French Motorail

[thechauffeur]

I am thinking of using the Motorail service to Narbonne next year. Has anyone had recent experience of this service and if so what's it like?

[mushroom25]

It's a bit slow, 13,5 hours as compared to day-time TGV journey of around 8 hours. All accommodation is in couchette compartments (4 or 6 berth cabins with bunk type sleeping accommodation with blanket provided - they're not sleepers per-se) and there's no buffet car, although you get breakfast on arrival. The last 2006 service ran this weekend, and prices for 2007 not available yet.

When I looked into this option in 2005, it was still cheaper to fly to Nimes/Montpellier (or Girona) & hire a car.

[aristotle]

Better still, take the Eurostar from Waterloo or Ashford to the south of France and hire a car when you arrive.

[thechauffeur]

Thank you both for your answers. I should have mentioned that I am travelling on to Alicante after the Motorail. The idea being to break the journey in half.How does it work if there is no buffet car, yet they provide breakfast? and I was also interested in the toilet arrangements.