NIGHT TRAIN

47steve · Nov 6, 2020

Hi All,

I often book the ferry from Newcastle to Ijmuiden and then travel onwards down across Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy Etc. I been informed that you can take the overnight train with your bike down into Autria?
I have done a quick search but website is a bit vague and thought that i would ask here to see if anyone has any experience of using this service.
I am looking to use the train to get as far south east as possible then ride back. Ideally into Croatia and around surrounding areas. We are a bit stretched for time so the train may free up a day or two for us to enjoy the ride back to Holland?

T :beerjug:

A Steve

Deleted account 220319001 · Nov 6, 2020

Sure someone will come up with better detail but wasn't it from Dusseldorf ?? There also may have been another one from somewhere but was shelved a few years ago.

Nutty · Nov 6, 2020

Wapping will be along shortly, with his usual wit and charm.

GADGET · Nov 6, 2020

There was an overnight train service from Holland down to Koper, Slovenia, plus other locations a few years ago, I used it once for a trip down to Greece, via Croatia etc. Worked well, but the company went bust!

Jockser · Nov 6, 2020

This is probably what you’re looking for-

https://www.seat61.com/motorail-trains.htm

trancey · Nov 6, 2020

We used an overnight motorail train returning from the first MotoGP round at the Red Bull Ring in 2016, it ran from Vienna to Dusseldorf. I have mixed feelings about it. The train left at about 21.00, so I felt like I was hanging about most of the day as we only had about 120 miles to ride from Graz to Vienna. The bunks in the carriages were 3 high on each side, with little room for luggage, the officials would only let luggage be left on the bike if it was in hard panniers and top box. The train was very hot, with only a shared toilet and basin to use, shared with various sections of the carriage. When we arrived in Dusseldorf we had to wait quite a while before we could unload the bikes, then we had the ride to Ijmuiden. There was no food or drink on sale but a very basic breakfast was provided, I think it was a drink and a bread roll. The alternative in the time available was two days of motorway riding and on overnight hotel. I don't really like motorway riding but I didn't really enjoy the train either. I estimated the costs of both and they were similar, but that was with 5 of us sharing the carriage section. The better option would have been to take an extra day and ride interesting roads. The last time I looked the Dusseldorf to Vienna service had been suspended.

stever1 · Nov 6, 2020

OBB trains do the Dusseldorf service to Innsbruck,Verona and Livorno but there's no signs of next years time table yet

polecat · Nov 6, 2020

https://www.seat61.com/motorail-trains.htm

Wapping · Nov 7, 2020

The Nutty Duke said:
Wapping will be along shortly, with his usual wit and charm.

Nutty lacking both, of course

Wapping · Nov 7, 2020

I’ll move your post out of the Eastern European section, or bods will think you are off to Poland or Russia.

As the posts (except for the one from Nutty, who knows plenty about bling but nothing much else :augie

) show, there is no motorail train that does exactly what you want, ie dropping you off in Croatia. The nearest stop would seem to be Innsbruck or Verona, either of which start from Düsseldorf.

Have you thought about the possible alternative of trucking your bike down, you flying down to meet it and then riding back? A Google search along the lines of: motorcycle shipping Croatia, throws up several ideas.

Change the three or four word search enquiry to see what pops up.

Sort of along the same lines as this bod who wanted to ship his bike to Greece: https://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/458913-Shipping-a-bike-to-Greece

Tarka · Nov 7, 2020

Wapping said:
Nutty lacking both, of course

Back of the net.

Wapping · Nov 7, 2020

Short pitched outside the off stump, it’s only going one way.

Nutty · Nov 7, 2020

Wapping said:
Nutty lacking both, of course

I’ve struck a nerve. :beerjug:

El Capitano · Nov 12, 2020

We used the Urlaubs Express last year from Dusseldorf to Villach on our trip to Romania.

It’s an interesting experience. Plus point is that it gets a lot of miles done if you’ve done Germany and Austria a few times and want to see what lies beyond BUT it’s cramped and quite basic - trancey describes it well.

I seriously doubt you’d describe the experience as enjoyable but on reflection the next time I head to Croatia or beyond I might well use the service again. It gets the job done when you are time limited for your trip.

Cost wise you might only save a bit of money by using the train but you’ll save a lot of time and a bit of wear on your tyres.

Villach is a great place to get off the train as it’s a quick run to Kranjska Gora and the 206 into Slovenia.

Cheers,

Colin

Berin · Nov 13, 2020

El Capitano said:
We used the Urlaubs Express last year from Dusseldorf to Villach on our trip to Romania.

It’s an interesting experience. Plus point is that it gets a lot of miles done if you’ve done Germany and Austria a few times and want to see what lies beyond BUT it’s cramped and quite basic - trancey describes it well.

I seriously doubt you’d describe the experience as enjoyable but on reflection the next time I head to Croatia or beyond I might well use the service again. It gets the job done when you are time limited for your trip.

Cost wise you might only save a bit of money by using the train but you’ll save a lot of time and a bit of wear on your tyres.

Villach is a great place to get off the train as it’s a quick run to Kranjska Gora and the 206 into Slovenia.

Cheers,

Colin

Shame the Düsseldorf - Villach route stopped.

There's a Hamburg Innsbruck route now

https://www.happyrail.com/en/motorail/austria/hamburg-innsbruck

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

El Capitano · Nov 14, 2020

Just had a quick look at the Urlaubs website, they’re showing trains Dusseldorf to Villach next year.

We booked directly with them via their website.

sven · Nov 16, 2020

I used to work near Düsseldorf and it’s only a three hour ride from IJmuiden, so you’d waste at least half a days riding time heading for the autozug which you could use to travel further south. It’s an expensive way to save maybe a days riding overall.

Neil W · Nov 16, 2020

Friends did the dusseldorf to munich one a few years back , wasted a day from getting off the ferry at Ijmuiden to getting on the train at dusseldorf at tea time , the cabin was shared and due to the strangers in there being on a bender all night they hardly slept.
So when they arrived in Munich they ended up not in any fit state to ride the bikes and having to rest up for half a day .
As a result it took them the best part of 2 days to get down to where they were staying in Austria
I did the same trip the day before but rode down with one stop getting there in 2 hours less travelling time than them and factoring in fuel, meals and a hotel overnight (each way ) it was cheaper for me and my wife than it was for each of them.
Each to their own but it would not be for me

NIGHT TRAIN

47steve

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