Folding bike transport: no more "bag rule" on buses and trains

For travelers and commuters in Saxony, taking a folding bike on buses and trains will be easier: from now on, folding bikes will no longer have to be stowed in bags on public transport throughout the state, according to the General German Bicycle Club of Saxony (ADFC). Such a rule had previously existed in some transport associations.

According to this, the Verkehrsverbund Oberelbe (VVO), the Zweckverband Verkehrsverbund Oberlausitz-Niederschlesien (ZVON) and the Mitteldeutscher Verkehrsverbund (MDV) had insisted on storing folding bikes in bags until the summer. Together, the three transport associations cover practically the entire north of the Free State, including the cities of Dresden and Leipzig.

Staff in Dresden and eastern Saxony enforced the rule in some cases

In particular in the state capital Dresden and in eastern Saxony, the rule was repeatedly enforced by staff, according to an ADFC spokesperson. Many commuters had criticized the rule as being out of touch with everyday life. At the suggestion of the ADFC, the relevant transport associations had adapted their conditions of carriage. Throughout Saxony, bicycles are now considered hand luggage and can be carried free of charge.

However, the rule did not play a role in the Verkehrsverbund Mittelsachsen (VMS), which is responsible for Chemnitz and Zwickau, and in the Verkehrsverbund Vogtland (VVV) in the south-west of the state.

"Rail and bike make a strong team when it comes to combining different routes," said Janek Mücksch, Chairman of ADFC Saxony. Folding bikes are becoming increasingly popular because they allow commuters in particular to ideally combine the speed of the train with the flexibility of the bike. The uniform Saxony-wide regulation is an important step forward for cycling.