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hineland

ailways

ncorked

DAY 1

We depart London St Pancras by Eurostar, speeding

across Kent and towards France. Our Eurostar

terminates at Brussels, where we change onto a high-

speed train into Germany. Our hotel for six nights

is the Hotel Pinger in the Rhine riverside village of

Remagen

. (D)

DAY 2

This morning we take the train along the Rhine to Brohl,

where we join the

Brohltalbahn

. Otherwise known as

the

Vulkan Express

, the line meanders up through the

Brohl Valley into the Eifel Hills, whose dramatic rock

formations were created during a period of volcanic

activity. The railway has recently reintroduced steam to

the line and we will travel by steam traction if available.

The line leads us to the village of Oberzissen and

onwards to Engeln. (B,D)

DAY 3

Today we head for the opposite bank of the Rhine

by ferry and railway, travelling first to

Königswinter

Here we take a return trip on Germany’s oldest rack

railway, the Drachenfelsbahn, from the valley station

DEPARTS

Friday 29 May 2020

Friday 18 September 2020

This tour includes scenic branch lines through vineyards, a rack railway, a heritage diesel

ride, two cable cars, a steamboat along the Loreley Valley and the Vulkan Express train,

plus vineyard visits with wine tasting and we’ve timed this trip to coincide

with a local village wine festival!

Wine Village of Boppard on the Rhine

Vulkan Express Steam

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

★

Relax either at the Ahrweiler or Remagen

Wine Festival

★

Excursion to Königswinter and the

Drachenfelsbahn rack railway

★

Return journey on the Kasbachtalbahn Railway

★

Return journey on the Vulkan Express by steam

or diesel

★

Exploring the Ahr Valley branch line, with

vineyard visit and wine tasting

★

Soar above the river on Koblenz’s cable car

★

Visit Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, overlooking the

river

★

Ride Germany’s steepest standard gauge

railway – the Hunsrückbahn

★

Relax in beautiful Boppard

★

Marvel at the UNESCO World Heritage

Loreley Valley aboard the Steamship Goethe

★

Free time in Rüdesheim with included cable

car rides

Fares

From

£849

DAYS

up a height difference of 220 metres to the top station,

where you will find the ruined Drachenfels (‘dragon’s

cliff’) Castle and great views across the river and the

Siebengebirge hills. At Linz-am-Rhein we join the

heritage diesel Kasbachtalbahn Railway, whose 1950s

‘Roter Brummer’ Uerdinger Railbus transports us from

the bottom station to Kalenborn over 9 kms of track

that rates amongst Germany’s steepest. (B,D)

DAY 4

Our train takes us southwards to

Boppard

, a beautiful

riverside resort and wine town, but also the terminus

of the

Hunsrückbahn

branch line. We climb from

Boppard up Germany’s steepest standard gauge line,

running 15 km to Emmelshausen, before returning to

Boppard. Later, we halt in

Koblenz

soar above the

Rhine on the cable car

, with a visit to

Ehrenbreitstein

Fortress

included in your ticket. (B,D)

DAY 5

Today we explore the local region by scheduled

service through the scenic Ahr Valley, an enclave of

red-wine production in a predominantly white-wine

area. Guided by our hotelier, we stop first at the lovely

town of

Altenahr

before heading back down the valley

to the pretty walled-town of

Ahrweiler

. During the

day we also visit Germany’s oldest wine co-operative in

Mayschoss

, with a

buggy ride through the vineyards,

followed by a tasting of the local wines

. (B,D)

DAY 6

Our final excursion heads southwards, the whole

way

hugging the right bank of the Rhine Gorge

, with

protective castles guarding steep-sloped vineyards at

every turn. Our destination is the famous wine village

Rüdesheim

, where we allow free time to explore

the Drosselgasse, plus an included

ride on the town’s

cable car

, which leads up through the vineyards to

the Germania Monument. We leave Rüdesheim on

board the

Steamship Goethe

, gently sailing in nostalgic

fashion along the

UNESCO Rhine Gorge to the

Loreley Rock

, before continuing by train to Remagen.

(B,D)

HOTEL

Hotel Pinger, Remagen

Conveniently situated for Remagen’s centre and its

railway station, yet just a short stroll from the Rhine

Promenade, the family-run Hotel Pinger is very much

the hub of this small Rhineland town. The hotel boasts

a traditional restaurant, bar and coffee shop. The Pinger

brothers are the third generation to manage the hotel,

which was bought as a restaurant by their grandfather

and converted into a hotel after WWII.

Also included in your Tour Fare:

★

Dinner every evening at your hotel

★

Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager

DAY 7

Leaving Remagen, we change trains onto the high-

speed line in Cologne. In Brussels we join the Eurostar

service to London St Pancras. (B)

**Please note that we may switch around certain days to

make best use of visits to the wine festivals in Ahrweiler

(May) and Remagen (September).

FARE

From London St Pancras International:

Standard Class rail travel

including Standard Eurostar

£849

First Class rail travel

to/from Remagen including £1049

Standard Premier Eurostar

Join & Leave at Remagen

£689

Single Traveller Supplement £135

6 nights’ bed, breakfast & evening meal

Eurostar and rail travel to and from Germany in the class of your

choice

All transfers, excursions & admissions as detailed

Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager

GUARANTEED FARE