20 August 2010

Cycle clip: Bike racks on a fast ferry


Some of London's most thrillingly situated bike racks are here, on the Thames Clippers fast ferries. They're commuter services, but take bikes (though we've never seen any, apart from ours).

For sightseers, the £12 rover tickets give you unlimited travel on the Clippers all day after 10am, from O2 in the east to Millbank in the west.

Both the O2 and Tate Britain have some of the free ping pong tables set around London this summer - they'll be taken down after this weekend, so hurry.)

Talking of hurrying, the best bits are east of Tower Bridge, where the boat bombs along like Donald Campbell in Bluebird just before closing time. If you do put your bike in the racks, it might be an idea to lock them, just in case.

4 comments:

  1. I've used the bike racks on the Thames Clippers quite a few times. For a year or so it was part of my regular commute.

    The Thames Clippers are a bit expensive compared to the underground and especially compared to cycling but it's truly a more refined and relaxing way to travel. It's very convenient for getting to London from Woolwich without sweating too much and still being able to cycle home at the end of the day.

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  2. And the coffee is excellent!

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  3. I've used the bike racks on these ferries too. With a PAYG Oyster I think a single from Greenwhich to Westminster is only a couple of pounds now as it was one of Boris's election pledges to open the route up to 'real' commuters.

    My tip would be to make sure you wash your bike afterwards though; it does get a bit salty zipping along the tidal Thames.

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  4. Here's my lovelybike enjoying a nice sit down on a Thames Clipper! I don't take the Clipper often which is a shame as my boat stop is not even a five minute walk down the road.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/string_bean_jen/3853078253/

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