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The Railway Touring Company · Escorted rail holiday

Autumn in Alsace

Eight-day escorted Alsace rail holiday on private steam trains from Colmar

Illustration of Autumn in Alsace

The Railway Touring Company operates Autumn in Alsace, an eight-day escorted tour based in the medieval city of Colmar, France, that explores the Alsace wine region and neighbouring southern Germany entirely by heritage train, coach, boat, and tram. From day one, when you arrive by Eurostar and First Class TGV from London, the trip immerses you in railway history: the Chemin de Fer Touristique du Rhin features two steam locomotives, including a rare Belgian Cockerill, while the Train Thur Doller carries you in mid-20th-century luxury coaches along a branch line to Sentheim. Days include a 75-minute sightseeing riverboat cruise in Strasbourg, a hilltop vineyard visit with a six-wine tasting above Breisach in Germany, a visit to the Hartmannswillerkopf WWI battlefield monument, and excursions to Mulhouse to see the French National Railway Museum and Bugatti Museum. The Kandertalbahn through the Black Forest and the narrow-gauge Abreschviller Forest Railway in Lorraine complete the steam collection. A Tour Manager accompanies you throughout, arranging all transfers, reservations, and visits; you return to the same Colmar hotel each night.

What to know before you look closer

  • Only one departure is scheduled for October 2026; confirm availability and final dates directly with The Railway Touring Company before committing.
  • The ground-only option (£2,120) excludes Eurostar, First Class rail, and hotel transfers; the from-price of £2,345 includes all UK rail and coach transfers.
  • All seven nights are based in Colmar; while this provides a stable hotel stay, daily coach journeys to railway stations and attractions range up to 40 minutes each way.

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.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 3Ride the Chemin de Fer Touristique du Rhin, a standard-gauge line topped and tailed with two steam locomotives including a Belgian Cockerill, from Volgelsheim to Sans Souci Quay at Marckolsheim with buffet lunch on board.
  • Day 4Travel the Train Thur Doller, a preserved branch line with plush mid-20th-century luxury coaches hauled by a classic SNCF locomotive, to Sentheim and Burnhaupt, then visit the Hartmannswillerkopf WWI battlefield monument.
  • Day 5Ride the Kandertalbahn near Basel, hauled by an early 20th-century German steam tank locomotive, with a regional lunch at Kandern followed by a scenic drive through the Black Forest.
  • Day 6Take the tram to the Cite du Train (French National Railway Museum) and Cite de l'Automobile (Bugatti Museum) in Mulhouse.
  • Day 7Travel the Abreschviller Forest Railway, a 700mm gauge steam line through dense Lorraine forest to Grand Soldat, with a visit to the steam shed.

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

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included in the price?
The standard package (from £2,345) includes Eurostar Plus from London St Pancras to Paris, First Class TGV rail to and from Colmar, a locomotive-hauled SNCF service to Strasbourg, and all four heritage railway excursions. The ground-only option (from £2,120) excludes international and intercity rail; you arrange your own travel to Colmar.
Is this tour escorted?
Yes. The Railway Touring Company provides a Tour Manager throughout the eight days.
What heritage trains are featured?
Four: the Chemin de Fer Touristique du Rhin (two steam locomotives including a Belgian Cockerill), the Train Thur Doller (classic SNCF locomotive with luxury coaches), the Kandertalbahn (early 20th-century German steam tank), and the Abreschviller Forest Railway (700mm gauge narrow gauge steam line).
Where do I stay?
All seven nights are in Colmar, France. The pack names the location but not the specific hotel.
What is included besides rail travel?
Seven nights accommodation with breakfast, four lunches, two dinners, all visits and tram rides detailed in the itinerary, a rover ticket for Mulhouse urban trams, all seat reservations and transfers, and the services of the Tour Manager.
When does it run?
The only confirmed departure is October 2026 at £2,345 per person.

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