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Tailor Made Rail · Independent rail holiday

Harz Mountains and Fairytale Germany

Eight-day independent rail loop through Cologne, Harz Mountains, and Hannover

Illustration of Harz Mountains and Fairytale Germany

Tailor Made Rail's eight-day independent holiday takes you from London through Cologne and into Germany's Harz Mountains, a forested region of narrow-gauge heritage railways and medieval towns. You travel by high-speed ICE and Thalys trains to Cologne, where you have time to walk around the cathedral quarter, then continue to Wernigerode for a four-night base. With an included three-day Harz Mountains rail pass, you can ride the Brocken Railway to Northern Germany's highest peak, explore Wernigerode's timber-framed old town and castle at leisure, or venture onto branch lines like the Trans-Harz Railway. The final two nights are in Hannover, where you can day-trip by train to Hamelin (famous for the Pied Piper legend), the walled town of Celle, or Göttingen, where the Brothers Grimm lectured. All standard-class rail, seat reservations, breakfast, and travel documentation are included; you plan each day's activities yourself, making this ideal for independent travellers who want the structure of a rail pass without a guide.

What to know before you look closer

  • Hotels are listed as 'or similar' so the final accommodation may differ from the named properties, depending on availability and season
  • The return journey on day 8 includes compulsory seat reservations; overnight stops en route to London are optional and require separate booking

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Cologne

    London to Cologne

    Travel to Brussels, then an ICE/Thalys high-speed train to Cologne, with time to explore the Old Town around the twin-spired cathedral.

  2. Day 2overnight: Wernigerode

    Cologne to Wernigerode

    An ICE service to Hannover, then regional services to Wernigerode via Goslar (open tickets allow a stop in Goslar's medieval old town), for a 4-night stay.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Wernigerode

    Wernigerode

    Explore the Harz Mountains Railway network with the included 3-day pass, including the Brocken Railway up to the highest peak in Northern Germany.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Wernigerode

    Wernigerode

    Further exploration of Wernigerode's old town and castle, or the Trans-Harz Railway to historic Nordhausen.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Wernigerode

    Wernigerode

    A further free day using the Harz Mountains rail pass.

  6. Day 6overnight: Hannover

    Wernigerode to Hannover

    Return journey to Hannover, with an optional stop in Goslar, for a 2-night stay in Lower Saxony's largest city.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Hannover

    Hannover and Saxony

    A regional train pass to visit Hamelin (home of the Pied Piper legend), historic Celle, or Göttingen, where the Brothers Grimm lectured; back in Hannover, the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen and the Market Square.

  8. Day 8

    Hannover to London

    Return journey via Cologne and Brussels to London on high-speed services with compulsory seat reservations; overnight stops en route possible on request.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1Travel from London to Cologne by ICE and Thalys high-speed trains, arriving in time to explore the Old Town around the twin-spired cathedral
  • Day 3Ride the Brocken Railway up to the highest peak in Northern Germany using the included 3-day Harz Mountains rail pass
  • Day 4Explore Wernigerode's medieval old town and castle, or take the Trans-Harz Railway to historic Nordhausen
  • Day 7Day-trip by regional train from Hannover to Hamelin (home of the Pied Piper legend), Celle, or Göttingen, then visit the Royal Gardens of Herrenhausen

Included

  • All rail journeys, in standard class
  • Seat reservations where required
  • 7 nights' handpicked hotel accommodation with breakfast
  • A 3-day Harz Mountains rail pass covering all routes
  • Easy-to-follow travel documentation
  • Despatch of tickets by email
  • Proactive rerouting in case of strikes or disruptions

Questions travellers ask

Is all the train travel included?
Yes. The price includes all rail journeys in standard class, seat reservations where required, and a 3-day Harz Mountains rail pass covering the network around Wernigerode, including the Brocken Railway.
Is this trip escorted or independent?
This is an independent rail holiday. You receive easy-to-follow travel documentation and tickets by email; you navigate between destinations and explore at your own pace.
Which trains are used?
High-speed ICE and Thalys trains connect London to Cologne and Hannover; regional services connect Hannover to Wernigerode and surrounding areas. The Brocken Railway, a narrow-gauge steam and diesel heritage line, serves the Harz Mountains network.
What accommodation is included?
Seven nights in handpicked three-star and four-star hotels with breakfast: one night in Cologne (Mondial am Dom MGallery or similar), four nights in Wernigerode (Hotel Altora or similar), and two nights in Hannover (DoubleTree by Hilton Schweizerhof or similar).
When does this trip run?
No specific departures are published in the operator's materials; contact Tailor Made Rail to confirm availability and book.
What is not included?
Meals other than breakfast, entrance fees to museums or castles, and optional overnight stops on the return journey to London are not included.

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