Taking Bicycles on Queensland Trains is Free
Taking a Bicycle on a Queensland Train Is Not Always Easy
Cycle touring in Australia as anywhere can be challenging if an attempt is made to cycle through an unfamiliar city. Cycling through cities usually means motorways, extraordinarily busy city roads, interesction chaos and getting lost. There maybe a cyclist out there somewhere who enjoys the risks and frustrations of cycling in an unfamiliar city but I suspect they might be few in number, if indeed any survive the experience.
If cyclists needs to pass through the city of Brisbane in south east Queensland Australia, there is an easy way. At least it sounds like an easy way.
Queensland Rail Takes Bicycles For Free
Queensland Rail accepts bicycles during non-peak hours for no extra charge over the usual passenger fare. Cyclists can ride to the nearest station; buy a ticket and just get into a carriage with their bike. Unfortunately there are no guards vans or other special place to put bicycles, it is just a matter wheeling them in the door of the carriage and finding a place for them.
In some carriages this is not a problem as there is space for wheel chairs that seems to be seldom used and bikes can be propped against the wall there. This leaves room for other travelers to walk past; the only problem being the jerky motion of the train causing bikes to fall across the corridor.
Some Queensland Trains Have Room for Bikes and Some Don’t
Most commuter trains have this set up and it is very satisfactory. Problems begin if one strikes a train with a different carriage configuration such as the train that runs north from Brisbane for destinations beyond the nearby city of Caboolture. These trains don’t seem to have wheel chair spaces. Instead, just inside the door, is a rack for luggage and across the very narrow corridor, a large locked cupboard fills the gap. The remaining narrow aisle is the only place bicycles could conceivably be parked and bikes with large pannier bags on each side will almost entirely block it. Now come the problems.
Non rush hours trains are sometimes very busy and often almost fill to capacity. Putting bicycles with pannier bags hanging on each side in such a narrow corridor is problematic but there is no alternative.
Cyclists Have the Unintended Ability to Bring a Commuter Train to a Halt
The train stops very briefly at each station; the doors are automatic and stay open for only a few seconds and by the time disembarking passengers struggle to get past bicycles, the doors will have started closing. If a disembarking passenger tries to take luggage out of the rack behind the bikes as they leave, it can lead to chaos.
Trapped Behind a Tangle of Bicycles
A disembarking passenger grabbed a suitcase and hauled it out over the two bikes. Both bikes fell over burying the suitcase in a jumble of bicycle and saddlebags. Jammed tightly in the narrow passage disembarking passengers trapped behind the tangle started to panic as the carriage door closed and they all faced the prospect of missing their destination.
The emergency button was pushed, the doors re-opened as the bikes owners wriggled through the crowd to untangle the confusion. The muddle of bikes, people and suitcases was eventually unraveled with everybody getting red in the face and a little terse.
Eventually, everybody that wanted off the train got off, the bicycles were leaned against the luggage shelves again and the cyclists returned to their seat, dreading that someone else might want luggage from the rack before they got off.
Once the train was rolling two railway guards appeared and checked the doors for a fault; little did they suspect the frantic drama during the last stop.
Queensland Rail Fares Good Value
Queensland rail fares are a bargain offering cheap efficient transport through the city and state. Just don’t expect travelling with bicycles to be relaxing.
Brisbane River
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Brisbane riverside
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Queensland coal train.
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