European Rail Operators with Highest Bicycle-Friendliness: Belgium and Switzerland Lead the Pack
Riding High: Europe's Top Bike-Friendly Train Operators Chart a New Path
Train travel just got more exciting for cyclists! The latest report, "Cyclists Love Trains," has anointed Belgium and Switzerland as the continent's top choices for bike-friendly rail journeys. These two nations shine in terms of bike storage capacity, ease of booking, and affordability.
The Top Contenders
Belgium and Switzerland proudly share the number one spot, impressing the European Cyclists' Federation with their unrivaled bike storage capacity and innovative digital solutions. Belgium's NMBS/SNCB, well-known for bike enthusiasts, secured the top position with an impressive score of 88 points, thanks to the 20% increase in bike carriage capacity since 2021 and the development of the BikeOnTrain accessibility app[1]. Switzerland's SBB/CFF/FFS, on the other hand, boasts an extensive bike storage capacity network and excels in booking channels and digital functionality[1]. In 2023, SBB transported around 1.7 million bicycles on its entire train network[1].
Hungary's MAV-START comes in at a close second place with 82 points, thanks to its impressive bike storage capacity – especially on routes to popular tourist destinations – and strong performance in affordability and digital functionality[1].
The 'Peloton' Pursues
A further 18 operators, including big names like Deutsche Bahn (Germany), OBB (Austria), NS (Netherlands), PKP Intercity (Poland), and SNCF (France), are ranked as "good." Unfortunately, European train operators, on average, provide only four bike spaces per train. The report notes that this number varies significantly, but a whopping 31 operators still offer fewer than four spaces per train[1].
High-speed trains seem to be lagging behind, with only 5 out of 14 operators providing carriage, and the average number of spaces being just one[1]. Deutsche Bahn and OBB are praised as the most cycle-friendly high-speed operators.
Taking bikes on night trains is a challenge for a majority (76.2%) of operators, with Poland's PKP Intercity leading the pack in the sleeper category[1]. Spain and Sweden are in a league of their own when it comes to operators with the fewest bike-friendly services. Additionally, EU candidate countries and the United Kingdom receive criticism for below-average performance[1].
A Call for Change
To improve their bike-friendliness, operators are urged to accept all types of bicycles on all train services, including high-speed and night trains, and anticipate the growth in demand for bike carriage when commissioning and renovating rolling stock[1]. Public policies and information about taking bikes on trains should be easily accessible in multiple languages, and ticketing options need to be available on multiple channels at affordable prices[1]. The report also recommends implementing user-friendly digital tools, such as bicycle connection search tools, real-time information on train compositions, and unified journey planners[1].
The European Cyclists' Federation, known as the largest and most influential advocacy group for cyclists, hopes these recommendations will pave the way for a more bike-friendly Europe[1].
[1] European Cyclists' Federation (2023) "Cyclists Love Trains" report. Retrieved from https://www.ecf.com/resources/reports/2023_cyclists_love_trains_report/
- The European Cyclists' Federation lauds Belgium and Switzerland for their outstanding performance in the eco-friendly tourism industry, particularly in bike-friendly train journeys, due to their unrivaled bike storage capacity and innovative digital solutions.
- The 'BikeOnTrain' accessibility app developed by Belgium's NMBS/SNCB and Switzerland's SBB/CFF/FFS digital solutions have been instrumental in making bookings easier and more affordable for tourists.
- Hungary's MAV-START has made a strong showing in the race for bike-friendly train operators, with its impressive bike storage capacity, especially on routes to popular tourist destinations, and affordability.
- The report emphasizes the need for operators to focus on financing and investing in increased bike storage capacity, digital solutions, and user-friendly tools to boost their standing in the bike-friendly transportation industry.
- The destinations with the fewest bike-friendly train services, such as Spain and Sweden, are challenged to improve their offerings to cater to the growing demand from tourists seeking sustainable and enjoyable travel experiences.
