The Railway Touring Company · Escorted rail holiday

Ancient Steam, Classic Crocodiles and Mountain Railways in Switzerland

Ancient Steam, Classic Crocodiles and Mountain Railways in Switzerland, a rail journey with The Railway Touring Company

A one-off 7-day escorted holiday based in Olten, Switzerland, with private charter trains behind rare, historic steam, vintage diesel and ancient electric locomotives, plus paddle steamers on mountain lakes.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Olten

    London to Olten by rail

    Travel by Eurostar Plus from London St. Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord, then by TGV to Basel, arriving in Switzerland by late afternoon, and on by SBB train to Olten. Check into your hotel and enjoy a welcome dinner.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Olten

    Steam charter at Mount Rigi, Stoos Railway and Lake Lucerne

    A scenic cruise from Lucerne to Vitznau, then steam to the summit of Mount Rigi with vintage 1923 tank engine No.16, with photo stops and time at Rigi-Kulm. Option to visit the Stoos Railway, the steepest funicular in the world.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Olten

    A 'Pocket Crocodile' in Appenzell

    A privately chartered heritage train hauled by a vintage 1912 electric 'Pocket Crocodile' locomotive runs from Gossau via Herisau and Appenzell to Wasserauen, with lunch and a visit to the local railway museum, then return on the panoramic rack railway from Gais to Altstatten.

  4. Day 4overnight: Olten

    SBB Crocodile 13254 on the Gotthard summit route

    Travel on the green SBB Crocodile 13254 from 1919, exhibited at the Swiss Museum of Transport from 1982 to 2025 and only returning to active service in 2026, hauling a private charter over the horseshoe curves of the Gotthard summit route from Erstfeld to Goschenen and back.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Olten

    Ancient electric locomotives in the scenic Franches Montagnes near France

    A private charter on the Chemins de fer du Jura narrow-gauge network, hauled from Tavannes to Le Noirmont by vintage red electric locomotive No.401 (1952), then by ancient green locomotive No.122 (1916) to Glovelier, with lunch served on the train and a visit to the Pre-Petitjean depot collection.

  6. Day 6overnight: Olten

    On the BLS 'Green Arrow' over 'rare track' on the military branch line to Bure

    A journey aboard the 1953 Green Arrow railcar from Burgdorf via Solothurn, the reopened Weissenstein Tunnel, Moutier, Delemont and Saint-Ursanne to Porrentruy and Courtemaiche, then over the steeply graded, freight-only military line to Bure, with cab-side seating for part of the journey.

  7. Day 7rail

    Return to London

    Return from Olten via Basel and Paris to London using Eurostar and TGV high speed trains.

Included

  • 6 nights Bed and Breakfast at a centrally located hotel in Olten
  • 2 Lunches
  • 2 Dinners
  • Eurostar Plus rail services from London to Paris and return
  • First Class international rail services
  • Standard Class group rail travel within Switzerland
  • A 4-day Swiss Travel Pass in Standard Class
  • Seat reservations throughout, where possible
  • All special charter trains and steam trips as detailed in the itinerary
  • All rail, tram and boat trips as detailed in the itinerary
  • All seat reservations and transfers (except on free days)
  • The services of a Tour Manager

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