Joined: 10 Jul 2007Posts: 367Location: ON YOUR LEFT! your other left.
What do I need to know about taking a bike to p-town?
What are these boxes? Does my bike need to fit into a specific size? How often are there racks on the trains, and how far in advance do I need to call to reserve a spot?
lantius
Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:11 pm
1337Joined: 22 Jul 2005Posts: 6705Location: right over
there are a few different routes to portland. the main one is the amtrak cascades service, that actually has bike hooks in the train, you can just roll it to the baggage car and you're good to go. but it has a finite amount, and when you buy your ticket online you pay an extra $5 to reserve a spot. if you don't see that option, it means that train is full up.
the coast starlight isn't currently running, but it requires you to box your bike - wheels off, handlebars turned, the usual for fitting a bike into a box.
folding bikes can go on just like any other piece of baggage.
DJStroky
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 12:41 am
Joined: 25 May 2007Posts: 356Location: Downtown Tacoma
Oh, I'm all over this topic! I had all kinds of experiences traveling between Seattle and Portland with my bike this last summer. Here are my (ordered) preferences:
1. Amtrak Cascades - really convenient! I'm not certain there is an online reservation for a bike, so I usually call them. But it's just $5 and you take your bike, as it is, and they put it on the rack and then you can ride your bike out from the loading track (well maybe the conductor would yell at you). If you want a space on the train for the STP weekend, you better book it now, otherwise I haven't had any problems with space availability.
2. Carpool with someone you know - just take apart your bike and put it in their trunk.
3. Take public transit to Portland - yes it is possible! Check out my website for the schedule. It is by far the cheapest option at $9.75, all the buses have bike racks, but it does take more than 6 hours. Also, if you are going from Seattle to Portland, there aren't any express buses for a while so it makes sense to bike from northern Vancouver to Portland.
4. Carpool with random strangers over craigslist - I did this on the way down to Portland. The bus was sold out, so I rounded up 4 other people within 5 hours and we rented a car for real cheap from Alamo I believe. We were crammed like crazy in the car and this random climber dude was sleeping on my shoulder, but I got to Portland in time for the ZOOBOMB!!!
5. Greyhound - First off it is hard and expensive to take a bike. You have to go into their cargo room and buy a box for $10 or so and then pay an extra luggage fee of $25 or something all on top of your bus ticket. In addition, in my experience, Greyhound has the worst customer service out of any company I've ever experienced.
Also, there is this other grassroots bus company called Shared Route. Their website says they aren't in service right now, but apparently they are pretty bike friendly, but not that profitable. But they do offer chartered services - I think this is the preferred method of transportation when the Zoobombers come up for the Dead Baby Downhill.
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john
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:51 am
AAAARRRRRGGGGbllll pppphtt!Joined: 26 Aug 2006Posts: 725Location: In the lab.
DJStroky wrote:
3. Take public transit to Portland - yes it is possible! Check out my website for the schedule. It is by far the cheapest option at $9.75, all the buses have bike racks, but it does take more than 6 hours. Also, if you are going from Seattle to Portland, there aren't any express buses for a while so it makes sense to bike from northern Vancouver to Portland.
Pending academia I am actually thinking of a slightly modifiec version of this option.
I plan on leaving from the U-district around noonish and hopping off the bus at such point I can get a good 6-8 hours ofriding in or my U-pass isn't valid... whichever comes first.
If I go that way (If I can make it at all) I'll have room for one bike on the way back as I plan on meeting my wife down there.
and from what Gregg told me, ABR has booked all the bike hooks on the cascade line for friday.
_________________ In der Not frisst der Teufel Fliegen.
Joined: 07 Mar 2007Posts: 1691Location: the dirty south
john wrote:
and from what Gregg told me, ABR has booked all the bike hooks on the cascade line for friday.
This means we all get to put our bikes on for free, right?
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snyd3282
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 2:13 pm
could suck the fun out of a blowjobJoined: 23 Jul 2007Posts: 588Location: Ballard / Fremont
I have one of those big hard plastic bike cases and while Greyhound cringes when they see it, it is shippable by bus, train, and air for an extra fee. My Bianchi Volpe with front and rear racks fits, tightly, in it, so I'd say anything short of the pugsly, a tallbike, or a tandem should fit.
Anyone willing to come to Ballard to pick it up is welcome to borrow it. I only use it once or twice a year. Pedals, wheels, handlebar, and rear derailer might have to come off depending on the size of the bike.
When I took AmTrak to Portland last fall, it looked like there were only 6 or so bike hooks in the baggage car. Once those bike hooks are full, I'm pretty sure they make you box the bike.
When you book your ticket, there is an option on the website to book a ticket for your bike. I'd book both at the same time.
langston
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 2:59 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 5547Location: Columbia City
Amtrak bus service is a flat extra, but unless they bays are full underneath they don't even make you take the wheels off. Derrick and I took one back from Astoria to Portland after he hurt his little ankle-poo two years ago.
Alex
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 3:15 pm
Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 3128Location: Roosevelt
I believe ABR has one space free, contact Aaron directly (using email, not PM) if you are interested.
I'm doing the folding bike thing, it works pretty well.
Happy Stick Person
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 4:14 pm
Joined: 20 Sep 2006Posts: 1168Location: Leschi
amtrak says they have bike spots still...
somehow I duped nicole into driving my bike down so I hope the fucker derails...
oh yeah and I may have space for one more bike + human...
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