Bike transportation from Europe to Tunisia

schattat · 03-08-2009, 09:28 AM

Hey guys,

Me and my father are planning on doing a bike trip to Tunisia this April during the Easter holidays. He on his rallye WR450F, me on my XT125R.
We were thinking of heading to Genova, Italy, and take a boat from there to Tunis.
During the weekend we had a look at the costs for the boat trip to and from Tunis. We were shocked to see that it almost costs 400€ per person (each including a bike)

. This was with the French company SNCM.

Are there any other options that could possibly drop the cost of transportation to and from Tunis?

Would it be better to ride down to Genova, or Marseille, ship the bikes on a boat, and get a really cheap airline ticket to Tunis, and from ther continue the journey?

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

BTW: This thread has also been posted in the "Africa & Mid East" section!

Kind Regards,
Tony Schattat

Mandarax · 03-09-2009, 01:58 PM

First: the most used ferry company from Genove to La Goulette (the boat doesn't really go to Tunis) is CTN. They have two boats sailing alternatively, the older and smaller Habib and the larger Carthage. A PDF file with the timetable and the fares for 2009 can be downloaded here.

Next point: how would you get the bikes to Genova? Do you have a transporter or a trailer?

The most important point: what do you plan to do in Tunisia and where do you want to go? Has one of you already been there so you know what to expect?

Depending on what you want to do and see different solutions apply.

I've been to Northern-Africa in the last 3 winters.
Winter 2006/2007 we took a VW T4 and a trailer and drove down to Genova. We deposited the T4 and the trailer on a campsite near Genova, that set us back 12 Euro a day. From the campsite we rode to the ferry, got in our cabin and went our ways in Tunisia.

Winter 2007/2008 we had 2 bikes on a rack we attached to a Toyota Landcruiser and thus we payed only for the car, the bikes were just luggage. The alternative would have been to trailer the bikes and deposit the trailer in Africa. We had long ways on tarmac in Tunisia and Libya.

2008/2009 was a car trip.

About shipping the bikes down and flying: forget it. The first caveat are customs regulations. When you enter Tunisia, you officially register your vehicle with the tunisian authorities. The are smart enough not do do so much circumstance like the libyans, who give you a new registration plate. No, the just give you the same registration number your bike or car already has. And you get a stamp into you passport that that shows the date of entry and the registration number. So who would take care of that if you ship the bikes? Besides: most of the immigration paperwork is done on the ferry.

Ask, if you need to know more, gerne auch in deutsch.

aurel · 03-09-2009, 04:42 PM

I took a boat from Marseille to Tunis last summer, one-way ticket (going back to France by road, see my signature). 350euros

No room (I slept on the deck), no dinner (I had to pay for it), etc...

schattat · 03-11-2009, 12:31 PM

Thanks a lot for your repsonses, guys!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mandarax

How would you get the bikes to Genova? Do you have a transporter or a trailer?

We will be riding our bikes down there. Roughly 800kms to do.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mandarax

What do you plan to do in Tunisia and where do you want to go? Has one of you already been there so you know what to expect?

No particular route has been made yet. We were planning on heading south, down the Douz, turn around and head back to Tunis to get the ferry back to Genova 2 weeks later.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mandarax

Has one of you already been there so you know what to expect?

Yes, my father has been to Tunisia several times and taken part in the Rallye de Tunisie event on his bike. I myself was there last year during the summer holidays, and was able to see much of the country.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aurel

One-way ticket (going back to France by road, see my signature). 350euros

What a rip off!!!

Again, thanks for giving me the CTN site. Will have discuss this matter a little further with my father before we can confirm anything...

PS: Mandarax, cool links! Looks like a lot of fun

03-08-2009, 09:28 AM	#1
schattat ^OP Beastly Adventurer Joined: May 2008 Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany Oddometer: 1,327	Bike transportation from Europe to Tunisia Hey guys, Me and my father are planning on doing a bike trip to Tunisia this April during the Easter holidays. He on his rallye WR450F, me on my XT125R. We were thinking of heading to Genova, Italy, and take a boat from there to Tunis. During the weekend we had a look at the costs for the boat trip to and from Tunis. We were shocked to see that it almost costs 400€ per person (each including a bike). This was with the French company SNCM. Are there any other options that could possibly drop the cost of transportation to and from Tunis? Would it be better to ride down to Genova, or Marseille, ship the bikes on a boat, and get a really cheap airline ticket to Tunis, and from ther continue the journey? Any help will be greatly appreciated! BTW: This thread has also been posted in the "Africa & Mid East" section! Kind Regards, Tony Schattat __________________ RNS - Rallye Navigation Solutions Yamaha WR450F Rallye Spec

03-09-2009, 04:42 PM	#3
aurel Cheese&Wine! Joined: Sep 2006 Location: Toulouse, France Oddometer: 3,684	I took a boat from Marseille to Tunis last summer, one-way ticket (going back to France by road, see my signature). 350euros No room (I slept on the deck), no dinner (I had to pay for it), etc... __________________ In 20 years you'll only regret what you didn't do. World Tour finished! http://www.the-great-adventure.fr

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: .
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

03-09-2009, 01:58 PM	#2
Mandarax internet insultant Joined: Jun 2005 Location: gone Oddometer: 670	First: the most used ferry company from Genove to La Goulette (the boat doesn't really go to Tunis) is CTN. They have two boats sailing alternatively, the older and smaller Habib and the larger Carthage. A PDF file with the timetable and the fares for 2009 can be downloaded here. Next point: how would you get the bikes to Genova? Do you have a transporter or a trailer? The most important point: what do you plan to do in Tunisia and where do you want to go? Has one of you already been there so you know what to expect? Depending on what you want to do and see different solutions apply. I've been to Northern-Africa in the last 3 winters. Winter 2006/2007 we took a VW T4 and a trailer and drove down to Genova. We deposited the T4 and the trailer on a campsite near Genova, that set us back 12 Euro a day. From the campsite we rode to the ferry, got in our cabin and went our ways in Tunisia. Winter 2007/2008 we had 2 bikes on a rack we attached to a Toyota Landcruiser and thus we payed only for the car, the bikes were just luggage. The alternative would have been to trailer the bikes and deposit the trailer in Africa. We had long ways on tarmac in Tunisia and Libya. 2008/2009 was a car trip. About shipping the bikes down and flying: forget it. The first caveat are customs regulations. When you enter Tunisia, you officially register your vehicle with the tunisian authorities. The are smart enough not do do so much circumstance like the libyans, who give you a new registration plate. No, the just give you the same registration number your bike or car already has. And you get a stamp into you passport that that shows the date of entry and the registration number. So who would take care of that if you ship the bikes? Besides: most of the immigration paperwork is done on the ferry. Ask, if you need to know more, gerne auch in deutsch.