Cruising around the Austrian Lakes 20

Saturday 1st July Tauernbahn scenic railway, cruise on Millstättersee, steam at Taurachbahn After breakfast you board an OBB service train for the scenic southward journey on the Tauernbahn main line, comfortably accommodated in First Class. This is one of Austria’s most spectacular railway corridors and from the train windows you’ll have fabulous views of deep valleys, hilltop castles and long viaducts. After two hours, you arrive in Spittal to enjoy another privately chartered lunch cruise on the nearby Millstättersee. This rural lake is especially popular for water sports and is framed by several mountain ranges. After the cruise, you drive north to Mauterndorf, base of the narrow-gauge Taurachbahn. On this pretty heritage railway, an ancient tank engine hauls your private charter train from Mauterndorf to Tamsweg, pausing for photos and run pasts along the way. Enjoy the very best of Austria’s famed ‘little trains’ on this enchanting line. After returning to Mauterndorf there’s time to have a look around the historic town centre and the local castle, before making the coach transfer back to the Tauernbahn and the Bischofshofen main line station. From there it’s just a short train ride on the Intercity back to Salzburg, capping another great day out on land and lake. (B L)

Sunday 2nd July Paddle steamer cruise on the Traunsee, vintage electric railcar charter This morning you travel to the beautiful lakeside town of Gmunden in the heart of the Austrian Alps, to enjoy a genuine paddle steamer cruise on Lake Traunsee aboard the iconic Gisela of 1871, one of the oldest operational steamboats in the world. You’ll enjoy a buffet lunch aboard the ship surrounded by incredible scenery with amazing Alpine views. On returning to Gmunden there’s time for a stroll around town before making a mountain-top excursion on the aerial gondola to the summit of Mount Grünberg. At an altitude of 987 m above sea level, this panoramic vantage point affords fantastic views of the mountains to the south and Austria’s plains along the River Danube to the north. After descending back down to Gmunden, you return to Gmunden railway station on Austria’s shortest urban tramway and then take an OBB service train onward to Salzburg. (B L)

Monday 3rd July Paddle steamer cruise on the Danube aboard the majestic ‘Schönbrunn’ Another tour highlight awaits today, as you travel on Austria’s last preserved Danube paddle steamer. Built in 1912, the ‘Schönbrunn’ is named after the royal summer palace in Vienna and is truly regal. Driven by a huge, inclined marine steam engine, the ship has spacious decks and elegantly appointed lounges and saloons. You’ll cruise on the Danube from Linz, the historic city where the paddle steamer is based, and lunch will be served aboard the steamer. (B L)

Tuesday 4th July Steam in Tyrol at the Zillertalbahn and steam at the Achenseebahn Your tour concludes with double steam highlights as you travel in First Class on an OBB service train from Salzburg to Jenbach, where you first ride on the narrow-gauge Zillertalbahn to the mountain terminus of Mayrhofen. The Zillertalbahn is renowned around Europe for its regular ‘Plandampf’ trains in summer and offers beautiful views of the typical Tyrolean landscape. Once back in Jenbach, you travel on the other local line, the antique rack railway, for the ascent up to the Achensee. At the Achensee, you board a vintage motor vessel dating from the early 20th century for a private charter cruise, capping your memorable holiday in fine fashion. You return from Achensee to Jenbach on the rack railway, and then travel back to Salzburg once again in First Class on an OBB service train. A farewell dinner will be served at your hotel this evening. (B L D)

Wednesday 5th July Return to London After breakfast, you have a direct transfer to Salzburg airport, for a morning flight back to London (B)

Tour Summary

Tour price £2095 Single supplement £325 Ground only £1995 (Salzburg – Salzburg)

Price includes:

• Flights from London to Salzburg and back to London • 7 nights hotel accommodation with breakfast • 7 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

June – July 2023

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Oli Bachmann

Oli Bachmann Oli Bachmann

Alpine Steam Express

Wednesday 5th July to Wednesday 12th July 2023

Against the backdrop of the picturesque Swiss Alps and French Jura Mountains, glamorous steam locomotives, historic steamboats and towering peaks all feature prominently on this outstanding Alpine holiday tour. • Based in the Baroque town of Solothurn, you’ll travel on privately chartered steam trains and steamboats to unusual locations mainly off the beaten path. • Many steam highlights appear for the very first time in our programme, including the recently relaunched Brünig rack and adhesion tank engine No.1068. • Enjoy a private steam charter on the extensive Chemins de Fer du Jura metre gauge network in the Franches Montagnes of Western Switzerland, where mighty Mallet engines roam, this year featuring the steep route from Le Noirmont to

Tavannes. • Cruise aboard genuine paddle and screw steamers on numerous scenic lakes for delightful afternoon and sunset cruises. • Experience the ancient standard gauge Mallet locomotive Nr.196 at the Oensingen-Balsthal-Bahn and visit the Swiss national collection at the Brugg roundhouse, including steam on site and a steam ride at the Schinznach park railway. • Fully explore Switzerland’s amazing rail network with the additional freedom and flexibility of a multi-day Swiss Travel Pass.

Wednesday 5th July London to Basel; Transfer to Solothurn You travel by Eurostar from London St. Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord. Transferring to Paris Gare de l’Est you then journey to Basel in Switzerland. A short transfer takes you to Solothurn, your base for the holiday. With its fine Baroque and Renaissance buildings, for centuries Solothurn was the residence of the French king’s ambassador. You check into your hotel and relax before a welcome dinner is served. (D)

Thursday 6th July Steam at the unique Sursee-Triengen Railway; Paddle steamer cruise on Lake Lucerne from the medieval town of Sursee to the village of Triengen with a typical ‘Tigerli’ tank engine. For decades this line has been freight-only and, a rarity in Switzerland, never electrified. Numerous attractive run-pasts will be staged for photo and film opportunities. The line is very photogenic and was used to film the train scenes for Kenneth Branagh’s 2017 movie version of ‘Murder on the Orient Express’. You’ll enjoy lunch at the historic station restaurant in Triengen, before returning to Sursee. From there it’s a short ride by SBB service train to Lucerne and a delightful late afternoon paddle steamer cruise to Vitznau. (B L)

Friday 7th July Switzerland’s oldest steamboat on Lake Greif, Gotthard Railway and steam in Ticino In the morning you venture to Lake Greif southeast of Zürich for a delightful private cruise on Switzerland’s oldest steamer, the venerable ‘Greif’ from 1896. This elegant screw steamer allows you to watch the engineer stoke the coalfired boiler and crease the immaculate engine. Often the friendly captain also lets guests grab the wheel and take the helm of the ship! No experience of the famed Swiss steamboats would be complete without a sail on the hugely entertaining ‘Greif’. In the early afternoon you head south on the Gotthard railway and via the world’s longest railway tunnel to Biasca. There you enjoy steam at the newly established San Gottardo railway park, where either the green