Bike box plane travel - advice sought

[TBF]

We're taking our own Serottas to ride the Alpe d'Huez and Galibier this September, bought bike boxes and, wow, the thought of how one gets the bike boxes to airport has us stumped; and then, once we're initially in Europe as well?

We are not doing this with a tour operator or group, just two of us. How do you get bikes boxes to the airport (ie. Dulles, we live in Arlington VA) and #2 stumper: once we get to Europe, we're flying in to Geneva, how do you transport the bikes with those big boxes - anywhere?

Our plan is to stay in Geneva the first night, the hotel has said we can keep the bike boxes stored during our two week stay in the French Alps and Northern Italy. We were planning to cargo/luggage over a bike rack and put it on the back of our rental car.

Insights, recommendations, suggestions greatly appreciated!! Many thanks.

[BengeBoy]

Find a limo service or car service in Geneva that has minivans. You can find one in advance, or round one up at the airport when you arrive.

Same thing in DC - just call the cab company and tell them what you need; one of the cab companies will have vans or big SUVs that should hold two bike boxes. If not, try a car service.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . some sort of limo service in DC that has vans that would take you and the boxes to Dulles. Same for Geneva. It may take a bit of Google searching, but I'm sure they are there. I would be more worried about security inspections and whether there's any way you can make sure they get the bikes repacked properly after opening the cases. Or see if there's any way you can be present when they inspect them. I know my Trico box fits together like a jigsaw puzzle and I'd be real nervous about whether they'd get all of it put back in properly.

But given your description of the trip, I don't care how you do it---as long as you take me with you! :crap: ;)

BBD

[dschlichting]

I've done bike tours (self contained) out of Geneva several times over the years. There is a Swiss rail station at Geneva airport and a left luggage office at the rail station. (same is true for Zürich, FWIW). My modus operandi is to leave the bike box there and take off, either with rented car or whatever or by bike. If your hotel will store the box, all the better. If that offer evaporates, then keep the left luggage in mind. Assume your clothing and stuff goes into a separate peice of baggage from the bike, so if you leaving Geneva by car, then that piece is good to go.
If your rental car is a larger hatchback, then the whole package of luggage and unboxed bikes might fit in, negating the need for a bike rack. Last time we were there, we rented a VW Sharan and everything (2 unboxed bikes and luggage) fit. Since diesel fuel is much cheaper in France, suggest you request a diesel vehicle --and, on the way back, refill it just before you cross back into Swizterland.
As to getting to the airport at this end, I use a local taxi company that has minivans. The boxes should slide in the back.

[JohnHemlock]

I've done bike tours (solo, self contained) out of Geneva several times over the years. There is a Swiss rail station at Geneva airport and a left luggage office at the rail station. (same is true for Zürich, FWIW). My modus operandi is to leave the bike box there and take off, either with rented car or whatever or by bike. Assume your clothing and stuff goes into a separate peice of baggage from the bike, so if you leaving Geneva by car/bus/train, then that piece is good to go.
If your rental car is larger hatchback, then the whole package of luggage and unboxed bikes might fit in, negating the need for a bike rack.
As to getting to the airport, I use a local taxi company that has minivans. The boxes should slide in the back.

+1

[TBF]

... keep 'em coming. very helpful!

Everyone's feedback has reinforced the ideas we thought of. Good to know we are on the right track.

Grazie mille ... Merci beaucoup !!! vai vai ... allez allez !!!

[BumbleBeeDave]

There have been quite a few threads over the past few years about traveling with bikes.

BBD

[TBF]

another good suggestion, thanks; I had done a forum search on plane bike travel and the latest was a couple years old (that I found anyway) so I thought I'd see if anything new was around.

Did find good info on the older posts too. Cheers.

[dumbod]

i don't know what cases you're using but I've traveled with a Trico. Assuming that your cases are roughly that size, here are the options that worked for me:

1) Left luggage at either the airport or train station. Certainly viable but it can get expensive. If memory serves, left luggage was 4 pounds per night at Stanstead which would certainly mount up on two bikes over a week or two.

2) Leave the boxes at the first hotel. See above. Although hotels normally don't charge to store luggage, a week is a long time for them to store your boxes if you're only going to stay one night. I'd check and make sure.

3) Rent a car that will take both boxes. I have rented station wagons from Avis in Europe that took one box easily; I'm sure that they would have taken two. You'll pay a little extra for the car (and the mileage won't be quite as good) but you won't have to rent a rack or pay for left luggage.

The other alternative is to rent a hatch back. Measure your boxes and then go to the manufacturers' sites to check the rear dimensions. If memory serves, we used a Renault Megane but I don't know that two boxes would fit.

[Buzz]

Here is a suggestion I would have never considered:

I know someone who has travelled / biked all over the world. She and her husband lead multiple trips every year to Europe. She has a nice IF and they simply take the wheels off, remove the pedals, turn the handlebars down and tightly wrap their bikes in plastic - like you might a car seat or baby carriage.

She claims their bikes have never been damaged. Because the package is a bit awkward it gets put up on top of the luggage.

I don't think I could bring myself to do this but it is apparently an option.

Good luck. You will have an awesome trip.

[bocarider]

Check out George Farnsworth's excellent website:

http://www.bikeaccess.net/bikeaccess/

We have travelled with our bikes now for over 10 years. I learned a lot about logistics, country specifics, trains, planes and cases from this site and have put up a number of posts there myself.

[TBF]

We got two Bike Pro bike boxes - soft sides w some reinforced steel parts.

Another suggestion I saw on an older serotta forum :D is that these Bike Pro boxes do actually fold/roll up so that provides additional creative transportation options.

That George Farnsworth link is terrific, many thanks.

[Birddog]

Another suggestion I saw on an older serotta forum is that these Bike Pro boxes do actually fold/roll up so that provides additional creative transportation options.
I've seen that written also, but I have an older Bike Pro double, and there is no way it folds up or gets very compact. In all other respects, it is a great case.

Birddog