Bikes on trains
Take your bike with you and hop on a train!
You can travel with a bike on nearly all domestic long-distance and commuter trains. If you are travelling on an InterCity train, you must book a space for your bike in advance. On commuter trains, bikes can be transported free of charge in the designated spaces.
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Instructions for taking a bike on a train
- You can travel with a bike on InterCity and railcars as well as night trains and car-carrier trains. Bikes cannot be taken on Pendolino trains.
- The transport fee for a bike is €4-8, depending on the length of your journey. Please reserve a place for your bike when you’re buying your own train ticket as there is limited space for bikes onboard.
- The most carefree way to travel with your bike is to buy a bike space at the same time as you buy your train ticket – this ensures that there will be room for your bike on the train. If you purchased your ticket while logged in to your VR account, you can edit your journey and add a bike space to your journey even after purchasing the ticket, if there is space on the train.
- A normal-sized bike fits in the bike space of an InterCity train, fatbikes and electric bikes fit in the bike space on the InterCity train’s service carriage (coach number 4). Bikes bigger than these can not be travelled with. Remember to turn off your vehicle for the duration of your journey. Charging any electrically assisted vehicles, including electric scooters, on the train is strictly prohibited.
- InterCity trains have two types of bike spaces. Some of the spaces have a hook for hanging bikes. The hook can be locked by using a 50 cent coin as a deposit. Other spaces do not have locking, but you can take your own lock with you and lock the bike to the coach’s bike stand.
- On railcars, bikes are transported in the section where the wheelchair spaces are located. Bikes can be secured on the rail next to the wheelchair spaces. One railcar can fit two bikes.
- On night trains and car-carriers, bikes can be transported in a bike space (which must be reserved separately), for which the transport fee is €4-8, depending on the length of the trip. You can reserve a bike space when purchasing your train ticket.
- On a car-carrier, you can also attach the bike to your car’s bike rack or trailer hitch rack. In this case, there is no separate fee for the bike.
- When booking a car space, please note that the combination of bike + rack adds a little extra length and you will probably need to book a longer car space (10 metres at maximum).
- Bikes can be taken on commuter trains without a separate charge.
- Please use coaches marked for bikes. The entrances of these coaches have been marked with a bike sticker.
- Avoid travel with a bike during peak times. Bikes are allowed on commuter trains at all times if there is enough space. Trains are busiest on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and again from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- You can also bring an electric bicycle on a commuter train. Remember to turn off your vehicle for the duration of your trip. Unfortunately, electric bicycles cannot be charged on the train.
- Bikes may not be locked to any part of the train.
- Please take other passengers into consideration. Remember to give space to those travelling with a wheelchair or a pram and make sure that you are not blocking the aisle.
- Do not leave your bike unattended.
- Walk your bike at stations.
Buying a bike space only
If you have a season ticket or a multi-ticket, you can add a bike on your trip while booking your seat or trip in the VR Matkalla app.
You can add a bike space to your journey even after purchasing the ticket, if you purchased your ticket while logged in to your VR account.
Scooters on trains
Scooters can be taken on a train free of charge. If the scooter is large or not collapsible, you must pay the bike transport fee and book a space for it. Unfortunately, there is no room for scooters with a seat on the train.
Folding bikes, box bikes, Segways and tandems
- You can transport a folding bike for free as ordinary baggage on all commuter and long-distance trains. Please note that the folding bike must be folded and in a bag so that it will not make other passengers’ baggage dirty.
- Very large folding bikes will not fit in the overhead racks or baggage lockers of long-distance trains. Large folding bikes can be transported as ordinary bikes.
- Segways are transported like bicycles. Please prebook a bike spot for your Segway or bicycle cart for a small fee.
- Unfortunately, there is no space on trains for transporting box bikes, bicycle carts, electric scooters, cargo bikes, tandems or bicycle carrying cases.
Tips for a successful train trip with a bike
When planning a train ride with a bike, you might find these tips useful:
Bikes are transported in the bike space. The bike space is marked in the carriages with stickers that can be found either next to the doors or as larger ones on the train windows. For safety reasons, bikes may only be transported in specially marked bike spaces. Also, always make sure that your bike does not block walkways and that fellow passengers have free access to both the seating area and the doors.
Book your bike space on long-distance trains in advance. There is a limited number of bicycle spaces on long-distance trains, and they are filled quickly, especially on popular services. Transporting your bike costs €4-8, depending on the length of the trip. There are two types of bike spaces on long-distance trains. In the first type, the bike is fixed from the handlebars and lifted up (car number 4), in the second the wheel of the bike goes into a rack on the floor (car number 1). On long-distance trains, you should also always lock your bike when leaving it.
On VR commuter trains, transporting bikes is free. You can take your bike with you on a commuter train for free, but we recommend that you avoid transporting your bike during peak hours. On VR commuter trains, bicycle spaces are most often found at the ends of carriages. So, take your bike and head to the front or end of the train to avoid any additional haste when the train arrives. R and Z commuter trains, for example, are operated on rolling stock where a thin-wheeled bike can be easily attached to the bike rack in the vestibule. However, make sure that your bike remains upright and does not make it more difficult for other passengers to move around in the carriage.
On HSL area trains (e.g., K, P and I trains), there are no separate bike tracks; bikes can be transported in the multi-purpose compartment with less seats. On these trains, you can lean your bike onto the railing, as long as you make sure that there is enough room for other passengers to move around the carriage and that your bike will surely remain upright when the train moves. On HSL trains, the multi-purpose compartment can be found in the middle of the carriage. Read more about commuter traffic.
E-bikes and scooters. Normal-sized e-bikes can be transported on trains. You can also take an electric scooter with you, but there is no room for electric mopeds and scooters with seats or bike trailers on trains. Please note that charging your e-bike or electric scooter on the train is prohibited.
Prepare in time. Station platforms are divided into A, B, C or D zones and the platform displays tell you where the train will arrive. You can check the display to see which zone your carriage will be and get to the right place on the platform to wait. When you are already close to your carriage, getting on the train with a bike will be quicker.
Going biking to the north. Several night trains have a separate baggage carriage with 8 bicycle spaces.
Bike on a car-carrier. You can also take a bike on a car-carrier in a rear-mounted car bike rack. In that case, be sure to reserve a car space long enough to cover both the dimensions of the car and the dimensions of the bike rack. The normal 5-metre car space might not be enough, so be sure to measure your load accurately.