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Hi there,
I'm planning to commute from Edinburgh to Kirkcaldy by bike, starting in a couple of months - my plan is to cycle to Haymarket, get on the East coast train, and cycle to my destination in Kirkcaldy when i arrive. Sounds easy...?!
Does anyone else do this?
Can I take my bike on the train? It says I can but is it actually easy to do?
Will I get a seat if get on at Haymarket?
Any feedback appreciated!
thanks
Dave C might be able to help, he lives in fife - although I think he generally cycles in / back.
The trains only have X number of bike spaces, but if you get a folding bike, it counts as luggage so they cant say no.
Crowriver commutes from Edin to Dundee with bike/train too. Am sure he'll have some good pointers.
It depends when you are going, (unless you have a folder) but it should be OK.
For instance there are 5 trains from Edinburgh that arrive in Kirkaldy between 8 and 9.
The chances are that some (or all) have regular commuters and are therefore already 'full' or have spaces. Some trains will probably have more than one unit - so 4 bike spaces.
Would be worth being on the platform at Haymarket one morning to see!
You'd have to buy a ticket to somewhere to get through the barrier.
Thanks for the replies - yes will have to do a trial run one day I think!
Folding bike is a good idea. I don't see many here actually. I moved up from London not long ago and Bromptons were everywhere. Not sure I've seen one here...good for trains and tenement flats though...
Quite a few folders (mostly Bromptons) head up MMW in the mornings. But nothing compared to London, of course.
Yes, there are quite a lot of Bromptons here - but not the fashion/commuting item they have become in London.
There have even been folding bike races!
@Marie-of-Roumania - another factor that would boost your chances of getting on the train with your bike [if not investing in a folder] would be cycling to Waverley instead of Haymarket. then you can be first in the queue for the spaces. Maybe further to go but increases your chances of getting on.
There are lots of other makes of folder too. Quite a few people on the forum have one, including myself.
Just been looking at the train timetable. Seems a bit tricky to get there before 9 on a sunday morning, which may be an issue!
Waverley is further....
how many spaces do the trains have?
Hmmm choice of one train!
Bit far to cycle and do a day's work.
http://edinburgh.cyclestreets.net/journey/1600874
Presume your employer would understand if you were a few minutes late one day a week(?)
Trains generally have two spaces per unit. Local/off peak usually 1 unit (3 coaches generally) others 2 or 3.
At least you will be going against the 'commuter flow' so it shouldn't be too much of a problem.
On Sunday morning unlikely to be many passengers so even if already 2 bikes, guard probably wouldn't try to stop you.
I'd second the Waverley suggestion. I used to cycle in from Fife but take the train back to Inverkeithing and even though Haymarket is closer to the office, would go to Waverley. Partly it's the race for the limited space but also because the platforms and ticketing hall at Haymarket are more congested and harder to get through, especially if you're in a hurry. Also, at Haymarket the train might already have people in the aisles and corridor etc, making it harder to manoeuvre the bike.
I commute via this route, though I am only on a train which stops in Kirkcaldy once a week: the rest of the time I'm on the express which goes straight to Dundee.
I would certainly recommend a folding bike. Most of the time there is no problem with space for bikes on Scotrail services, at least on the way out. Because you are travelling the 'wring' way ie. most people are commuting into Edinburgh. it should be okay. However the odds of the spaces being taken are certainly higher at Haymarket: this is where a folder can be handy as you can fold and it can go in a luggage rack if need be. On the way back you may find the trains busier so again its good to have the folding option.
Generally there are 4 bike spaces on the 3 carriage Turbostar trains, but technically one of these is for wheelchairs too so if there's a wheelchair user (quite rare) or a buggy (rare in peak services) that might reduce the spaces to only 2 bikes. Sometimes they use rolling stock from England, or the old Sprinter trains, on the route and that means only 2 spaces.
On a Sunday if you need to get there before 9:00 the CrossCountry service may be your only option, in which case you'll need a folder, or be prepared to walk/bus. You can reserve your bike on such longer distance trains, but it's a bit of a hassle and depending on the rolling stock the bike rack may be in the carriage or in an old fashioned guard's van. This latter is not a problem at Waverley, but can be very stressful at intermediate stations (eg. Haymarket/Kirkcaldy) because you often don't know until the last minute which end of the train to rush to to load your bike.
Again I can't emphasise enough how useful a folder is. Most of the time you don't need to fold it, but there's always the odd occasion when you do. As the weather gets better, the number of cyclists on the trains increases...
Thanks for all the very helpful replies. Yes, too far for me to cycle!
I'm tempted by the folding bike option, will have a look into whether I can get Cycle to Work scheme at the moment. Just looking at the Brompton site - they seem to say they only have bright pink Bromptons?! This is not ideal... I assume they can order other options in.
Sadly my employer would mind if I was late! I work shifts. And I need to be there early , around or before 8, even some Sundays...
What's the CrossCountry service running early on a Sunday morning? I couldn't find anything on any of the train sites...
Pink is definitely not the only colour!
http://www.biketrax.co.uk/brand.php?bid=8
Always has several models in stock to stare at and play with.
Sunday mornings are a bit of a difficulty it seems! CrossCountry will get you there at 08:40 approx, The bus is worse, X58 doesn't start until after 10:00 on a Sunday, so your only option is a night bus N58 at 03:00, getting in to Kirkcaldy at 04:00.
Public transport failure, I'm afraid!
You could either use your normal bike to cycle 27 miles (starting out really early!), try and arrange a lift on a Sunday, or start work a bit later than usual...
Brompton are certainly the smallest folding bikes out there once folded, but not the only option. Several Edinburgh stores stock Dahon folders, which don't fold as small, but are usually cheaper and have more gears:
http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/brands/dahon
http://www.edinburghcyclecompany.com/products/dahon-speed-d7
There are also cheaper folders than that, not necessarily recommended over Brompton/Dahon, but if budget is tight may be worth looking at. I have used two different cheap folding bikes, and they've been fine, I have to say. The very cheapest ones will be steel framed, quite heavy and have low end components, so may start showing problems earlier than the higher spec bikes.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/categorydisplay_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_categoryId_165577
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/folding-bikes-bikes-sports.html
"Sunday mornings are a bit of a difficulty it seems! CrossCountry will get you there at 08:40 approx"
My reading of the timetable says CrossCountry (Dundee train) to Inverkeithing then bus!
[/i]My reading of the timetable says CrossCountry (Dundee train) to Inverkeithing then bus![i]
Not according to these:
http://www.scotrail.co.uk/timetables-routes/1881/1891/2011/winter
http://www.scotrail.co.uk/timetables-routes/1991/2001/2011/winter
Possible/probable of course that engineering works will be scheduled on Sundays, so could be bus all the way from Haymarket on certain days...
If this was my conundrum, I'd consider moving house from Edinburgh to Dunfermline, and just have an easy commute to Kirkcaldy from there.
I'm just there for a few months, my job moves around the place the whole time! Don't really fancy moving every time... I don't mind commuting, as long as I can figure out the best way to do it. Most of my colleagues just drive...
Most of my colleagues just drive...
Best bet may be to car share on a Sunday then. Cycle/train the rest of the week.
Personally I prefer a bit of cycling in the commute: fresh air, exercise, puts me in a better frame of mind.
or if you do the whole thing by bike (actually possible) once a week you will have LEGS OF THE GOD(ESS)S and be free of all constraints....
I really like the Edinburgh to Kirkcaldy route, its just a pity it ends up in Kirkcaldy.
Sorry I'm late to this, and I can't add much on what has already been offered. A folding bike is definately a way of avoiding Mr/Mrs Jobsworth from refusing you admission with Scotrail.
Dave C
I don't see that anyone has mentioned that East Coast only accept bikes with a bicycle reservation (folders excluded).
I've had a wee think about this. If you have to be there on time, can not get public transport and can not share a car then you might try a B&B on the Saturday nights. I don't see a Premier Inn or Travel Lodge. B&B might be a good option considering you'll be paying ~£8 each way on the train, and a cheep n cheerfull B&B might be as little as £20 if you book en block for the time you are working in Kirkcaldy and was willing to pay a chunk up front.
Alternatively do you know anyone who lives closer who might have a room they could rent out for the few months. Paying makes it more formal and it might be nicer than a cheep B&B?
Good luck.
Late to this, sorry(!) but I used to commute from Dunfermline to Edinburgh (Haymarket). Did it using a "normal" bike and never had any problems getting onto the train as I was earlier than the main rush hour in both directions, never needed a folder, but then more and more people are seeing the advantages of bike&train commuting so a folder might be good insurance.
I would say try the run with whatever bike you have to hand and then buy a multi-day ticket or a monthly "season" ticket, much cheaper, and consider scrounging a lift in on Sundays, should be easier with a folder to stick in the liftees boot if you intend being self sufficient on the wy home ;-)
Good luck and let us know how it goes anyway :-)
Soulcycles has just listed a folding yellow 'sunlova' for £50. Looks kinda cute & has suspension!
Wow that Sunlova is so cheap!, but the origanl is also really cheep at 96 pounds excluding 12 postage.
Looks a bit low geared to me which is a common failing (amoungst others) of cheap folders.
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