How much does it cost?

From £1,995 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $2,695 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is train travel included?

Yes. All rail travel in Standard Class is included, including Eurostar to and from London, regional services, and four heritage railway excursions.

Is this an escorted tour?

Yes. Ffestiniog Travel provides a tour leader who travels from London and stays with the group throughout the 10 days.

Which heritage railways are featured?

The Cuckoo Railway (Kuckucksbähnle) in the Palatine forest, the Vulkan Express (17km metre gauge near Brohl), the Wutachtalbahn from Zollhaus-Blumberg to Weizen, and the Kandertalbahn from Haltingen to Kandern.

What are the main overnight cities?

Karlsruhe (2 nights), Koblenz (4 nights), and Freiburg (3 nights). All hotels are a short walk from the station.

Ffestiniog Travel · Escorted tour

South West Germany

Escorted German rail tour through Rhine, Moselle valleys, heritage railways

Ffestiniog Travel operates this 10-day escorted tour through southwest Germany's Rhine and Moselle valleys, beginning in Karlsruhe and ending in Freiburg. A tour leader accompanies the group from London throughout the journey. The itinerary balances heritage railway excursions with scenic main-line rail travel and riverside exploration. Day 2 features the Cuckoo Railway, a steam-powered heritage line through the Palatine forest. Day 5 includes a cruise on the former paddle wheel steamer Goethe past riverside castles and terraced vineyards. Day 6 combines rail travel through the Moselle valley with a guided wine tasting in Trier's oldest cellar. Days 8 and 9 showcase two additional preserved railways: the Wutachtalbahn near the Swiss border and the Kandertalbahn to the pottery town of Kandern. Overnight stays are in Karlsruhe, Koblenz (at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle), and Freiburg in the Black Forest foothills. This tour suits rail enthusiasts, couples, history lovers, and those interested in German wine and heritage railways.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has held at £1,995 every time.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 2 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

Only one departure is currently listed (July 2027); confirm availability before planning

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Karlsruhe
London to Karlsruhe
Morning departure on Eurostar to Paris, to connect to a high speed train to Karlsruhe. Our hotel for the next 2 nights is a short walk from the station.
Day 2railovernight: Karlsruhe
Cuckoo Railway
Board a regional service to the Palatine forest railway, known as the Kuckucksbähnle or Cuckoo Railway, built in the early 20th Century. After a museum visit we board the standard gauge steam service to Elmstein, then return via Lambrecht to Karlsruhe.
Day 3overnight: Koblenz
Rhine Valley to Koblenz
Travel north along the Rhine valley to Koblenz for a 4-night stay, at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. The afternoon is free to explore the city.
Day 4railovernight: Koblenz
Vulkan Express
To Brohl to ride a 17km long metre gauge railway, built in the early 20th Century primarily for transporting goods, with tourist operations from the early 90s.
Day 5railovernight: Koblenz
On the River
We take a trip on the former paddle wheel steamer, now diesel powered, “Goethe” up-stream to Rüdesheim, passing castles, vineyards and the Loreley Rock, before returning to Koblenz by train.
Day 6railovernight: Koblenz
Trier & the Moselle Valley
Journey by rail along the Moselle valley, following the river past terraced vineyards and ruined castles. In Trier we take a guided tour of Germany’s oldest wine cellar and a wine tasting before returning to Koblenz.
Day 7overnight: Freiburg
South to Freiburg
Travelling via Mannheim we transfer to Freiburg, in the foothills of the Black Forest. Our hotel is a short walk from the station. We stay here for 3 nights.
Day 8railovernight: Freiburg
Wutachtalbahn
We visit the Wutachtalbahn, a spectacular preserved standard gauge line built as a strategic railway on the Swiss border, from Zollhaus-Blumberg to Weizen, nicknamed the “pigtail railway”.
Day 9overnight: Freiburg
Kandertalbahn
We head south to Haltingen to ride the preserved standard gauge Kandertalbahn which runs 13km to the pottery town of Kandern.
Day 10rail
Homeward Bound
After a leisurely breakfast we take a morning train via Karlsruhe to Paris to connect with the Eurostar service to London St Pancras, arriving early evening.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 2Board the Cuckoo Railway's steam service through the Palatine forest to Elmstein, a standard gauge line built in the early 20th century
Day 4Ride the Vulkan Express, a 17km metre gauge railway from Brohl, built originally to transport goods and now operating tourist services
Day 5Cruise upstream on the former paddle wheel steamer Goethe past castles, vineyards and the Loreley Rock to Rüdesheim, then return by train
Day 8Experience the Wutachtalbahn, the preserved 'pigtail railway' from Zollhaus-Blumberg to Weizen, built as a strategic line on the Swiss border

Included

All rail travel as stated in Standard Class
Excursions as listed
Heritage Rhine river cruise
Accommodation in good, quality hotels on a bed and breakfast basis
Services of a tour leader from London and throughout the tour

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £1,995 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $2,695 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is train travel included?: Yes. All rail travel in Standard Class is included, including Eurostar to and from London, regional services, and four heritage railway excursions.
Is this an escorted tour?: Yes. Ffestiniog Travel provides a tour leader who travels from London and stays with the group throughout the 10 days.
Which heritage railways are featured?: The Cuckoo Railway (Kuckucksbähnle) in the Palatine forest, the Vulkan Express (17km metre gauge near Brohl), the Wutachtalbahn from Zollhaus-Blumberg to Weizen, and the Kandertalbahn from Haltingen to Kandern.
What are the main overnight cities?: Karlsruhe (2 nights), Koblenz (4 nights), and Freiburg (3 nights). All hotels are a short walk from the station.