Car trains, anyone used them?
Discussion
I'm planning my summer road trip and I am looking at car trains (Autorail/motorail) as a way to cut out the great motorway slog to and from the south of France & Italy. These seem like a great idea, with the French ones you just leave your car at the station in Paris, make your own way to the destination then pick your car up the next morning. The others you get on the train with your car and it runs overnight.
Has anyone on here used them and what did you think?
Has anyone on here used them and what did you think?
I've always driven in previous years but it's a bloody long way from the south to the North. I like driving but 500+ miles in one stint on the motorway isn't fun, I actually think I'd rather be on a train where I could be having dinner, a nice glass of wine and other such activities whilst travelling at over 100mph. This way you also have your car and all its contents (camping gear) when you arrive. It seems like a great idea but I've never found anybody who's ever done it.
Try www.seat61.com There is a motorail which runs from Holland to northern Italy where you and your car stay on the same train. The French one doesn't run like it used to, Calais to Nice, so you have to go to Paris, put your car on the train, get across Paris and take a separate train to the destination station. The Holland bit isn't far from the French border, so no issues from Blighty, and the Italy end is just inside the Italian border from France, so the nearest to Calais to Nice as you'll get. It isn't cheap, but neither is driving the 1000 miles when you include hotels, tolls and fuel and wear and tear. It's easy to use, you book in, sit in a queue ( like for the ferry/tunnel) then ( I think) they drive your car onto the wagon, you walk down the train to your carriage. You settle in for the evening and get some kip whilst the train takes you and your motor to Italy. You get off the other end in glorious sunshine and wait for your car to be unloaded. The return is the same except it is bright and sunny when you leave and dull and wet when you get back.
http://www.seat61.com/Motorail.htm#.U4XAmJRdX-A
To see the routes.. I agree if there was a train from Calais it would be more convenient than having to drive down to Paris to then get one..
I still think it's a good idea.. saves you putting miles on the car.. and gets you to destination nice and rested.. used to be popular in Italy (bologna to the south..) but dont think they run anymore, Germany seems to be more effective.
To see the routes.. I agree if there was a train from Calais it would be more convenient than having to drive down to Paris to then get one..
I still think it's a good idea.. saves you putting miles on the car.. and gets you to destination nice and rested.. used to be popular in Italy (bologna to the south..) but dont think they run anymore, Germany seems to be more effective.
I believe route choice is poor for us Brits these days. We took my R5 Turbo 2 on our honeymoon in 2003. We did Calais > Nice and back. I think this route has since been canned, but I stand to be corrected.
It was an adventure. We got a bunk bed compartment with a sink to ourselves. The Restaurant car was fairly limited. Breakfast was at Nice station on arrival. If, like me, you can't even sleep on a flatbed seat in a plane, then you'll not get much kip on a rickety-rackety train either! They don't use high speed trains or routes. The service just bumbles along like a freight train.
One thing I remember is that "our" service was prone to being robbed! It used to make a routine crew-change stop in the early hours half-way down through France and some local crooks used that opportunity to break into the heavily-laden cars and nick stuff! By the time the passengers disembarked in Nice, the thieves and their loot was long gone.
If the Calais - Nice route still existed, then I'd recommend it, but if you have to drive miles out of your way to even board the train, then I don't see the point.
It was an adventure. We got a bunk bed compartment with a sink to ourselves. The Restaurant car was fairly limited. Breakfast was at Nice station on arrival. If, like me, you can't even sleep on a flatbed seat in a plane, then you'll not get much kip on a rickety-rackety train either! They don't use high speed trains or routes. The service just bumbles along like a freight train.
One thing I remember is that "our" service was prone to being robbed! It used to make a routine crew-change stop in the early hours half-way down through France and some local crooks used that opportunity to break into the heavily-laden cars and nick stuff! By the time the passengers disembarked in Nice, the thieves and their loot was long gone.
If the Calais - Nice route still existed, then I'd recommend it, but if you have to drive miles out of your way to even board the train, then I don't see the point.
Again, another thing killed in the 80s/90s. Reckon it would be very apt now.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorail_(British_Rai...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorail_(British_Rai...
iva cosworth said:
Calais to Mont Blanc tunnel is 560 miles.
Easy road trip.
Did it last week.
I've driven that distance in a day several times. It is a long way, it takes about 10hrs driving, is not interesting and costs a fair old bit in fuel and tolls. Paris to Nice on the TGV is about 5hrs, if one can send the car off in the morning, have a nice afternoon & evening in Paris, catch an early TGV to Nice the next morning to be there to collect the car by lunchtime that sounds rather good to me. Easy road trip.
Did it last week.
Next week I am going to Livorno from Den Bosch (The Netherlands) Departuretime is 13.00, arrival next day is scheduled at 11.30. Am I looking forward to this journey? Not at all.
Since we have done this a few times before we know what to expect: a spleepless night in a hot coupe and no refreshing shower in the morning. A bad eveningmeal and an even worse breakfast.
However, it beats 1.000 miles driving at 60 mph in a 1932 car.
Since we have done this a few times before we know what to expect: a spleepless night in a hot coupe and no refreshing shower in the morning. A bad eveningmeal and an even worse breakfast.
However, it beats 1.000 miles driving at 60 mph in a 1932 car.
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