Travelling with a bike
Planning on exerting some pedal power at your destination? Well, you’re in luck! With Caledonian Sleeper you can travel with your bike without any hassle. If you think that sounds good, wait until we tell you how much it will cost for this extra service… NOTHING! Yes, that’s right, nothing!
Now we have your attention, please have a read of the following important information regarding travelling with your bike. We promise it’s not a long read, just a handful of useful details to get you and your bike moving.
The technical bit
Bike Protocol
All bikes require a reservation to travel on our services. Due to high demand, we strongly advise reserving a space for your bike at your time of booking.
Caledonian Sleeper operates one the UK’s longest passenger trains and because of this we are not able to accept bikes at Dalwhinnie, Preston and Watford Junction. This is due to the train being longer than the platforms.
If you are travelling on our Fort William service, you will be required to move your bike during a coach changeover at Edinburgh Waverley.
As with most things in life, bikes are carried at your own risk. For more information, please see National Rail Conditions of Travel.
If you’ve made a booking and forgot to add your beloved bike on, or simply decided at a later date that you want to take your bike on a wheely good adventure (sorry – we couldn’t help ourselves!), then not to worry! Just give our helpful Guest Service Centre a call and they will be happy to assist you in adding your bike onto your booking!*
We have a dedicated storage area for all reserved bikes next to our Seated Coach, meaning you don’t need to worry about sharing your room or seat with it – there won’t be any room in your room for your bike which is great because no one likes to snooze with tyres in their face anyway!
*Subject to availability. All bike reservations must be confirmed by noon the day before travel. If you do not make a reservation, you and your bike may not be permitted to travel.
The Spec Bit
The maximum bike measurements that we can accommodate are…
| Maximum Bike Length | 1.8 metres |
| Maximum Tyre Width | 2.5 inches |
We ask that your handlebars are fixed sideways and you have the appropriate tools to do this.
Sometimes we may ask for you to bring your bike in a bike bag if there are capacity limitations. If that’s the case, then the specs are…
| Bike Bag Maximum Volume | 285 litres / 138x39x85cm |
| Bike Bag Maximum Wheelbase | 126cm |
Purpose made soft, protective storage bags containing dismantled bike accepted only. We cannot accept ‘makeshift bags’ or bikes fully assembled in larger bags/wrapping.
E-bike Safety Requirements
When booking your E-bike on Caledonian Sleeper services, it is your responsibility to ensure that:
- The battery can and has to be switched off when on the train without removing it from the bike.
- The battery should not be removed from the bike.
- You are not permitted to use the train’s power supply to charge your battery.
- Your e-bike has to conform to EN15194 and/or displays the CE mark, and has to meet the criteria of an “Electrically assisted pedal cycle”(EAPC).
- The maximum permitted weight of your bike including battery should not exceed 25Kg.
Failure to comply with the above requirements may result in a refusal to board the train or your removal from the train.
Unfortunately, we are not able to carry bike boxes, tandems, tricycles, electric scooters or electric unicycles. Sorry!
Like many other train operators, we have taken the decision to place a temporary ban all lithium-ion powered micro devices on all Caledonian Sleeper trains and in all stations with effect from Thursday, 1 June 2023.
This includes:
- e-scooters.
- e-unicycles.
- e-hoverboards.
- e-skateboards.
Our temporary ban will be reviewed in twelve months’ time once more data becomes available on the safe operation and transport of these devices, or once any formal legislation comes into effect.
This policy does not apply to personal mobility devices, powered wheelchairs and power assisted bicycles or e-bikes, which are regulated by UK legislation and British Standards.
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The before and after
Departures
We bet you can’t wait to get on board and settle down! But before you think about that, we advise that it’s best that you arrive at the platform no later than 20 minutes before departure to allow plenty of time to get your bike organised. Once you have checked in on the service with one of our friendly Hosts, they will direct you to the bike storage area where you can safely store your bike. When you are loading it, please ensure the handlebars are fixed sideways and that you have the appropriate tools with you to fix them this way.
Arrivals
Yawn. Stretch. Yawn. Stretch again. Yeah, we know, you’re just too comfortable and you don’t want to move! But sadly, you need to because you need to be ready to collect your bike from the bike storage area when you arrive at your destination. It’s adventure time!
Disruption
Although it’s rare, sometimes we are subjected to disruption issues that are out with our control, meaning that we may not be able to compete your journey by train. We are informed of any pre-planned disruption 6 – 12 weeks in advance and you can find more information here.
Unlike most Rail Operators, we can accept bookings up to 12 months in advance. We love that we can offer you this special service, however, it does mean that due to the timescales that we are notified of pre-planned disruption, your journey may be affected. Again, this is very rare, but if you are affected, our team at the Guest Service Centre will be in touch with you right away to organise your bike reservation needs with our road transport partners.
Should there be any unplanned disruption on your departure day, we will contact you as soon as possible to arrange with our road transport partners to accommodate your bike. If you decide that you do not wish to travel you will be eligible for a refund.
Where do you want to travel?
Some of the UK’s best destinations are connected by the Caledonian Sleeper.
Whether it is for business or leisure, Caledonian Sleeper will take you to some of the UK’s most wonderful destinations.
Whether you are travelling to London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen or Fort William, travel in comfort and enjoy a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
Learn more about Travelling with bikes
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