MotoRail / AutoSlaap Trein
 

Hi
anybody used the above service from s'Hertogenbosch to Livorno?
thinking of using it to get me close to my starting point in Slovenia for the next leg of my Med coast tour (Slovenia to Turkey)
Would cut out a lot of riding across Europe and save a few days each way, leaving me more time to explore Turkey and Greece.

Auto slaaptrein
 

Hi Medman...i´ve looked in to the same possibilities but found the fares a bit rich! Apparantly they do have specials if you book way ahead and as I remember wel you can book a private cabin on the train which is a good idea if you travel with a party and thus share the costs. Al in al a tempting opportunity but also a bit dear. I´m thinking of a similar trip (out of Amsterdam) but don´t fancy the tedious motorways out of Holland and Germany! When are you leaving?!

Rob

Hi Rob
I did a basic cost comparison between the MotoRail option and riding across Europe to Livorno and there wasn't a significant difference - probably 100Euros more by train for the return journey (but that included the extra cost of the restaurant meal each way). The big saving was time - I planned on 3 days riding each way, so the train option saves me 4 days of riding. And 2600kms of tyre wear!
Planning on leaving UK late May - ferry Hull to Rotterdam then ride to s'Hertogenbosch to board the train same day and be in Livorno the following day.
Garry

Auto slaaptrein
 

Hello Garry....just looked into the fares again and depending on the choice of coupe (4 berths) it will cost me about 350 euro's each way including dinner.
These are 2011 prices but I guess 2012 won't be much dearer. The other thing is that they start services to Livorno in 2012 from the 17th of June onwards...correct me if I'm wrong. Booking from a travel-agent here in Amsterdam adds a 37.50 euro each way in booking/administration costs (??!), you can get around this by booking directly by DB (Deutsche Bundesbahn) online. You are absolutely right that it saves a lot of time,wear, gas-money and the costs of overnighting/meals probably up to the point that it is worth a try. I would love to get as far as Turkey but have not made my mind up on which route to take. I considered the Ancona-Ingoumenitsa ferry to Greece but via the Balkans is also an option. I did the camper thing once to Croatia and found the coastline very touristic, probably nicer in pre-season.
DB has some pretty exotic destinations,even a sleeper from Austria to Turkey!
Oh wel , a lot of planning to do still, at least my wife encourages me to take on this trip (is that a good thing?) Cheers, Rob.

Hi Rob
I wasn't aware that the service to Livorno didn't commence until June. Kind of messes up my travel plans. I had planned to return from Turkey on the Optima Tours Motorail train from Edirne to Villach in Austria - suppose I could reverse the route and travel to Istanbul first, then come back through Greece / Albania / the Balkans to Livorno and get the Autoslaap back to s'Hertogenbosch, which would be around mid-June.
Back to the drawing board!
Garry.