The Railway Touring Company · Escorted rail holiday

Autumn in Alsace

Autumn in Alsace, a rail journey with The Railway Touring Company

An 8-day escorted rail holiday based in Colmar, France, exploring the Alsace wine region and nearby southern Germany by privately chartered steam train.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Colmar

    London to Colmar

    Travel by Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord, transfer to Gare de l'Est for the TGV to Strasbourg, then a regional service to Colmar. Welcome dinner in the old town.

  2. Day 2overnight: Colmar

    Scenic river cruise and tramways in Strasbourg

    A locomotive-hauled SNCF service to Strasbourg, a 75-minute sightseeing cruise on an open-top panoramic riverboat, and free time to explore Cathedral Square and the Petite France district, including the international tramway to Kehl, Germany.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Colmar

    Two steam locomotives along the Rhine; hilltop vineyard visit in Germany

    Travel by coach to the Chemin de Fer Touristique du Rhin in Volgelsheim, a standard-gauge railway topped and tailed with two steam locomotives, including a Belgian Cockerill, to the Sans Souci Quay at Marckolsheim, with a buffet lunch on board. In the afternoon, cross to Germany for a hilltop vineyard visit above Breisach with a tasting of six wines.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Colmar

    Luxury train on the Thur Doller Railway; WWI battlefield visit; scenic Alsatian wine route

    The Train Thur Doller, a preserved branch line with plush mid-20th-century luxury coaches hauled by a classic SNCF locomotive, with lunch at Sentheim and a visit to the Burnhaupt shed. In the afternoon, the Alsatian wine route, visiting the Hartmannswillerkopf WWI battlefield monument and the village of Eguisheim.

  5. Day 5overnight: Colmar

    Steam in the Black Forest on the Kandertalbahn

    The Kandertalbahn branch line near Basel, hauled by an early 20th-century German steam tank locomotive, with a buffet lunch of regional delicacies at Kandern, then a scenic drive through the Black Forest back to Colmar.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Colmar

    World-class museums and trams in Mulhouse

    A locomotive-hauled SNCF train to Mulhouse, riding the tramway to the Cite du Train (French National Railway Museum) and the Cite de l'Automobile (Bugatti Museum), with free time in the old town.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Colmar

    Steam at the Abreschviller Forest Railway

    A short excursion into Lorraine to the Abreschviller Forest Railway, a 700mm gauge steam line through dense forest to Grand Soldat, with a visit to the steam shed. Farewell dinner in the evening.

  8. Day 8rail

    Colmar to London

    Return to Paris by TGV express, transferring from Gare de l'Est to Gare du Nord to board the Eurostar service to London St Pancras.

Included

  • Eurostar Plus seating London to Paris and return
  • First Class rail travel on TGV services from Paris to Colmar and return
  • 7 Nights accommodation with breakfast
  • 4 Lunches
  • 2 Dinners
  • All specially chartered steam trains as detailed in the itinerary
  • All rail, road, tram and boat trips as detailed in the itinerary
  • All visits as detailed in the itinerary
  • Rover ticket for the Mulhouse urban tram network
  • All seat reservations and transfers
  • The services of a Tour Manager

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