French day trains (not TGVs) » Travelling with a bicycle

General Information
In train traffic, a distinction is made between transporting a: 
  • Packed and disassembled (partly or otherwise) bicycle. 
    • This can be taken on any train as luggage and free of charge. 
  • Unpacked bicycle transported in assembled state. 
    • Not possible on every train. 
    • Find for your journey route in the journey planner at SNCF.com. 
      • You can identify a train that takes bicycles by the bicycle icon. 
      • The journey planner also states whether reservations are required. 
 
Conditions 
Bicycles as luggage 
  • Per person, a maximum of one packed bicycle (= one item of non-standard luggage
    • 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 bicycle is labelled with your details. 
  • Tandems, reclining bicycles, carrier tricycles, Segways and bicycle trailers are not allowed. 
 
Whole bicycles 
  • Maximum of one bicycle per person. 
  • You can use the French journey planner to check whether your train also carries bicycles. 
    • The NS International journey planner does not have all of the bicycle information. 
    • You can identify trains carrying unpacked bicycles by the bicycle icon. 
    • You then book your own ticket and the ticket for the bicycle at the same time with SNCF. 
  • You can take your bicycle with you on regional trains (TER trains) and Intercité trains. This is free of charge and reservations are not required. 
    • Reserving a bicycle space is not possible. 
  • Outside peak hours, you can take your bicycle with you on Transilien and RER trains in Île de France free of charge:
    • Monday to Friday before 6:00 and between 9:30 and 16:30, and after 19:30 and during weekends and school holidays. 
    • It you are travelling during peak hours, book a ticket for the bicycle with SNCF. 
 
What next 
  • You do not require any ticket for a disassembled and packed bicycle. 
  • If you are taking an unpacked bicycle on a train for which reservations are required, purchase your own ticket and the ticket for the bicycle from SNCF. 
    • Bicycle tickets cost around € 10 for a single journey.
    • NS International does not sell bicycle tickets for these trains. 
    • Make your reservation in time: the number of bicycle spaces is limited. 
  • If you are taking an unpacked bicycle on a train for which reservations are not possible, make sure you are on the platform in time. The number of bicycle spaces per train is extremely limited. 
 
More information 

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