Traveling with your bike on public transport becomes easier!

Carriage of bicycles on trains

Trains of regional and long distance services (TGV, TER, Transilien, Intercités) that have been under purchase or renovation since March 2021 must offer at least 8 bike slots on board. A decree issued in Official Journal 20 january 2021 sets out the conditions for the implementation of this measure.

New and renovated passenger trains running on infrastructure belonging to the State and its public establishments, as well as those allocated to the Île-de-France, Corsica and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur networks (with the exception of urban services) must offer at least 8 places for the transport of undismantled bicycles.

These places must not, however, restrict access for disabled or disabled persons.

In addition, the minimum threshold may be reduced by way of derogation up to 4 in TERs, depending on the number of passengers and objects that can be transported in a train.

This measure applies to new trains for which the contract notice is published from 15 March 2021, as well as to trains that are undergoing renovation or are the subject of a contract notice from that date.

Transport of bicycles in new intercity coaches from 1 July 2021

Since 1^er in july 2021, new coaches used for regular inter-city services must be equipped, when put into service, with a system to carry a minimum of 5 undismantled bicycles.

These transport companies shall be established within the national territory. This measure does not apply to urban services and international road passenger transport services provided by companies not established in France.

Bicycles can be carried on these coaches provided that you have a ticket and a bicycle slot is available.

You have the possibility to book the transport of your bicycle on board:

• Between 1^er April and 31 October of the same year, taking your bicycle can be booked, subject to the availability of seats, under the same booking conditions as those linked to the purchase of the ticket;

• Between 1^er November of one year and March 31 of the following year, the company may provide for a period of time below which the reservation is not guaranteed. This period may not exceed five working days before the departure date of the service in question.

The companies concerned must make available to the public (place of sale, company website, information and distance selling service) all information on the conditions of carriage of bicycles which they offer, and in particular:

• characteristics of bicycles that can be supported based on weight, size and bulk constraints;

• the proposed transport system;

• bicycle loading and reservation procedures;

• applicable pricing;

• stops not serviced due to the constraints set by the operator of these stopping points to carry out bicycle loading or unloading operations.

Secure bicycle parking at the station

To develop the combined use of cycling and public transport, a new arrangement is specified in a decree published in the Official Journal of 10 June 2021. The schedule to that order lists the 1,133 stations SNCF and RATP of the territory subject to the obligation to provide secure parking for bicycles, with the minimum number of places that they will have to offer by 2024 and specifies the characteristics of the equipment concerned.

These stations account for 37% of all SNCF and RATP stations, selected because of their number of passengers, over 100 000 passengers per year (i.e. 275 passengers per day).

Features of secure bicycle parking

Parking facilities for secured bicycles shall:

• have fixed devices to stabilize and secure each bicycle by the frame and at least one wheel;

• benefit either:
  
  • supervision by a person present on the premises with a direct view of the equipment;
  • video surveillance;
  • a secure closure system;
• be located in a covered and illuminated area.

Secure parking shall be located within 70 m of access to the station building or platforms, unless it is technically impossible to do so.