Could Motorail have a future?

[Holly]

Driving is more attractive to many people who have large amounts of luggage, children, or both to transport. The idea that you can get into your car in your own driveway and get out at again at your destination point is attractive, and far more so than having to get tot he station, check your bag, travel to wherever you're going, retrieve your luggage and then get to your hotel, B&B, cottage or whatever.
It's another niche market. Attractive for a few, yes, but probably not at all viable.

The only "Auto Train" in the USA runs from Virginia to Florida. About 800 miles and 12 hours to drive. It is well patronised by "snowbirds" (seasonal residents).
Anything less distance/time would not be attractive. Anything much further risks potential clients having to double back to reach their destination. Few are OK doing that for any distance.
So if, big if, there would be a case for a UK Motorail it might be from somewhere around Reading to somewhere in south central France (near an autoroute interchange).

But British seasonal residents (summer in Britain and winter in the sun) tend to Spain, Italy or Greece. Folks don't mind overnight on the train followed by perhaps up to six hours driving to reach the final destination.

The simple fact is though, Britain is not geared up for seasonal residency and doesn't make it easy for people who want to live that way. Unlike Florida for example.

 

[BantamMenace]

But British seasonal residents (summer in Britain and winter in the sun) tend to Spain, Italy or Greece. Folks don't mind overnight on the train followed by perhaps up to six hours driving to reach the final destination.

The simple fact is though, Britain is not geared up for seasonal residency and doesn't make it easy for people who want to live that way. Unlike Florida for example.

People of this financial comfort tend to have a car in each country as well due to left hand/right hand complications. Obviously in the US you can cover 1,000 miles without encountering a change in side of the road to drive on.

 

[PeterC]

When the Channel Tunnel was first opened I did wonder if a short haul to France from a point just north of the M25 would be worthwhile. Then I thought about how many cars you could get on board with the UK loading gauge.

 

[bavvo]

When the Channel Tunnel was first opened I did wonder if a short haul to France from a point just north of the M25 would be worthwhile. Then I thought about how many cars you could get on board with the UK loading gauge.

The you could get plenty of cars onto a high density cartic style twin deck transporter. Trouble is that is not where the demand would be these days.

There is probably a market for one type of client, and that would be the family holiday. But these days that is more typically in a large, high roofed vehicle (estate, camper van, SUV), often with large roof boxes on top, and bicycles hanging off the back. This would take up a lot more space and could never fit on a twin deck carrier. You'd be lucky to get 3 loaded per enclosed wagon, so not terribly economic. Pity really, as I would use such a service if it existed.

 

[Phil.]

Not in this country. No.

 

[theageofthetra]

The Florida Auto train only survives because its core clients are elderly East coast snowbird Jews who won't drive on Shabbat. There are a sizable number of snowbirds who are Quebeqois who use it for the same reason via a handy connecting flight leaving their cars in Virginia to avoid punative Canadian taxes.

 

[HSTEd]

Not without a national freight network of Channel Tunnel gauge lines that allow cars to be packed in, no.