Deutsche Bahn - verpacktes Rennrrad

[PomodoroPazzo]

Apologies for the English language


I sometimes travel from Hamburg area to italy, with Deutsche Bahn, carrying my Rennrad with me.
So far the bicycle was always disassembled, and bagged, fits nicely in the large luggage area and it has never cause discomfort to anyone. Some of the advantages are

1) no need to spend extra for Fahrradkarte
2) no bound to a train suited for transporting bicycles
3) no need to book months in advance, places for bicycle sell out VERY fast

Now, neither DB nor the Italians have issues with transporting the bicycle like this. But the Austrian system does. More than once I was either kicked out, or prevented from boarding.

Now, suppose the following scenario, which is I'm afraid very realistic:
I book DB Hamburg -> Italy, via Munich and Brenner as usual, this time paying a little extra for a bicycle place. The train arrives in Munich late, so supposedly they put me on a later train. So far so good. Now, the catch I'm afraid is that in summer peak season it could well be DAYS before a later train with available bicycle places becomes available.

What would happen in such a scenario? They keep me days in Munich before a rare train with bicycle place is finally available...? They force me to continue solo and abandon my beloved carbon Speedy in Munich....?

Thanks,

 

[Dr.Ücker]

Last year the Austrians were about to kick me out of the train with my disassembled and well-packed bike too. But the reason was the old-fashion train with no places for larger luggage, so I had to store my packed bike in the aisle. The reasoning of the officials was absolutely ridiculous: Other XXL-suitcases in the aisle: No problem, as there is nothing you can do. My suitcase (not xxl, only xl, but with a bike in it): BIG security problem, we all are going do DIE, get off the train NOW!

So, to avoid being subject to the very special austrian kind of humor, my suggestion is:

1) Get an austrian train with luggage area.
2) travel via Basel/Chiasso
3) Take the bus

 

[PomodoroPazzo]

So, to avoid being subject to the very special austrian kind of humor, my suggestion is:

1) Get an austrian train with luggage area.
2) travel via Basel/Chiasso
3) Take the bus

I think you are right.
Thanks a lot for the answer.

 

[Sigibond]

The Austrian trains have really a maximum size for luggage (90 cm x 60 cm x 40 cm) and it is forbidden to take bigger luggage with you. I also had problems in Austria with a disassembled bike. But only in Rail-Jets and Intercitys. A possibility is to go from Munich to Kufstein with the German regional train. Then you can continue via Innsbruck to Brenner also with regional trains and there you continue with Italian trains. The regional connections are also very good and in the regional trains is enough place for luggage.

In German trains you can have problems in older ICE's. There you only have small luggage areas without enough space for disassembled bikes and here it is also possible that you must leave the trains. In Germany you have no maximum size, but the luggage must fit in the luggage areas. They write that luggage with size 700 x 500 x 300 mm fits always. In newer ICE's also bicyles will fit because the luggage areas have a length of 1,40m or 1,90m.

 

[PomodoroPazzo]

The Austrian trains have really a maximum size for luggage (90 cm x 60 cm x 40 cm) and it is forbidden to take bigger luggage with you. I also had problems in Austria with a disassembled bike. But only in Rail-Jets and Intercitys. A possibility is to go from Munich to Kufstein with the German regional train. Then you can continue via Innsbruck to Brenner also with regional trains and there you continue with Italian trains. The regional connections are also very good and in the regional trains is enough place for luggage.

In German trains you can have problems in older ICE's. There you only have small luggage areas without enough space for disassembled bikes and here it is also possible that you must leave the trains. In Germany you have no maximum size, but the luggage must fit in the luggage areas. They write that luggage with size 700 x 500 x 300 mm fits always. In newer ICE's also bicyles will fit because the luggage areas have a length of 1,40m or 1,90m.

Thank you very much

 

[Dr.Ücker]

The Austrian trains have really a maximum size for luggage (90 cm x 60 cm x 40 cm) and it is forbidden to take bigger luggage with you. I also had problems in Austria with a disassembled bike. But only in Rail-Jets and Intercitys. A possibility is to go from Munich to Kufstein with the German regional train. Then you can continue via Innsbruck to Brenner also with regional trains and there you continue with Italian trains. The regional connections are also very good and in the regional trains is enough place for luggage.

In German trains you can have problems in older ICE's. There you only have small luggage areas without enough space for disassembled bikes and here it is also possible that you must leave the trains. In Germany you have no maximum size, but the luggage must fit in the luggage areas. They write that luggage with size 700 x 500 x 300 mm fits always. In newer ICE's also bicyles will fit because the luggage areas have a length of 1,40m or 1,90m.

I bet no conductor is going to measure your bag as Ryanair does, not even an austrian one. The problem arises when luggage is stored in the aisle or is bothering elswhere other travellers or blocking emergency exits. In trains with no compartments, such as the (older) german ICE a bag with a disassembled bike fits perfectly between two sets of seats placed back-to-back. But in the older trains with only compartments there is no such option.

 

[sibi]

Now, suppose the following scenario, which is I'm afraid very realistic:
I book DB Hamburg -> Italy, via Munich and Brenner as usual, this time paying a little extra for a bicycle place. The train arrives in Munich late, so supposedly they put me on a later train. So far so good. Now, the catch I'm afraid is that in summer peak season it could well be DAYS before a later train with available bicycle places becomes available.

What would happen in such a scenario? They keep me days in Munich before a rare train with bicycle place is finally available...? They force me to continue solo and abandon my beloved carbon Speedy in Munich....?

Thanks,

It is realistic and happend to friends of mine: They missed their train in Munich because their first train was late and as there was no other train on the same day (with free places for their bikes), they had to stay one night in Munich (on DB's expense). You can try to minimize this risk by adding extra time for changing trains.

Comment on the route via Switzerland: There is a day and a night train from Hamburg to Zürich. Both take bicycles. Again: Allow extra time for changing in Basel or Zürich.

 

[PomodoroPazzo]

It is realistic and happend to friends of mine: They missed their train in Munich because their first train was late and as there was no other train on the same day (with free places for their bikes), they had to stay one night in Munich (on DB's expense). You can try to minimize this risk by adding extra time for changing trains.

Comment on the route via Switzerland: There is a day and a night train from Hamburg to Zürich. Both take bicycles. Again: Allow extra time for changing in Basel or Zürich.

Thanks a lot

Actually arriving late in Munich and spending a night there has already happened to me (more than once). Kind of abenteuerlich butt all in all not too bad.
But I was without bicycle, so finding a place the following day in a train was no big deal.

My fear is if having a bicycle, that can only be transported with reservation, and the next day because summer peak season there is simply NO AVAILABLE bicycle place in any train.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[sibi]

My fear is if having a bicycle, that can only be transported with reservation, and the next day because summer peak season there is simply NO AVAILABLE bicycle place in any train.

Thanks again everyone.

Less likely in Switzerland, because they have more places. Exceptions are the high speed trains Basel to Milan (running throught the new Gotthard tunnel) with a compulsary bicycle reservation, but there are still slightly slower ones using the old line. And the night train has longer travelling time than a day train, although it can run as fast as a day train, i.e. it can catch up in case of a delay.

However: If you have booked a through-journey for you and your bicycle from Kiel to Italy (at least with the German-Austrian run Eurocity/Railjet from Munich to Italy), it is the duty of DB to bring you to your destination. The proper legal situation is complex (the terms are "Beförderungsvetrag" und "Fahrgastrechte") and both my legal knowledge and English are not sufficient to describe the necessary details here correctly.

 

[PomodoroPazzo]

Thanks everyone