Metro North to Poughkeepsie Saturday with Bikes
07-28-23, 08:38 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Metro North to Poughkeepsie Saturday with Bikes
Going strictly by the PDF schedule it looks like the farthest you can go with a bicycle on the morning trains is Croton Harmon, whereas you can return from Poughkeepsie on a bike-friendly train in the afternoon.
Am I reading this wrong? Or, once we’re out of the city, would they care if we transferred to a Poughkeepsie-bound with our bicycles at the Croton-Harmon station?
if anyone knows about this I would appreciate your insights.
Am I reading this wrong? Or, once we’re out of the city, would they care if we transferred to a Poughkeepsie-bound with our bicycles at the Croton-Harmon station?
if anyone knows about this I would appreciate your insights.
07-28-23, 03:36 PM
#2
Junior Member
Visit the MTA homepage. You can select amongst Subway Bus Rail to view current service issues.
and
View MTA's train schedules online.
I can't copy/paste a narrowly-targeted URL for e.g.: GCT - Poughkeepsie. Some things are do-it-yourself.
and
View MTA's train schedules online.
I can't copy/paste a narrowly-targeted URL for e.g.: GCT - Poughkeepsie. Some things are do-it-yourself.
07-28-23, 04:32 PM
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I would be surprised if they ban bikes on a weekend train.
07-28-23, 06:31 PM
#4
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Looking at the PDF of the Hudson Line timetable, I see what may have provoked @Headpost's query: the only northbound trains displaying the bicycle icon are between GCT and Croton-Harmon. In contrast, southbound trains with that icon are between Poughkeepsie and GCT.
Further, MTA does restrict bicycles on trains during weekday rush hours. Strangely, there's an icon for that on the PDF, but it's not deployed on the actual schedule. Fear not: this MTA web page offers details. But this doesn't pertain to @Headpost's query.
My experience - First (and most important): on any train, the conductor is the boss. Second, with extremely rare exceptions, Metro North train crews are delightfully accommodating. Just don't be a jerk. Third - some specifics: some trains have capacious room for bicycles. Really - it's a small parking lot. Others not so much. Unfortunately, this is somewhat random, more random than one might expect.
Further, MTA does restrict bicycles on trains during weekday rush hours. Strangely, there's an icon for that on the PDF, but it's not deployed on the actual schedule. Fear not: this MTA web page offers details. But this doesn't pertain to @Headpost's query.
My experience - First (and most important): on any train, the conductor is the boss. Second, with extremely rare exceptions, Metro North train crews are delightfully accommodating. Just don't be a jerk. Third - some specifics: some trains have capacious room for bicycles. Really - it's a small parking lot. Others not so much. Unfortunately, this is somewhat random, more random than one might expect.
07-28-23, 07:03 PM
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Looking at the PDF of the Hudson Line timetable, I see what may have provoked @Headpost's query: the only northbound trains displaying the bicycle icon are between GCT and Croton-Harmon. In contrast, southbound trains with that icon are between Poughkeepsie and GCT.
Further, MTA does restrict bicycles on trains during weekday rush hours. Strangely, there's an icon for that on the PDF, but it's not deployed on the actual schedule. Fear not: this MTA web page offers details. But this doesn't pertain to @Headpost's query.
My experience - First (and most important): on any train, the conductor is the boss. Second, with extremely rare exceptions, Metro North train crews are delightfully accommodating. Just don't be a jerk. Third - some specifics: some trains have capacious room for bicycles. Really - it's a small parking lot. Others not so much. Unfortunately, this is somewhat random, more random than one might expect.
Further, MTA does restrict bicycles on trains during weekday rush hours. Strangely, there's an icon for that on the PDF, but it's not deployed on the actual schedule. Fear not: this MTA web page offers details. But this doesn't pertain to @Headpost's query.
My experience - First (and most important): on any train, the conductor is the boss. Second, with extremely rare exceptions, Metro North train crews are delightfully accommodating. Just don't be a jerk. Third - some specifics: some trains have capacious room for bicycles. Really - it's a small parking lot. Others not so much. Unfortunately, this is somewhat random, more random than one might expect.
07-30-23, 10:01 PM
#6
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Thread Starter
Thanks for the replies. The trip was cancelled but will hopefully be rescheduled.
I plan to just bring our bikes on the train and see what happens, as suggested. We'll see how it goes.
I plan to just bring our bikes on the train and see what happens, as suggested. We'll see how it goes.
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07-31-23, 07:22 AM
#7
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- that bicycle icon indicates that the train is a designated "bike train" ...but it's not at all clear what that designation means, because you can take bikes on any train (except during rush hour).
More often than not I and my cycling compatriots will strive to avoid those designated "bike trains".
We also strive to be friendly and gracious towards the conductors, and use whichever car they direct us to.
In 16 or 17 years of bringing my bike on Metro-North trains I have never had a conductor tell me "you can't bring bikes on this train."
08-01-23, 08:49 AM
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08-01-23, 06:27 PM
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08-01-23, 09:58 PM
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Metro North bike regulations explain it:
In reality I have seen these limits exceeded with no problem, but the train was not super crowded. In the TrainTime app some trains have a "no bicycles" sign - they allow absolutely no bicycles. Some have no sign - they allow bicycles. Some have a "bike train" sign - they officially allow more bicycles than those with no sign.
Edit: the same it true re: the PDF schedule. Whenever the bikes are prohibited, it explicitly says so at the top (e.g., AM peak inbound trains). Otherwise bikes are allowed, and the trains with the bike sign allow even more of them.
Originally Posted by Metro North
Weekdays: maximum 4 bicycles per train: no more than 2 bicycles per car
Weekends: maximum 8 per train: no more than 2 bicycles per car, except on trains designated on schedules and in the TrainTime app as a Bicycle Train
Weekends: maximum 8 per train: no more than 2 bicycles per car, except on trains designated on schedules and in the TrainTime app as a Bicycle Train
Edit: the same it true re: the PDF schedule. Whenever the bikes are prohibited, it explicitly says so at the top (e.g., AM peak inbound trains). Otherwise bikes are allowed, and the trains with the bike sign allow even more of them.
Last edited by csport; 08-01-23 at 10:03 PM.
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08-02-23, 09:05 AM
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08-06-23, 09:10 AM
#14
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Thanks for all the information! This clears up my confusion with the schedules and is hopefully helpful to other cyclists in the future.
Until they change the system again…
Until they change the system again…
