Highlights of Switzerland in Winter 26

of the French and Swiss Alps. You return to Montreux, for a further look around town or ride on another local funicular before returning back to Vevey. Dinner will be served at your hotel this evening. (B D)

Thursday 23rd February Glacier Express route to Zermatt; Gornergrat Railway; the Matterhorn This morning you board an SBB service train from Vevey station to Visp, where you’ll travel on a panoramic narrow-gauge train for the final section of the Glacier Express route. This scenic railway line winds through rocky valleys and over steep inclines to reach Zermatt. Here you transfer to the Gornergrat rack railway, ascending to 3089 metres above sea level. It’s Europe’s second highest railway, eclipsed only by the Jungfrau. From this high Alpine plateau, enjoy 360-degree views of the surrounding glaciers and a fabulous front perspective of the Matterhorn. After refreshments at Gornergrat you can film the passing trains in their characteristic chocolate-brown livery, before riding back down to Zermatt. You’ll have some time to look around car-free Zermatt, with its rows of wooden chalets and stone churches. Then you board another panoramic narrow gauge train for the onward journey on the Glacier Express route to Brig. You’ll spend the night in this historic, elegant city, which has become famous as a major railway junction and gateway to nearby Italy. Your hotel is conveniently located near the railway station and dinner will be served at the hotel restaurant. (B D)

Friday 24th February On the Glacier Express and via the Oberalp Pass to Chur A true highlight awaits, as you step aboard the legendary Glacier Express and travel in First Class accommodation on one of the world’s most famous trains! Enjoy the sleek dome cars with their grandiose windows as well as the refinement of on train catering, for the half-day journey from Brig to Chur. The Glacier Express initially traverses the narrow valleys of the Obergoms, before travelling through Andermatt and climbing up to the breath-taking Oberalp Pass. From there you descend through the Surselva region and along the Rhine Gorge, arriving in Chur, one of Switzerland’s oldest cities. You check into a centrally located hotel with free time to explore, before dinner is served. (B L D) Saturday 25th February Rhaetian Railway from Chur to Arosa by private Pullman Coach; Ascent to the Weisshorn

Today you experience the famous Rhaetian Railway in a privately chartered, original 1930s Pullman car. Aside from the luxury of deep cushioned chairs, large panoramic windows give fine views of the mountainous landscape, as you traverse the impressively engineered 25 km branch line from Chur to Arosa. The route climbs 1155 metres via tunnels and bridges, including the 284-metre-long Langwieser Viaduct, first opened in December 1914. On arrival in Arosa you take the cableway to the summit of the 2653 metre Weisshorn, where majestic views await. You return to Arosa in the early afternoon, with ample time to explore the town and stroll along the picturesque lake. Later, you reboard the RhB train and private Pullman car for the return trip to Chur. You have the evening to explore the heart of the medieval old town. (B)

Sunday 26th February Albula Railway to Pontresina; Bernina Railway to Tirano by private Pullman coach

Another signature attraction awaits, as you journey over both the UNESCO-designated Albula and the Bernina railways. From Chur you take an express train over the beautiful Albula line to Samedan and Pontresina. This allows you to ride over the iconic Landwasser Viaduct and experience the countless horseshoe curves that make the Albula line renowned around the world. In Pontresina you change onto the Bernina Railway and are once again accommodated in a private Pullman coach for the journey over the wonderful Bernina pass, the only Swiss trans-alpine railway that climbs over the ridges between north and south without using a tunnel. Enjoy the ascent to the summit at Alp Grüm and the spiralling descent to Poschiavo, before the famed circular viaduct is reached at Brusio and you finish your journey amidst palm trees in Italy. In Tirano, you stop for lunch (wine included) and have time for a stroll to the basilica, before continuing back north in your Pullman coach. On returning to Pontresina you travel back to Chur over the Albula line aboard another RhB express service. A farewell dinner is served at your hotel. (B L D)

Monday 27th February Return to London Today you return to London from Switzerland, travelling via Chur, Basel and Paris on RhB, SBB, TGV and Eurostar trains. (B)

Tour Summary

First Class £2495 Single supplement £295 Ground only £2195 (Vevey – Chur)

Price includes:

• First Class travel from London St. Pancras

International to Vevey and return from

Chur. First Class travel within Switzerland where possible. • 3 Nights Accommodation with breakfast at 4-star Hotel Astra, Vevey • 1 Night Accommodation with breakfast at 4-star Hotel Ambassador, Brig • 3 Nights Accommodation with breakfast at 4-star Hotel ABC, Chur • 2 lunches and 5 dinners • All privately chartered vintage trains as detailed in the itinerary • First Class travel on Golden pass panoramic train (Montreux to Zweisimmen) • First Class travel on Glacier Express including lunch on-board (Brig – Chur) • All train travel and transfers • SBB luggage transfers from hotel to hotel • Seat reservations (where possible) • 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

February 2023

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The attraction of trains. By their very nature, trains, especially steam hauled trains, attract enthusiasts. Our tours will always include a number of photographic opportunities in the form of false starts and run pasts where this is practical and possible. Where possible, we also arrange locomotive footplate rides, museum and depot visits. Many of our customers do not have the same exclusive interest in trains shown by some enthusiasts; therefore, we keep in mind the need to diversify our tour programmes. We do this by including visits to castles and historic houses, and to wildlife parks, using accommodation in resort style hotels, and providing free time for shopping and exploring. Nevertheless the main attraction and therefore the emphasis of our tours is travel by train, which includes the nostalgia, the companionship on board, and the passing scenery. We consider that those travelling on our tours will see more scenery and in greater comfort than by road coach or cruise liner. Schedules and services. We arrange and advertise tours in good faith. Many scheduled railway organisations – train operators and track operators – only work two months ahead and therefore cannot confirm final schedules to us until that ‘window’.Likewise we cannot confirm and advise final numbers for a tour until full balances have been received from tour customers. Tours may be subject to occasional rescheduling or re-routing. The nature of steam trains is that breakdowns, delays and substitutions have to be accepted. Every genuine effort will be made to ensure that each of our tours runs as planned and advertised, or as close to it as possible. Fire risk. In many countries at times of exceptionally dry weather, coal fired steam locomotives may be banned from operating and diesel or electric traction may have to be substituted. Oil fired steam locomotives however are normally still allowed to operate. The Railway Touring Company cannot accept any responsibility for steam bans during times of high fire risk. Seat reservations and overnight travel arrangements. On some trains seat reservations are by individual seats, on others by block booking or complete carriage. Since the railways concerned make the allocations, we have to accept and be flexible about the seating arrangements. Where overnight travel is necessary we will arrange either to stay in a convenient hotel en route, to use one of the newer ‘hotel trains’, or to book Standard Class twin berth sleeper car trains (First Class is often single berth). These decisions are made on the basis of the length of the journey, the range of scenery likely to be missed by overnight travel, and the accommodation options available. Porterage. Some tours include porterage between stations and hotels; some include full luggage transfers between hotels, using either a supplementary road coach or scheduled ‘luggage in advance’ facilities. Porterage, where advertised, is included in the cost. However, there will be occasions when porters are not available or included and it will be each customer’s responsibility to handle their own luggage. Accommodation. We aim to use 3 or 4-star designated hotels throughout our tours as this offers us the standards of hospitality, catering and service that we would wish for our customers. We also seek out establishments which are either conveniently located for the railways in order to minimize transfers, or which afford some unique character. Where we cannot meet either of these criteria we ensure the best and most comfortable accommodation is available. Single supplements. We are pleased to advise that we do not financially benefit from single supplement charges. Supplement charges only apply due to hoteliers charging higher rates for rooms that are solely occupied. All of our prices listed are per person based on two persons sharing. Therefore, any room that is solely occupied does incur a charge, whether it be a single or double room. If a double room is preferred please state your preference at the time of booking in order for us to obtain a quote, double rooms for single use may be slightly more expensive than the single supplement stated. All other elements of our tours are priced on a per person rate, so no extra fees are applied for solo travellers. Food and drink. Meals will be taken on trains, boats, planes, in hotels and restaurants and even al-fresco, picnic or packed! Mindful of the diversity of our customer’s tastes we try to adopt a ‘middle of the road’ approach when choosing menus. We must also accept the limitations of on-board catering and marvel at the success that chefs regularly achieve in the confines of train kitchens. Hotel and restaurant meals are usually a set menu, with options for special dietary needs. If customers have any special dietary requirements they must please ensure we know them at the time of booking. In this way we can make the necessary arrangements for customers with special requirements. Some of our tours include alcoholic and soft drinks and coffee, in which case this is clearly stated in tour information. Otherwise customers are responsible for their own refreshments. Passports, visas and health issues. Customers are responsible for holding the necessary and appropriate travel documentation for their journey. For tours outside the UK, customers must ensure that there is at least six months validity remaining on their passports after returning back to the UK. We assume our customers are British Citizens whose passport shows they have a right to reside in the UK. If a customer has a passport of another country or state, or one that indicates restrictions on return to their country of origin, then they must please contact us prior to booking and well in advance of intended use. We will advise customers of the requirements and processing arrangements for visas where they are required.

We will offer any help we can in arranging customers’ visas. Health advice is dependent upon the destination, medical history and current health of each customer participating in a tour and we cannot assume any responsibility. Customers MUST seek advice from their GP or a travel medical centre. Pre-tour and travel documents. We will send out information to tour customers for visa and general planning purposes when appropriate, usually at the ‘balance due’ time. If there is nothing significant to communicate then we will simply acknowledge that the customer’s balance of payment has been received. We prepare and send a booklet of information to tour customers for all tours. This includes a passenger list with first or ‘known as’ names, where advised, (to check on an old acquaintance, aide-memoir for names during the tour); the latest known itinerary with as much detail as necessary (including meal times/locations); emergency and general contact details; and usually some general and specific information about features of the tour programme. This is intentionally a small part of the information available and tour customers are advised to research and obtain detailed reference material, maps, schedules etc. appropriate to their particular interests. Air travel tickets are usually sent to us for onward despatch less than two weeks before travel – please don’t panic! Rail tickets are often group travel documents held by the Tour Manager. In this case tour customers will be provided with joining instructions, which must please be observed since the party cannot progress until all members are present. Tickets, vouchers and coupons for onward travel during a tour, are usually held and distributed by the Tour Manager. With regards to the Covid-19 pandemic you will be required to follow all measures laid out by the transport providers on your holiday, we will send details of these to you along with your tour documents prior to travel. We will advise you of the specific requirements for the countries you are visiting before travel, adhering to the www.gov.uk/coronavirus government guidance at the time of travel. Travel insurance. Many customers arrange their own travel insurance. The Railway Touring Company cannot assume any responsibility relating to travel insurance issues and customers should ensure that they are familiar with procedures should an incident occur. This is especially important with medical cover since we do not undertake to obtain medical attention, but to hand over the customer to an appropriate and suitable authority. You will need to double check with your insurance providers that your terms cover you for such things like a pandemic i.e Covid-19 or if you fall ill whilst away and need emergency medical treatment, if you are unsure we highly advise you to contact your provider to see if you are covered, not all policies cover for this. • If you have not purchased your holiday insurance you will be looking for the following standard of cover, Medical and repatriation costs if you become unwell with any coronavirus (including Covid-19) or contagious disease. • If your trip or holiday has to be cancelled because you or a travelling companion are diagnosed with any coronavirus (including Covid-19) or contagious disease and are unable to travel. • Emergency repatriation costs to bring you home if the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) impose travel restrictions (while you’re at your destination), either in the UK or at your destination, and has requested you to return to the UK. Cancellations due to coronavirus will not be refunded less than 8 weeks prior to travel as per our terms and conditions. Claims for not travelling due to contracting Covid-19 or any other coronavirus or disease will need to be dealt with through your travel insurance provider. However, we can assist with providing any paperwork/cancellation forms that may be needed. Infirmity and disability. Tour managers are responsible for the general care and well-being of the whole group and are neither available, nor trained or insured for individual ‘personal’ care. Each tour, by way of the trains and terrain being visited, presents its own opportunities and restrictions. Customers should ascertain the suitability of the itinerary and facilities available relevant to their own needs. We are happy to discuss customers’ concerns with them before they commit to a booking. We will attempt to accommodate and resolve any needs or problems caused by undisclosed mobility/dietary/general health issues but cannot accept responsibilities beyond those stated above. We would especially draw the attention of customers to the tours that visit high-altitude locations and the resulting possibility of cardiovascular and respiratory problems. Confidentiality, privacy and mailing lists. Customers’ names and addresses have been obtained as a result of their response to advertisements, having been a previous customer or enquirer, or a referral from some other party. We do not share these details with anyone outside Warren Travel Ltd. trading as The Railway Touring Company or The Railway Touring Company Ltd. Customer’s personal details such as credit card numbers, travel arrangements, companions etc. will only be kept to be used within the requirements of tour operating. We are registered under the Data Protection Act. If one customer wishes to communicate with another customer, then please forward the stamped envelope/package to us. We will add the address and post on the mail. We will not divulge any addresses or telephone numbers. Please refer to our website for information regarding our Privacy Policy ensuring you fully understand it. Your acceptance of our Privacy Policy is deemed to occur upon your first use of Our Site. Financial protection. We are licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority and hold ATOL Number T7149. This ensures that in the event of the failure of our Company, customers’ money will be protected. If customers are on holiday at the time of Company failure, arrangements will be made for them to complete their holiday and return home. The flights we provide are supplied by other ATOL holders and are protected by their bonds. For further information, visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk.

Payments for flights. The payments that customers make for their flights are held by us in our trust account, on behalf of the ATOL holder who is supplying the flight, until the date that we pass the money to that ATOL holder. The ATOL holder supplying the flight will issue an ATOL confirmation invoice to confirm their contract with the customer. We will forward this to the customer no later than the day after we have received it. Will I need to take a Covid-19 test to travel? You may need to take a pre-holiday test before you leave the UK. The test required varies by destination country and is also subject to your vaccination status. Check the current requirements for your holiday destination via the foreign travel advice section of the UK Government website https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. This will also advise you on the type of test you may need to take. The Travel Trust Association (TTA) The TTA is a trade association of travel agents and travel organisers, established to provide financial protection for the customer. The TTA lays down strict guidelines on how the customer’s funds should be handled, and each member must adhere to those guidelines. Every TTA member pays the customer’s funds into a designated trust account which is supervised by an independent trustee; a Banker, Chartered or certified Accountant or Solicitor. Why your travel arrangements are totally safe with the Travel Trust Association The Travel Trust Association (TTA) recognises that for many people a holiday is the one chance to really relax – so it is important that customers are able to feel completely confident about their travel arrangements from the moment they make their booking. By choosing an approved TTA Member, customers can be sure that their travel plans are totally secure. These arrangements exceed the statutory levels of consumer protection. Customer’s funds are secured in Trust by the Travel Trust Association Trustees. Travel Trust Association 2 Crown Square Woking GU21 6HR 01483 545 780 www.traveltrust.co.uk The holidays in this brochure that include air travel are ATOL Protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is T7149. ATOL protects customers from losing their money or being stranded abroad. It does this by carrying out financial checks on the firms it licenses and requiring a guarantee, called a bond, to be lodged with them. If a firm goes out of business, the CAA will make a refund to the customer, or if already abroad on holiday, arrange for the customer to complete their holiday and fly home. Status The Railway Touring Company is a direct sell tour operator and retail travel agent. All parts of a customer’s holiday are covered by our TTA membership (number T726X), and the air travel for all of our customers’ holidays is covered by our ATOL membership (number T7149). Warren Travel Ltd, trading as The Railway Touring Company, acts as a booking agent for the service providers whose terms and conditions of booking and carriage apply to our tours. Copies of these terms and conditions will be obtained from the relevant service providers and forwarded to customers on request. Tours will be confirmed and take place subject to minimum and maximum numbers booking. Railway components of a tour are provided subject to the serviceability of motive power and stock, and the operating conditions prevailing at the time of the tour. In the event of a failure to operate services as advertised then ‘best’ alternatives will be provided.

Programme and prices Details of each tour programme and its cost are published in our tour brochure, in leaflets, by correspondence, or by amendments notified to customers. Customers are required to acknowledge their acceptance of this information.

Payments All tour bookings should be accompanied by payment of a deposit per person as follows: £100 for travel in the UK £150 for travel within Europe £350 for travel beyond Europe A confirmation of booking will be sent to customers which includes a statement of their account and a balance due date. The balance of payment is required in time for us to pay our suppliers, usually twelve weeks before travel. There are occasions when we are required to pay for group tickets earlier than this and the balance due date will reflect this. During the period of time that we are establishing a viable tour group, deposits are fully refundable. Once we have confirmed the operation of a tour then deposits are not refundable. Due to the high costs involved with debit and credit card transactions our preferred methods of payments for balance payments are cheque or bank transfer.

Fidelity insurance It is a requirement that all tour bookings be covered by Fidelity Insurance. This is a financial protection insurance that protects the customer’s money until the tour takes place. The cost of this insurance is included in the tour price.

Customer cancellation We have the following customer cancellation policy for all of our tours: Cancellation prior to 12 weeks before tour departure – loss of deposit Cancellation between 8-12 weeks prior to tour departure – 25% refund of tour cost Cancellation less than 8 weeks prior to tour departure – no refund

Passports, visas and health Customers are responsible for ensuring that they have the correct travel documentation for tours, and this includes passports, visas and health certificates. We are willing to give advice on passport and visa requirements but customers should seek professional guidance on medical related matters. We shall obtain guidance from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and tourist board where a security risk exists or arises in respect of a tour destination. This information will then be passed on to tour customers.

Prices Prices are determined against known exchange rates, fuel costs and tax regimes prevailing at 1st July 2022. The exchange rates used for prices quoted in this brochure are as follows: £1 = 1.16 Euros £1 = 1.31 Swiss Francs In the event of significant changes we must reserve the right to amend prices. A NO SMOKING policy will be pursued where we have the control or influence over the service that we are providing on our tour.

Our chartered steam trains Whenever possible we hire steam trains for our exclusive use. This allows us the flexibility, within operational parameters, to run to our requirements. It also enables us to stop the train for photographs of the scenery; the train itself; and sometimes staged train movements, known as run-pasts. We can often arrange for tour customers to ride on the footplate of the locomotive, should they wish, but at their own risk. Since our tours often number around 40 customers there are occasions when we have access to older trains with limited capacity, and sometimes to facilities not normally available to large groups or individuals. However, on occasions due to popularity and where space permits this number can be exceeded. Scheduled trains Where we travel by scheduled train, with few exceptions, we travel First Class in reserved seats or reserved carriages. This has proven to be much better value for money since the additional space, comfort and lack of crowding are obtained at a worthwhile supplement compared with Standard Class travel. Alternative airports, independent travel and extensions Our customers come from throughout the UK and overseas. Wherever possible we choose flights which allow connections from local airports, and prices for these connecting flights start at around £149 return. Most overseas tours allow for independent travel arrangements whereby customers may extend their stay, stop en route, or make their own travel arrangements. We can provide a ‘ground only’ quotation for all of our tours so that overseas customers and independent travellers can make their own way to and from the tour joining point.