For VVT Managing Director Alexander Jug, the signs of the times are clear: "Cycling has boomed as a leisure sport in recent years. We are in the process of offering and developing appropriate solutions with public transport. Because it is clear to us that public transport and cycling are an indispensable combination." While the Inn Valley, which runs through Tyrol from west to east, is already well served by the S-Bahn trains, which run daily and make it easy to take your bike with you, the situation in the many side valleys has so far been very different. In Ötztal, where the Bike Republic has been focusing on cycle tourism in summer for several years, buses are already in operation, all of which allow bikes to be taken on trailers. In other valleys, however, it has not been possible to take bikes on buses at all.

350 rear racks on 650 buses

In future, this is set to change. Most VVT routes will now allow bicycles to be carried on rear racks. However, it is not yet clear exactly how many. According to VVT, "over 350 rear carriers" will be used. There is no more precise figure at the moment. In view of the 650 regional buses that are used daily on 350 routes in Tyrol, this is more than half. Buses with a length of 15 or 18 meters are not equipped with rear carriers, as these are generally used on busy commuter routes. Also excluded are "particularly winding or very narrow routes, such as over the Hahntennjoch". VVT Managing Director Jug confirms that information is currently being compiled on all routes that offer rear racks for bicycles, but that there will be no time restrictions on taking bicycles on buses, as is the case in the provincial capital of Innsbruck. In Innsbruck, bikes may not be transported on public transport at peak times, which also severely restricts or makes it impossible to reach the bike park in Mutters without your own car. There will only be a surcharge for taking bikes on individual VVT lines. For example, on line 110 from Reutte to Warth in Außerfern, on line 273 from Landeck to Mals in South Tyrol via the Reschen Pass and for line 960X, which runs via Pustertal in South Tyrol between Innsbruck and Lienz, a separate bike ticket must be purchased.

Bus and train for bike transport

Bike transport on VVT buses is particularly attractive for tours with mountain crossings from one side valley to the next. Where you previously had to factor in long journeys to and from or even two cars at the respective start and end points, you can now conveniently use the bus. However, as mentioned above, it is advisable to find out in advance whether the respective bus routes are equipped with rear carriers. In the Wipptal valley, for example, which rides from Innsbruck to the Brenner Pass, there are not only buses but also the aforementioned suburban trains, on which bicycles can be transported without any problems but for an extra charge. In the Zillertal, on the other hand, there is a narrow-gauge railroad that can take bikes depending on whether there is enough space. Price per bike on the Zillertalbahn: 5 euros.

Most of the rear racks used on the buses are models from the manufacturer Franz Harbeck. They offer space for a maximum of five bikes, so the size of the group must be taken into account if you want to take advantage of this offer. The carriers are suitable for e-bikes and, with a little practice, can be easily operated alone, but helping hands are particularly useful with e-bikes. The VVT has produced a video explaining how to use the rear carrier and advises all passengers to briefly point this out to the driver before hanging their bike on the rear of the bus. When getting off the bus, it is also advisable to inform the driver in advance that you still need to remove the bike from the rear. This way, misunderstandings can be avoided and the bus will wait until the bike has been secured or removed.

Tourism helps finance

In Switzerland, taking bikes on buses is standard practice and has played a key role in the development of mountain bike tourism. Tyrol now wants to follow a similar path. Tourism is therefore helping to finance this offer, as VVT explains. If bicycles are used for tourism in the region, the industry also helps to finance the public transport offer. The Ötztal is a prime example of this, where trailers are used, while the rest of Tyrol relies on rear racks, as VVT Managing Director Jug explains: "Our solution with the rear racks arose from the fact that taking bikes on the bus often doesn't work. When passenger numbers are high, there is often no room for bicycles inside the bus, and wheelchair users or people with baby carriages have priority over bicycles."

Further information on bicycle transport in Tyrol's public transport system:

• VVT homepage on bicycle transport

• Franz Harbeck trailer systems