Hey folks! I’m currently planning a cycling trip through Germany and the Netherlands, and this time around I’d really like to be able to bring my own road bike up to the regions where I’d like to ride. My options for getting there are plane or train from Slovenia, and ideally I’d like to take the train. I’d be talking a few 12 hour trips with plenty of changes, so I’d love some advice on how the process of bringing a bike on intercity / international rail within Europe goes. I’m particularly interested in:

• How do bikes get stored on most intercity trains in your experience? I’m expecting that there’s probably an oversized luggage section in a carriage somewhere. Is it possible to secure / lock the bike, and/or sit somewhere where you can see the bike generally? If I’m taking a 12 hour bike trip with multiple changes I’m not going to be able to keep an eye on the thing all the time so it would be nice to know how they’re stowed.

• Am I expected to buy a bike bag / housse to move the bike around? This wouldn’t surprise me too much, but it makes me wonder about:

• How did transfers work out for you? I can’t imagine it’s much fun moving a half-disassembled bike in a bag through Munich Hauptbahnhof in time for your next train!

I’m also considering the possibility of flying, but I don’t have experience transporting a bike by plane either so that’s not too much better. I’m generally a bit of an anxious worrier when it comes to traveling alone, so I’d love to hear your experiences, thoughts and advice. Thanks! :)