Search

Tailor Made Rail · Self-guided rail holiday

Spas of Bohemia in First Class

First-class rail journey to Bohemia's spa towns from London

Illustration of Spas of Bohemia in First Class

Tailor Made Rail's eight-day self-guided rail holiday takes travellers from London to Cologne through the spa towns of Bohemia, travelling throughout in First Class comfort. The journey opens with Eurostar and German ICE trains to Frankfurt, then heads east through Dresden to Karlovy Vary, one of Europe's most elegant thermal resorts, founded by Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV and renowned for its 13 hot springs and 19th-century colonnades. A short rail journey brings you to Marianske Lazne, an Art Nouveau resort with 40 mineral springs, where you have a full day to enjoy spa treatments and the town's architecture. The return follows a scenic route via Cheb and Nuremberg to Cologne, with a morning at leisure before the Eurostar home. Throughout, you stay in five-star spa hotels with breakfast included, and Tailor Made Rail manages all bookings, reservations, and documentation, offering proactive rerouting should disruptions occur.

What to know before you look closer

  • Hotels listed as 'or similar', so the exact property may vary by availability and booking date
  • Day 2 includes an optional overnight stop in Dresden; the standard route passes through Dresden without stopping
  • An optional overnight stop in Nuremberg is available on Day 7, which would take the slower Rhine Gorge route back to Cologne

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Frankfurt (Steigenberger Icon Frankfurter Hof or similar)

    London to Frankfurt

    Depart in the morning and, after an easy change in Brussels, take a German ICE train in First Class directly through to Frankfurt on the river Main.

  2. Day 2overnight: Karlovy Vary (Grandhotel Pupp or similar)

    Frankfurt to Karlovy Vary

    Head east towards Bohemia with a change in Dresden (an optional overnight stop), then continue across the Czech border to Karlovy Vary.

  3. Day 3overnight: Karlovy Vary (Grandhotel Pupp or similar)

    Karlovy Vary

    Explore the elegant spa resort founded by Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, famous for its 13 main hot springs, a thermal swimming pool overlooking the city, and the funicular up to the Diana Look Out Tower.

  4. Day 4overnight: Karlovy Vary (Grandhotel Pupp or similar)

    Karlovy Vary

    Second day to enjoy the spa town, taking the waters or the funicular ride to the Diana Look Out Tower for panoramic views.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Marianske Lazne (Esplanade Hotel or similar)

    Marianske Lazne

    A short rail journey and private transfer brings you to Marianske Lazne (Marienbad), a spa resort with 40 mineral springs and Art Nouveau architecture.

  6. Day 6overnight: Marianske Lazne (Esplanade Hotel or similar)

    Marianske Lazne

    Second day to enjoy spa treatments at the Esplanade Hotel or the town's mineral springs.

  7. Day 7overnight: Cologne (Excelsior Ernst Hotel or similar)

    Marianske Lazne to Cologne

    Travel back across the German border via Cheb and Nuremberg, arriving into Cologne in the early evening.

  8. Day 8rail

    Cologne to London

    Morning at leisure - perhaps a Rhine cruise, a visit to the twin-spired cathedral, or the Chocolate Museum - before returning to London via Brussels and the Eurostar.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 3Day 3: Visit the Diana Look Out Tower via funicular for panoramic views over Karlovy Vary and explore the 13 hot springs of this historic spa town founded by Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV
  • Day 5Day 5: Travel to Marianske Lazne, a resort featuring 40 mineral springs and Art Nouveau architecture, where guests can take spa treatments at the five-star Esplanade Hotel
  • Day 8Day 8: Morning in Cologne with optional visits to the cathedral or Chocolate Museum before the Eurostar return to London via Brussels

Included

  • All rail journeys, in first class
  • Seat reservations where required
  • 7 nights' 5-star hotel accommodation with breakfast
  • Easy-to-follow travel documentation
  • Despatch of tickets by email
  • Proactive rerouting in case of strikes or disruptions

Questions travellers ask

Is all train travel included in the price?
Yes. Tailor Made Rail includes all rail journeys in First Class, seat reservations where required, and despatch of tickets by email.
Is this an escorted tour or self-guided?
This is a self-guided rail holiday. Tailor Made Rail provides easy-to-follow travel documentation and handles bookings, but you travel independently.
Which trains are used?
Eurostar from London to Brussels, German ICE from Brussels to Frankfurt, a train via Dresden to Karlovy Vary, a regional train to Marianske Lazne, and a train via Cheb and Nuremberg back to Cologne.
What accommodation is included?
Seven nights in five-star hotels with breakfast: Steigenberger Icon Frankfurter Hof (Frankfurt), Grandhotel Pupp (Karlovy Vary, three nights), Esplanade Hotel (Marianske Lazne, two nights), and Excelsior Ernst Hotel (Cologne).
What happens if there is a train strike?
Tailor Made Rail offers proactive rerouting in case of strikes or disruptions.
Are optional activities included?
No. The package includes rail, accommodation, and breakfast. Optional extras such as overnight stops in Dresden or Nuremberg may be arranged separately with the operator.

Similar journeys