Railtrail A4 STEAM Brochure 2018

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NEW
T OUR
Swiss Maximum Steam
This unique steam-packed ten days includes more highlights than we
could have ever envisaged when we started to plan it! Six steam train
excursions, 5 paddle steamers, a steam tram, Lucerne’s excellent
Transport Museum, Swiss Vapeur Park, and a historic electric train
with accompanying absinthe Schnapps! Even our visit to the Brienz
Rothornbahn is different, with a guided visit of the depot and the
special ‘sausage train’. Oh, and there’s also the Brünig Pass, Voralpen
Express and Golden Pass Line to top off our
ultimate steamy, scenic Swiss spectacular!
© STC Brienz Rothorn Railway
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
★ ★ Bauma to Hinwil Steam train
★ ★ Schinznacher Baumschulbahn steam
excursion
★ ★ Voralpen Express train to Lucerne
★ ★ Visit to the Swiss Transport Museum
★ ★ Paddle Steam boat trip on Lake
Lucerne
★ ★ Paddle Steam boat trip on Lake Brienz
★ ★ Brienz Rothornbahn ‘sausage train’ &
guided depot tour
★ ★ Paddle Steam boat trip on Lake Thun
★ ★ Tour of Bern by Bern Steam Tram
★ ★ Golden Pass Line train to Montreux
★ ★ Paddle Steam boat trip on Lake
Geneva
★ ★ Visit to Swiss Vapeur Park
★ ★ Steam excursion on the famous Furka
Steam Railway
★ ★ Paddle boat trip on Lake Neuchatel
★ ★ Historic electric train from Neuchatel
to Travers with ‘Green Fairy’
schnapps
★ ★ Steam excursion from St Suplice to
Travers
★ ★ Blonay Chamby Steam Excursion
Fares
From
£2699
DAY 1
Relax as we let the European train system
transport us through France to Winterthur for
two nights at the 3* Hotel Krone. (D)
DAY 2
Our first steam excursion is on the Bauma
to Hinwil line. Formerly part of the Uerikon-
Bauma Railway, 11 km of track is preserved,
operating steam trains hauling vintage
heritage carriages dating from the 1900s. Our
day continues with a visit to the Schinznacher
Baumschulbahn, whose steam locos operate
on Switzerland’s only 600mm gauge track on
a 3km round trip through the tree nursery.
(B,D)
DAY 3
The scenic Voralpen Express heads south to
Lucerne, where we visit the excellent Swiss
Transport Museum. A short paddle steam trip
transports us to Lucerne, continuing by train
over the beautiful mainline Brünig Pass for
three nights in Interlaken at the 3* Hotel City
Oberland. (B,D)
DAY 4
Another paddle steamer transports us to
Brienz. Here we have a guided depot tour
before joining the wonderful Brienzer Rothorn
© STC
Furka Steam Railway
Railway, Switzerland’s oldest steam cog
railway for the special “Steam Sausage
Express”! The railway steams and smokes its
way up the mountain now as it did when it
opened in 1892, climbing from Lake Brienz for
7.6km to Brienzer Rothorn Alp summit station
at a height of 2,244m. Our special excursion
halts during the ascent at Planalp, where
your driver and fireman cook sausages in the
locomotive’s original steam kettle. (B,L,D)
DAY 5
Today’s paddle steamer heads across
Lake Thun to Thun. In Bern, Switzerland’s
handsome capital and a UNESCO World
Heritage site, we enjoy a city tour Railtrail
style on the Bern Steam Tram, dating from
1894. (B,D)
DAY 6
The scenic Golden Pass Line transports us
across the mountains, descending through
the vineyards to Montreux. Transferring to
paddle steamer on Lake Geneva, we enjoy
time at Swiss Vapeur Park, one of Europe’s
most prestigious miniature railways. We
continue for four nights at the 4* Moevenpick
Hotel in Lausanne. (B,D)
DAY 7
Travelling by train to Realp, we join the Furka
Steam Cog Railway on an excursion high
into the mountains to Oberwald along the
original route of the Glacier Express, crossing
viaducts, passing through tunnels and alpine
meadows full of flowers. Marvel at the Rhone
Glacier, viewed between snow-covered
mountain peaks. (B,D)
FARE
From London St Pancras International:
Standard Class rail travel
to/from Switzerland, £2699
including Standard Eurostar
First Class rail travel
to Winterthur/from Lausanne, £2999
including Standard Premier
Eurostar
Single Traveller Supplement £499
9 nights’ bed, breakfast & evening meal
Eurostar and rail travel to and from Switzerland in the
class of your choice
All excursions as detailed
Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager
GUARANTEED FARE
© AobeStock
Lake Lucerne Paddle Steamer
DEPARTS
Saturday 1 September 2018
10DAYS
DAY 8
Travelling by train and boat, we arrive in Travers
to ride the historic electric train from Travers
to St Suplice, with an aperitif on board. Why
not try the ‘Green Fairy’ absinthe schnapps!
After a visit to St Suplice steam depot, we
return to Travers on the Val de Travers steam
train. (B,D)
DAY 9
Our final steam excursion visits the Blonay
Chamby Railway, with a return steam ride
from Vevey to Blonay and a visit to the Blonay
Chamby Museum, commemorating its 50th
birthday with a Mega Bernina exhibition this
week and the visit of ‘Crocodile Bernina’ RhB
182. (B,D)
DAY 10
We return by train across Switzerland to Paris,
changing stations for our Eurostar journey to
London. (B)