[Removed user]

3 November 2017 at 19:29:45 #813611

Hi, I’m really having difficulty trying to figure out how to reserve our train tickets from Zurich to Donaueschingen with bicycles. Firstly, is it best to reserve the tickets through Swiss Rail because the journey starts in Switzerland? Or is it just as possible to make the reservation through DB Bahn? I’ve figured out the train connections that I want and both connections indicate that taking bikes on the trains is possible (though limited availability). In our case, the bikes will be loaded with panniers (ie not in bike bags) and so we will ‘self service’ loading of our bicycles. When I proceed through the reservation process, it doesn’t add on the cost for the international bike ticket. Neither is there a way of indicating that we are travelling with bicycles (this is on the Swiss Rail site). Am I missing something? Or is it that the bicycle tickets are only available at the station and its a case of first in, first served on the day of travel?

Please help – I don’t want to go ahead and reserve our train tickets and find that we are unable to take our bicycles.

LorraineS

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[Removed user]

4 November 2017 at 0:55:49 #871545

Hi Lorraine,

You can make the reservation on the Deutsche Bahn site, and when searching for connections, tick the option that says “Only show connections that allow carriage of bicycles (buy bicycle ticket if necessary)”.

reiseauskunft.bahn.de/ bin/query2.exe/en?rt=1&

It seems that it’s only possible to reserve bicycle places in long distance trains, designated as “IC” or “EC”. In regional and local trains, it’s apparently a case of “first come, first served”, and if there were no place for your bikes, you would need to wait for the next train. Deutsche Bahn recommends not choosing connections during commuter travel times and long weekends if you want to ensure room for your bike on your preferred train. The time of year you are travelling would also make a difference.

If you choose connections with only one transfer en route, and an IC train as the first connection (with reserved places for your bikes), that is likely to work out best I would think.

Alpenrose

[Removed user]

4 November 2017 at 2:40:25 #871546

Thanks Alpenrose666, that helps a lot.

regards

LorraineS