This year, we’ve put together a handy guide for travelling to and from our city stops.
We’ve gone into quite a bit of detail, but this information is not exhaustive and only meant as a starting point for your own research.
We’ve written this from the point of view of travelling out from the UK, but for most of the journeys you can simply reverse the instructions to get back. If you’re not coming from the UK, you might still be able to cannibalise some of the info!
We’ve gone into quite a bit of detail, but this information is not exhaustive and only meant as a starting point for your own research.
We’ve written this from the point of view of travelling out from the UK, but for most of the journeys you can simply reverse the instructions to get back. If you’re not coming from the UK, you might still be able to cannibalise some of the info!
Useful thing to know: train and coach stations tend to be very central and not only have great transport links, but aren't very van friendly! If you arrive by train or coach, we ask that you make your own way to where we are staying, where someone will be on hand to welcome you
Overlanding with your bike is easy and a lot more fun than flying - when you know how!
Step One: Get a small, lightweight bike bag
Proven bike bags include:
A note about coaches...
Resources
Rome2Rio: You can punch in two places and Rome2Rio will spit back both flying and overlanding options. Superb for an overview of your options.
The Man In Seat 61: Sensational train advice, including a dedicated bike page.
Flixbus: Book long distance coaches, some with dedicated cycle spaces. Flixbus baggage rules
Overlanding with your bike is easy and a lot more fun than flying - when you know how!
Step One: Get a small, lightweight bike bag
- Many train and coach services on the continent won’t let you take your bike unless it’s in a bike bag.
- There are exceptions to this rule, such as dedicated Flixbus cycle spaces, but they are rare and get booked up quickly.
- Make sure you know how to get your bike into your bike bag - and that you have all the tools you need close to hand.
- Allow plenty of time for connections and, if you’re changing stations and your bike is in a bag, then allow time to construct and deconstruct your bike.
Proven bike bags include:
- Hapo G Housse Transport Velo
- Decathlon sell a version of the Hapo G that has wheels - but make sure you can carry it on your bike when you’re cycling
- Eurostar from London to Paris, Brussels, Lille or Amsterdam
- Stena Rail & Sail from London all the way to any train station in the Netherlands, including a cabin in the overnight ferry! You’ll need the Dutch Stena website to book the return journey (it’s in English!)
- Other ferries:
- Newhaven-Dieppe
- Portsmouth-Le Havre
- Poole-Cherbourg
- Dover-Calais
A note about coaches...
- Most of our overlanding recommendations focus on trains, rather than coaches - but don’t dismiss the possibility that Flixbus or Eurolines might be able to make a connection where trains don’t dare!
- Long distance coaches are comfortable and can be both cheaper and more convenient than trains, especially if you’re travelling with a bike.
- The downside of coaches is that they are less reliable and more susceptible to delays and breakdowns.
- Some coaches come with dedicated cycle spaces (which you must book in advance).
- If there aren’t bike spaces on your coach, don’t worry - you can pre-book extra luggage allowance and pop your bike into a bag. Although it’s technically possible that the driver could tell you there’s no space, it’s never happened to us. Be nice to the driver.
- Paris and Amsterdam are two good coach hubs that are easy to access from the UK.
Resources
Rome2Rio: You can punch in two places and Rome2Rio will spit back both flying and overlanding options. Superb for an overview of your options.
The Man In Seat 61: Sensational train advice, including a dedicated bike page.
Flixbus: Book long distance coaches, some with dedicated cycle spaces. Flixbus baggage rules
Useful things to know
Cost
Remember: If this all sounds like too much for you, you can hire one of our two spare bikes for £70. Just let us know on your sign up form. Nice one!
- We can give lifts between 9am and 6pm on the arrival and departure day, then we can scoop you up in the van and bring you and your bike back to where we're staying or to the airport for your homeward journey. We know arrival times are sometimes not very easy to choose, so do what you can and we'll do what we can to make things work!
- You’ll need to dismantle and pack your bike very carefully. Youtube will be your Sage. Our advice- protect the derailleur! For that, you’ll need a box and some packing materials. See this guide here.
- It doesn’t have to cost a bomb: a cardboard box and lots of clothes for padding in the right places will do the trick.
- Allow plenty of time for lugging your bike around the airport.
- If you let us know your flight details, we’ll do our best to pick you up / drop you off in Calypso.
Cost
- Ryanair: £60 booked in advance, £75 after booking More info here
- British Airways: included in baggage up to 23kg, but you must notify them in advance More info here
- Easyjet: £35 booked in advance, £45 at the airport More info here
- Wizz: €40 if booked in advance, €60 at the airport More info here
- Jet2: £30 More info here
- Aegean: €50 More info here
- Eurowings: €50 More info here
- Flybe: £30, on stand-by basis only More info here
Remember: If this all sounds like too much for you, you can hire one of our two spare bikes for £70. Just let us know on your sign up form. Nice one!
LONDON, UK
Week 1 cyclists arrive on 5 July
Hopefully everyone can work out how to get to London. Make sure you check the various train company bicycle policies. It’s not permitted to take bikes on National Express and Megabus coaches, but you might be able to sweet-talk the driver if it’s dismantled and wrapped.
Hopefully everyone can work out how to get to London. Make sure you check the various train company bicycle policies. It’s not permitted to take bikes on National Express and Megabus coaches, but you might be able to sweet-talk the driver if it’s dismantled and wrapped.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Week 1 ends and Week 2 cyclists arrive on 11 July
Overland Ideas
Eurostar
Rail & Sail
Flixbus
Flying Ideas
To be honest, we haven’t looked up flying options for Amsterdam. We know it’s possible, but if you’re coming from or returning to the UK, overlanding is probably easier!
Overland Ideas
Eurostar
- Eurostar run direct twice a day from London to Amsterdam.
- Hopefully there will be a direct service from Amsterdam to London by the time we leave, but at the moment you need to change in Brussels.
- You’ll need to prebook your bike onto the Eurostar (£35-45 unboxed, £30 boxed).
Rail & Sail
- Stenaline run a £55 Rail & Sail service that covers the cost of a ferry between Harwich and Hook of Holland, plus trains in the UK and in the Netherlands. Absolute bargain.
- Click here to book London to Amsterdam and click here to book Amsterdam to London.
- It’s also perfectly possible to cycle between the ferry port in Hook of Holland and Amsterdam in one day.
Flixbus
- There is a direct overnight coach service between London and Amsterdam.
- You will need to put your bike into a suitable bike bag for this journey and book special luggage in advance.
Flying Ideas
To be honest, we haven’t looked up flying options for Amsterdam. We know it’s possible, but if you’re coming from or returning to the UK, overlanding is probably easier!
Stuttgart, Germany
Week 2 ends and Week 3 cyclists arrive on 18 July
Overland Ideas
Train: London-Paris-Stuttgart
Flixbus: London-Change-Stuttgart
Rail & Sail
Flying Ideas
Overland Ideas
Train: London-Paris-Stuttgart
- Eurostar run regularly between London St Pancras and Paris Gare Du Nord (2h16). You’ll need to prebook your bike onto the Eurostar (£35-45 unboxed, £30 boxed).
- You will need a little time to transfer from Gare Du Nord to Gare De L’Est. It’s only 600m, but don’t underestimate the faff required.
- Take the direct TGV INOUI train from Paris Gare De L’Est to Stuttgart (3h34). You will need to put your bike into a suitable bike bag for this leg of the journey.
Flixbus: London-Change-Stuttgart
- Runs overnight with a change in Köln, Paris, Antwerp or Rotterdam.
- You will need to put your bike into a suitable bike bag for this journey.
Rail & Sail
- Stena Rail & Sail to Rotterdam and either catch the Flixbus direct from there to Stuttgart, or catch another train.
- You’ll need the Dutch Stena website to book the return journey (it’s in English!)
- You will need to put your bike into a suitable bike bag for the train or coach leg of this journey.
Flying Ideas
- British Airways from/to London Heathrow
- Eurowings from/to London Heathrow
- Flybe from/to Manchester
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Week 3 ends and Week 4 cyclists arrive on 25 July
Overland Ideas
London-Paris-Munich-Ljubljana
Feel free to mix and remix this idea with other transport possibilities, like ferries and coaches - or even cycling!
Flying Ideas
Overland Ideas
London-Paris-Munich-Ljubljana
- See details on Seat61.com here.
- Two days, with an overnight stay in Munich.
- You’ll need to prebook your bike onto the Eurostar (£35-45 unboxed, £30 boxed).
- You will need to put your bike into a suitable bike bag for this journey.
Feel free to mix and remix this idea with other transport possibilities, like ferries and coaches - or even cycling!
Flying Ideas
- Easyjet from/to London Stansted
Bratislava, Slovakia
Week 4 ends on 1 August // Week 5 cyclists arrive on 8 August
Overland Ideas
London-Brussels-Köln-Vienna-Bratislava
Feel free to mix and remix this idea with other transport possibilities, like ferries and coaches - or even cycling!
Flying Ideas
Suboptimal Flying Ideas
If you can’t get on the Ryanair flight, then you have a couple of options to fly to Vienna and catch a train from there to Bratislava. It costs €10-15 plus €5 for the bike. Or it's a 70km marked cycle route!
Overland Ideas
London-Brussels-Köln-Vienna-Bratislava
- See details on Seat61.com here.
- For London to Bratislava, you will need to leave on Friday afternoon in order to arrive in Slovakia in time. It’s long, but it does include an overnight sleeping train from Köln to Vienna.
- You’ll need to prebook your bike onto the Eurostar (£35-45 unboxed, £30 boxed).
- You will need to put your bike into a suitable bike bag for this journey.
Feel free to mix and remix this idea with other transport possibilities, like ferries and coaches - or even cycling!
Flying Ideas
- Ryanair from/to London Stansted
Suboptimal Flying Ideas
If you can’t get on the Ryanair flight, then you have a couple of options to fly to Vienna and catch a train from there to Bratislava. It costs €10-15 plus €5 for the bike. Or it's a 70km marked cycle route!
- Ryanair between London Stansted and Vienna
- Easyjet between London Gatwick and Vienna
Krakow, Poland
Week 5 ends and Week 6 cyclists arrive on 14 August
Overland Ideas:
London-Brussels-Köln-Berlin-Warsaw-Krakow
London-Hook of Holland-Berlin-Warsaw-Krakow
Feel free to mix and remix these ideas with other transport possibilities, like ferries and coaches - or even cycling!
Flying Ideas:
Ryanair from/to London Stansted
Overland Ideas:
London-Brussels-Köln-Berlin-Warsaw-Krakow
- See details on Seat61.com here.
- You’ll need to prebook your bike onto the Eurostar (£35-45 unboxed, £30 boxed).
- You will need to put your bike into a suitable bike bag for this journey.
London-Hook of Holland-Berlin-Warsaw-Krakow
- See details of this alternative ferry route on Seat61 here.
- You will (probably) need to put your bike into a suitable bike bag for some legs of this journey.
Feel free to mix and remix these ideas with other transport possibilities, like ferries and coaches - or even cycling!
Flying Ideas:
Ryanair from/to London Stansted
- Easyjet from/to London Luton
- Wizz from/to London Luton
- British Airways from/to London Heathrow
- Ryanair from/to Manchester
Cluj Napoca, Romania
Week 6 ends and Week 7 cyclists arrive on 22 August
Overland Ideas
London-Brussels-Köln-Vienna-Cluj
Flixbus Ideas
Feel free to mix and remix this idea with other transport possibilities, like ferries and coaches - or even cycling!
Flying Ideas
Overland Ideas
London-Brussels-Köln-Vienna-Cluj
- See the details on Seat61.com here.
- This is a two day trip, but you’ll have to leave on Thursday because the Cluj train arrives very late and we don’t want you missing out on dinner and a good sleep on Saturday.
- You’ll need to prebook your bike onto the Eurostar (£35-45 unboxed, £30 boxed).
- You will need to put your bike into a suitable bike bag for this journey.
Flixbus Ideas
- Coaches run direct overnight between Cluj and Vienna (10h50) - worth considering.
- You can easily connect in Vienna with either coaches or trains as above.
Feel free to mix and remix this idea with other transport possibilities, like ferries and coaches - or even cycling!
Flying Ideas
- Ryanair from/to London Stansted
- Wizz from/to London Luton
Sofia, Bulgaria
Week 7 ends on 29 August Week 8 cyclists arrive on 30 August
Overland Ideas:
London-Paris-Munich-Zagreb-Belgrade-Sofia
London-Hook of Holland-Utrecht-Munich-Zagreb-Belgrade-Sofia
Flixbus Ideas
Feel free to mix and remix these ideas with other transport possibilities, like ferries and coaches - or even cycling!
Flying Options:
Overland Ideas:
London-Paris-Munich-Zagreb-Belgrade-Sofia
- See the details on Seat61.com here (option 1).
- You’ll need to prebook your bike onto the Eurostar (£35-45 unboxed, £30 boxed).
- You will need to put your bike into a suitable bike bag for this journey.
London-Hook of Holland-Utrecht-Munich-Zagreb-Belgrade-Sofia
- Alternatively, go via the Stena Rail & Sail to Utrecht and pick up your trains from there. It’s probably cheaper and arguably more comfortable.
- See the details on Seat61.com here (option 2).
- You will need to put your bike into a suitable bike bag for this journey.
Flixbus Ideas
- Vienna-Sofia (14h30, overnight).
- You will need to put your bike into a suitable bike bag for this journey.
Feel free to mix and remix these ideas with other transport possibilities, like ferries and coaches - or even cycling!
Flying Options:
- Easyjet from/to London Gatwick
- Ryanair from/to London Stansted
- Wizz from/to London Luton
- British Airways from/to London Heathrow
- Bulgaria Air from/to London Heathrow
Thessaloniki, Greece
Week 8 ends and Week 9 cyclists arrive on 5 September
Overland ideas:
Via Sofia
London-Paris-Milan-Brindisi-Igoumenitsa-Thessaloniki
Feel free to mix and remix these ideas with other transport possibilities, like ferries and coaches - or even cycling!
Flying Ideas
Overland ideas:
Via Sofia
- Use one of the ideas above for Sofia, and then get the daily bus from Sofia to Thessaloniki.
- You will need to put your bike into a suitable bike bag for this journey.
London-Paris-Milan-Brindisi-Igoumenitsa-Thessaloniki
- Eurostar to Paris. You’ll need to prebook your bike onto the Eurostar (£35-45 unboxed, £30 boxed).
- TGV to Milan.
- High speed TrenItalia Frecciarossa train to Brindisi.
- Overnight ferry Brindisi-Igoumenitsa.
- Coach to Thessaloniki.
- This journey will be two nights, or three if you want to take it casual.
- You will need to put your bike into a suitable bike bag for some legs of this journey.
- Most of this journey is covered in this blog post by Thighs alumnus David Charles.
Feel free to mix and remix these ideas with other transport possibilities, like ferries and coaches - or even cycling!
Flying Ideas
- Easyjet from/to London Gatwick
- British Airways from/to London Gatwick
- Ryanair also fly from/to London Stansted, but too late for Saturday arrivals.
- Jet2 also fly from/toManchester, but too late for Saturday arrivals.
ATHENS, Greece
Week 9 ends on 12 September
Overland Ideas:
Athens-Patras-Brindisi-Milan-Paris-London
Feel free to mix and remix this idea with other transport possibilities, like ferries and coaches - or even cycling!
Flying Ideas:
Overland Ideas:
Athens-Patras-Brindisi-Milan-Paris-London
- Coach to Patras. If you’ve got a few days, the cycle from Patras to Athens along the gulf of Corinth is lovely!
- Overnight ferry Patras-Brindisi.
- High speed TrenItalia Frecciarossa train to Milan.
- TGV to Paris.
- Eurostar to London. You’ll need to prebook your bike onto the Eurostar (£35-45 unboxed, £30 boxed).
- This journey will be two nights, or three if you want to take it casual.
- You will need to put your bike into a suitable bike bag for some legs of this journey.
- Most of this journey is covered in this blog post by Thighs alumnus David Charles.
Feel free to mix and remix this idea with other transport possibilities, like ferries and coaches - or even cycling!
Flying Ideas:
- British Airways from/to London Heathrow
- Aegean from/to London Heathrow
- Ryanair from/to London Stansted
- Easyjet from/to Manchester
- Aegean from/to Manchester
- Easyjet from/to Edinburgh
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