HOW-TO GUIDE - Bring your bike on board
Train + Bike Travel
Take the scenic route and bring your bike along for the ride.
Quick Summary
✅ Reservations required for full-size bikes
✅ Qualifying folding bikes travel as carry-on — no bike reservation needed
✅ It's free to bring your bike
✅ Standard bikes, folding bikes, tandem bikes, and e-bikes allowed
✅ Bikes stored in the Bicycle Car (excluding folding bikes)
❌ Trikes and recumbent bikes not permitted
Bring Your Bike Along for the Ride
Have you ever wondered if it was possible to bring your bike with you on board the Pacific Surfliner? It’s possible. When you bring your bike, you're not limited to just one destination—you can explore beyond it.
Standard Bicycles
Bringing a full-size bike? Reserve a space for your bicycle when booking your Pacific Surfliner trip. Bicycle reservations are required for the specific train you're riding.
Folding Bicycles
Fold it, carry it aboard, and go. Folding bicycles that meet Amtrak carry-on requirements can travel with you as carry-on baggage—no bicycle reservation required.
Details
✅ Cost: Free
✅ Size limits: Bikes may weigh up to 50 lbs and must be no larger than 104" x 41" x 8.5". Maximum tire width is 4".
✅ Standard, tandem, or electric bikes are allowed on board in the Bicycle Car as long as they meet the size limits.
❌ Trikes and recumbent bikes will not fit in the bike racks and cannot be accommodated.
✅ Folding bikes smaller than 34" x 15" x 48" are allowed on board as carry-on items in lieu of a piece of baggage and do not require a reservation. They must be folded before boarding and stored in luggage storage areas at the end of the train car, not in the overhead racks.
Full-Size Bikes: How It Works
1. Go to PacificSurfliner.com
Fill out the details for your trip at the top of the page or select Book Trip in the top right corner.
2. Fill out your trip details and click Submit.
You will be redirected to the Amtrak booking portal.
3. Select your preferred train.
Choose the train you want and click Add to Cart.
4. Add your bicycle reservation.
On the Trip Summary page, look for Bicycle under Additional Items.
You’ll see how many bicycle spaces are available for your selected train. Enter the number of bicycles you want to reserve and click Add to Cart.
5. Complete your ticket purchase.
Finish checking out to secure both your train ticket and bicycle reservation.
⚠️Important Note
Your bike reservation is tied to the train you selected at the time you booked your trip. If your plans change, you need to contact Amtrak at 800-USA-RAIL to modify your reservation before your scheduled departure.
Day of Travel Tips
1. Reserve Your Bike Before You Travel
If you plan to bring a full-size bicycle onboard, you must reserve a bike space before boarding the train. Reservations cannot be added after you've boarded.
2. Arrive Early
Give yourself extra time to locate the correct platform and position yourself near the Bicycle Car before your train arrives.
3. Find the Bicycle Car
The Bicycle Car is Car 6, located at the rear of the train (opposite the locomotive). Station signage and train staff can help direct you if needed.
4. Secure Your Bike
Walk your bike onboard and place it in one of the designated bicycle racks on the lower level of the Bicycle Car.
For added security during your trip, we recommend bringing your own lock or bungee cord.
5. Enjoy the Ride
After securing your bike, head upstairs or to another passenger car to find a seat and relax while you travel.
6. Be Ready to Deboard
A few minutes before arriving at your destination, return to the Bicycle Car to retrieve your bike.
Most station stops are brief, so having your bike ready will help ensure a smooth exit.
Another Way to Ride with a Folding Bike
Bike space on Pacific Surfliner trains is limited, but a folding bike can give you more flexibility when combining your train trip with travel on two wheels.
Unlike a full-size bicycle, an eligible folding bike can be brought onboard as a carry-on item without a bicycle reservation. Simply fold it before boarding and store it in the designated luggage storage area during your trip.
Why Go Foldable?
✅ No bicycle reservation required for qualifying folding bikes
✅ Travels as a carry-on item in lieu of one piece of baggage
✅ Helps you travel beyond the station once you arrive
✅ Compact for storing at home, work, hotels, and other destinations
✅ Easy to combine with train and other transit trips
📏 Maximum folded size: 34" x 15" x 48"
Folding bikes must be fully folded before boarding and stored in luggage storage areas at the end of the train car. They may not be stored in overhead racks.
Train + Bike = A Better Connection
Solving the First and Last Mile
Your Pacific Surfliner trip may cover hundreds of miles, but what about the distance between your front door and the station—or the station and where you're actually going?
That's the first and last mile.
A folding bike can help bridge that gap. Ride to the station, fold your bike before boarding, travel by train, then unfold it when you arrive and keep going.
Ride. Fold. Train. Explore.
From daily commutes to weekend getaways, combining a folding bike with Pacific Surfliner makes it easier to explore beyond the station without relying on a car for every part of your journey.
Exclusive Brompton Offer Onboard
Look for select rack cards onboard Pacific Surfliner for a chance to receive 10% off a Brompton bike at participating Southern California dealers.
Limited to 100 redemptions.
Where Will You Ride?
Step off the train and start exploring. Bring your bike aboard the Pacific Surfliner and discover destinations along our route on two wheels.
