Taking batteries and e-bikes on a plane
Many tourists don't want to do without their e-bike while on holiday. This is usually not a problem when travelling by car, motorhome or train. However, if you want to take your e-bike with you on a plane, you usually face a problem: lithium-ion batteries are hazardous goods that may not be transported in the cargo hold of passenger aircraft. Batteries and battery-powered devices such as power banks, smartphones and laptops may be carried in the cabin, but there are limits to their capacity. Normally, the batteries permitted in hand luggage may store a maximum of 100 to 200 Wh – significantly less than an electric bicycle battery.
If you can only reach your holiday destination by plane and still don't want to do without your e-bike, you have the following options:
- You can send the entire bike and battery to your holiday destination by other means. This is even possible by air freight, as the ban only applies to passenger aircraft.
- Many airlines will also take e-bikes as long as they are transported without the battery. However, holidaymakers should also pay attention to the airlines' weight restrictions. The battery could be transported to the holiday destination by other means. Some bike hire companies also offer the separate hire of bike batteries. Buying an e-bike battery locally is unlikely to be an option as they cost several hundred euros.
- You can hire an e-bike on site.
However, shipping the entire electric bike or the e-bike battery alone is not easy. Parcel service providers usually do not accept hazardous goods such as lithium-ion batteries. For shipping, you also need the appropriate documents and special packaging, which must also be appropriately labelled. Employees with appropriate dangerous goods training are also required for packaging, shipping and transport. In view of the effort, costs and risk of damage associated with shipping, local hire is usually the most sensible option.
Good to know: Our fireproof battery containers – such as the RETRON BOX – are not only suitable for safe charging and storage at home, but also as transport containers for bicycle batteries. Unfortunately, it is still not permitted to take them on board passenger aircraft.
