ScotRail Highland Explorer

We’d encourage you to book your bike space while purchasing your rail ticket. However, if you already have your train ticket, you can reserve your bike at least two hours before travel by calling our telesales team on 0344 811 0141 (Option 2) Monday – Friday between 9am – 5pm. If you are calling at the weekend, please choose option 3 for our Customer Relations team who will make the reservation for you.

Alternatively, you can visit one of our staffed stations.

Yes. As cycle spaces are really popular, particularly on the West Highland Line, customers must reserve their bike space before travelling.

There is no charge for reserving your cycle space. But as these are so popular, we ask that you only make a bike reservation on the service you intend to travel on. And if your plans change, please cancel your bike reservation as soon as possible, to allow someone else to use the space.

If your plans change, please cancel your bike reservation as soon as possible, to allow someone else to use the space.

You can change your reservation by calling our telesales team on 0344 811 0141 (Option 2) Monday – Friday between 9am – 5pm. If you are calling at the weekend please choose option 3 for our Customer Relations team who will change the reservation for you.

Yes. Children travelling with a bike will also need to book a cycle space using the same bike reservation process.

Child bikes are normally stored in the Smaller Cycles bays on board but may occasionally need to be stored in other sized bays. Please help us by using the Smaller Cycles bays for child’s cycles if they are available.

You may wish to bring your own additional velcro strap to secure the child’s cycle to the accompanying adult’s cycle.

During the booking process, you will be asked if you want to make a cycle reservation. This will reserve you a cycle space on the train, but not specifically in the Highland Explorer carriage. When you book a Highland Explorer ticket you are given priority over the cycle spaces in the Highland Explorer carriage. Depending on demand there may be occasions when the Highland Explorer cycle spaces are full and your cycle may need to be placed in a cycle space in another part of the train, on the same service. One of our friendly team will be on hand to assist with any questions.

By purchasing a Highland Explorer ticket, you will be allocated a seat in the Highland Explorer carriage where there are 24 seats and access to 20 cycle spaces. As a Highland Explorer ticket holder you will have priority over the cycle spaces in this carriage.

On rare occasions you may be asked to place your cycle in another designated cycle space in a different carriage. Rest assured, your cycle will travel on the same service as you.

Yes, you will be able to access the ScotRail Highland Explorer carriage throughout the train journey.

For a booking of 9 people or less, you should follow our normal cycle reservation process.

For bookings of 10 or more, please contact our group booking telephone line on 0344 811 0141 or email [email protected]

Cycle reservations are linked to the ticket you purchase. When you book for a number of people, you will be given the option to add on a cycle reservation for each person travelling. These are subject to availability on a first-come, first-served basis.

The train’s exterior is clearly labelled to show where the cycle spaces are located on board. There are twenty-six cycle spaces on the train, with twenty of these being in the Highland Explorer carriage which is clearly distinguished by its colourful exterior depicting Scottish landmarks.

When boarding at Glasgow Queen Street, our Welcome Hosts will be on hand to assist and answer any questions you may have.

If you have a Highland Explorer ticket, you should board the train via the Highland Explorer carriage. This exterior of the Highland Explorer carriage has been decorated to make it easy to spot from the station platform.

If you have a regular rail ticket and a cycle reservation, you can board the train via the ScotRail Highland Explorer carriage and store your bike here if there is space. Then, once you have secured your bike onboard, you can make your way throughout the train. Alternatively, you can board the train via the Class 156 carriages – which make up the rest of the train - and store your bike in one of the cycle spaces available here.

If help is needed to load your bike onto the train, ramps are available on request. From there, you will be able to secure your bike in the cycle spaces. It’s necessary to be able to lift your bicycle yourself. Due to health and safety, our staff are unable to assist with lifting bikes, so please bear this in mind when considering booking a space.

The racks on the Highland Explorer carriage allow you to wheel your bike, and then lift it slightly into the fixing loop.

Velcro straps are provided onboard the train. You may wish to use your own strap in preference to those provided. All cycles must be securely strapped prior to travel.

Additional locks are not required. In case of emergencies, access must be possible to all areas of the train by our staff at all times. Therefore, it is not permitted to lock your cycle in any way to the train or its fixtures.

For peace of mind, CCTV will also be in operation within the carriage throughout the journey.

Customers should listen out for the on-train and station announcements to have their bikes ready to board and/or depart before the train comes to a stop. This will help the train to run on time.

Yes, there are a limited number of spaces onboard the ScotRail Highland Explorer carriage that can accommodate tandems.

Tandem must be reserved by 18:00 the day before travelling by calling our Customer Relations team on 0344 811 0141 (Option 2) Monday – Sunday between 7am – 10pm. If you are calling at the weekend please choose option 3 for our Customer Relations team who will make the reservation for you.

You must remember to specify when booking that you are travelling with a tandem.

Larger cycles are any two wheeled cycle longer than 182cm and up to the maximum permissible length of 255cm.

No. Currently we cannot carry any tricycles.

Yes, we welcome electric cycles (e-bikes) onboard. These should be booked following the usual cycle reservation process.

Yes. We encourage you to charge your electric (E-Bike) before travelling but there is an electric charging point available on the ScotRail Highland Explorer carriage for anyone who needs to use it. You must bring your own charging power adaptor and cable with you to use this. To prevent damaging the trains electrical circuit, E-Bikes can only be charged using the dedicated E-Bike charging socket. This is clearly identified on board with a special E-Bike charging socket sign.

No. We don’t allow motorbikes or mopeds, including electric mopeds on any of our services.

Yes. Before making your reservation, please ensure that you have checked that your cycle complies with our maximum permissible dimensions:

• Maximum permissible length 255cm.
• Maximum permissible width of cycle body 75cm.
• Maximum permissible width of front wheel with tyre inflated 14cm. Should your tyre measure wider, it can be deflated, so long as the rim width is no greater than the measurement, to allow the wheel to fit safely in the storage rack.
  

If you wish to leave your bike at a station along the line of route, you can use our cycle spaces. You can check each station's cycle spaces here .

Space upon ScotRail Highland Explorer carriage is limited and anyone who requires the use of a wheelchair throughout their journey or has reduced mobility, should not book a ScotRail Highland Explorer ticket. Instead, you can book a Standard Class rail ticket and travel on the Class 156 carriages, which make up the rest of this train service.