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The Railway Touring Company · Escorted rail holiday

Ancient Steam, Classic Crocodiles and Mountain Railways in Switzerland

Seven-day Swiss heritage rail tour from Olten on five rare vintage locomotives

Illustration of Ancient Steam, Classic Crocodiles and Mountain Railways in Switzerland

The Railway Touring Company's 7-day escorted tour is a heritage locomotive enthusiast's journey through Switzerland, based in Olten from November 2026. The tour traces five rare and historic locomotives across scenic Alpine routes: a 1923 steam engine climbs Mount Rigi above Lake Lucerne; a 1912 electric Pocket Crocodile runs through the Appenzell narrow-gauge network; a 1919 SBB Crocodile, newly returned to service after decades in the Swiss Museum of Transport, tackles the horseshoe curves of the Gotthard summit route; vintage 1952 and 1916 electric locomotives traverse the Jura narrow gauge; and a 1953 streamlined Green Arrow railcar carries you over a steep military freight line to Bure. The six nights are spent in one hotel, allowing daily return excursions. A Tour Manager accompanies the group throughout, handling all reservations and transfers. This programme is a one-off event and cannot be repeated. The Railway Touring Company includes a 4-day Swiss Travel Pass, meals, and all private charters in the price, with Eurostar Plus available from London.

What to know before you look closer

  • This is a one-off tour in November 2026 that cannot be repeated for operational reasons; no other departures are listed.
  • The standard price of GBP 2,895 includes Eurostar Plus from London and international rail; a ground-only option (Olten to Basel) is available from GBP 2,695.
  • Free days are not mentioned; transfers on free days are not included.

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.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2A scenic cruise on Lake Lucerne from Lucerne to Vitznau, followed by a private steam charter aboard a 1923 tank engine No.16 to the summit of Mount Rigi, with photo stops and time at Rigi-Kulm.
  • Day 3A privately chartered heritage train hauled by a 1912 electric Pocket Crocodile locomotive from Gossau via Herisau and Appenzell to Wasserauen, with lunch and a visit to the local railway museum.
  • Day 4Travel aboard the SBB Crocodile 13254, a 1919 electric locomotive returning to active service in 2026 after decades in the Swiss Museum of Transport, hauling a private charter over the horseshoe curves of the Gotthard summit route from Erstfeld to Goschenen.
  • Day 5A private charter on the narrow-gauge Chemins de fer du Jura hauled by a 1952 red electric locomotive No.401 from Tavannes to Le Noirmont, then by a 1916 green locomotive No.122 to Glovelier, with lunch served on the train.
  • Day 6A journey aboard the 1953 BLS Green Arrow railcar from Burgdorf via Solothurn, Moutier, Delemont, and Saint-Ursanne to Porrentruy, Courtemaiche, and Bure, with cab-side seating for part of the journey over a steeply graded freight-only military line.

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

Questions travellers ask

Is the train travel included?
Yes. The standard price includes Eurostar Plus from London to Paris and return, First Class international rail services, and Standard Class group rail travel within Switzerland, plus all five private charter trains detailed in the itinerary and a 4-day Swiss Travel Pass.
Is the tour escorted?
Yes. The Railway Touring Company provides a Tour Manager throughout the 7 days.
Which locomotives will I travel behind?
A 1923 steam tank engine No.16 to Mount Rigi, a 1912 electric Pocket Crocodile through Appenzell, a 1919 SBB Crocodile 13254 over the Gotthard, 1952 and 1916 electric locomotives on the Jura narrow gauge, and a 1953 BLS Green Arrow railcar to Bure.
Where will I stay?
All six nights are at a centrally located hotel in Olten, Switzerland, on a bed and breakfast basis.
What meals are included?
Bed and breakfast for all six nights, a welcome dinner on Day 1, lunch on Days 3 and 5, and a final dinner on Day 6.
When does the tour run?
November 2026. This is a one-off tour that cannot be repeated.

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