Bicycle travelers in need: ÖBB-Railjets offer hardly any space for bike!

Bicycle travelers in need: ÖBB-Railjets offer hardly any space for bike!

Travelers from Munich are faced with a big problem on their way to Italy. On June 18, 2025, tz.de Munich - Innsbruck - Bozen - Verona - Bologna only offer limited capacities for bicycle travelers. The CEO Andreas Matthä described the railjets as a "first -class travel experience" with increased comfort. Nevertheless, there are considerable restrictions for cyclists, especially on the last weekend in July, where there are no two bicycle parking spaces available from Munich to Rovereto.

Compared to the previous Eurocity trains, which offered space for up to 40 bicycles, the new railjets only have six bicycle parking spaces. This situation forces many bike travelers to look for alternative transport options. An ADFC expert has already pointed out that they could consider private bus companies in the Garda region to transport their bikes.

capacity and requirements for bicycle transport

The Railjet trains reach speeds of up to 230 km/h and have 532 seats. A ÖBB spokesman said that the low number of bicycle spaces is the result of a compromise between the provision of bicycle and seats. While the demand for seats is high all year round, the bicycle spaces are often only in demand for seasonally. Technically, it is also not possible to attach additional bicycle transport cars to the modern trains.

The ÖBB has also set specific rules for bicycle transport. Bicycles that exceed certain dimensions may only be transported in special luggage compartments. The requirements include:

• length over 185 cm
• height over 110 cm
• width over 60 cm
• tire size from 28 inches
• tire width more than 4.2 cm
• maximum weight of 30 kg

tandems, recessed bikes and bicycle trailers are also affected. Reservations are not possible to transport these bicycles, and only a bicycle reservation per ticket can be made. This reservation should be printed out and clearly visible on the bike to facilitate ticket control. In addition, electrically powered vehicles may not be transported, which the situation continues to complicate.

The challenges for bicycle travelers on the popular route to Italy have increased significantly. Many now have to become creative to organize their trips despite the restrictions.