rdilla

To keep my bike tour on schedule, I was thinking of skipping a leg of the journey and taking the bus a few stops north. I'm currently heading from San Diego to Seattle. I wanted to skip a portion just north of San Francisco to maybe Eureka CA. Anyone ever do something like this? Are there any special requirements from the bus companies?

Cheers

robind

I know that taking the Amtrak bus they require you to put your bike in one of their huge boxes, which they put under the bus. The boxes are not available at all amtrak locations, though I've never been to a train station that didn't have one. I think it ends up costing around $15 extra to bring your bike.
The greyhound bus simply had a bike rack on the front capable of carrying 3 bikes, first come first serve.
But for the leg you're trying to skip over, I think I'd rather take the train than the bus. Also, that's some awfully nice riding in marin/sonoma county.

Ratzinger

I've done this. With Greyhound, a few years ago, in Canada. I had to get a bike box and take the pedals off and pay to ship it. You'll have to call whatever busline it is you're taking to ask what their bike policy is.

raybo

While maybe not what you have in mind, you should check the routes of the local buses out of San Francisco or Marin County. Many of the buses that operate in that area have bike racks on the front. While you may not be able to get all the way to Eureka, you can likely get a fair way using the local buses.

You might also try posting something in Craig's List as there are a lot of people commuting north from SF who may be willing to take you, your bike, and gear, though, these days a fee is usually involved.

Ray

acantor

Yes, yes, yes, check the rules about carrying bicycles. Until a year or two ago, it was possible for me to travel with my bike on a local intra-city bus line. Then the company replaced their coaches with double decker buses that have NO space for bicycles. From the web page of Coach Canada:

"Bikes will not be transported between Toronto - Montreal or Toronto - New York."

tomg

i have commuted using NJ Transit. they let you place the bike in bus undercarriage. using Greyhound was another issue (2x). you need to box your bike.
using the train from Boston Mass north was boxless as well.

gpsblake

Shipping a bike via bus is a real crap shoot in the United States, even if you arrange it ahead of time. Drivers have been known to refuse bikes (due to laziness in my opinion), even if the Greyhound station approved it ahead of time. Best advice, call the Greyhound station, and ask them about it, then cross your fingers. You will almost certainly need a bike box.

fietsbob

Ireland , Big cargo hold in the back on some busses,
notably the ones with the motor in the center .

out here There is a nice bus from the PDX Amtrak station to the coast.

Machka 

I took the bus several times when I toured Australia in 2004, and did not need a box any of those times ... although I think they would have preferred I have one.

I also took Amtrak from Sacramento to Eugene in 2005, and then caught the greyhound to Vancouver. My bicycle was boxed, and it was a good thing it was. The Amtrack portion of that trip was by far the better portion.

Big Lew

I have used Greyhound several times to get to, or from the start and finish of tours in British Columbia. They required my bike to be boxed and there was a weight restriction as well as for carry-on luggage. Most often now, they put it in a towing trailer either pulled by your bus, or another, so sometimes it might arrive before or after your arrival. I also used B C Rail before they were bought out by C N Rail, and they allowed the fully loaded bike on board a luggage car providing I helped lift it up and out...very accommodating, I don't know if C N does the same.

paul2

I took Greyhound from Eureka to San Francisco at the end of one tour, and from San Francisco to Eureka at the beginning of another. Greyhound required the bike to be boxed. Everything went smoothly.

Alekhine

In Thailand I traveled partially by bus and train, but for me that was easy in both cases because I had a Bike Friday folder.

DVC45

I took my Birdy Folder with me to south Texas last month. I just bagged it and had no trouble with either Amtrak or Greyhound.
I was told that if I had a full size bike, it should be boxed up.

Sometimes, foldies do rule.

sam21fire

I had to take the dogbus from Arcata to SF once when I came down w/ major bronchitis. They do require the bike to be boxed, and I had to load it myself (ok with me because I wanted to make sure nothing heavy got packed on top). No problems at all. The trip took quite a while (sorry, I was too sick to notice exactly how long) and the bus got pretty full because it stops at every "town" along the way. There is no train service on that stretch of the coast.

rdilla

Hey all. Thanks for all the feedback! I'm currently on the amtrak motor coach (bus) from Santa Rosa to Garberville and there was no problem getting my bike on board. Didn't even have to take anything off and I didn't have to pay any extra fees. Hope this can help anyone in the future who is considering the same option.

Cheers everyone. I'm currently 741 miles into my trip and am blogging about it on posterous. Search San Deattle and you'll find me. Again, thanks for all the replies!