DB AutoZug

The first car transported by rail in Germany was carried by the Deutsche Reichsbahn on 1 April 1930. At first only the rich and privileged could afford cars and the market was small.[http://www.db-autozug.de/site/dbautozug/de/unternehmen/geschichte/30__40er__jahre/30__40er__jahre.html Die 30er und 40er Jahre, Mein Auto fährt Eisenbahn] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081116222124/http://www.db-autozug.de/site/dbautozug/de/unternehmen/geschichte/30__40er__jahre/30__40er__jahre.html |date=2008-11-16 }} The 30s and 40s : "My Car by Rail" db-autozug.de In the 1950s, Britain and France started to run car transporter trains. In the Summer of 1956, the first true car train in Germany ran, via Hamburg, Munich and also Ostend; the drivers travelled in a passenger car, whilst their automobile was carried by the same train.[http://www.db-autozug.de/site/dbautozug/de/unternehmen/geschichte/50er__jahre/50er__jahre.html Die 50er Jahre, "Parkhäuser auf Schienen"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081117120323/http://www.db-autozug.de/site/dbautozug/de/unternehmen/geschichte/50er__jahre/50er__jahre.html |date=2008-11-17 }} The 50s, "Car parks on rail" db-autozug.de The German economic recovery in the 1960s brought an increase in travel and a corresponding increase in the number of cars transported, increasing eightfold to 80,000 by 1969, many holiday makers travelling to warmer more sunny parts of Europe.[http://www.db-autozug.de/site/dbautozug/de/unternehmen/geschichte/60er__jahre/60er__jahre.html Im Käfer zum Teutonengrill Überspringen] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081117073849/http://www.db-autozug.de/site/dbautozug/de/unternehmen/geschichte/60er__jahre/60er__jahre.html |date=2008-11-17 }} In the beetle - to the 'Teutonic grill' db-autozug.de The numbers of cars transported peaked in 1973, at 185,550 vehicles; the oil crisis put an end to this growth. In 1978, the Bundesbahn cut back by 40% its number of terminals due to a lack of demand.[http://www.db-autozug.de/site/dbautozug/de/unternehmen/geschichte/70er__jahre/70er__jahre.html 17 Jahre nach dem Neubeginn die erste Million] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081116215636/http://www.db-autozug.de/site/dbautozug/de/unternehmen/geschichte/70er__jahre/70er__jahre.html |date=2008-11-16 }} the 1970s (1 million cars after 17 years) db-autozug.de The increase in car ownership in the 1980s did little to help the rail-car transporter business - changes in lifestyle meant that people often expected to drive their cars all the way to their holiday destination (which represented most of the car by rail business). Additionally, the seasonal nature of the business meant that buying new wagons was not profitable. In this decade the number of people flying over to a holiday overtook those travelling by rail. Also in this decade, the transport of caravans and boats also ceased.[http://www.db-autozug.de/site/dbautozug/de/unternehmen/geschichte/80er__jahre/80er__jahre.html Stagnation statt Boom] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081117030320/http://www.db-autozug.de/site/dbautozug/de/unternehmen/geschichte/80er__jahre/80er__jahre.html |date=2008-11-17 }} The 80s, Stagnation instead of Boom db-autozug.de After the merger of the Deutsche Bundesbahn and the Deutsche Reichsbahn - in 1996 a new company was formed: DB AutoZug.[http://www.db-autozug.de/site/dbautozug/de/unternehmen/geschichte/90er__jahre/90er__jahre.html Das vereinigte deutsche Reisefieber und neue Zeit, neuer Name: DB AutoZug] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081117030609/http://www.db-autozug.de/site/dbautozug/de/unternehmen/geschichte/90er__jahre/90er__jahre.html |date=2008-11-17 }} The united Germany travel fever, a new time and new name: DB AutoZug db-atouzug.de

Created in 1997 the DB brand AutoZug was responsible for the companies' private car transportation business. In 1999 the night trains of the Deutsche Bahn including the brands UrlaubsExpress and DB NachtZug also came under the company's control.Neuer Fahrplan: Ausgeschlafen, geneigt und schneller beim Sprint. In: mobil. Mai 1999, S. 10. From 2002, the organisation became DB AutoZug GmbH, and a company in its own right. From 1 January 2003 the Euro Night and D-night trains were the responsibility of DB AutoZug GmbH.

In December 2007 DB NachtZug and UrlaubsExpress were branded together under the new name CityNightLine. At the same time, the number of car-trains was reduced by around 1200 to approximately 920, and four of the nine terminals were closed. 2008 brought the procurement of new-car wagons to replace some of up to 40 years old.[https://www.welt.de/welt_print/article1319057/Deutsche_Bahn_streicht_Angebot_an_Autozgen_zusammen.html Deutsche Bahn streicht Angebot an Autozügen zusammen]. In: Die Welt, 1. November 2007 2007, the company transported 183,000 vehicles and generated with a turnover of 60 million euros.

By the 2008 holiday season, further changes in service were made: the terminal in Troisdorf Germany closed, and services to Livorno (Italy), Fréjus (France) and Rijeka (Croatia) no longer in operation, however in Alessandria (Italy) a new terminal came into operation.Meldung Autozug-Angebot „gestrafft“. In: Eisenbahn-Revue International, Ausgabe Juli 2008, {{ISSN|1421-2811}}, S. 352 For holiday travel by car, the market share of the company was less than 0.5 percent, 70% of the customers were regulars, a quarter were pensioners. Statistically, customers had an above average income as of 2008.DB Autozug hat viel mehr Potenzial als gedacht. In: DB Welt, Ausgabe September 2008, S. 7

File:Hindenburgdamm, 218 315-0 mit dem Sylt Shuttle.jpg causeway]]

The SyltShuttle is a car transporting service to the Island of Sylt which is connected to the mainland by the Hindenburgdamm causeway, a man made construction carrying rail tracks but no road link.

{{Main|CityNightLine|DB NachtZug|EuroNight}}

Comprising the former UrlaubsExpress and DB NachtZug as well as EuroNight and D-Nacht services.[http://www.citynightline.ch/nachtzugreise/view/en/unternehmen/unternehmen_en.shtml The DB AutoZug GmbH company] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215153953/http://citynightline.ch/nachtzugreise/view/en/unternehmen/unternehmen_en.shtml |date=2009-02-15 }} citynightline.ch

{{Main|Wangerooge Island Railway}}

DB AutoZug GmbH was also the controlling company for the SyltShuttle and the railway on the North Sea island of Wangerooge.[http://www.siw-wangerooge.de/site/siw/de/unternehmen/firmenprofil/firmenprofil.html Firmenprofil: Schifffahrt und Inselbahn Wangerooge] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303175706/http://www.siw-wangerooge.de/site/siw/de/unternehmen/firmenprofil/firmenprofil.html |date=2009-03-03 }} Company Profile: Shipping and Island Railway Wangerooge siw-wangerooge.de

File:Syltshuttle001.jpg

As of 2009 there are seven car/rail terminals in Germany[http://www.dbautozug.de/site/dbautozug/en/terminals/germany/overview.html DB Autozug terminals in Germany] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120624062730/http://www.dbautozug.de/site/dbautozug/en/terminals/germany/overview.html |date=2012-06-24 }} dbautozug.de

As of 2009 the European terminals were:

• Motorail

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category-inline|DB AutoZug}}

{{Commons category-inline|Autozug Sylt}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090303175706/http://www.siw-wangerooge.de/site/siw/de/unternehmen/firmenprofil/firmenprofil.html Schifffahrt und Inselbahn Wangerooge at archive.org]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090228154300/http://www.autozug.de/site/dbautozug/de/start.html DB AutoZug at archive.org]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090228230405/http://www.syltshuttle.de/site/syltshuttle/de/start.html SyltShuttle at archive.org]

{{Deutsche Bahn}}

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Category:Deutsche Bahn

Category:Rail freight transport in Germany

Category:Passenger rail transport in Germany

Category:Night trains