How much does it cost?

From £1,150 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $1,553 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is the train travel included?

Rail travel to and from Germany is available as an add-on: from GBP 1,425 for Standard Class including Eurostar, or GBP 1,675 for First Class with the Eurostar Plus upgrade. The base GBP 1,150 price assumes you make your own way to Augsburg.

Is it escorted or independent?

It is an escorted tour with an experienced Tour Manager included throughout.

All four nights are spent at the Rugs Hotel in Augsburg.

Which heritage railways are included?

The metre-gauge Alb-Bahnle, the Amstetten-Gerstetten line, and a 75km mainline steam charter from Augsburg to Nordlingen for the Bavarian Railway Museum Steam Festival.

The only departure currently listed is in May 2027, priced from GBP 1,150 per person.

Is there a discount for booking another tour alongside it?

Yes, the operator offers a GBP 300 per person discount when this tour is booked back-to-back with the Spring Steam in Saxony tour departing 9 May 2027.

Railtrail Tours · Escorted tour

Bavarian Steam Spectacular 2027

5-day escorted German steam railway tour based in Augsburg

Bavarian Steam Spectacular is a 5-day escorted tour from Railtrail Tours based at the Rugs Hotel in Augsburg, reached by Eurostar via Brussels. The tour is built around heritage steam railways: day 2 rides the metre-gauge Alb-Bahnle from Amstetten to Oppingen and back, then the historic Amstetten-Gerstetten line, while day 3 brings a guided tour of the Augsburg Railway Park and its locomotive collection, followed by a vintage tram charter around the city. The centrepiece is day 4, a 75km steam-hauled mainline run from Augsburg to Nordlingen for the Bavarian Railway Museum Steam Festival, with an included ride behind a Class 18 Pacific. A Tour Manager accompanies the group throughout, and evenings are left free to explore Augsburg's canal-lined streets. This suits railway enthusiasts and their travelling companions who want a single-base, fully escorted tour combining several heritage lines and a major steam festival.

What to know before you look closer

Railtrail Tours currently lists only one departure for this tour, in May 2027.
The GBP 1,150 base price is for independent travel to and from Augsburg; Eurostar and connecting rail travel from London St Pancras is extra, from GBP 1,425 in Standard Class or GBP 1,675 with the First Class/Eurostar Plus upgrade.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Rugs Hotel, Augsburg
Augsburg
Travelling by Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels, then onwards to Augsburg and our hotel for four nights, the Rugs Hotel, where we check in and enjoy our first evening at leisure to explore our new surroundings.
Day 2railovernight: Rugs Hotel, Augsburg
Alb-Bahnle & Amstetten-Gerstetten steam
After breakfast this morning, we travel by rail to Amstetten for a metre-gauge steam run along the beautiful Alb-Bahnle line to Oppingen and return. After a short break, we then enjoy a historic ride over the 20km standard-gauge line to Gerstetten, a scenic journey that beautifully combines nostalgia and local transport. On our return to Augsburg, we enjoy an evening at leisure to stroll along the canal-lined streets and explore the botanical gardens.
Day 3railovernight: Rugs Hotel, Augsburg
Augsburg Railway Park & vintage tram
Today, we visit the fascinating Augsburg Railway Park, one of the largest monuments of industrial culture in Bavaria with historic locomotives from all over Europe including the imperial steam locomotive and the secret reserve locomotive of the Cold War. We will explore the history and technology of railways on a guided tour and visit the remarkable roundhouse. This afternoon, we will board our specially chartered vintage tram for a nostalgic journey through Augsburg ahead of an evening at leisure.
Day 4railovernight: Rugs Hotel, Augsburg
Bavarian Railway Museum Steam Festival, Nordlingen
Today, we enjoy a special steam-hauled journey over a 75km section of the mainline to Nordlingen for the exciting Bavarian Railway Museum Steam Festival. We have free time to explore the superb collection of steam locomotives including the famous Class 18 Pacific in its beautiful green livery plus steam demonstrations, visiting locomotives, various exhibitions, and an included mainline ride behind steam. At the end of our visit, we will return by either a steam charter or heritage electric haulage, arriving in Augsburg for our final evening at leisure.
Day 5rail
Homeward journey
We bid farewell to Germany and to Augsburg, returning by rail to Brussels, where we will join the Eurostar service to London St Pancras.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 2A metre-gauge steam run on the Alb-Bahnle from Amstetten to Oppingen and back, followed by a historic ride on the 20km standard-gauge line to Gerstetten.
Day 3A guided tour of the Augsburg Railway Park, including its roundhouse and locomotive collection, followed by a vintage tram charter around the city.
Day 4A 75km steam-hauled mainline run from Augsburg to Nordlingen for the Bavarian Railway Museum Steam Festival, including a ride behind the Class 18 Pacific.

Included

4 nights bed & breakfast
Eurostar and rail travel to and from Germany in the class of your choice
All transfers, excursions & admissions as detailed
Services of experienced Tour Manager

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £1,150 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $1,553 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is the train travel included?: Rail travel to and from Germany is available as an add-on: from GBP 1,425 for Standard Class including Eurostar, or GBP 1,675 for First Class with the Eurostar Plus upgrade. The base GBP 1,150 price assumes you make your own way to Augsburg.
Is it escorted or independent?: It is an escorted tour with an experienced Tour Manager included throughout.
Where do you stay?: All four nights are spent at the Rugs Hotel in Augsburg.
Which heritage railways are included?: The metre-gauge Alb-Bahnle, the Amstetten-Gerstetten line, and a 75km mainline steam charter from Augsburg to Nordlingen for the Bavarian Railway Museum Steam Festival.
When does it run?: The only departure currently listed is in May 2027, priced from GBP 1,150 per person.
Is there a discount for booking another tour alongside it?: Yes, the operator offers a GBP 300 per person discount when this tour is booked back-to-back with the Spring Steam in Saxony tour departing 9 May 2027.