Taking a Bike on a Train | Bike to Gatwick Airport

a little girl riding on the back of a bicycle

Regular bikes

Image of a regular full size bike You are free to bring your bike onboard our services free of charge, subject to the restrictions listed below. There is no need to pre-book.

We don’t always have space for regular bikes, and on busy services, there is a greater risk that your bike would block the doors or obstruct other customers when they are boarding and alighting. For this reason, we may ask that you remove your bike, or not bring it on board, even when the restrictions below do not apply. If a staff member asks you to remove your bike from the train, you must do so. Our staff will help you to find another train.

Limits on regular bikes

To make sure there is space for all our passengers at times when our trains are busiest, we don’t allow non-folding bikes on peak-hour trains. Peak-hour trains are the following:

Due to arrive at London Victoria between 07:00 and 10:00 Monday to Friday
Due to leave London Victoria between 16:00 and 19:00 Monday to Friday

On weekends and bank holidays, bikes are welcome on all trains at any time.

If you’re bringing your bike on the train, please don’t lock it to any part of the train or leave it unattended.

In case of engineering works

For safety reasons, we can’t take regular bikes on rail replacement buses. Please check for any engineering works before you travel.

Fully folding bikes

Image of a folding bike all folded up If you have a fully folding bike*, a fully folding e-bike, or a folding manual scooter, you can bring these on board at any time. Please stow these in luggage racks to prevent any trip hazards onboard.

*By fully folding we mean that the bike has small wheels and folds in more than one place.

Please bear in mind, that other train operators & transport companies may have different policies, so be sure to check before you travel.

Bike safety at stations

For everyone’s safety, bikes and manual scooters should never be ridden on our stations or onboard trains, and where possible, please use lifts and wide ticket gates as this provides more space for you to walk through. We also ask that any lights on your bike or manual scooter be switched off when you are at our stations, as they could distract our staff from carrying out safety-related duties.

Storing your bike at one of our stations

Across our network, some stations will have bike storage where you can lock your bike. There will be a limited amount of space available, and we please ask that you consider others when you are securing your bike.

We have invested in bike hubs at some of our stations. If you have a Key Smartcard, you have complimentary access to use these facilities. You can sign up for our Key Smartcard on Southern, Thameslink, or Great Northern.

Bikes & accessories liability

Whilst we aim to provide a safe and secure location for bikes to be stored, we are unable to take responsibility for bike damage or theft, when left on our premises. It is advised that you take all necessary precautions when securing your bike to prevent it from being damaged or stolen. We also cannot take responsibility for any bike locks or accessories that are damaged or stolen on the premises.

Lost & abandoned bikes

We make regular checks on bikes and bike accessories left at stations and remove any that appear to have been abandoned.

In cases of suspected abandonment, we will attach a notice to the bike giving 14 days’ notice of removal, after which the bike will be removed. The bike will be kept in storage for a period of time. Once this period has been exceeded, the bike will donated to a charity.

If you have any questions relating to this policy or to discuss the recovery of your bicycle, please contact our Customer Service team.

Other restrictions

For safety reasons, please don't lock your bike to any part of the train or leave it unattended.

If your bike would obstruct other passengers when they're boarding, alighting or standing, we may need to ask you to remove it - or not to bring it on board - even at times when bikes are normally allowed.

If a member if train or station staff asks you to remove your bike from the train, you must do so.

If we can't let you bring your bike on board, out staff will help you find another train.

On rail replacement bus services

Rail replacement buses can't carry non-folding bikes safely, so we can only carry folding bikes on these services. Please check for any engineering works before you travel.

I need to take my bike on the train, as I use it to continue my journey at the other end. Can you make an exception?

For the safety of all our passengers, we can’t make exceptions on peak hour restrictions. But we do want to support our passengers who commute by bicycle. You might consider:

Using a folding bike
Travelling earlier or later to avoid peak times
Buying two biks and keep one at each end of your journey
Making use of London’s self-service bike-sharing scheme, Santander Cycles

If I use a station shelter with CCTV, is Gatwick Express responsible for my bike?

Our e-scooter, e-unicycle, e-skateboard and hoverboard policy

We understand that you may travel to and from our services in a variety of ways. However, we are committed to keeping you and our people safe, which means all e-scooters, e-unicycles, e-skateboards and hoverboards are not permitted on our trains or in our stations from 1 June 2023.

Why are we banning them?

Under advice from the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) and following recommendations by the Rail Safety Standards Board (RSSB) and London Fire Brigade, our safety team along with many other rail companies have carried out a review of the risks of these items and decided they should be banned. This is because of the limited regulation around the lithium-ion battery which has the potential to cause harm should it malfunction.

Can I store it at your station whilst I travel?

As they are not safe to have on our stations, we don’t allow them in our storage facilities.

Can I remove the battery and bring it with me?

Even if the battery is removed and carried separately, they are still not permitted due to the risks of the battery malfunctioning and causing a fire.

Can I bring them onto a rail replacement bus?

The companies that provide rail replacement buses have also banned these due to safety concerns. This means you are unable to take these on buses that run during engineering work or disruption.

Are e-bikes and mobility scooters still permitted?

Yes, e-bikes and mobility scooters are permitted on trains. Our normal bike and mobility scooter restrictions apply. See our guidance on mobility aid scooters here. E-bikes and mobility scooters may be prohibited on rail replacement bus services, subject to the individual safety policy of rail replacement vehicle operators and available space.

Can I bring my manual (non-powered) scooter or skateboard with me?

Yes, your manual scooter (if fully folded) and skateboard can be brought onboard any of our trains. Remember they should never be ridden onboard or on our stations for everyone’s safety.

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