Transport ?s - Flight to Spain, Train to France, One-Way Ride to Italy, Flight Back
03-20-19, 07:50 AM
#1
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Transport ?s - Flight to Spain, Train to France, One-Way Ride to Italy, Flight Back
This is my first one-way bike tour, and I’ve run into some transportation / shipping issues related to the bike bag.
I’ll be flying from the USA to Barcelona (British Air, which doesn’t charge extra to check the bike), spending a couple of non-riding days there, taking the high-speed train to Marseille (Ave), riding from from Marseille to Siena, Italy, and flying back to the USA.
I had initially planned check my bike in an Evoc soft case from the USA to Barcelona, leave it packed in Barcelona, take it on the Ave to Marseille in the bag (I’m told it has to be in a bag on the Ave), ship the bag from Marseille to Siena, pick it up after the ride, pack up the bike, and fly back. I just found out that shipping the bag from Marseille to Siena will cost 285 Euros. At that price, I’m getting close to the price of buying another bag in Siena for the flight home.
I want to ride my own bike (which eliminates buying / renting one there). And I want to be sure my bike is protected. That said, I want to do this as cost effectively as possible. Does anyone have any advice on transportation of either the bike or bike bag?
This forum is always such a huge help. Thanks in advance for any advice.
Will
I’ll be flying from the USA to Barcelona (British Air, which doesn’t charge extra to check the bike), spending a couple of non-riding days there, taking the high-speed train to Marseille (Ave), riding from from Marseille to Siena, Italy, and flying back to the USA.
I had initially planned check my bike in an Evoc soft case from the USA to Barcelona, leave it packed in Barcelona, take it on the Ave to Marseille in the bag (I’m told it has to be in a bag on the Ave), ship the bag from Marseille to Siena, pick it up after the ride, pack up the bike, and fly back. I just found out that shipping the bag from Marseille to Siena will cost 285 Euros. At that price, I’m getting close to the price of buying another bag in Siena for the flight home.
I want to ride my own bike (which eliminates buying / renting one there). And I want to be sure my bike is protected. That said, I want to do this as cost effectively as possible. Does anyone have any advice on transportation of either the bike or bike bag?
This forum is always such a huge help. Thanks in advance for any advice.
Will
03-20-19, 07:56 AM
#2
Senior Member
This is my first one-way bike tour, and I’ve run into some transportation / shipping issues related to the bike bag.
I’ll be flying from the USA to Barcelona (British Air, which doesn’t charge extra to check the bike), spending a couple of non-riding days there, taking the high-speed train to Marseille (Ave), riding from from Marseille to Siena, Italy, and flying back to the USA.
I had initially planned check my bike in an Evoc soft case from the USA to Barcelona, leave it packed in Barcelona, take it on the Ave to Marseille in the bag (I’m told it has to be in a bag on the Ave), ship the bag from Marseille to Siena, pick it up after the ride, pack up the bike, and fly back. I just found out that shipping the bag from Marseille to Siena will cost 285 Euros. At that price, I’m getting close to the price of buying another bag in Siena for the flight home.
I want to ride my own bike (which eliminates buying / renting one there). And I want to be sure my bike is protected. That said, I want to do this as cost effectively as possible. Does anyone have any advice on transportation of either the bike or bike bag?
This forum is always such a huge help. Thanks in advance for any advice.
Will
I’ll be flying from the USA to Barcelona (British Air, which doesn’t charge extra to check the bike), spending a couple of non-riding days there, taking the high-speed train to Marseille (Ave), riding from from Marseille to Siena, Italy, and flying back to the USA.
I had initially planned check my bike in an Evoc soft case from the USA to Barcelona, leave it packed in Barcelona, take it on the Ave to Marseille in the bag (I’m told it has to be in a bag on the Ave), ship the bag from Marseille to Siena, pick it up after the ride, pack up the bike, and fly back. I just found out that shipping the bag from Marseille to Siena will cost 285 Euros. At that price, I’m getting close to the price of buying another bag in Siena for the flight home.
I want to ride my own bike (which eliminates buying / renting one there). And I want to be sure my bike is protected. That said, I want to do this as cost effectively as possible. Does anyone have any advice on transportation of either the bike or bike bag?
This forum is always such a huge help. Thanks in advance for any advice.
Will
03-20-19, 08:02 AM
#4
Bike touring webrarian
Why is shipping your bike bag so expensive? Have you checked the post office for shipping? Is there something unusual about your bike bag that makes it so expensive to ship?
I fly my folding BIke Friday in a good-sized suitcase that I ship to my destination. Last time, I used the Dutch post office to send it to Germany, it cost me about €37 (2017).
I fly my folding BIke Friday in a good-sized suitcase that I ship to my destination. Last time, I used the Dutch post office to send it to Germany, it cost me about €37 (2017).
03-20-19, 08:05 AM
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Why is shipping your bike bag so expensive? Have you checked the post office for shipping? Is there something unusual about your bike bag that makes it so expensive to ship?
I fly my folding BIke Friday in a good-sized suitcase that I ship to my destination. Last time, I used the Dutch post office to send it to Germany, it cost me about €37 (2017).
I fly my folding BIke Friday in a good-sized suitcase that I ship to my destination. Last time, I used the Dutch post office to send it to Germany, it cost me about €37 (2017).
03-20-19, 08:11 AM
#6
Senior Member
stay away from both always ridiculous pricing, local mail should be much cheaper, and again try and search out independent trucking services.
03-20-19, 12:48 PM
#7
Every day a winding road
That is your problem., They are going to charge air prices. Especially if you are trying to get a quote from home. Do it with the post office. My suggestion would be to contact a local warmshowers host to help you out with local pricing and shipping details.
03-20-19, 01:03 PM
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I had never heard of warmshowers before that post. I will check it out and see if I can't get some more information.
Thanks!
Thanks!
03-20-19, 02:38 PM
#9
Every day a winding road
03-20-19, 03:41 PM
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We've done a few open jaws, involving trains and planes. We travel with padded flight bags precisely for these situations. These bags can be rolled to roughly the size of a (large) sleeping bag. We tie them to the top of our rear rack. Not ideal, but works.
The alternative might be to box your bike -> Barcelona. Bring a Rinko bag to travel by train (rolls to the size of a water bottle; requires "aggressive" disassembling -- pedals, handlebars, both wheels, both racks, maybe the fork as well). On the return leg, you may want to hunt for a box, or simply use a transparent bag, often sold at the airport or provided by the airline, or use your Rinko (danger would be that because your bike is hidden by the opaque bag, handling may not be what you hope for.
Rigid or semi rigid containers are probably necessary for performance bikes but a major PITA otherwise.
Padded bags, in our experience, do a very decent job, are relatively inexpensive, easy to leave in storage for loops if your hotel/host is minimally cooperative, and totally appropriate for open jaws, when storage is not an option (and forwarding a significant annoyance).
Have a fun trip. Nice countryside you're about to visit.
The alternative might be to box your bike -> Barcelona. Bring a Rinko bag to travel by train (rolls to the size of a water bottle; requires "aggressive" disassembling -- pedals, handlebars, both wheels, both racks, maybe the fork as well). On the return leg, you may want to hunt for a box, or simply use a transparent bag, often sold at the airport or provided by the airline, or use your Rinko (danger would be that because your bike is hidden by the opaque bag, handling may not be what you hope for.
Rigid or semi rigid containers are probably necessary for performance bikes but a major PITA otherwise.
Padded bags, in our experience, do a very decent job, are relatively inexpensive, easy to leave in storage for loops if your hotel/host is minimally cooperative, and totally appropriate for open jaws, when storage is not an option (and forwarding a significant annoyance).
Have a fun trip. Nice countryside you're about to visit.
03-21-19, 04:53 PM
#11
Full Member
We have done open jaw with boxes within France twice. Once we shipped from Paris to Nice via an over-the-road trucking company, once from Paris to Marseille via some similar company. I think the cost each time was something like 30 to 50 Euro total for two boxes. I don't remember the shipping companies, but do remember we spent a day walking the box (with wheels) to the shipping depot from our hotel. My wife's pretty patient with me. So there can be a time cost associated with this open jaw freight thing . . . Having someone there who can give advice would be great, that's for sure. Oh, and you need to arrange ahead of time with the hotel that'll receive the boxes that it's ok to store them at the hotel. We've never had anyone turn us down on that. Stored some boxes for a month at the airport Novotel in Munich last fall.
Last edited by randallr; 03-21-19 at 04:56 PM. Reason: add info
03-22-19, 09:19 AM
#12
Banned
Perhaps a couple Eurail passes , bought in the states will save you money, ?
being days of time based you can get on and off in various places along the way..
being days of time based you can get on and off in various places along the way..
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