[2022] Shipping bike bags from Santiago de Compostela to London (UK)

[gio.amms]

Hello everyone!

We are having such an hard time to transport our bikes from Santiago to London (UK).

We are in London already but the bikes keep being rejected by the customs (apparently).

As per 2022, does anyone know if it is possible to ship 2 bike bags to London? If so, which company is able to handle this? How should we proceed?

Thank you very much in advance!

Gio

 

[Corned Beef]

I used Correos in the past - the office down from the Cathedral. They dismantled the bike, boxed it and sent it over. Last year I checked the same office to see if they were still doing it. Did not have a bike at that point so it was in anticipation of doing it again this year. Their reply was that they were not able to do it again due to *customs* but they could ship it to France.

So possible stop over in Paris and have the bikes forwarded to a hotel? Ferry/Rail back?

Or contact http://transsport.es/en/ (Hat tip @Xali1970 )

Says €83 p for UK

 

[gio.amms]

I used Correos in the past - the office down from the Cathedral. They dismantled the bike, boxed it and sent it over. Last year I checked the same office to see if they were still doing it. Did not have a bike at that point so it was in anticipation of doing it again this year. Their reply was that they were not able to do it again due to *customs* but they could ship it to France.

So possible stop over in Paris and have the bikes forwarded to a hotel? Ferry/Rail back?

Or contact http://transsport.es/en/ (Hat tip @Xali1970 )

Says €83 p for UK

Thanks for your reply,

I've completed my trip last month.

We thought we could ship the bikes. So we engaged a private company to do so while we went to another country. One month later, we're back in London but the bikes are still in Santiago.

If I can't find a solution, I need to either go there and pick them up and God knows how much trouble this will be or ship them to another EU country...Either way, I'm caught between a rock and a hard place :/

Will give them a shout

Thanks!

 

[Corned Beef]

Let us all know how you get on.

 

[gio.amms]

Let us all know how you get on.

Will keep you posted.

 

[Xali1970]

Thanks for your reply,

I've completed my trip last month.

We thought we could ship the bikes. So we engaged a private company to do so while we went to another country. One month later, we're back in London but the bikes are still in Santiago.

If I can't find a solution, I need to either go there and pick them up and God knows how much trouble this will be or ship them to another EU country...Either way, I'm caught between a rock and a hard place :/

Will give them a shout

Thanks!

I think both of you flying over and taking the bikes with you as oversize luggage will be the easiest solution, by far.

Its been a good few years since I worked for an international shipping company; this is what I remember from dealing with this type of query every day for 3 years. I hope it eased a bit but I'd be surprised if it did.

Shipping companies will likely require you to have all the paperwork and customs declarations proving that they are your bikes and not new imports or your bikes will be stuck in customs until you satisfied said customs officials they are indeed your bikes. I assume that your bikes are in the £1500+ value range, so there's a good chance you'll have to go through a customs clearing house for the paperwork.

British customs may be more flexible with goods from the EU since Brexit, but I honestly don' know.

Anyway,

Step 1 is to contact a clearing house or customs directly for information as to what paperwork is required for you to get your bikes without them being considered an import subject to VAT and import duties, having that work costed and the papers drawn up if need be. (the original purchase invoices may be required)

Step 2 Ensure the bikes are boxed and ready to go.

Step 3 Find a shipping company and provide them with the original paperwork to accompany the bikes or inquire if a soft copy they print out is sufficient (be careful, as normally ensuring the documentation is with the shipment is the shipper's responsibility, not the shipping company's)

Step 4 organize collection of the bikes and await delivery happily

I'll be exceedingly happy if I'm proven wrong here by the way

 

[Waccoer]

Thanks for your reply,

I've completed my trip last month.

We thought we could ship the bikes. So we engaged a private company to do so while we went to another country. One month later, we're back in London but the bikes are still in Santiago.

If I can't find a solution, I need to either go there and pick them up and God knows how much trouble this will be or ship them to another EU country...Either way, I'm caught between a rock and a hard place :/

Will give them a shout

Thanks!

I think Ryanair charged me €60 last October to bring the bike home with me from Santiago to the UK (Stansted), so if I was you, I'd get a cheap return flight from the UK, and pay for the bike as Hold luggage back. At least that way you know with certainty when you will have your bike back

I used Velocípedo Santiago to box up the bike, and they also organised a taxi to the airport for me, the box and my other gear. I see they have now closed, but I'm sure other bike shops will do a similar service.