Swiss Bernese Oberland 8

Saturday 1st October Excursion to Jungfraujoch and the ‘Top of Europe’ A real tour highlight awaits today on a trip to the famous Jungfraujoch and the ‘Top of Europe’. You’ll travel on a WAB train to Kleine Scheidegg before joining a JB train en route to the highest railway station in Europe.The train stops twice at points where there are large windows in the rock face for passengers to admire the views. The ‘Top of Europe’ itself is a high-altitude building connected to the underground Jungfraujoch Railway Station by a tunnel. There’s a choice of restaurants in which to take lunch, and a permanent exhibition about the Jungfrau Railway and the Alps. For the return back to Wengen you can either travel the same route by train from Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen or travel from Kleine Scheidegg on to Grindlewald at your own leisure, then make your way back to Wengen via Lauterbrunnen. On your return dinner will be served at the hotel. (B D)

Sunday 2nd October Bern Steam Tram; Cruise on Lake Thun Today you travel by train to the Swiss capital, Bern, for a two-hour tour of the city by legendary steam tram. The metre gauge 0-6-0 tramway locomotive pulls a classic wooden carriage with open-ended balconies. You’ll pass many of Bern’s historic landmarks, including the famous Zytglogge clock tower. In the afternoon there’s time to visit the shops along the arcaded walkways, or the famous Bear Park and nearby River Aare. Later, you’ll take a service train to Thun to board a boat for the onward journey. Cruising along Lake Thun you have uninterrupted views of famous mountain peaks like the Niederhorn, Niesen, and Jungfrau. You then disembark at Interlaken West Railway Station and return by train to Wengen via Lauterbrunnen. (B D)

Monday 3rd October Free day to use your Regional Pass; Optional visit to the Schilthorn Today is free to use your Regional Pass. Your first option is a trip to the summit of the Schilthorn, overlooking the valley of Lauterbrunnen and reached by a cable car from the village of Mürren. At the summit there’s a panoramic revolving restaurant, Piz Gloria, once the location of a James Bond film, and free entrance to the Bond World interactive exhibition. A mountain excursion surcharge is payable for this trip but if booked in advance you can take advantage of our special discounted price. The second option is a visit to Lucerne. The city is located on Lake Lucerne, in sight of Mount Pilatus and Mount Rigi in the Swiss Alps. You’ll get to Interlaken using WAB and BOB trains from where metre gauge Zentralbahn express trains go direct to Lucerne, a great experience in itself. The route follows the scenic Brünig Line beside Lake Brienz and the River Aare to Meiringen, where the train reverses and climbs over the Brunig Pass using a rack system. The terminus station at Lucerne is opposite the landing stage from which passenger boats, including paddle steamers, serve lakeside communities. The Chapel Bridge is a landmark of Lucerne and the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe. Other places of interest include the Old Town of Lucerne, the Lion Monument, and the Swiss Museum of Transport. (B D)

Tuesday 4th October Excursion to Schynige Platte Today you enjoy an excursion to the Schynige Platte mountain area, famous for its wildflower gardens and views of the majestic mountain scenery. You travel by WAB train to Lauterbrunnen and BOB train to Wilderswil, the junction for the 800mm gauge Schynige Platte Railway from 1893, one of Switzerland’s pioneering lines. The cog train climbs at a sedate 12 kph up to Schynige Platte, passing many panoramic viewpoints overlooking Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, eventually revealing the glistening giants of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains to the south. (B D)

Wednesday 5th October Return to UK After breakfast in the hotel it is time to say your farewells and take local trains to Lauterbrunnen and Interlaken. You then travel by express train from Interlaken to Basel before changing trains and continuing to Paris Gare de L’Est via Strasbourg. There you transfer to Paris Gare du Nord and take a Eurostar service back to London St. Pancras International. (B)

Tour Summary

Tour price £1795 Single supplement £115 Optional extra £35 Mountain excursion surcharge to visit ‘The Schilthorn’

Price includes:

• 7 nights half board at Sunstar Hotel including complimentary beverages from the minibar (beer, mineral water, soft drinks, refilled daily) and free use of hotel facilities including WiFi, swimming pool, sauna and steam bath • First Class rail travel from London to

Switzerland and back (seats are reserved in standard premier carriages on Eurostar services) • A standard class Regional Pass valid for days 2 to 7 for travel around the Bernese

Oberland • All rail, tram and boat trips as detailed in the itinerary • All escorted visits as detailed in the itinerary • All seat reservations and transfers (except on free days) • The services of a tour manager

All prices shown are per person based on two persons sharing. Meals included each day are shown as: B = Breakfast - L = Lunch - D = Dinner

October 2022

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Georg Trueb

Autumn in Alsace

Thursday 6th October to Thursday 13th October 2022

Enjoy the famous wine-making region of Alsace in full autumn splendour by steam train on this enchanting holiday in eastern France. • Based in the vibrant city of Colmar, you’ll explore the region on privately chartered steam trains on all the preserved railways in Alsace and a forest railway in nearby Lorraine. • Tour highlights include excursions into nearby southern Germany and a visit to the impressive steam Abreschviller Forest

Railway in Lorraine, hauled by an 0-4-4-0T Mallet type steam locomotive. • Discover the medieval heart of Basel on a sightseeing tour by vintage tram, followed by a scenic river cruise including lunch aboard a classic motor vessel on the River Rhine. • There’s also a visit to the Alsatian vineyard town of Eguisheim and to the city of Mulhouse to savour, with the excellent

French National Railway Museum and the one-of-its kind Bugatti Museum both located there. • Short transfer distances from Colmar to all the featured attractions make this a truly relaxed and engaging tour, the perfect opportunity to see France with a completely new perspective.

Thursday 6th October London to Colmar You travel by Eurostar from London St. Pancras International to Paris Gare du Nord, before a transfer to Paris Gare de l´Est for the onward journey by TGV express to Strasbourg, where you change onto a regional service to Colmar. You check in to your elegant, centrally located hotel in the heart of this picturesque town. The rest of the day is free to explore and discover the timber-framed houses and quaint canals of historic Colmar.

Friday 7th October Vintage tram tour and scenic river cruise in Basel This morning you transfer by locomotive-hauled French Railways (SNCF) service train to Basel, across the border in Switzerland. You then enjoy a sightseeing tour of this vibrant city by vintage tram, including one of the few preserved open-sided tram trailers in Switzerland. Crossing the River Rhine, you’ll see the medieval town centre, the cathedral and the ornate city hall. Afterwards you board a vintage motor vessel for a lunch cruise on the River Rhine. Your classic red-funnelled ship oozes charm and boasts wood-panelled dining saloons. A buffet lunch, complete with dessert, will be served as you cruise through Swiss, German and French waters. After the cruise there’ll be free time to explore the city centre before you return to Colmar by SNCF service train in late afternoon. (B L) Saturday 8th October Steam along the Rhine; visit to historic Breisach After breakfast you travel by road coach to visit the Chemin de Fer Touristique du Rhin, located in the nearby town of Volgelsheim. This standard-gauge railway operates both French and German steam locomotives hauling Austrian carriages with balconies. You’ll traverse the 13 km (8 mile) line from Volgelsheim to the Sans Souci Quay at Marckolsheim, where the River Rhine and canal separate. Afterwards you continue by road coach to the historic city of Breisach in Germany, on the opposite side of the River Rhine, famous for its charming old town and impressive Gothic cathedral, located on a scenic hilltop. Lunch will be taken at a charming German inn and you’ll then explore the town.