Taking a bicycle on a train in Europe. A comprehensive guide.

Travelling by train is probably the most convenient way to bring your bicycle to places. You skip all this dismantling and packing that’s inevitable when taking your bicycle on a plane. But the rules for taking your bike on a train can be confusing and complicated. In this article, I attempted to gather as much information on taking bicycles on European trains as possible. I spent hours browsing the internet and included my own experience.

If you have taken your bike on trains in Europe, share your experience in the comments. Together, we can create and comprehensive guide for bicycle tourers.

In the first section, I give some general advice on travelling by train with a bicycle. Later, I will describe some international routes that accept bikes. In the last part, I present the rules for travelling in different European countries. I didn’t include micro-states that can be cycled within one day.

Tips on travelling by train with bicycle

• Arrive at the train station early. Carrying your bike up the stairs and loading it on the train takes time. If you must change trains, ensure you have some extra time before your next connection.
• Remove your panniers and bags from the bike to make boarding smoother.
• If possible, let the conductor know you’re with the bike. In my experience, they often offer to help load your bike. They will also be aware that you need some extra time.
• Lock your bike. Whether placed on a bicycle hook or leaning towards a wall, it’s best to lock your bike so you can chill out in your seat without anxiously checking if it’s still there at every stop.
• Plan your journey early, especially if you travel in the high season. Most trains have limited capacity so you should book early to secure your spot.
• If a train doesn’t require a reservation for the bike, try to be flexible. You may be denied boarding with your bicycle. Have a plan B prepared.
• Only a few international trains allow the booking of bicycle tickets online. You will likely need to buy your ticket at the station or call the train operator.
• Sometimes (especially in the Balkans), the trains don’t theoretically allow bikes and don’t have space for bicycles, but the rules are not strictly observed. Take a chance and ask the conductor if you can take your bicycle onboard.

International trains that allow bicycles on board

Taking a cross-border train with your bicycle is the next level of research and planning. While there are all those websites like Omio and Trainline, they don’t have the option to check if your connection allows bicycles.

If your connection isn’t direct, you will likely have to visit different train operators’ websites and read through different rules for transporting bikes.

When travelling with your bike, it’s not uncommon that you cannot book your bike ticket online and are doomed for arriving to the train station early and buy the ticket at the good old-fashioned ticket office.

Here is a short list of international train connections around Europe that allow bikes with information on how to buy your tickets. If you have taken other international trains with your bicycle, please share your experience in the comments.

Eurostar

Travelling on Eurostar trains between Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Germany, you can only bring your bike if the wheels are removed and the bike is packed in a non-rigid cover with maximum dimensions of 135 x 85 x 30 cm. Be on the platform 30 minutes before the scheduled departure.

You can bring a fully assembled bike on Eurostar between London and Brussels. However, the trains from London to Paris Eurostar only accept bikes packed in a box or folding bikes. You must drop your bike off at the luggage area before heading to departures. Then, the staff will return it when you arrive at your destination.

Send an e-mail before your journey to reserve a spot for your bicycle. Read more here.

Intercity Berlin (Amsterdam-Berlin)

You can travel by train from Amsterdam to Berlin with your bike. The Intercity Berlin train, run by NS, has a big bicycle carriage with space for 16 bikes, including tandems and tricycles.

An international bike ticket costs 14.10 euros. A reservation is mandatory.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to book bike tickets for Intercity Berlin online. You have to either visit the international desk at the train station or make a reservation by phone (find the phone number here).

I did the latter in 2022 (as I wasn’t in the Netherlands when booking the tickets). Even though I hate phone calls, the booking process was pretty straightforward. The customer service agent got all my personal data right and quickly sent me a confirmation via e-mail.

Intercity Brussels (Amsterdam-Brussels)

You can easily travel with your bike on the Intercity train from Amsterdam to Brussels. A bicycle ticket costs 14.10 euros. If you travel between 9 June and 15 September, you must also make a reservation. You can buy the bike ticket online. Even big bikes like cargo bikes, recumbent bikes, tandems and bikes with trailers are allowed. You can also bring your e-bike (the battery has to stay on the bike).

Important info: you cannot take the bicycle to Brussels Central, Brussels Congres and Brussel Kapellekerk stations. You can only board/leave at the Brussels South or Brussels North station.

Nightjet Zurich-Amsterdam

There is space for six bicycles on the Nightjet trains from Zurich to Amsterdam. Tickets are not available online. You must call the SBB or NS or buy them at the ticket counter.

Nightjet Zurich-Berlin

The bicycle ticket costs 12 euros. You can add it to your reservation online.

Nightjet Vienna-Hamburg and Insbruck-Hamburg

The bicycle ticket costs 12 euros. You can add it to your reservation online.

Budapest-Zagreb and Budapest-Ljubljana-Rijeka

You can travel with your bike on the IC trains from Zagreb to Budapest and from Budapest to Ljubljana and Rijeka. The bicycle ticket costs 5 euros and can be bought only at the international ticket office.

Vienna-Zagreb

You can easily travel by train from Vienna to Zagreb with your bike. The bicycle ticket costs 3 euros, and you can add it to your online booking.

Budapest-Brasov train no. 366/367 “HARGHITA”

A train from Budapest might be a good option if you’re looking for a way to get to Romania without flying. A bicycle ticket costs 5 euros. It is not possible to book it online, so you will have to visit an international ticket desk.

Vilnus-Warsaw-Krakow

There is a train from Krakow and Warsaw to Vilnius (with a connection at Mockava train station). You can bring your bike for 10 euros. You can buy tickets online here (add bicycle transportation service in the tab Additional Services.

Albania

The train network in Albania is scarce, and old carriages can transport you back in time. The Albanian railways are operated by Hekurudha Shquiptare. According to the company’s website, there are weekend trains between Elbasan and Durres and between Tirana and Elbasan.

There is no information about the railway’s policy about travelling with bicycles, so if you decide to travel with one of the few trains in Albania, you will most likely have to rely on the conductor’s goodwill and squeeze your bike somewhere between the seats.

You can read more about bicycle touring in Albania here.

Austria

ÖBB

The national railway company ÖBB is the main train operator in Austria.

If there’s enough space, you can take your bicycle on local trains (Cityjet Xpress, regional train, regional express, and S-Bahn). No reservation is possible. 

For long-distance trains (Railjet, Railjet Xpress, Intercity, Eurocity, Express train, ICE, Nightjet), you need to reserve a space for your bicycle at the ÖBB Ticketshop or via the ÖBB App. It costs 3 euros. Bulky bikes (tandems, recumbent bikes, bicycle trailers) must be transported in special luggage compartments. You can reserve the spot online or through the app. 

• You can take a folding bike (maximum dimensions 90 cm wide x 60 cm high x 40 cm deep) for free and without reservation.
• E-bikes are permitted, but charging is not allowed on trains, and the battery must stay on the bike.
• For groups travelling on weekends, there is a special Einfach Raus Bicycle Ticket (for 2-5 people and their bikes: 45 euros for 2 people, 57 euros for 5 people).

WESTbahn

A private train company, WESTbahn, is one of the main competitors of the state-run ÖBB, operating between Munich, Salzburg, Innsbruck and Vienna.

Each WESTbahn train has 20 bicycle spaces, 16 of which can be booked in advance. Depending on the route, taking your bike costs from 4,90 € to 9,90 € if you make an online reservation. You will have to pay an additional 5,10 € if you didn’t make an online reservation beforehand.

You can find up-to-date information about taking a bicycle on WESTbahn trains on their official website.

Niederösterreich Bahnen

You are allowed to bring your bike to Niederösterreich Bahnen trains free of charge. However, an online reservation is highly recommended.

Belarus

The Belarussian railways don’t have a specific policy regarding taking bicycles on the train. The bicycle is treated as any other piece of hand luggage unless its three dimensions exceed 200 centimetres. In this case, you’ll have to pay an additional fee (the same amount as the cost of a regular ticket for your journey).

Officially, bikes cannot be placed in the aisles between seats or in corridors. Certain trains in Belarus have specially equipped places to carry bikes, but you need to buy an extra ticket for those.

Belgium

Belgium has a well-developed railway network, and you can take your bike on a train to any destination. Belgian Railways allow e-bikes, tandem bikes, trailers and segways. You pay 4 euros for a bike supplement (you can purchase it online or in the ticket machines at the station).

Bringing a folding bike on Belgian trains is free of charge.

Recently, the Belgian Railways introduced a Bike on Train planner—an online service for checking the number of bicycle spaces on your train and whether it is low-floor.

If you’re planning a weekend bike trip in Belgium, you can save quite a lot on train tickets. A return weekend ticket costs the same as a regular one-way ticket.

Getting your bike on or off the train is prohibited at Brussels-Central, Brussels-Congres and Brussels-Chapelle stations.

You can read more about bicycle touring in Belgium in this article.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

The train system in Bosnia and Herzegovina is poorly developed and disconnected from the European train network. The railway operates only between major cities, such as Banja Luka – Sarajevo and Čapljina – Mostar – Sarajevo.

There are two train operators: the Railways of Republika Srpska and the Railways of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Neither of the operators has specified rules or cars designed for the transportation of bicycles. It’s not impossible to take a bicycle on a train in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but it depends on your luck.

I could take my bicycle on a train from Čapljina to Sarajevo in 2018 when I couldn’t continue cycling due to a knee injury. The process was quite complicated. First, I asked at the ticket counter if I could buy a ticket for myself and my bike. The lady told me they didn’t have bicycle tickets. She wasn’t sure if I could travel with my bike. I was told to talk to the conductor.

I went to the platform, where the conductor looked at my bike with doubt and irritation, then made a few calls and finally gave me the good news. He helped me put my bike on the train, and once we arrived in Sarajevo, he helped me unload it.

If the train is full, you will most likely be denied taking your bike on a train. Also, don’t count on it if you travel as a group.

You can read more about cycling in Bosnia and Herzegovina here.

Bulgaria

In Bulgaria, you can bring your bike on any train, but most don’t have special bicycle coaches. This means you’ll probably have to carry your bike up some steep and narrow steps and place it in the last coach.

Taking your bike on a train in Bulgaria is cheap. The fee for transporting a bicycle is 2 LEV (about 1 euro), regardless of the distance and route. You can purchase your ticket online or at the train station. If the ticket counter at a small station is closed, you can buy your ticket from the conductor. I did this when I took the train from Kalofer, and there was no extra fee.

Bulgaria has a well-developed railway network with over 4,000 track kilometres, but many trains are old and slow.

The official website of Bulgarian Railways has the schedules and more information on taking your bike on a train.

You can read more about bicycle touring in Bulgaria here.

Croatia

You can take your bicycle on a train in Croatia if your train has a special coach for bicycles. It is possible on these routes:

Osijek – Koprivnica – Zagreb GK → Osijek

Pula – Buzet

Rijeka – Permani

Varaždin – Koprivnica → Varaždin

Vinkovci – Gunja

Vinkovci – Osijek

Vinkovci – Vukovar

Vinkovci – Županja

Zagreb GK – Karlovac – Duga Resa – Ogulin – Moravice – Rijeka

Zagreb GK – Križevci – Koprivnica

Zagreb GK – Oštarije – Split

Zagreb GK – Novska – (Sisak)

Zagreb GK – Novska – Vinkovci – Tovarnik

Zagreb GK – Sisak – Sunja – Volinja

Zagreb GK – Varaždin – Kotoriba

Zagreb GK – Velika Gorica

Split – Kaštel Stari – Split

Croatian railways charge 1,99 euros for taking your bike. You can buy the ticket on a train or at the train station; it’s not possible to buy a bicycle ticket online.

My experience: I once took a train from Zagreb to Slavonski Brod. Theoretically, this train wasn’t suitable for bicycles, but nobody from the staff had any problems with it. It was hard to carry my bike up the narrow stairs. I had to sit squeezed with my bike in the corridor, sweating, because of no AC.

Cyprus

Cyprus doesn’t currently have any operating railways.

Czech Republic

Czech Railways allow travellers to take their bikes on a train on most routes. On some trains (marked with a bicycle symbol), you can transport your bike under your own supervision. Other (marked with a suitcase symbol) allow you to bring a bike, which will travel in a special space supervised by a conductor. In both cases, the final decision about accepting your bike belongs to the conductor, depending on the train’s capacity.

You can also bring your bike on the SC Pendolino trains in the Czech Republic.

On most trains, you must make a reservation for your bike in advance. You can do it online or at a ticket counter. You have to have both a reservation document and a ticket for the bicycle. The price depends on the distance, starting from 30 CZK (ca. 1,30 euros) for routes below 50 km and going up to 75 CZK (3,20 euros) for 350 km.

Read more about the conditions for bicycle transportation on the Czech Railways here.

Denmark

For a bike-friendly country like Denmark, the website of DSB – the main railway operator, has surprisingly little information about taking a bicycle on the train.

You can take your bicycle on the S-trains in Copenhagen free of charge, and there is no need to make a reservation.

You need to buy a special bicycle ticket for DSB InterCity, InterCityLyn, Lyn+ and other regional trains. You can purchase it from the DSB mobile app or the station ticket machines. The ticket costs 20 DKK (ca. 2,7 euros) regardless of the route and distance.

If you plan to take your bike across the Øresund bridge to Sweden, you must buy a special Øresund cycle ticket. It is available online. You can find more information about this route here.

You can bring e-bikes and disabled bicycles on Danish trains. Cargo bikes, trailers, tandem, and other large bikes are prohibited.

Estonia

Estonia’s train network is well-developed, and the main carrier, Elron, makes bringing a bicycle on the train easy.

In the summer season (from April to the end of October), you need to buy a bicycle ticket. The price depends on the route and is 50 % of the total ticket price. You can buy the ticket online or on board. By booking, the website shows you how many bicycle spaces are available on a certain train, and if you book a seat, you are guaranteed that your bike will travel with you.

In the low season, you can bring your bike on Estonian trains free of charge. A packed folding bike is also free to bring.

Finland

Taking your bike on the train in Finland is easy and affordable. There is a well-functioning and clear online booking system, and most trains have special coaches to transport bikes.

You can bring your bike on commuter trains free of charge. However, for InterCity trains, you must book a bicycle ticket in advance. It costs 4 to 8 euros, depending on the distance. The number of bicycle spaces is limited, so booking in advance is best, especially in the high season.

You cannot transport bicycles on Pendolino long-distance trains.

You can travel with an e-bike, but it is not allowed to be charged on the train. Bringing a folding bike is free of charge for all trains if it is folded and in a bag. You cannot bring cargo bikes, tandem bikes, or big trailers on the trains in Finland.

You can find more information about travelling by Finnish trains with your bike here.

France

The French train network is impressive, but figuring out which trains allow bicycles on board might be confusing.

I won’t get into details here, as Lyn from Freewheeling France wrote a fantastic comprehensive guide on taking a bicycle on French trains. You can find it here.

Germany

You can take your bicycle on most Deutsche Bahn trains. The exception is some of the older ICE trains without bike racks.

You need a reservation for your bicycle on German intercity and express trains (IC, ICE, and EC). It costs between 7,50 and 12,90 euros and can be done online. When you’re looking for train connections online, click on advanced options and select Show connections with available bicycle spaces. You can find more information here.

Most regional trains also allow you to take your bike onboard. Outside of the high season and weekends, it should be easy. The conditions and fares depend on the federal state (read the conditions here).

Not all stations in Germany are easily accessible with a heavy-loaded bike. I remember struggling quite a lot down the stairs to the platform on Berlin Gesundbrunnen, as there was no elevator or ramps I could use.

Greece

Most trains in Greece accept bicycles.

You can bring your bike on the long-distance Hellenic Train for 5 euros. That applies to trains from Athens to Thessaloniki and from Athens to Kalambaka.

It is not possible to add a bicycle ticket during the online booking. You must buy the ticket at the train station or from the conductor.

You can bring your bike on suburban trains free of charge. Whether your bicycle will be accepted depends on the train’s capacity. If there are many passengers, the conductor can deny boarding your train. It is not possible to reserve a place for your bike.

I cycled in Greece in July 2022 and took my bicycle on a train from Amantaio to Thessaloniki. It was easy, and there was plenty of space, although loading the bike on a train with narrow stairs wasn’t the easiest. The train network in Northern Greece is scarce.

Hungary

Many trains in Hungary allow bicycles on board. Look for connections marked with a bicycle pictogram in the timetable. If the pictogram includes the letter R, bicycle space reservation is compulsory.

Folded bikes and bikes with small wheels (up to 16 inches) can be transported for free (either folded and packed in the passenger compartment or at the end of the car).

The price of the bike ticket is HUF 500 regardless of the distance. You can buy it via the MÁV app or online (there is a 5% discount when booking online or through the app). In addition, you need to buy a bicycle space reservation (costing between 100 and 990 HUF) on InterCity and express trains.

Some Hungarian trains (marked with a pictogram of a bicycle in a suitcase) equipped with bicycle cars allow tandem bicycles and bicycle trailers.

If you travel as a group (with more than 6 bicycles), you need to send a request to a service sales point.

You can read more about the conditions for transporting bicycles with Hungarian railways here.

Iceland

Iceland doesn’t have trains.

Ireland

You can take your bike on all Irish InterCity trains (although it might be hard to get a spot during peak times). You have to make a reservation for your bicycle, which can be done online for free. The number of bicycle spaces is limited, so book your trip in advance if possible.

You can take your bicycle on DART and Commuter Trains, but only off-peak. You can’t take your bicycle on DART and commuter trains before 10:00 and between 15:30 and 19:00 from Monday to Friday.

The staff can also refuse boarding with your bicycle if the train is full.

Most of the bike racks on Irish trains don’t fit fat-tire bikes, so if you’re travelling with a fat bike or a mountain bike with tyres wider than 65 mm, you might have a problem putting your bike on these racks.

You can find more information on the Irish Rail website.

Italy

Italy has a well-developed network of train routes, and most trains accept bicycles onboard. The exceptions are high-speed Freccia trains.

On regional Trenitalia trains, you must pay 3-3,5 euros for a bicycle ticket. It is valid for the entire day. If there are too many passengers on a given train, the staff can refuse you to travel with a bike. In some regions (e.g. Pulia), taking your bicycle on the train is free of charge.

I took a regio train from Salerno to Bari in April 2022. I had no problems getting a spot for my bicycle, and it was pretty comfortable.

You can also take your bicycle on Italian InterCity trains. They are usually equipped with 6 bicycle hooks. You can add a bicycle ticket to your ticket while booking online. The reservation system is a bit complicated and not really user-friendly. Ewcyna, who has a long experience travelling by bike in Italy, created a comprehensive guide about travelling by train with bicycle in Italy. She also explains the booking process there.

Kosovo

Kosovo Railways doesn’t mention its bicycle policy on its website. If you travelled by train in Kosovo with your bike, please let me know in the comments how it went!

The most popular train routes are from Pristina to Peje and Pristina to Prizren. Tickets can be bought at the train station; online reservations are unavailable.

Latvia

You can take your bicycle on most trains in Latvia. Many have a special wagon with bike holders, but even the trains without them accept bicycles (up to 5 bikes per wagon).

You must buy a baggage ticket for your bicycle. You can easily do it online. Find your connection, click buy, and choose passenger and baggage tickets. They are pretty affordable – usually, you won’t spend more than 2 euros.

You can read more about the conditions for bringing a bicycle on Latvian trains here.

Lithuania

In Lithuania, you can bring your bike onboard all trains (but not in the 1st class wagons). The bicycle ticket costs 45 % of your ticket’s price. No bicycles are allowed in the 1st class wagons. You can buy the tickets on the LTG Link website. Choose your route, a seat in 2nd or 3rd class, and select Bicycle transportation service in the Additional services tab.

Moldova

I couldn’t find any information about taking bicycles on the Moldovan Railways’ website or any reports from people who did it. If you travel with your bike by Moldovan trains, please let me know about your experience in the comments!

Montenegro

You can take a bicycle on most trains in Montenegro. The bicycle ticket costs 4 euros.

It is not possible to book tickets online. You have to buy it at the train station.

You can find the timetables on Montenegrin Railways’ website.

The Netherlands

You can take your bike on most trains in the Netherlands outside peak hours (between 9 am and 4 pm and from 6.30 pm to 6.30 am) from Monday to Friday and all day on weekends, during the months of July and August and public holidays.

Not all trains have designated spaces for bicycles. In this case, the staff might not let you board with your bike, and you will have to wait for the next train.

You need to buy a bicycle ticket for 7,50 euros. You can buy it online or from a ticket machine.

Taking a folding bike on Dutch trains is free and allowed during rush hours.

Cargo bikes, tandem bikes and bike trailers are not allowed.

To get to the platform, scan your ticket at the gate. The gates are quite narrow, so I recommend you take your panniers off the bicycle before passing them. I once didn’t and got a little stuck. In this case, there is a staff member around who can open a wider gate for you.

You can find more information on taking your bicycle on Dutch trains here.

North Macedonia

The policy of The Macedonian Railways regarding bicycles on trains is quite vague, and it’s hard to find any specific information about it.

According to Rante, a cycling guide from Skopje, bicycles cannot be taken on trains without designated bicycle cars, which are super rare. That means you shouldn’t have too high hopes about bringing your bicycle on a train in North Macedonia.

Norway

Vy

The Norwegian train operator Vy allows bicycles on most of its trains. However, you must reserve a space for your bike on most long-distance trains. This is also required for The Bergen Line, The Gjøvik Line, and Oslo-Halden-Gøteborg.

You can buy a bike ticket on local trains. The journey planner on vy.no is handy for estimating whether your train has available bicycle spaces.

The price of a bicycle ticket on a Norwegian train depends on the route and is the same as for a child ticket (max. 255 NOK).

You can add a bicycle ticket to your online reservation. Click on Add add-ons and select bicycle on train.

You must label your bike on the Bergen Line with the destination, name and phone number. You can download a blank label here.

Norwegian trains accept e-bikes (as long as the battery is removed from the bike and not charged on the train). Carbo bikes, handcycles and tandem bikes are not allowed (although the Flåm and the Bergen line accept tandem bikes).

If your folding bicycle or disassembled bike doesn’t take up more space than typical luggage and fits on the luggage shelves, you can bring it for free in a travel case.

You can read more about the rules for bringing your bike on Vy trains in Norway here.

Go-Ahead Nordic

Go-Ahead Nordic is a train operator with routes in southern Norway (Oslo-Stavanger, Arendal-Nelaug and Stavanger-Egersund).

They accept bicycles on all their trains, provided there is space. You can reserve a bicycle place on the Sørtoget (Oslo-Stavanger). On the other routes, you need to buy a bicycle ticket. The ticket depends on the route and is quite pricey—on some trains, it costs the same as an adult ticket, and on others, the same as a child ticket.

Go-Ahead Nordic accepts e-bikes, but you must not charge them during the trip.

You can find more information about bicycles on Go-Ahead Nordic trains here.

SJ Nord

SJ Nord also allows bicycles on their trains. Reservation of a bicycle space is mandatory. You can buy your ticket on entur.no (after looking up your connection, click Add add-on and choose bicycle).

The price of your bicycle ticket depends on the route. It is 50 % off the Standard adult refundable ticket, with a minimum of 50 NOK (ca. 4,3 euros) and up to 250 NOK (21 euros).

If you have a folding bike, you can take it at no additional cost. The same concerns disassembled bicycles stored in bicycle bags or suitcases.

You can take an e-bike onboard, but you don’t charge the battery on the train. Cargo bikes, tandems or other bulky bikes are not accepted.

You can read more about the conditions here.

Poland

Even though I grew up and lived most of my life in Poland, I sometimes find travelling by train very confusing, especially with a bicycle.

PKP Intercity

Not all PKP Intercity trains allow bicycles on board. In the online route planner, you can filter trains with bicycle space by clicking possible transport of bicycles.

When buying your ticket, click Select in the graphic scheme, find a coach with the bicycle icon and choose a seat with the bicycle icon. A bicycle ticket costs 9,10 zł (ca. 2 euros).

Most Intercity trains in Poland have a car for bicycles, with hooks where you can hang your bike. Some older TLK or IC trains don’t have it but still allow bicycles in the front of the first wagon or in the back of the last wagon.

You can also buy a bicycle ticket at the train stations.

Many train stations in Poland are not masterpieces of accessibility, so you will have plenty of opportunities to work out your biceps by carrying your loaded bike up and down the stairs.

You can find more information here.

Regional Trains

Travelling on regional trains in Poland with your bicycle is even more complicated. There are different operators in different regions, and each has separate rules on bicycle transport.

On most Regio trains in Poland, you will pay 8,40 zł for the bicycle ticket, regardless of the distance and route. Many local trains have special hooks for bicycles and low floors. The crew can deny you access to your bike if the train is full. You can buy the ticket for your bike at the station or, for most regional trail operators, on the polregio.pl website.

Portugal

The railway network in Portugal is well-developed, and you can take your bicycle on many trains.

You can take your bike for free on Intercidades trains, but it must be no heavier than 15 kg.

You can also take your bike for free on Regional and Interregional trains, but you must go to the ticket inspector before boarding and ask him if there is space. If so, he will issue a ticket for you. On some routes, there might be temporary restrictions for bicycles.

On Alfa Pendular high-speed trains, bikes are only allowed if they are disassembled and packed as luggage that fits in the luggage racks.

You can transport your e-bike as long as its size is similar to a regular bike. Tandem bikes and other non-standard-sized bikes are not allowed on Portuguese trains.

Read more about taking your bicycle on Portuguese trains here.

Romania

The Romanian railways CFR Călători allow bicycles on trains with specially designated spaces. You can find these trains using the online journey planner. Click on Show the advanced fields and select only trains with bicycle coaches. In the next steps, you can buy a bicycle ticket for your order (tick the box “bike tickets for all passengers). The price is 25 lei (ca. 5 euros).

You can also buy the ticket at the train station.

Serbia

The information I found on taking bicycles on trains in Serbia was scarce and unclear. If you have any experience travelling in this country, please share it in the comments or send me a message.

The majority of trains in Serbia are operated by the Serbian Railways. If a train has designated bicycle spaces, you can bring your bike for 100 dinars (ca. 0,85 euros). It is currently not possible to buy tickets online. You can find your connection on this website.

Slovakia

Many trains operated by Slovak Railways have space for bicycles. You can find a train that allows bicycles by searching your connection on the ZSSK website. Click on Advanced Search, tick the Bike box and click Search. Once you’ve chosen your connection, click Purchase the ticket and Additional Services to add the bicycle ticket to your order.

A bicycle ticket costs 1,50 euros. You can also get a 1-day pass for 2,5 euros or a weekly pass for 6 euros.

Reservations of bicycle spots are mandatory for all trains except for Os and REX trains.

Folding bikes can be transported for free if they fit the luggage racks.

You can bring your e-bike on the train, but the battery must stay on the bike (you are not allowed to charge it).

You can find more information on bicycles on trains in Slovakia here.

Slovenia

Slovenian railways have many trains with cars for bicycle transportation. You can easily spot them in the online timetable finder—they will have a blue bicycle icon next to the train number.

I didn’t find a way to add a bicycle ticket on the online platform. Let me know if you know how to do it in the comments.

A bicycle ticket costs 1,50 euros (3 euros for an e-bike) and is valid for one day.

If you travel as a group, you must make a reservation at least 8 working days in advance.

You can find more information on travelling by train with your bicycle in Slovenia here.

Spain

You can find a comprehensive guide on travelling with your bike on Spanish trains on Cyclefiesta.com.

Sweden

The Swedish national train operator SJ doesn’t allow bicycles (unless disassembled and packed into a bag no bigger than 140x85x30 cm).

You won’t also be able to travel with your bike on Blå Tåget and MTR Express from Stockholm to Göteborg, on Snälltåget from Stockholm to Malmö and on Kustpilen from Linköping to Västervik and Kalmar.

Snälltåget allows bicycles on the night trains to Jämtland.

List of Swedish trains that allow bicycles on board

• SL trains in the Stockholm area for free outside of rush hours.
• Arlanda Express (from Stockholm airport to the city centre, it is free to take your bike on the train).
• Mälartåget (a local train in Stockholm, Sörmland, Uppsala, Västmanland, Örebro and Östergötland, taking your bike is free).
• Västtåg and Öresundståg (you can take your bicycle for free if there is space. There is no reservation. Bike can be max. 190 cm long and 70 cm wide.)
• Tåg I Bergslagen (not all trains have space for bicycles)
• Pågatågen (suburbian trains in Skåne region, no reservation possible, no box bikes are allowed).
• Krösatågen.
• Norrtåg (on trains Sundvall-Storliven, Sundsvall-Umeå, Umeå-Luleå, Luleå-Kiruna, Umeå-Hällnäs and Umeå-Vännäs. I couldn’t find information about the price for a bike ticket).
• Tågab (Västra Götaland, Värmland, Dalarna. You can bring your bike for 60 SEK (ca. 5,35 euros). A booking of bicycle space is not possible, so your bike will only be accepted if there is enough space).
• X-Tåg (a local train in the Gävleborg region allows max. 2 bikes on board. The bike ticket costs 30 SEK (ca. 2,7 euros).
• Inlandsbanan – one of the longest train routes in Sweden, goes from Kristianshamn in the south to Gällivare above the Arctic Circle and allows bicycles on board. The bicycle ticket costs 100 SEK (ca. 9 euros). You can add a bike to your online reservation (below your personal info, next to the word Cykel tick Ja.
• Östgötatrafiken – you can take a bike on the Östgötapendeln train if there is enough space. There is no reservation and no guarantee that you will be able to travel with your bike.

As you can see, the railway landscape in Sweden is super complicated, so double-check if the train you plan to take allows bicycles.

Switzerland

Switzerland is a paradise for train lovers. Also, those who want to travel with their bikes. Most SBB trains have space for bicycles. To find a connection with bicycle space, click on Advanced search in the SBB online planner and tick Carriage of bicycles required.

During the reservation, you will have to add a bicycle ticket. A Day Bike Pass for a bike costs 14 CHF (ca. 14.35 euros).

On top of that, from March to October, you will need to make a space reservation on InterCity trains.

Most likely, your connection won’t be direct, and the time to change trains will be short. Don’t worry too much about it. Swiss train stations are super accessible and well organised, so you should be able to catch your next train even if you have only ten minutes.

Read more about taking a bicycle on Swiss trains here.

United Kingdom

Will from willcycle.com created a terrific guide on travelling with your bicycle on British trains. You can read it here.