My work profile demands to travel & stay for some time in several cities across India. i have bike and every time i travel i feel like taking my bike with me, obviously to escape travel hassles with in new city, esp: if i have to commute by an auto. I have spent some time to figure out ways to carry or transfer bike across India. here i'm posting so that it can help someone.
| One can carry their bike in three ways.. |
- Riding across state border
- Road Transportation
- Railways
- Airways
4th, if your are Idoit n' Rich enough ;) |
 |
| My Bike - Avenger |
|
Riding bike across border: I dont think this is feasible, untill you are on expidition or travalling to near city in adjacent state.
Road Transportation: This is quit good option, as you can surrender you bike to transportation company and they call you when reaches the destination goadown, usually this takes 3-5 days between states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamilnadu. But i didnt opt for this service of transportation as many of trans corp's will never give any gauntness to your bike for any damage. more over while loading into truck, they lift bike manually and load into truck (this will be min 3 ft height). one should worry if bike is of more cc or weight. I have seen personally how they handle once you leave your bike with them.
Other way of road tranportation is by volvo bus, This option is better as you should personally availble while loading. And bike will be travelling with you in Volvo bus ( It will loaded into luguage compatment below the bus and passenger should mandatorily travel in bus ). Once you reach destination city, get down at petrol bunk, fill tank and ride your way.
For long distance cites its difficult to find a bus, who agrees to take bike in luggage compatment below, Now-a-days many transport co are not willing to do so.
Railways Transportation: This have two options again, first one is,you have to submit you bike in the parcel section, they will pack your bike and deliver at your destination station, This might take few days, depends on the city and availability of service.
Other option is, carry you bike along with you as luggage in train you travel. Personally i feel this best option of all.
Follow as mention below for this option
- Railway allows public to carry luggage in luggage compartments only between end to end stations , you have to identify a train which travels from your starting station to your destination (They wont take or deliver in any station in between, as they will never break luggage compartment seal in between stations)
- Book a ticket for same train, by which you planed to carry your bike (This can be any class or General ticket)
- Reach station before three hours, as you have to follow few formalities.
- Goto luggage section, usually this will be on any end of the 1st platform (back entry, not main gate)
- Request for form in counter to carry Bike as luggage, fill the form, mention the valuation of bike and etc. they ask to show your bike papers (usually they say that bike should be in your name, if it is your brother or someone you should show some proof of relation or convince them).
- They will give a pink slip, this is very important receipt. According to railway, owner of bike is person with this receipt, without this receipt you cannot receive at destination station even you show any proof. so careful!.
- If you are interested or concerned of scratches, pack your bike and bring. If not, packing service will also be available at the same counter and they charge around Rs 300/-.
- Unload fuel tank completely, take your bike on to platform and submit to concern person, they will take your bike to arrival platform, you can also follow your bike until it is loaded in to luggage compartment.
- Get into train, travel along with your bike. once you reach your station, bike will be unloaded onto platform, show the receipt and take your bike. go on your way.
- If luggage compartment is sealed before you complete above process of submitting bike.. still no worries... you can leave your bike on platform, and it will be delivered to destination by same train next day. you can go and collect it. (this happened to me, when i careed my bike from Bangalore to Hyderabad, i collected it next day at kachiguda station).
For any more info contact me at this blog .. Happy Riding.....
