The Railway Touring Company · Escorted rail holiday

Alpine Steam Express

Alpine Steam Express, a rail journey with The Railway Touring Company

A 7-day escorted rail holiday based in Olten, Switzerland, combining privately chartered steam trains and public steamboats against the backdrop of the Swiss Alps and Jura Mountains.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Olten

    London to Olten by rail

    Travel by Eurostar from London St. Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord, then onward via Strasbourg to Basel, Switzerland, and a short transfer to Olten. Check into your quality hotel and enjoy a welcome dinner.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Olten

    Main line steam in the Val de Travers in the Jura Mountains

    Free morning to use your Swiss Travel Pass. In the afternoon, travel to Neuchatel and experience main line steam from Noiraigue to Les Verrieres and on to St. Sulpice aboard elegant standard gauge coaches, hauled by a powerful 0-8-0 tank engine, with a visit to the VVT steam locomotive collection. Dinner served on the train.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Olten

    Steam at the Furka Railway and paddle steamer cruise on Lake Lucerne

    Travel via the Bernese Oberland and Upper Valais to Oberwald, then board a Furka Railway steam train over the summit route of the Glacier Express to Realp, seeing the Rhone Glacier. Free time to explore before a sunset dinner cruise by paddle steamer on Lake Lucerne.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Olten

    Steam in the Zurich Oberland with two tank engines and steam at the Schinznach Garden Railway for their annual gala

    Travel on Switzerland's premier standard gauge heritage railway from Hinwil to Bauma behind vintage tank engines, then take a Postauto coach to the narrow gauge Schinznach Garden Railway for its annual gala with at least three locomotives in steam.

  5. Day 5overnight: Olten

    Main line steam along the Banks of Lago Maggiore in Italy and Switzerland with FS 625.116

    A private main line charter using the former FS 2-6-0 tender locomotive 625.116, built in 1922, on the border line from Luino, Italy to Cadenazzo, Switzerland along Lago Maggiore. Return via the Gotthard Base Tunnel or classic Gotthard Summit Route.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Olten

    Freedom of Switzerland with your Swiss Travel Pass

    A free day to use your Swiss Travel Pass to explore Switzerland's public transport network, including the Rigi rack railway, paddle steamers or narrow gauge trains.

  7. Day 7rail

    Return to London

    Return from Olten to London via Basel and Paris, using SBB, TGV and Eurostar high speed services.

Included

  • Eurostar travel from London to Paris and return
  • First Class travel on all international rail services
  • 6 nights accommodation with breakfast at the 3-star Hotel Olten
  • 1 Lunch
  • 4 Dinners
  • 6 day Swiss travel pass in Standard Class for travel within Switzerland
  • All rail trips, steam trains, private charters and excursions as detailed in the itinerary
  • The services of a Tour Manager

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