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 a packed bicycle on the train with you, you can take no more than one item of regular luggage (such as a suitcase, bag or trolley) and one item of hand luggage.
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.