Search

Ffestiniog Travel · Escorted tour

Lindau & Lake Constance

Nine-day escorted rail tour from Cologne through Lake Constance region

Illustration of Lindau & Lake Constance

Ffestiniog Travel runs this 9-day escorted tour for travellers seeking a relaxed pace based around Lake Constance. You depart London by Eurostar on Day 1, arriving in Cologne for an overnight stop. On Day 2, the ICE train carries you south through Germany to Lindau, a historic lakeside town on the north-eastern shore of Lake Constance, where you base yourself for six nights in the Hotel Insel. From there, a series of optional rail and boat excursions unfolds: a narrow gauge mountain train loops through Switzerland's Appenzell Region on Day 3; Day 4 crosses the Arlberg Pass into Austria to visit Innsbruck; Day 5 ventures to Oberstdorf in the Bavarian lake country; and Day 6 combines a Rhine river boat cruise with lake crossings from Schaffhausen to Stein am Rhein and back. Days 3, 5, and 7 give you freedom to explore independently or rest. Your Standard Class InterRail Pass covers most journeys. A tour leader accompanies the group throughout, and accommodation includes breakfast at solid 3-star hotels. On Day 8, you stopover in Bonn, the former federal capital. Day 9 returns you to London via Brussels and Eurostar.

What to know before you look closer

  • Only one departure is listed: September 2027. Confirm availability for your dates directly with Ffestiniog Travel.
  • Day 3, 5, and 7 are optional or leisure days; the operator does not run daily group excursions, so some activities depend on your own choices or the tour leader's offerings.
  • The price includes a Standard Class InterRail Pass; a 1st Class upgrade is available upon request subject to availability.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Cologne

    London to Cologne

    Morning Eurostar train from London St. Pancras to Brussels with connection for Cologne. We arrive in time for a relaxing evening in the old city.

  2. Day 2overnight: Lindau

    Onwards to Lindau

    We travel by ICE towards Ulm where we change trains and continue on to Lindau for a 6-night stay in the centre of the town which is within easy walking distance of both the Insel station and the quayside.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Lindau

    Switzerland’s Appenzell Region

    All excursions over the next three days are optional in the sense that they can be taken free of charge using your InterRail Pass with your tour leader or you can simply enjoy Lindau and its surroundings at your own leisurely pace. We visit St. Gallen and have a circular tour of the scenic Appenzell Region by narrow gauge electric train.

  4. Day 4overnight: Lindau

    Innsbruck in the Austrian Tyrol

    Today we head over the Arlberg Pass for a few hours exploring Innsbruck.

  5. Day 5overnight: Lindau

    Oberstdorf

    Staying within Germany, we visit the resort of Oberstdorf in the Allgäu region. This area, dotted with lakes, has a mountain backdrop.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Lindau

    Around the Lake

    We take the train to Schaffhausen in Switzerland, then river boat up the Rhine to Stein am Rhein, train along the southern Swiss shore to Rorschach Hafen and finally boat across the lake back to Lindau.

  7. Day 7overnight: Lindau

    At Leisure

    By now you will have discovered other things you would like to do in the area – perhaps the Zeppelin Airship Museum at Friedrichshafen or the Insel Mainau (Flower Island) on Lake Constance. Today is your opportunity to explore at your leisure.

  8. Day 8overnight: Bonn

    Bonn

    Our homeward stopover is in the lovely city and former federal capital of Bonn where our hotel is adjacent to the station and close to the old city.

  9. Day 9rail

    Return to London

    A short rail journey brings us back to Cologne from where we catch a mid-morning train to Brussels. This connects with a Eurostar service to London, arriving late afternoon.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Travel by ICE train to Ulm and beyond, arriving in Lindau on Lake Constance for a 6-night base.
  • Day 3Circular tour of the Appenzell Region by narrow gauge electric train from St. Gallen in Switzerland.
  • Day 4Cross the Arlberg Pass by train to explore Innsbruck in the Austrian Tyrol.
  • Day 6Combine train, Rhine river boat, and lake boat: Schaffhausen to Stein am Rhein by river, then train and boat back to Lindau.

Included

  • Standard Class InterRail Pass
  • Accommodation in good quality hotels on a bed and breakfast basis
  • Excursions as listed
  • Services of a tour leader from London and throughout the tour

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. Ffestiniog Travel includes a Standard Class InterRail Pass covering the entire journey, plus Eurostar from London to Brussels and Cologne, and return.
Is this an escorted tour?
Yes. Ffestiniog Travel provides a tour leader from London throughout the 9 days.
Which trains are used?
Eurostar (London to Cologne), ICE (Cologne to Lindau), a narrow gauge electric train in Appenzell, and regional trains crossing the Arlberg Pass. Days 3, 5, and 7 include optional or leisure-time excursions you can take independently with your InterRail Pass.
What hotels are included?
City Class Hotel am Dom in Cologne (1 night), Hotel Insel in Lindau (6 nights), and InterCity Hotel in Bonn (1 night), all on a bed-and-breakfast basis.
When does the tour run?
The operator lists one departure in September 2027 at GBP 2,195.
What is not included?
Meals other than breakfast, optional upgrades such as 1st Class rail travel, and personal spending on leisure days. Some attractions mentioned (Zeppelin Airship Museum, Insel Mainau) require separate admission.

Similar journeys