From 13 December, TGV INOUI and Intercités trains will refuse fatbikes, bikes longer than 185 cm, gyropodes and hoverboards. How to take a bike or scooter on a French train, and how to avoid a fine of up to €150

From 13 December 2026, the rules for carrying bikes and personal mobility devices on TGV INOUI and Intercités trains change. Service-Public announced this in a note dated 28 October 2026. The new bans cover bike dimensions and some motorised devices.

What will be banned from 13 December

According to Service-Public, you will no longer be able to take the following on board TGV INOUI and Intercités:

• fatbikes, meaning bikes with very wide tyres;
• bikes with more than two wheels;
• bikes whose overall ('hors-tout') dimensions exceed those of a standard bike: longer than 185 cm or with tyres wider than 6 cm;
• gyropodes and hoverboards.

SNCF Connect adds that from the same date, the ban also covers scooters with a seat, with more than two wheels, that don't fold, or with tyres wider than 6 cm.

Recumbent bikes (vélos couchés), tricycles, cargo bikes (vélos cargo) and longtails are already banned on these trains. SNCF Connect adds tandems and trailers to that list.

The main mistake: measuring only the frame

Service-Public says 'hors-tout' dimensions include everything that sticks out: accessories, moving parts and so on. A rack, child seat, long mudguards or panniers can push a bike past 185 cm even when the frame is a normal size. Measure the bike exactly as you will take it to the station.

How you can take a bike on TGV INOUI and Intercités

Service-Public lists three options:

1. Fully assembled: only in a dedicated bike space on the train. SNCF Connect says these spaces exist on some trains only and are booked when you buy your ticket. If the search finds no space, the train either has none or they are all taken.
2. Folding bike: folded, no larger than 90 × 130 × 50 cm.
3. Dismantled in a bag: no larger than 90 × 130 × 50 cm. According to SNCF Connect, the bike then travels free and without a booking in the luggage space, and the bag must carry a label.

SNCF Connect also accepts a folded scooter, electric or not, as luggage within the same 90 × 130 × 50 cm.

Fines and batteries

Non-compliant or excess luggage on TGV INOUI and Intercités can cost €50 per item, capped at €150 (Service-Public). SNCF Connect breaks it down as €50 for one item, €100 for two and €150 for three or more. SNCF Connect also says that charging the battery of any motorised device on board is forbidden, with a €150 fine.

What about other trains?

The new bans apply only to TGV INOUI and Intercités. Other trains have their own rules, according to SNCF Connect:

• OUIGO: add the bike or scooter as an option when you book, or up to 30 minutes before departure. A folded bike, folded scooter or dismantled bike in a bag (up to 130 × 90 × 50 cm and 30 kg) costs €5 per journey. An assembled bike costs €10 and is accepted only on OUIGO Train Classique; on high-speed OUIGO it must be dismantled. Options are non-refundable.
• TER: the rules depend on the region. Folded bikes are accepted everywhere, preferably in a bag. Spaces for assembled bikes are often booked on veloabord.fr or the regional TER site rather than SNCF Connect. In some regions, booking is mandatory or paid during certain periods.
• Transilien and RER in Île-de-France: free, but only outside rush hour. On weekdays you can travel before 6:30, from 9:30 to 16:30 and after 19:30; on weekends and public holidays, at any time. Unfolded bikes are not allowed at rush hour, and you can be refused at any time when trains are crowded.

What to do before you travel

• If your trip is on or after 13 December, check your bike or scooter against the new list, especially its length with accessories and its tyre width.
• Book a space for an assembled bike together with your ticket, as spaces are limited.
• If there is no space, the alternatives are a bag or a folding option within 90 × 130 × 50 cm.
• Check the operator's SNCF rules before you travel, because they differ for each type of train.

Separate rules apply to riding scooters and other motorised personal mobility devices in town. According to Service-Public (fiche F308), the minimum age is 14 and the speed limit is 25 km/h. You also need responsabilité civile (third-party liability) insurance, which covers damage you cause to other people.