Bicycles on the train - rules and costs of carriage | PolishTrains

At a glance

• Most Polish trains offer dedicated bicycle spaces, sometimes entire carriages
• Bikes are secured on hooks; panniers and luggage can usually be kept alongside
• PKP Intercity EIC and EIP services require a mandatory bike reservation
• Some regional carriers carry bicycles free of charge; others charge a fixed supplement
• Bicycle tickets can be added to any booking directly in the PolishTrains search engine
• PolishTrains sends an SMS reminder with a ticket link before the journey

Long distance and regional trains are increasingly well prepared for the needs of travellers on two wheels. With a bike you can board the train comfortably and safely. Usually in trains there are special places (sometimes even carriages) adapted for transporting bikes.

Usually a bicycle can be securely fastened to a special holder. There is also space for larger panniers or other luggage. The cyclist is also provided with a seat. However, this seat is not always directly next to your bike. Remember that you, as the owner, are responsible for your equipment. You must place it in a way that does not disturb other travellers.

The PolishTrains search engine will also help you with this. It will allow you to check whether a bicycle carriage is available on a particular connection. When buying a ticket, if you are planning to travel with a bicycle, it is essential to know whether it will be possible to transport it. Without this, you may not be able to board your chosen train. Not having a ticket is a major risk.

How do I carry my bike on the train? The best solution is to buy a seat in a special bicycle car. There are adapted racks where you can comfortably place your bike.

Unfortunately, bicycle carriages are still a rarity. There are far too few of them on trains. There is usually room for as many as 24 bikes in a cycle car, assuming that a seat is reserved for the owner. In many cases the entrance to such a car opens like in freight cars. So there is no problem of cramped passage.

PKP Intercity plans to modernise its existing carriages and introduce more of them into the fleet. There is plenty of space, the bikes and luggage can be stowed most comfortably. This is ideal for longer journeys. Look for special markings in the rolling stock reserved for this type of unit.

Most bicycle carriages are made available to travellers by the Lower Silesian Railways. That is why Lower Silesia is an ideal region to explore from the saddle. Special ticket promotions also help.

Places on the train marked for the carriage of bicycles usually have special hooks to which they are attached. In many cases it is not even necessary to unfasten panniers for this purpose. Bicycles weighing up to 7-8 kg should also fit easily into a narrow carriage entrance. There is also no need to remove the wheel. For safety reasons, however, it is better to remove the bidons.

How to hang a bicycle on a train? For longer journeys, it is a good idea to strap them in. Depending on the train, the passenger seats are either in the vestibule right next to or further away. Out of concern for your own equipment, it is better to secure it.

Is there a charge for a bicycle on a train? The fee for carrying a bicycle depends on the specific train.

On TLK and IC trains the fee is PLN 9.10 and is independent of the route length. Bicycles can only be carried in designated areas or in the first vestibule of the first car and the last vestibule of the last car, so as to cause as little disturbance as possible to other passengers. On EIC and EIP trains, they may only be transported in designated areas. This may never be a dining car, sleeping car or car with reclining seats.

In the case of PKP Polregio bike carriage, travellers can buy a ticket with and without a seat guarantee. The former have priority in occupying a bicycle rack. Carriage is only possible in designated places either in the first vestibule of the first carriage or the last vestibule of the last carriage. The fare is PLN 7 regardless of the length of the journey. It is also possible to purchase a monthly card for PLN 60.

Arriva applies the same rules for carrying a bicycle on its trains as its predecessors. The charge is PLN 5.50. Koleje Dolnośląskie charges a one-off fee of PLN 7 for the carriage of a bicycle. Travellers using the offer Weekend with KD, KD+Czechy or Wspólny Bilet Samorządowy (Joint Local Government Ticket) can buy a space for a bike for 10 PLN.

The Małopolska Railway is cheaper in terms of transporting a bike and charges 4 PLN (35 PLN for a monthly ticket).

Mazovian Railways make a nod to cyclists by offering them free bike carriage (one per person).

The Silesian Railway also allows free bike carriage as part of the Kołem po Śląsku offer. It runs from Friday at 3pm until Sunday at midnight, so it's a great opportunity for a budget weekend getaway. In addition to the promotion, transporting a bike in a suitable place costs PLN 5, regardless of the length of the route. Carriage of the bicycle is paid for at the time of ticket inspection, with no charge for not having a valid ticket.

On the Greater Poland Railway the transportation of a bicycle costs 7 PLN, no matter what the route length is.

The Łódź Agglomeration Railway also offers free bike carriage (one per passenger).

The Fast City Railway in the Tricity allows to carry a bicycle if it does not disturb other travellers and does not block the possibility to get on and off the train. A flat fee is charged. There are no marked hooks for mounting a unicycle. The Warsaw SKM allows the free carriage of bicycles under the same rules as in the ZTM. Transport is free of charge, but it must be positioned only in marked places.

The Warsaw Commuter Rail allows for paid bike transportation. The charge depends on the time of the journey. In zone I it is 4.10, in zone II 5.50 and in zone III 8 PLN. For 51,50 you can buy a monthly ticket for the carriage of a bicycle valid throughout the WKD Warsaw network.

So as you can see, the carriage of a bike by train is possible on all Polish carriers and the charge is not high. What's more, more and more carriages adapted for carrying single-track bikes are being put on the road. During the holiday season, it is easy to travel across Poland and beyond with the PKP.

It is advisable to buy your PKP bike ticket in advance to be sure that it will be available at all. Particularly during long weekends or holidays, there are often more applicants than available places. Without a seat, you can only carry your bike at your own risk - this means that the conductor may ask you to leave the train with your bike.

So don't take the risk, but check in the PolishTrains search engine whether there will be a designated space for carrying bicycles on the train in question and buy a ticket in advance with a special surcharge. Then you can be sure that there will be space for your bike on the hangers. A longer or shorter trip will then become a pleasure. After all, an increasing number of cycle routes are being built in Poland and Europe which are just begging to be tested.