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UK to Italy + Vehicle

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kelv

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currently on hold in sunny France (Vendee) & would love to go back to Italy next year but 2/3 days drive with 3 kids not enjoyable at all. Someone has suggested the train & put the car on as well, it's easy enough as foot passengers via Paris but how do you go about planning it to include taking the vehicle down there as well ?

I'm sure there will be experts with all the links so any advice welcome.

If it means getting over the channel 1st to cut the cost enormously then that's not a problem as even from n/west it doesn't take that long to get to Dover & across.

be nice to meander down but we are all limited with the time off we can have so this just cuts out around 6 days of travelling that can be spent basted in Hawaiian Tropic on the Amalfi Coast or somewhere.

Ta in advance from all of us by the pool discussing this.
 
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Puffing Devil

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You can only get as far as the South of France - there are no services in Italy. As with most travel outside of the UK the Man in Seat 61 has some information.

Personally, I'd take the train or fly and rent a car at the other end if you need the flexibility. Easier and lower cost.
 
30907

30907

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As suggested, read Seat61.

You have three options.

1. The weekly private-operator service from Düsseldorf to Verona (Friday night out, Saturday night back) and Villach/Koper (Sunday night out) http://www.railtravelshop.com/holidays/motorail
Quite expensive IMHO and rather elderly stock apparently, but I've not used them.

2. SNCF Autotrain from Paris Bercy. Your car goes overnight, and so can you (for another year anyway), or you take a TGV and have a hotel overnight (either in Paris or destination). Nice and Briancon are the nearest destinations to Italy.
I've just done this (also from the NW), out to Frejus and back from Marseille, and the car cost €119 each way (on a Monday night but in peak season). Plus €44/€30 per passenger.
Couldn't drive it at that price...
Bercy is slightly difficult to find off the Périphérique and looks chaotic when you arrive, but it's actually very efficient.
Services are every night in high season.

3. A bit of a wild suggestion, but from Düsseldorf there's also an Austrian sleeper to Vienna, every night, which carries a motorail portion, and the cost of a car is pretty cheap.
Might be a viable option for some parts of Italy.

I've used the sleeper recently and the motorail was particularly popular with bikers.

Its not as convenient as Calais was (we used that and Düsseldorf as a family) but the big advantage is unrestricted luggage and space for wine on the way back.
 
30907

30907

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Puffing Devil said:
That's something I've learned today! Maybe no that close to Amalfi, but not a bad trip to the top of Italy.
Click to expand...

It replaces the route from s'Hertogenbosch in NL operated by Autoslaaptrein which ceased trading a couple of years ago.

We used the DB equivalent Verona-Düsseldorf a few years ago.
 
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kelv

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Bald Rick said:
Thirded. Quickest option, almost certainly cheaper too.
Click to expand...

limited on what you can take though, we take bikes, fishing gear & plenty other stuff too.

went Millau a couple of years ago, coming back left 7:30am & stopped in Paris for 4 hours, 70 euro tank got us to Baiie de Somme(not empty) where filled up again & got home with about 1/2 tank left so the Paris Marseille seems a bit dear to me as Marseille not a great deal further than Millau.

Dusseldorf to Verona looks a good option, especially for Lake Garda or Venetian Riviera, taking out the fuel and not having to stop over somewhere as well (5 of us) it looks like a bit of a no brainer that 1. Could get to Rome or Tuscany easily too in 2 days without killing yourself.

will investigate it more when I get home I think.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
actually now I've checked the prices it doesnt look that good.
 
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