on train services within France, see our French trains and bikes article.
