How to join / leave
Recommended places
(the dates in brackets show the planned nights)
This page is under construction. If you find interesting connections, please inform us, we will add the info – bc2012@bicycle.pl
Note: the real dates can slightly differ (hopefully not more than plus/minus 1-2 days) from scheduled ones.
General hint: To see all and cheap possibilities use search-engines, depending of your country, e.g. Germans can use www.megaflieger.de or www.opodo.de/, English www.whichbudget.com, Polish www.skyscanner.com, www.aero.pl, www.biletybilety.pl, www.loter.pl or transazja, koniecswiata.
It’s advised, to use such search-engines only to get the information, not for booking. Cause you have to book your bicycle too and that causes problems using the search engines. Instead book directly at the website of the founded airline! At some airlines simply with a “click”, at others by phone.
CHINA
Beijing (February 26/27)
There are many direct flights from Europe to Beijing: Aeroflot Russian Airlines offer cheap flights from Moscow, also cheap are Ukrainian AeorSvit from Kiev. Israel Airlines El Al takes bikes for free (if less than 20 kg), for example flightes from Warsaw via Tel Aviv to Beijing cost ~900 PLN. The ceapest booking, click here.
SOUTH KOREA
Seoul (March 16/17)
Korean Air from London
JAPAN
Tokyo (April 21-23)
USA
Los Angeles (April 25/26)
From Tokyo to Los Angeles look for cheaper flights on Singapore Airlines and All Nippon Airlines.
IRELAND
Shannon (July 20)
There are no cheap carrier to Shannon, but you can reach the city taking flights to Cork or Dublin. But no need to go to Shannon to join the group. We will go by bus from Shanon to Portmagee and can pick you upon the road. Or you can go to Portmagee directly.
Cork (July 22)
Wizz Air connections from Gdansk, Katowice, Poznań, Vilnius, Warszawa, Wrocław; Aer Lingus from Amsterdamu. From Cork to Limerick use InterCity with stepover to Railcar in Limerick-Junction.
Dublin (July 25-26)
From Gdansk Ryanair, Aer Lingus from Warsaw and Cracow. German-Wings for example from Cologne. Cause high-season it’s already 90 Euro + 30 Euro for bike + 8 Euro for 1 peace of 20 kg luggageTotal 128 €.
From Dublin-Heuston to Limerick-junction there is InterCity running every hour, needing 1 h 45 min. It’s maximum 29 Euro (depending time of departure). All InterCity trains have bicycles carriage facilities. These routes are restricted to THREE bicycles per service. It should be noted that customers can reserve their bike online at www.irishrail.ie and there is a fee associated with bringing a bicycle onto an Intercity train.”
From Limerick-junction to Shannon you can go by bus or by train. As there is no a direct train from Dublin to Limerick or Shannon, you can take a train direction Cork and step out at Limerick Junction. This little village you may not find on the map. To orientate: Next town is Tipparary, well known ba a famous song. To cycle the about 50 km from Limerick Junction is possible but it’s a busy National-road N 24. Better step over in Limerick Junction to the train line Cork – Limerick, running every hour, needing 30 minutes. This is no InterCity but “commuter”-like trains, called “railcar”. Depending of lenght (simple or double) they offer 3 or 6 Bike-places. Prize is 9,50 a person €. It’s not possible to reserve bike in that railcars. Of course you can find and make reservation the whole: Dublin Heuston – Limerick. Typical proze is 30 €. But reservation is possible not earlier than 28 days before you travel. Reservation of bikes is probably the same.
GREAT BRITAIN
Hollyhead (July 27)
BC will arrive Holyhead by ferry from Ireland on Friday 27th July and starts UK route from Holyhead on Saturday 28th July. Nearest airport is Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Direct flights from most European countries including Lithuania (Kaunas & Vilnius), and Poland (Gdansk, Katowice, Krakow, Lodz, Poznan, Szczecin, Warsaw & Wroclaw).
Holyhead by bicycle. From airport take National Cycling Network (NCN) Route 62 north. Then west on Route 56 to Liverpool Pier Head. Ferry across the Mersey and continue on Route 56 – Route 70 – link somehow with NCN Route 5 and then west to Bangor & Holyhead (approx 162km).
Mersey Tunnels. Note that cycling is not permitted through the Kingsway Tunnel and is not permitted through the Queensway Tunnel between 6am and 8pm Monday to Friday, between 7am and 8pm on Saturdays, and between 8am and 9pm on Sundays.
Holyhead by train. From Liverpool South Parkway (approx 3km from airport via bus link). Change at Liverpool Lime Street and Chester.
Holyhead by coach. Can only find Eurolines service which doesn’t take bikes.
Britannia Bridge (July 28)
To join BC as it passes over the Britannia Bridge on Saturday 28th July (approx 5km west of Bangor).
By bicycle. Same route as for Holyhead but only 111km.
By train. Same train route as for Holyhead.
By coach to Bangor. See here.
London (August 9-12)
London is well served for international flights by four airports; Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted & Luton. For example to London Luton you can take Wizz Air flight from Gdansk or Lodz, to London Stansted Ryanair from Gdansk.There are good train and coach transport links with all four airports. Take care to read the various regulations if travelling with a bike. Always check with the train or coach operator; how many bikes per train or coach; if bikes allowed during peak times: need to book, etc. Some coach services will take bikes at the driver’s discretion but they must be packaged no bigger than a large suitcase.
You may use Eurostar trains London – Bruxelles, but you have to make your bike compact. Or you take train to the coast and use ferry from Harwich to Hook van Holland, so called “rail and sail” from London.
It is possible to take a bicycle on the London Underground (aka The Tube or Metro) outside of the hours 7.30 – 9.30 and 16.00 – 19.00 on weekdays. If travelling on the Underground with a bike to Heathrow it is officially permitted as far as Hounslow West (two stops before Heathrow), and from there by cycle path.
This info current as at January 2012 so always check latest situation before travelling. Detailed travel information can be found on the relevant airport’s website.
By bike via Euro Velo Route 2, 1700km from London to Warsaw. Very approximate!
More info.
For more info on cycle routes see here.
For a guide to train travel in Britain see here.
For maps of the rail network see here train network maps.