I haven't used the Narbonne to Calais service, but a few years ago I used the Strasbourg-Bordeaux service, and drove to Narbonne where I met my husband who'd had to work another day and was on the car-sleeper train without the car.

First of all, the cars are loaded onto car carrying wagons for each stop en route and then connected to the main train. During that time, you find your compartment in a separate part of the train which will be connected to the car-carriers before you settle off. You have time to buy refreshments for the journey (to be recommended because the bar/catering service is limited if at all there) and although you get a small bottle of water provided by SNCF, you may feel that you need more. You may also need to make up your bed - sheet liner and pillow provided ... which can be absolutely hilarious in a confined space with five other people! ... but can take up some time.

On arrival, you will have to vacate your sleeping compartiment and adjourn to the station restaurant for a continental breakfast (voucher provided) while your car is unloaded and parked ready for you to drive it away. This probably takes less than 2 hours - it just depends on how many cars need offloading on one particular train.

I found that the service was a great help - I too was a lone driver, and suffering from a health problem at the time so I couldn't drive the distance. I had a comfortable (but short) night, and the motor rail staff could not have been more helpful. I would certainly recommend it, even though it is somewhat pricey in abstract, but not that much more costly than petrol, motorway tolls and overnight accommodation. Go for it!

Thanks VM for the info. I do like this forum. Its the little pieces of information, that are either missing or not explained clearly in brochures or web sites, like you supplied that make holidaying to new places with the family much easier. many thanks if we decide to go by the train method i will let you know how we got on
adrian

I have yet to hear of a good report of the French Motorail service and must admit I have heard some real horror stories. Does anyone have any good or bad experiences to share for the Calais to Nice trip ?

Well, sorry .... I've never heard any moans about Motor Rail, except my own that they (SNCF) only start in May and don't publish information earlyl enough beforehand!

I have used Motor Rail from Strasbourg to Bordeaux and had no problems at all - infact it solved a lot of hassle!

As long as you plan in advance ... something to eat, plenty of water and suitable clothes for a mixed sex carriaqe .... I would not see any problems. You might want to bring a pillow though. There are no greater dangers specific to French motor rail, and your car even gets a free wash at the end of the journey. YOU don't have to park your car on the car-carrying vehicles so you don't have to worry about heights!

What particularly are you worried about? Maybe I can reassure you?

Hi all i used the calais to avingon motor rail last year and wasn't too impressed with it. This year i will drive down with an overnite stop in dijon as i did in 2003. I guess it's all down to personal preferences but i didn't like being closed in and the kids got bored easy.

In these days of cheap flights, have you looked into fly/drive? Thats what we decided to do this year and picked up cheap easyjet flights to Nice and arranged car hire.

Limits you a bit more for packing though.

Gill

we are using the motorail in august this year
dose anyone know do they have catering services on board.
also is there a height limit for cars.
we were going to use our people carrier but someone told us that it exceeds the height limit.

Hi
Has anybody actually travelled on French Motorail with your own car?
If so,how on earth did you afford those prices?????
We have been looking to use it for next April 2007,as we usually have lots of bits to take to our caravan and easyjet have started charging for each piece of luggage you take so that scuppers our luggage taking.
it is so expensive,does anybody know a cheaper way of booking this service,discounts etc...
Mandy

I have, from Strasbourg to Bordeaux. Yes it's pricey, but you are saving motorway tolls, the cost of a night's accommodation and breakfast. AND saving frayed nerves, traffic jams and potential breakdowns.

Yes it's pricey (I say again) but you have to decide if the cost is worth the convenience and in my case, it was.

have to agree yes its expensive but i imo think its money well spent. we used it last year and it was so much easier than my hubby having to drive for hours on end. the train i found very comfie ,my hubby wouldnt agree on that though lol he couldnt sleep . and you also get a voucher for a continetal brekkie while your car is off loaded.

Just saw this way too late for the people wanting info but here are my experiences anyway. We have used Motorail twice, Calais - Narbonne, Calais - Frejus. The obvious advantage is speed! Also we loved watching France speed by through the window while it was light, quite magical. On our first trip, 2 to a cabin, we all slept well, the rhythm of the train is very soothing. The English couriers were lovely and helpful. Disadvantages are many. Firstly, toilets, not enough, ones on train not v clean, bit smelly. You get up in the morning hot and sweaty and can't even be sure you'll get in the washroom to clean your teeth. Not enough even at the terminal, massive queues on arrival. Too hot on journey back, a/c not working. The rolling stock is v old, needs refurbishing. Motorail no longer do the 2 berth cabins and the 4 berths felt more cramped, we didn't sleep. Lots of noise from next-door cabin. Lots of waiting around. Food at terminals awful. We found that we needed to take a lot of stuff on board for overnight, when it was hot, several bottles of water. The rest of my family refuse to ever do it again but I would because airport delays can entail even more waiting around, discomfort etc, drive south is too much for me.

how expensive are we talking ?!

would love to travel further south,one summer
so was thinking about this as an option!

You will have to contact French railways for exact prices - and sadly they are a long way from being efficient in giving out information ...... most services start in May, but prices are only 'published' shortly beforehand. I believe that there is a French Railways Office in London - it used to be in Piccadilly - and you might like to write to them or badger them via the internet on http://www.sncf.fr.

thanks

Yes that Motorail from Calais is terrible.Have you read report in Daily Telegraph. In 2008 we travelled to Avignon on a Dutch train.Fantastic.

There was a restaurant car on and the food was pretty good.Nice experience watching the countryside slip by.Also they had those nice sleepers that used to be on the Calais services.We booked it thru some outfit called Railsavers.They were good.There was an urgent message for me and they telephoned me on my mobile at 8pm!.

It goes from some place I cannot pronounce on the Belguim border with Holland.It was about 3 hours drive but interesting. Anyway hope this helps

mandywrecsam - surely the best thing to do is to bite the bullet and fill up your secure cabin with goodies? It means everything twice but then you can hop onto EasyJet wiuth Hand Luggage?

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Thanks

luci

I've not used Motorail but others in the family have and they have no major complaints. Sharing the cabin took some planning but breakfast was good and the car washed.

Price wise - if you sit down and and compare the 3 ways of getting to the South of France...
Fly & Hire
Motorail
Drive - fuel & tolls

For a family of four they all seem to arrive wihtin 10 euros of each other.

Out of preference I drive - the autoroutes are smooth and easy, your time is your own (not hurrying to wait anywhere) and you can take all sorts of junk (read how many beauty products) with you. We've got in the habit of doing the drive overnight and sharing the driving - I've done it solo with a kithcen timer to force myself 2 hours on 1 hour off.
On topic: If you can afford it - motorail is worth it.