Steam Tours 2019 Itineraries

S wiss M aximum S team

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! Our visit to Blonay Chamby also

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

DAY 1 Relax as we let the European train system transport us through France to Winterthur for two nights at the excellent 4* Hotel Banana City. (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) ★ ★ 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 steam ★ ★ 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 charter at Vallée de Joux ★ ★ Paddle boat trip on Lake Neuchatel ★ ★ Historic electric train from Neuchatel to Travers with ‘Green Fairy’ schnapps ★ ★ Steam excursion from St Suplice to Travers ★ ★ Swiss Steam Festival at Blonay Chamby Also included in your Tour Fare: ★ ★ 9 nights’ bed, breakfast & evening meal ★ ★ Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager

coincides with the 2019 Swiss Steam Festival! Oh, and there’s also the Brünig Pass, Voralpen Express and Golden Pass Line to top off our ultimate, scenic Swiss spectacular!

Fares From £2795

© STC

Brienz Rothornbahn

DAY 4 Another paddle steamer transports us to Brienz . Here we join the wonderful Brienzer Rothorn Railway , Switzerland’s oldest steam cog railway. 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. (B,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 Today we enjoy a privately chartered ride on the Vallée de Joux Steam Railway , a 14-kilometre-long railway line from Le Brassus to Le Pont dating from 1899. In Le Pont you have the chance to visit the small local steam train depot before we board a public train

Bern

Bauma to Hinwil Line

Railtrail Tours Ltd 43 St. Edward Street, Leek, Staffordshire Moorlands ST13 5DN Telephone: 01538 382323 Fax: 01538 382525 email: enquiry@railtrail.co.uk www.railtrail.co.uk