Czech and Polish Steam Safari

Thursday 5th October to Sunday 15th October 2023

The historic cities of Prague and Brno and the rural landscapes of the Czech Republic create a superb backdrop to this unique tour, packed with main line and narrow-gauge steam highlights.

• Sample an eclectic line-up of unique steam locomotives, including big tank engines that have only just returned to service after decades out of use.

• Experience lots of ‘rare track’ excursions with private charter train trips on scenic countryside routes and unusual branch lines.

• Visit the huge collection at the Czech railway museum in Luzna u Rakovnika before embarking on a main line steam charter on the remote branch line from Luzna to Kralovice.

• Visit the Kolin, Mladejov, Zbysov and Osoblaha narrow-gauge railways on private steam charters, using the largest tank and tender locomotives available on both lines.

• Explore the Polish narrow gauge steam railways at Rudy and Bytom, where steam has only recently been reintroduced.

Thursday 5th October

Arrival in Prague

Following a direct flight to Prague you book into your central hotel for a welcome lunch. The rest of the day you are free to explore this fascinating city. A complimentary public transport rover ticket makes getting around by tramway or underground easy and enjoyable. (L)

Friday 6th October

Classic Prague by luxury tram and steam at the Kolin Sugar Beet Railway

This morning you board a luxury tram for a sightseeing tour of Prague, inclusive of onboard drinks. See the city’s premier landmarks while criss-crossing the River Vltava on its famous bridges. In the early afternoon you transfer to Kolin in Central Bohemia, where you ride the entire length of the re-opened 600 mm narrow gauge railway, including the most recent extensions. Upon arrival, refreshments will be served, including drinks. This delightful railway runs through fields and forests and will also pause for run-pasts. Motive power is provided by a rugged industrial tank engine and, weather permitting, your private charter train will be formed of semi-open ‘fresh air’ summer coaches. After a visit to the local steam shed, you return to Prague by service train to spend the evening at leisure in the city. (B L)

Saturday 7th October

Steam in Southern Moravia at the Zbysov heritage railway

Today you make a day-trip to southern Moravia, travelling in First Class on a comfortable main line express from Prague to Brno, before changing onto the connecting local train to

Zastavka u Brna. Here a private steam charter awaits you for the journey on the 600 mm heritage railway to the Zbysov museum and steam centre. Your train will be hauled by a CKD-built tank engine and pause for run-pasts. Once at Zbysov, lunch will be served. In the afternoon you return to Brno for a private sightseeing tram tour, before catching an early evening train back to Prague in First Class. (B L)

Sunday 8th October

Steam in Central Moravia at the Mladejov narrow-gauge railway with giant Krauss No. 5

Today you visit the Mladejov heritage railway on a day-trip from Prague. You arrive in the town of Mladejov by service train and visit the local industrial museum, which holds an impressive range of tank engines, including the giant Krauss

No. 5, the largest 600 m gauge locomotive in Central Europe. The Mladejov railway features an 11 km long 600 mm narrow-gauge railway, on which you’ll enjoy a private charter in semi-open summer coaches. You make the full-length return journey, pausing for run-pasts along the way. In the late afternoon you return to Prague by service train. (B L)

Monday 9th October

Main line steam in Central Bohemia from Luzna to Kralovice

This morning you board a service train departing from Prague’s grand old Masaryk station, one of the oldest terminus stations in Europe, which first opened in 1845. Travelling by service train, you reach Luzna u Rakovnika, home to a large collection of steam locomotives at the Czech Republic’s premier railway museum. You have time to visit the roundhouse and see the collection, before a private steam charter takes you on the unusual line via Rakovnik to Kralovice. You have lunch at a typical Czech countryside inn and pause for photo stops.

Traction today will either be provided by a Class 354 4-6-2 tank engine or a Class 423 2-8-2 tank engine. After arriving at Kralovice, you return by steam train to Luzna, before taking a regular train back to Prague. (B L)

Tuesday 10th October

A day at leisure in Prague

After several busy days chasing steam, today is simply designed to allow you to relax in Prague and enjoy all that this amazing city has to offer. (B)

Wednesday 11th October

On to Ostrava, city sightseeing by private tram charter

After breakfast, you transfer to Ostrava on a Czech Railways service train, arriving in the capital of Moravian Silesia by late afternoon. You check into your centrally located hotel, where you will be based for the remainder of the tour. In the afternoon you benefit from a sightseeing tour of the city taking you to all the principal sights in the fascinating industrial city. In the evening, dinner is served at the hotel. (B D)

Thursday 12th October

Double-headed steam in Moravian Silesia on the Osoblaha narrow gauge railway

A special narrow-gauge railway trip is in store today, as you take a Czech Railways service train from Ostrava via Opava to Tremesna to board a private steam charter on the idyllic line to Osoblaha. This remote yet serene railway runs through gentle fields and soft rolling hills, framed by church towers and dotted villages. The railway will put on a spectacular doubleheader including both the “Blue Behemoth” 0-10-0 tender locomotive U57.001 and the rugged Romanian Resita 0-8-0 tank engine. You will pause for pictures and run pasts at the most scenic locations, as lunch refreshments are served on the train. After a good day out by steam and a full return journey on the 20 km long branch line, you return to Ostrava where dinner is served in the hotel restaurant. (B L D)

Friday 13th October

Narrow gauge steam in Poland at Rudy Raciborskie

This small village in the countryside of Upper Silesia features one of the best preserved and most attractively rebuilt narrow gauge steam centres in Poland, including giant water tower and red-brick shed. The 7 km of reconditioned track is ideal for run-pasts and photography. The line’s 0-4-0 tank engine is in mint condition and the friendly crew will attractively pose it at various sites. After the steam round-trip by private charter, you continue to nearby Gliwice to visit the landmark radio tower and historic old town, where World War II started in Europe in September 1939. In the evening you return to Ostrava and arrive in time for dinner at the hotel (B L D)

Saturday 14th October

Steam and Tramways in Bytom

You return for one more day in Poland and today ride the amazing tramways in Bytom and Chorzow, enjoying a private charter through the streets of these historic cities. Then you visit the Bytom Karb yard, the largest narrow gauge marshalling yard in Poland and have a private steam charter for the full length of the Bytom narrow gauge railway to Miasteczko Slaskie, passing through the Tarnowskie Góry standard gauge yard. You pause for photos and run-pasts on a line that crosses what was the complicated border between Germany and Poland during the Interwar Years. Lunch is once again included today in Poland and dinner back at the hotel in Ostrava (B L D)

Sunday 15th October

Train to Prague, return flight to London

After breakfast at the hotel, you board a service train back to Prague, once again enjoying First Class amenities. At the Prague Main Station you have a direct and easy bus transfer onward to the airport for a return flight back to London. (B)

Tour Summary

Tour price £1995

Single supplement £395

Ground only £1845

(Prague – Prague)

Price includes:

• Flights from London to Prague and return

• 10 nights hotel accommodation with breakfasts

• 8 lunches and 4 dinners

• All specially chartered steam trains as detailed in the itinerary

• All specially chartered trips on heritage trams and vintage ships

• All train and road coach travel as detailed in the itinerary

• All transfers and visits as detailed in the itinerary

• 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 2023