TGV (TGI) Brussels-Midi ⇔ France » Travelling with a bicycle
General
In train traffic, a distinction is made between transporting a:
A packed and disassembled (partly or otherwise) bicycle: this can go on any train for free as luggage.
An unpacked bicycle transported whole: a limited number of TGVs carry unpacked bicycles at a charge.
The likelihood of transporting your bicycle on board a TGV depends on the rolling stock employed on the connection in question. In general, cross-border TGVs do not have any bicycle coaches.
You can use the French journey planner to check whether your train takes bicycles.
You will recognise trains carrying unpacked bicycles by the bicycle icon.
Conditions Bicycle as luggage
You can take one packed bicycle (= one item of non-standard luggage) for free, provided that:
The front and rear wheel have been removed.
The bicycle has been packed in a cover.
The bicycle including cover weighs no more than 32 kg.
The bicycle including cover is no larger than 120 x 90 cm (l x w).
The package is labelled with your details.
Entire bicycles
A number of TGVs (primarily France domestic traffic) have special bicycle coaches.
These coaches are not standard, so always check for each train and date in the French journey planner whether there is a bicycle coach.
You can only take your unpacked bicycle if you book the ticket for yourself and your bicycle simultaneously. It is not possible to change a booking for a bicycle later.
Tandems, reclining bicycles, carrier tricycles, three-wheelers or Segways are not permitted.
What next
You can purchase a bicycle ticket and reservation from the French (SNCF) or Belgian (NMBS / SNCB) railway companies.
The bicycle ticket costs around € 10 for a single journey.
NS International does not sell bicycle tickets for the TGV.
Reserve in time: the number of bicycle spaces is limited.
You do not require any ticket for a disassembled and packed bicycle (folding or otherwise).
If you are taking a packed bicycle (folding or otherwise), you cannot also take more than one item of regular luggage, such as a suitcase, bag or trolley, and one item of small hand luggage.