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Tandems on Iceneo3 trains

Bridget Astle2025-02-16 11:04:45

Hi, Has anyone tried to take a Circe tandem on an ICE train recently. 

Or tried to hang one in a space designed for a bike?

thank you

Andrew Skelton2025-02-16 16:52:23

Hello Bridget

We cycled Amsterdam to Poland in 2023 and trained home from Berlin on the direct EC (Eurocity) train to Amsterdam. EC trains are similar to some ICE trains. We were using our Circe-e-Helios, It hung on one of the bike carriage upper bike hooks easily but obstructed the lower hook, that didn't seem to be a problem! Picture below.

We also used a long distance train within Germany and disregarded the bike hooks. With its bars turned the Helios made a very thin package and standing upright on its stand didn't seem to offend the train guard.

We found Deutsche Bahn very helpful both booking on the phone from the UK and in person at mainline stations, they book tandems quite happily and noted it on the bike ticket!

Good luck with your travels

Andy & Lynn

David Forbes2025-02-16 17:41:23

Hi Bridget,

We came a bit unstuck in Austria last year when we were not allowed to take our tandem on the ICE train from Vienna to Ingolstadt (germany).  Local trains appear to be ok but ICE are not as bikes are parked across the carriage and a tandem would completely block the passage way.

David & Paula

 

David Forbes2025-02-16 17:41:23

Hi Bridget,

We came a bit unstuck in Austria last year when we were not allowed to take our tandem on the ICE train from Vienna to Ingolstadt (germany).  Local trains appear to be ok but ICE are not as bikes are parked across the carriage and a tandem would completely block the passage way.

David & Paula

 

John Pound2025-02-16 19:13:34
Last year we cycled from calais to vienna and back we tried to travel part of the journey by rail we booked our tickets + cycle tickets in frankfurt we were refused entry to the train as it was a tandem and too big. Our train was cancelled so was the second the third one at 2.15 early hours we were refused entry 
Thierry Kamette2025-02-16 19:38:00
Tandems and trailers are not allowed on SNCF run services, which can now include some parts of Germany as there is an agreement between the 2 countries  
John Stolarski2025-02-16 19:45:27

Found this on the Deutsche Bahn website:

  • You can only take a tandem, recumbent bike or tricycle on trains with a larger storage capacity. For more information, please contact the DB Travel Centre, the DB agency or call +49 30 2970.
Andrew Skelton2025-02-17 17:44:49

Hello again Bridget

Does your Circe Helios split. The photo is of our ours split and packed into 2 plastic 'laundry bags'

The bags are very cheap (£12 for 5) and easily carried, the bike will fit without removing the mudguards which is a bonus. We would not trust the bagged bikes to airport baggage handlers but they are fine for train travel.

On longer tours we generally stick a pair of bags at the bottom of our panniers just in case our travel plans come unstuck!