Car/bike-train to Italy
 

Is there anyone out there who has experience with putting your bike on the train from Holland/Germany to Italy? I´m planning a trip to the Dolomites but don´t fancy the trip southward (from Amsterdam) over the dreaded autobahns. I know the Dutch and German railways provide these services but I would like some feedback from bikers who have done this...

Rob

Personally I haven't made use of these facilities, but friends of mine from Hamburg have taken the "Autozug" to Munich and to Narbonne for the same reason as you're thinking of. Plus that you arrive in the south totally relaxed.

In your case I'd suggest to take the train to Munich or Innsbruck/AT. The Munich-East station is situated quite near the motorway leading out of town to Salzburg. Once outside Munich you could take the secondary roads through the beautiful bavarian countryside into Austria.

or
 

you could just head into the ardennes / eifel / alsace / CH, back roads all the way. unless the time's a problem.

You can get the train from Dusseldorf to Villach or Trieste or from s'Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands to Livorno and Allessandria.

Details here

If done it the other way round, from Trieste, Italy to Frankfurt, Germany.

What can I tell you: It works!

Of course you don't arrive totally relaxed but you can catch a bit of sleep, they are used to bikers, speak english and the whole process is pretty unproblematic.

It does cost a fair amount of money, probably more than riding it yourself and roughing it a bit, but it won't use up the rubber and it does safe time. It'll also bring you into contact with other motorcyclist, at least it was my impression that they tend to put you together and away from the families :innocent:

Düsseldorf to Trieste is probably the most far you can go, you can check it out for yourself here:

Car travel by the most comfortable means - Homepage

car/bike train
 

Thanks everybody for the input....enough leads to sort things out.
Counting the days!!

De Mazzel...Rob

I've done it many times, it really works.

Check this site (in English):
Car travel by the most comfortable means - Homepage

You can check all the trains plus the timetables and prices

regards

Robert

PS: Oh, the link was posted already :-)

I have done this Dusseldorf to Salzburg then over the Austrian Alps (including the excellent GrossGlockner pass) to the Dolomites.
Then back Alessandria to Dusseldorf.
Not cheap but then neither is the ride/petrol.tyres/accomodation.