The spring and summer season is a great time for weekend getaways out of town. Cycling trips are becoming more and more popular every year. When planning a trip with a bicycle, it is worth choosing a PKP Intercity train. Since the implementation of the offer for the 2015/2016 season, the carrier has sold over 5,000 bicycle tickets.
Cycling is a popular form of active leisure among Poles. Every year, more bike paths and trails are being created, and thanks to the railway, bicycle trips do not have to be limited to the vicinity of one’s place of residence. In the first quarter of this year, PKP Intercity sold over 5,000 bicycle tickets. So far, cyclists have most often chosen routes such as: Krakow – Warsaw, the Tri-City – Warsaw, or Lodz – Warsaw.
Where to place your bike on the train?
On PKP Intercity trains, bicycles can be transported in designated areas:
• in every Express InterCity Premium category train operated by Pendolino vehicles, there are 4 bicycle racks,
• in Express InterCity category trains, there is a special space designated for this in 2nd class carriages,
• in InterCity category trains, FLIRT3 and PesaDART vehicles are in operation, which have 6 bicycle racks available to passengers. Meanwhile, in trains composed of carriages, there are hangers in specially adapted carriages.
• in Twoje Linie Kolejowe (TLK) trains, bicycles can be placed in the first vestibule of the first carriage or the last vestibule of the last carriage.
Before planning your trip, it is worth checking whether the train is adapted for bicycle transport. Information about train compositions can be found on the website www.intercity.pl.
How much does it cost to travel with a bike?
The fee for transporting a bicycle is 9.10 PLN, regardless of the length of the route. A ticket for transport on EIC, IC, and TLK trains can be purchased online, at a ticket office, or from the conductor immediately after boarding the train. A ticket for transporting a bicycle on an EIP train can only be purchased at a ticket window. An additional fee of 10 PLN is charged for issuing a ticket on the train from the conductor. It is worth remembering that we can transport a folded bicycle placed in a cover (as hand luggage) for free.
Rolling stock investments with cyclists in mind
When purchasing new trains or modernizing carriages, PKP Intercity adapts them to the needs of various groups, including cyclists. All recently completed projects have included space for bicycle racks. However, this is not the end of investments improving the comfort of cyclists’ travel. In the coming years, the carrier plans to spend over a billion zlotys on, among other things, the modernization of carriages. While preparing the project, PKP Intercity invited people associated with the cycling industry to cooperate. During the consultations, their opinions were gathered regarding solutions already used in trains, as well as amenities that could appear in them in the future.