Railbookers Brochure 2017 by RailbookersGroup

HOLIDAYS BY RAIL WORLDWIDE EDITION JANUARY - DECEMBER 2017

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WHY RAILBOOKERS Railbookers offers expertly planned tailor made holidays by train, with an extensive range of holidays to Europe, North America and beyond. Our mission is to take the complexity out of independent rail travel and offer all our customers unparalleled service, incredible travel experiences and the very best value. The team at Railbookers is made up of proud ‘train geeks’ with comprehensive knowledge and passion for all things ‘rail holiday’.

RAIL EXPERTS

FLEXIBILITY

INSIDER ACCESS

• Our team are self-confessed ‘train geeks’ with extensive knowledge of the best routes and best timings of rails systems throughout the world.

• With Railbookers, you can book your trip at any time – even if tickets aren’t on sale to the public yet

• Our direct partnerships with rail companies and hotels across Europe, North America and beyond mean we have access to special rates and availability not accessible to the public

• We like nothing more than talking to you about your holidays by rail!

• We can tailor make any of our holidays to suit your exact requirements.

SAVE UP TO £200 PER COUPLE

on your next adventure by rail with our fantastic early booking discounts, call for more details

SAVE UP TO £200

• We use our specialist knowledge to handpick all our hotels, routes and sightseeing tours in order to provide the ultimate in comfort, convenience and value to our guests.

PER COUPLE

7579

ABTA No.Y6401

Book with confidence. Railbookers is a member of ABTA Y6401 and ATOL 7579. Which means you have the benefit of ABTA’s assistance and Code of Conduct, as well as financial protection for your holiday. All packages inclusive of flights will be financially protected by the ATOL scheme.’

2 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

CONTENTS

Paris

Barcelona

Maroon Lake

HASSLE FREE BOOKING PROCESS

AWARD WINNING RAIL TOUR OPERATOR

• We know that with so many routes, trains, languages and providers, booking a holiday by rail can be a confusing and stressful task. That’s where we step in!

• We are incredibly proud to have won many industry awards, recognising our dedication and commitment to providing you with a flawless rail holiday experience

• Your holiday will be professionally planned by one our rail experts, who’ll organise all your tickets, timings, excursions and hotel stays, and send you everything you need for your rail holiday.

• We have won in the British Travel Awards category for ‘Best Rail Holidays Company’ for four consecutive years

• It’s that simple! All you have to do is sit back, relax and get on board!

• Railbookers is a Feefo Gold Trusted Merchant with a 99% feedback rating for our customer service

GOLD

TRUSTED MERCHANT

2015

Everything you need to know about our rail holidays 4 Our Rail Partners 5 Eurostar 6 Italy via the Alps 7-25 Venice via the Alps 8-9 Venice and Florence via the Alps 10 Verona and the Bernina Express 11 Venice and Lake Como via the Alps 12 Venice and Lake Garda via the Alps 13 Venice, Florence and Rome 14-15 Venice Simplon-Orient-Express 16-19 Florence via the Alps 20-21 Florence and Lake Como via the Alps 22 Florence and Lake Garda via the Alps 23 Florence and Rome 24 Florence, Siena and Lucca 25 Paris and Beyond 26-29 Paris and Barcelona 26 Aix-en-Provence and Avignon 27 Aix-en-Provence and Nice 28 Marseille and Avignon 28 Avignon and Nice 29 Brussels and Beyond 30-31 Ghent and Brussels 30 Brussels and Amsterdam 31 Bruges and Brussels 31 Scenic Journeys 32-37 Classic Bernina Express 32 Classic Glacier and Bernina Express 33 Classis Glacier Express and Jungfraujoch 34 Switzerland’s Lakes and Mountains 35 Arlberg Pass: Zurich, Innsbruck and Vienna 36 Brenner Pass: Munich, Innsbruck and Verona 37 Germany and Beyond 38-41 Cologne and Berlin 38 Berlin and Prague 39 Berlin, Dresden and Prague 39 Prague, Vienna and Budapest 40 Polish Explorer 41 Spain and Portugal 42-49 Barcelona, Seville and Madrid 42 Madrid and Andalucia 43 Barcelona via Montpellier 44 La Coruna to Lisbon 45 Porto, Coimbra and Lisbon 46 Galicia, Vigo and Porto 47 Scandinavia 48-49 Scandinavian Grand Tour 48 Norway in a Nutshell 49 USA and Canada 50-61 Jazz Blues Rock N Roll 51 American Heritage 52 Route 66 by Rail 53 Coast to Coast Across the USA 54-55 Alaska Rail and Sail 56-57 Ultimate Canada by Rail with the Rockies 58-59 Rockies Discovery Eastbound with Seattle 60-61

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 3

RAIL NETWORK

Inverness

ACROSS EUROPE

Glasgow

Edinburgh

Larne

Sligo

Aberdeen

SCOTLAND

N. IRE.

Belfast Stranraer

Newcastle

Galway

REP. OF IRELAND

NORTH

Dublin

York Limerick Liverpool Manchester Kilkenny Holyhead Mallow Rosslare Cork Waterford Fishguard

Birmingham

Cardiff Plymouth

ENGLAND

WALES

Oxford Bristol

Harwich Cambridge

NETH

Ams

The Hague

London Dover

Southampton Brighton

Bruges Ypres An Calais Ghent Lille

Brussels

Rouen

Hirson

Paris

Nantes

Bordeaux

Dijo Limoges ClermontFerrand

Toulouse Montpellier

Biarritz

Porto

Lourdes

Coimbra

Zaragoza

Madrid

PORTUGAL

Laus Geneva Montr Lyon

Cham Grenoble

León

Lisbon

Lux

Reims

Tours

FRANCE La Coruña Santiago de Compostela Pontevedra Vigo

BELG

SPAIN

Avignon

Nimes Aix-enProvence Marseille C Perpignan

Barcelona

València Sevilla Cádiz Algeciras

Granada Malaga

M EDI TERRANEAN

SE A

Flåm Myrdal Bergen

Oslo

NORWAY

SWEDEN

Stavanger

Turku

Helsinki

Stockholm Larvik

DENMARK

I LT A B

H S E

SE A

Gothenburg

Copenhagen

THE HERLANDS

Gdansk

Bremen

sterdam

Utrecht

Rotterdam ntwerp

xembourg City

POLAND

Berlin

Hannover

Aachen Cologne ls

GIUM

Hamburg

Poznan

Warsaw

Leipzig Fulda

Koblenz Frankfurt

GERMANY

Dresden

Prague

Nuremberg

ancy Strasbourg Freiburg

Wroclaw

SLOVAKIA

Munich

Kraków

CZECH REPUBLIC Vienna

BaselZurich Salzburg Bern Lucerne St.Gallen sanne Interlaken Chur SWI. a Innsbruck Zermatt reux St.Moritz Graz Bellinzona ake Maggiore Lugano Lake Como /Stresa mbéry Milan Lake Garda Trieste Ljubljana e Zagreb Verona Venice Turin Genoa Sestri Levante Bologna e Menton Nice Lucca Florence Cannes Pisa Siena Split

Budapest

AUSTRIA

HUNGARY

SLOVENIA

ROMANIA Belgrade

Bucharest

CROATIA

ITALY

SERBIA

MONTENEGRO

Sofia

BULGARIA

Bar

Rome

TURKEY Naples Sorrento Thessaloniki

Lecce

Corfu

GREECE

Palermo

Sicily Taormina Siracusa

Athens

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OUR RAIL HOLIDAYS

HOW DO I MAKE A BOOKING?

WHAT IS IT LIKE ON A SLEEPER TRAIN?

Please visit your local Travel Agent Call us on 020 3327 3586 Or visit www.railbookers.co.uk

The sleeper trains in our packages are comfortable, fun and adventurous ways of travelling long distances. Most sleeper trains offer private cabins for one, two or sometimes three passengers. Some routes also offer the opportunity to upgrade to deluxe compartments with private en-suite facilities.

We’re always advocates of taking the scenic route! With so much to see from the train windows on all our holidays, you’re in for a treat. If there’s a different route you could take for some extra special scenery, we’ll be excited to let you know!

AM I ABLE TO TRAVEL ON MY CHOICE OF DATES?

HOW MUCH LUGGAGE CAN I BRING?

There are no set departure dates with our holidays, with the exception of private train journeys such as the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. Most trains will run every day, which means our holidays do too.

If you’re used to strict luggage policies and weight limits, rail travel will be a breath of fresh air. Each passenger can take two main items of luggage plus an item of hand luggage. There are no weight restrictions.

CAN I START OR FINISH MY JOURNEY AT MY LOCAL STATION? Of course! Most of our rail holidays start from London St.Pancras station, where the Eurostar departs. However train tickets can be booked from any UK rail station to coincide with the timings of your onward or return journey. CAN I TAILOR MAKE MY TRIP? Absolutely. We can add hotel nights to give you extra time to explore your destination, or add in additional stopovers to help you discover new ones! We can also add transfers and sightseeing options so you can make the most of your trip. Just talk to your Travel Agent and we’ll start creating the perfect holiday for you. CAN I TAKE A HOLIDAY YOU OFFER IN REVERSE? We can offer a reverse option on any of our packages. If you would like to visit cities in a different order or start/finish in a different location, please speak with your local Travel Agent. CAN I UPGRADE TO FIRST CLASS RAIL ON SOME OR EVEN ALL OF MY TRAIN JOURNEYS? You certainly can. This could entitle you to a larger seat, more legroom and even a meal and drinks on certain routes. To find out more please speak with your local Travel Agent, who will tell you the advantages of first class on your specific route.

CAN I CHOOSE MY TRAIN TIMES? Our packages don’t have set departure times. When there are multiple trains a day, if there’s a particularly convenient time or a departure that will ensure you catch the best scenery, we’ll be sure to recommend it. WHERE ARE YOUR HOTELS LOCATED? Our hotels are centrally located within each city we offer. Most are within a short distance of local sights and/or your railway stations. WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO TRAVEL? Whenever works for you! Whether you’re looking for the best weather, the best scenery or the best value, just talk to your local Travel Agent about what you’re looking to get from your holiday and they can arrange the perfect trip.

CAN YOU RECOMMEND THE MOST SCENIC ROUTE TO GET TO MY DESTINATION?

HOW LONG BEFORE THE TRAIN DEPARTS SHOULD I BE AT THE STATION? With the exception of Eurostar, which has a 45-minute check-in time, there is no official check-in required for train journeys in Europe. Of course, we always recommend arriving at the station in plenty of time. CAN I FLY HOME FROM THE LAST CITY ON MY RAIL HOLIDAY? Absolutely. We can to arrange flights from airports across the world back to the UK. You are also able to fly out to one destination and continue your holiday by rail from there - whatever works for you.

4 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

OUR RAIL PARTNERS Railbookers are able to offer a professionally planned holidays and a seamless booking process due to our strong partnerships with suppliers throughout Europe, America and Canada.

EUROSTAR

AMTRAK

THALYS

Eurostar is the only high speed train that directly links the UK to France and Belgium via the Channel Tunnel. They take travellers from city centre to city centre, and have been doing so since 1994.

Amtrak is the USA’s national rail operator. It connects North America in a safer, greener and healthier way with thousands of route miles across 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces. Amtrak operates more than 300 trains every day, travelling at speeds up to 150 mph, to more than 500 spectacular destinations.

Thalys offers a high-speed service from Paris to Brussels, Cologne and Amsterdam, as well as providing a link between Amsterdam and Lille. Founded in 1996, Thalys is the only truly multicultural rail service to have achieved a high-speed international link between four countries. Their trains are designed with comfort and convenience in mind with plug sockets at every seat and WiFi available on board.

Eurostar take thousands of people a day to Paris, Brussels, Lille, Calais and more, as well as running much-loved direct trains to the South of France and the French and Swiss Alps. Eurostar now run services from London St. Pancras International, Ebbsfleet International and Ashford International in Kent. BELMOND: VENICE SIMPLON-ORIENTEXPRESS The ultimate travel curator and connoisseur, Belmond creates exceptional experiences worldwide. Their collection of iconic trains brings together some of the world’s most thrilling journeys and destinations. From the vintage carriages of the British Pullman to its sister train the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. A work of art in itself and a true Art Deco icon, the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is one of the world’s most famous luxury trains. Step aboard and experience truly elegant travel, wrapped in timeless romance.

VIA RAIL Established by the Canadian government in 1977, VIA Rail Canada breathed new life into the country’s railways by becoming its first national passenger rail company. Boasting an impressive array of train cars, VIA provides a reliable and secure way to travel across Canada. Its fleet is equipped with all the amenities and technology that you’ve come to expect from modern travel, including wireless Internet access.

Founded in 1994, Deutsche Bahn AG is one of the world’s leading passenger companies operating in 130 countries. Deutsche Bahn are committed to providing efficient travel services for customers around the world, operating over 26,000 train trips on its modern 33,000 kilometer long track network every day.

TRENITALIA

RENFE OPERADORA

‘With a total network of more than 180 highspeed daily connections from city center to city center, including all of Italy’s major art cities, its wide domestic network that helps you reach every destination and its high-level catering services on board, Trenitalia will take you everywhere you want in the fastest, easiest and most pleasant way.

Renfe Operadora is a state owned Spanish rail company, which was founded in 2005. The name “Renfe” was formed from the former Spanish National Railway Network, RENFE (acronym of Red Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Españoles). Their mission is to provide rail transport to passengers in the safest and most efficient way.

DEUTSCHE BAHN

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 5

EUROSTAR From the snowy peaks of Switzerland to the sandy bay of Naples, the hundred spires of Prague and the breathtaking fjords of Norway; every rail journey from the UK to the continent begins with the Eurostar.

Speeding directly from London St Pancras, Ebbsfleet and Ashford International stations to Europe, the Eurostar has been linking city centres with city centres since 1994. From Brussels to Paris and far beyond, there’s no better way to adventure than by rail – and this is the way to start!

JOURNEYS

BUSINESS PREMIER

Wizz through the English countryside through Kent to Dover, passing the white cliffs as you speed under the English Channel. Traditionally connecting London with the French cities Paris and Lille and the Belgian capital of Brussels, the Eurostar’s direct journey offerings now include Lyon, Avignon, Marseille and skiing resorts in the heart of the Swiss Alps. In essence, Eurostar plugs the UK into Europe, making city breaks by rail a smooth, relaxing dream.

To really make sure your experience is as luxurious as possible, go the whole way and upgrade to Business Premier. You’ll enjoy delicious meals designed by celebrity chef Raymond Blanc, as well as a 10-minute check in, lounge access at St. Pancras and enhanced flexibility with your tickets.

ON BOARD From start to finish, your journey on Eurostar is bound to be comfortable. Relax in your assigned seat, enjoy a coffee from the bar car and watch the world go by en route to your destination. New Eurostar E320 trains were introduced in 2015, modernising the fleet even further. If you get peckish on board, stock up on snacks and treats from the Café Métropole, where you can purchase anything from a cup of tea to a tasty meal. Of course, feel free to pack your own picnic to enjoy on board. STANDARD PREMIER Upgrading aboard the Eurostar is the perfect experience for a special holiday, or just a simple way to treat yourself. You’ll be spoilt with a more spacious seat, extra legroom, a light meal and drinks served at your seat and complimentary magazines – a great way to set the tone for a city break or holiday experience with Railbookers.

CHECK IN Enjoyment and relaxation aboard the rails start immediately on your holiday with us. With Eurostar there’s no lengthy check in, just allow a minimum of 45 minutes for passport controls and a quick scan of your baggage. Board the train and you’re ready to go... LUGGAGE Forget weighing your luggage and measuring out your shampoo into miniature bottles. Eurostar’s luggage allowances are famously generous, and there’s no need to check any bags! Each and every adult aboard the train can take two suitcases and one piece of hand luggage, with no weight limits at all. There are no liquid restrictions either, so feel free to pack the pinot noir you’ve picked up in Paris! You can store your bags in the luggage racks above your seats and at the end of the carriages. It couldn’t be simpler.

6 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

ITALY VIA THE ALPS Nothing compares to the magic of arriving in Italy through the stunning Swiss Alps! Forgo the flights and make the journey a highlight of your holiday by taking to the tracks from London to Italy.

GERMANY AUSTRIA

ZURICH SWITZERLAND BELLINZONA STRESA/ LUGANO LAKE MAGGIORE LAKE COMO FRANCE

LAKE GARDA

MILAN TURIN

SLOVENIA VENICE

VERONA

GENOA SESTRI LEVANTE LUCCA PISA

BOLOGNA FLORENCE SIENA

ITALY

ROME

BARI

NAPLES SORRENTO

PALERMO

TAORMINA SIRACUSA

Make the journey part of your holiday! The rail route from London to Italy is as relaxing, comfortable and easy as it is scenic! Fly and you’ll miss all the wonderfully mountainous landscapes that embroider the edges of the tracks. Travel through the Channel Tunnel from London St. Pancras International towards Paris and weave through rolling French countryside along the way. Watch the magnificent peaks of the Alps rise from the gentle landscapes as you approach the Swiss border. Spend a night in a vibrant Swiss city along the way – there are loads of great options but Zurich or Lucerne are always firm favourites with our customers.

The next day you’ll traverse the spectacular Gotthard Pass! One of the world’s most famous scenic rail routes, feast your eyes on fairytale Alpine landscapes – a Narniaesque wonderland in the winter or a verdant, sundrenched paradise when the weather gets warmer. Ascend with the mountains up to the Gotthard Tunnel before plunging towards Italy, the track-sides embroidered with towering summits, sparkling lakes and quaint chocolatebox villages. Marvel as the beauty of rural Switzerland establishes a distinct flair as you travel south towards Italy – and be sure to look out for glimpses of shimmering Lake Lugano. Cameras at the ready!

Once you’ve hopped across the Swiss-Italian border, let the tracks serve as a gateway to an Italian city that inspires you. The patchwork rail network can guide you almost anywhere – from vibrant cities to picturesque little villages. Why not relax by one of the gentle, azure lakes in the north of the country, explore tangible history and ancient landmarks in the ‘Eternal City’ of Rome or unearth Renaissance masterpieces and Tuscan cuisine in Florence? Intrigued by the winding canals of Venice, the pristine banks and hilltop villas of Lake Como, the music and romance of Verona or the serene Bays of Naples. All are easily discoverable by rail! Live la dolce vita and arrive relaxed when you take a holiday by train

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 7

VENICE VIA THE ALPS

London ➡ Paris ➡ Zurich ➡ Milan ➡ Venice ➡ London

LONDON Your journey begins in London

PARIS

FRANCE

1 ZURICH

SWITZ

You travel through the stunning Swiss Alps along the Gotthard Pass

MILAN ITALY

3 VENICE Spend 3 nights in Venice before flying back to London

KEY

Nights stay Flight home

Rialto Bridge in Venice

DAY 1 – LONDON TO ZURICH

DAY 2 – ZURICH TO VENICE

DAY 3 – VENICE

Depart London St Pancras on the Eurostar to Paris and connect on to a high speed train from Gare de Lyon travelling south east to Zurich.

After breakfast, take the train along one of Europe’s most scenic rail routes - the Gotthard Pass. The striking scenery of the Swiss Alps unfolds as you travel east along the tracks to Venice via Milan. On arrival at your final destination, Venice, check in at the Ai Mori D’Oriente hotel for a three night stay.

A visit to Venice is not complete without a ride on a gondola, a mode of transport that has been in existence in Venice for over 1000 years! Soak up the vibrant atmosphere in St Mark’s Square whilst marvelling at the beautiful mosaics that adorn the Basilica and maybe visit the Doge’s Palace, with its origins dating back to the 14th century. It is advisable to take a tour of this important Venetian landmark to fully understand its extensive history.

Upon arrival in Zurich, transfer and check in at the Du Theatre hotel for an overnight stay. Be sure to make the most of your time in Zurich - meander through the pretty streets of the Old Town, enjoy a meal in one of the many restaurants or take a leisurely stroll along the banks of the lake.

Romantic and enchanting, Venice is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site and is truly unique. Made up of 118 islands separated by canals and linked by bridges, magnificent architecture, pretty backstreets, grand palaces, museums and cathedrals await your discovery.

8 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

5 DAYS FROM

£699 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Eurostar to Paris and onward rail travel • Flight from Venice to London • 4 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES: January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

£699 £719 £719 £889 £889 £889 £809 £809 £889 £889 £719 £719

Prices are based on two people sharing a standard twin or double room, and subject to availability and change. Single occupancy supplements apply. Some hotels will require payment of local city taxes on arrival. See page 62.

Venice

DAY 4 – VENICE

DAY 5 – VENICE TO LONDON

Make sure you spend some time out on the water. Venice Lido has some great sandy beaches and the islands of Murano and Burano are beautifully maintained fishing villages where you can watch the famous Venetian glassblowers in action. These and other sights are accessible by Vaporetto or private water taxi.

This morning is your chance to visit those places not yet explored and absorb the last of the Venetian culture. Make your way to Marco Polo Airport for your flight home to London after a wonderful three night stay in this fascinating city.

Swiss Alps

Venice

Why Not... Zurich

Forego the flight and travel back to the UK by rail, stopping overnight in Turin en route.

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 9

8 DAYS FROM

Venice

£979 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Eurostar to Paris and onward rail travel • Flight from Pisa to London • 7 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

VENICE AND FLORENCE VIA THE ALPS

London ➡ Paris ➡ Zurich ➡ Venice ➡ Milan ➡ Florence ➡ Pisa ➡ London

Your journey begins in London

LONDON

ZURICH SWITZ

You travel through the stunning Swiss Alps along the Gotthard Pass

MILAN

3 VENICE

ITALY Your holiday ends with a flight back to London from Pisa

KEY

Nights stay Flight home

DAY 1 – LONDON TO ZURICH Follow the tracks to Paris from London and connect onto a high speed TGV Lyria to Zurich. Check in at the Du Theatre hotel for an overnight stay. Zurich is a cultural and cosmopolitan city situated on the River Limmat which flows out into Lake Zurich. Spend an evening exploring the cobbled streets of the Old Town. DAY 2 – ZURICH TO VENICE Depart Zurich in the morning and travel to Venice on one of the most scenic routes in

£979 £1,009 £1,009 £1,279 £1,309 £1,309 £1,169 £1,169 £1,309 £1,309 £1,009 £1,009

PARIS

FRANCE

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

PISA

3 FLORENCE

Europe, the Gotthard Pass. Relax while the train cuts through the Alps and travels through to Italy. As well as magnificent mountain scenery, look out for glimpses of Lake Lugano and Como. Arrive into Venice’s famous Santa Lucia station and check in at the Ai Mori D’Oriente hotel.

arriving in Florence. Upon arrival, check in at the Botticelli hotel. Relax on one of Florence’s pretty terraces and enjoy some Tuscan delicacies such as pappa al pomodoro and schiacciata alla Fiorentina (the tasty Tuscan sponge cake). DAYS 6 & 7 – FLORENCE Discover the reasons behind Florence’s reputation as a “capital of art”. Visit the most famous gallery in Florence, the Uffizi, which houses works by Botticelli, Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo. Alternatively visit more of Italy’s famous churches such as the San Lorenzo, Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce. DAY 8 – FLORENCE TO LONDON After breakfast in the hotel, depart Florence for the short journey by train to Pisa. On arrival, make your way to the airport and then check in for your flight back to London.

DAYS 3 & 4 – VENICE Stretched across 118 islands within the Venetian Lagoon, Venice is famed for its canals, its history and its ethereal beauty. Truly, this city continues to enchant visitors from all over the world as it has done for centuries. Discover the numerous attractions of this enchanting city, exploring St Martin’s Basilica, Piazza San Marco and the Doge’s Palace to name a few. Treat yourself to a classic gondola ride through the maze of canals before tucking in to some Cicchetti (Italian tapas). DAY 5 – VENICE TO FLORENCE

Florence

Board a high speed Frecciarossa train and pass by quaint Italian villages and fields before

10 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Venice

Bernina Express

8 DAYS FROM

£1,259 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Eurostar to Paris and onward rail travel • Flight from Verona to London • 7 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast • 3 Day Swiss Pass Standard Class • Bernina Express reservation • Bernina Bus reservation

VERONA AND THE BERNINA EXPRESS

DATES AND PRICES:

London ➡ Paris ➡ Zurich ➡ Lugano ➡ Bernina Bus ➡ Tirano ➡ Bernina Express ➡ Chur ➡ Innsbruck ➡ Verona ➡ London

LONDON

£1,259 £1,279 £1,289 £1,329 £1,299 £1,299 £1,329 £1,459

March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017

Your journey begins in London

PARIS

DAY 5 – CHUR TO INNSBRUCK GERMANY

FRANCE

ZURICH 1 SWITZ

INNSBRUCK 1 CHUR

LUGANO 2 KEY

Bernina Express excursion from Lugano to Tirano

Nights stay Flight home

DAY 1 – LONDON TO ZURICH Travel to Paris and transfer to Gare de Lyon for your onward journey to Zurich. Journey through the tranquil French countryside to the Swiss border, arriving in Zurich in time for dinner. On arrival, check into the hotel Du Theatre. DAY 2 – ZURICH TO LUGANO After a morning in Zurich catch the train to Lugano. The journey will take you through some of Switzerland’s most breathtaking scenery as it

AUSTRIA

TIRANO

Spend 2 nights in Verona before flying back to London

VERONA ITALY

passes through Zug, Arth-Goldau, Gotthard and Bellinzona, before descending into the Italianspeaking Swiss Canton of Ticino and checking in at the International Au Lac Lugano for a two night stay. DAY 3 – LUGANO Lugano has plenty to offer, from designer boutiques to historic churches and some great museums. Visit the Museo Cantonale d’Arte, featuring works by Renoir, Degas and Kandinsky amongst others, or take a look at San Lorenzo Cathedral, built in the Middle Ages and featuring beautiful frescoes and Gothic artefacts.

Innsbruck is reached via the spectacular mountain scenery and verdant meadows along the Arlberg Pass, where you will be delighted around every twist and turn of the tracks. Arrive in Innsbruck, the impressive resort city surrounded by mountains, and check in at the Hilton Innsbruck. DAY 6 – INNSBRUCK TO VERONA Take the train through the Alps via the Brenner Pass route. This scenic journey takes you through Alpine farmland and past snowy peaks before skirting around Lake Garda and arriving into Verona. Check in at the Roseo Hotel Leon D’Oro for a two night stay. DAY 7 – VERONA Full of magic from the glory days of the Roman Empire, Verona is an Italian gem with stunning architecture, fine Italian food and Shakespearean romance. Explore the ancient amphitheatre, constructed in 30 AD and still home to many musical and theatre productions. DAY 8 – VERONA TO LONDON Take one last walk through fair Verona before making your way to the airport to catch your flight back to the UK.

DAY 4 – LUGANO TO CHUR BY BERNINA BUS AND BERNINA EXPRESS Take the Bernina Bus through marvellous Alpine scenery from Lugano to Tirano. From here, board the gleaming red carriages of the Bernina Express to Chur and enjoy the views from the panoramic windows. In Chur, check in at the ABC Hotel. Bassano del Grappa

Verona Ampitheatre

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 11

8 DAYS FROM

Gotthard Pass

£1,019 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Eurostar to Paris and onward rail travel • Flight from Milan to London • 7 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

VENICE AND LAKE COMO VIA THE ALPS

London ➡ Paris ➡ Zurich ➡ Milan ➡ London ➡ Venice ➡ Lake Como ➡ Milan ➡ London LONDON

Your journey begins in London

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

£1,019 £1,049 £1,049 £1,329 £1,349 £1,349 £1,269 £1,249 £1,329 £1,079 £1,069 £1,069

PARIS

On arrival, check in at the Metropole & Suisse hotel for your three night stay. DAYS 6 & 7 – COMO

FRANCE

ZURICH SWITZ.

The imposing Gothic Como Cathedral took 400 years to build and has a huge interior with three aisles and striking stained glass windows. The lake itself offers numerous opportunities for watersports, boat trips and even a spot of bathing. Take the funicular railway up to Brunate for panoramic views, or why not just sit at a lakeside bar and soak up the scenery?

You travel through the stunning Swiss Alps along the Gotthard Pass

ITALY VENICE

3 COMO

KEY

Nights stay Flight home

You end your rail journey in Milan and fly back to London

MILAN

DAY 8 – COMO TO LONDON

DAY 1 – LONDON TO ZURICH

DAYS 3 & 4 – VENICE

Travel on the Eurostar to Paris and then connect onto the high speed TGV Lyria service to Zurich, where you’ll check in at Du Theatre hotel.

Possibly more than any other city in the world, Venice’s reputation precedes it. If you’ve not been before you are in for a treat because this destination more than lives up to expectations. From the azure blue of the lagoon and canals to the iconic Campanile, Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Square, there’s a picture postcard view in every direction.

Zurich is considered to be one of Switzerland’s culture capitals, with a wealth of museums, a varied calendar of events and a lovely location along the River Limmat. Spend an evening walking around the Old Town area and enjoy dinner overlooking Lake Zurich. DAY 2 – ZURICH TO VENICE After breakfast, board the service from Zurich through the Swiss Alps to Venice via Milan. The route of this spectacular journey rolls past sparkling lakes and Alpine villages before plunging through the Gotthard Pass. Travel down through high mountain passes, wide green valleys and Alpine villages perched precariously on the hillsides. Arrive in Venice and check in at the Ai Mori D’Oriente hotel.

Enjoy breakfast in the hotel before checking out and returning to Milan. In Milan, transfer to the airport and check in for your flight back to London.

DAY 5 – VENICE TO COMO Following breakfast, take the train to Milan and transfer onto a service bound for Como.

Venice

Why Not... Lake Como

Travel back to the UK by train, spending a night in Milan or Turin en route.

12 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Lake Garda

8 DAYS FROM

£909 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Eurostar to Paris and onward rail travel • Flight from Verona to London • 7 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

VENICE AND LAKE GARDA VIA THE ALPS

London ➡ Paris ➡ Zurich ➡ Milan ➡ Venice ➡ Desenzano del Garda ➡ Verona ➡ London

LONDON

Your journey begins in London

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

£909 £929 £929 £1,099 £1,099 £1,319 £1,249 £1,249 £1,269 £959 £939 £939

PARIS

DAYS 6 & 7 – DESENZANO DEL GARDA

FRANCE

ZURICH 1 SWITZ

You travel through the stunning Swiss Alps along the Gotthard Pass

VENICE DESENZANO 3

KEY

Nights stay Flight home

VERONA

You end your rail journey in Verona and fly back to London

ITALY

DAY 1 – LONDON TO ZURICH Travel from London to Paris and then transfer on to the Swiss city of Zurich. Watch the verdant countryside unfold before you as the train passes through France and across the border into Switzerland. Arrive in Zurich and check in at the Du Theatre hotel. DAY 2 – ZURICH TO VENICE After breakfast, board a service to Venice via Milan. Ride the rails along the scenic Gotthard Pass as you journey through the spectacular

Take in the views of Lake Garda against the backdrop of the Alps in the distance, and maybe relax on one of the town’s beaches. Perhaps take a boat trip out on the lake and admire the stretching views of the picturesque villages nestled into the shoreline or stop off in the nearby towns of Sirmione and Riva. DAY 8 – DESENZANO DEL GARDA TO LONDON After breakfast, check out of the hotel and take a train from Desenzano del Garda to Verona. On arrival in Verona, transfer to the airport for your flight back to London.

mountain scenery of the Alps over into Italy. Arrive in Venice and check in at the Ai Mori D’Oriente hotel. DAYS 3 & 4 – VENICE Spend the next two days exploring the sights of Venice. Perhaps enjoy a gondola ride along the Grand Canal or peruse the shops in the Cannaregio district. No visit to Venice would be complete without admiring the architectural wonders of St Mark’s Square or savouring an ice-cold gelato as you meander along the canal banks and bridges of the city. DAY 5 – VENICE TO DESENZANO DEL GARDA After breakfast, board a high speed Frecciarossa service to Desenzano del Garda. On arrival, make your way to the Villa Rosa Desenzano del Garda hotel and check in for a three night stay. Why not enjoy an afternoon swim in the lake before treating yourself to dinner at a traditional trattoria by the harbour.

Riva Del Garda

Lake Garda

Why Not... Extend your holiday by adding a few nights in Verona to explore the riverside city of Shakespearean romance.

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 13

VENICE, FLORENCE AND ROME

London ➡ Paris ➡ Basel ➡ Lucerne ➡ Milan ➡ Venice ➡ Florence ➡ Rome ➡ Turin ➡ Paris ➡ London DAY 3 – VENICE

LONDON

Venice is unique. Made up of 118 islands, it is famed for its canals, its history and its ethereal beauty. It is no wonder this enchanting city draws in visitors from all around the world. Explore the numerous attractions the city has to offer, discover St Martin’s Basilica, Piazza San Marco and the Doge’s Palace before indulging in some Italian cuisine.

Your journey begins in London

PARIS

DAY 4 – VENICE TO FLORENCE

FRANCE

BASEL LUCERNE 1 SWITZ

Spend 1 night in Turin before flying back to London

You travel through the stunning Swiss Alps along the Gotthard Pass

MILAN 1 TURIN

VENICE

DAY 5 – FLORENCE

ITALY 2 FLORENCE

KEY

Nights stay

2 ROME

DAY 1 – LONDON TO LUCERNE

DAY 2 – LUCERNE TO VENICE

Travel on the Eurostar to Paris and connect onto a TGV service to Lucerne via Basel. Speed through the French Champagne region passing quaint French villages and picturesque countryside before arriving into Lucerne and checking in at the Waldstaetterhof hotel.

After breakfast, take the train from Lucerne to Venice via Milan. The route of this spectacular journey follows sparkling lakes and lush meadows before travelling through the Gotthard Pass. Travel down through high mountain passes, wide green valleys and Alpine villages perched precariously on the hillsides. Change in Milan for an onward service to Venice, where you will check in at the Ai Mori D’Oriente hotel.

Lucerne is situated in an idyllic spot on the edge of the lake of the same name and ringed by mountains. Wander through the car-free Old Town with its half-timbered houses and pretty squares this evening to get a feel for the wonderful Swiss city.

Enjoy breakfast in the hotel and then return to Santa Lucia station for your high speed Frecciarossa train. Pack a picnic and enjoy lunch as the train travels through Padua and Bologna to Florence. On arrival, check in at the Botticelli hotel. Visit some of the delightful sights of Florence, the ‘Renaissance City’. Take a walk through the bustling squares of Piazza San Giovanni (with its spectacular cathedral), the Piazza della Signoria and Santa Croce featuring Renaissance palaces decorated with frescoes. Don’t miss a walk across Florence’s “bridge of gold”, the Ponte Vecchio, laden with jewellers and goldsmiths, offering beautiful views across the Arno river.

14 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Gotthard Pass

9 DAYS FROM

£1,059 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES:

• Return Eurostar to Paris and onward rail travel • 8 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES: January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

£1,059 £1,089 £1,099 £1,349 £1,389 £1,319 £1,219 £1,219 £1,399 £1,169 £1,099 £1,099

Florence

DAY 6 – FLORENCE TO ROME

DAY 8 – ROME TO TURIN

Catch the train to Rome and check in at the Morgana Hotel before discovering the ‘Eternal City’. From the striking walls of the Colosseum to the sacred Vatican City, Rome is the largest open-air musuem in the world. Stop for an ice cream at the Trevi Fountain or wait until dinner to enjoy a proper Roman pizza in one of the countless trattorias.

After breakfast, take the train from Rome to Turin and check in at the Starhotels Majestic hotel. Enjoy a stroll through the streets of Turin for an afternoon. As a city with numerous cultural institutions such as the Palazzo Carignano, home to the first Italian Parliament and the Chapel of the Holy Shroud, the city is a dynamic and important part of Italian history.

DAY 7 – ROME

DAY 9 – TURIN TO LONDON

Don’t miss a stroll around some of the beautiful museums of Rome. The Vatican Museums hold a superb collection as well as housing the Sistine Chapel. The Capitoline displays ancient Roman artefacts and the Borghese Gallery is world-renowned for its impressive artworks.

After breakfast, take the train to Paris, which travels through the D’Aosta Valley (look out for glimpses of Mont Blanc) and then connect onto a Eurostar service bound for London.

Venice

Trevi Fountain

Why Not... Florence

Ask us about organising a gondola ride in Venice, skip-the-line gallery entrance in Florence or a walking tour of Rome’s ancient ruins.

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 15

VENICE SIMPLONORIENT-EXPRESS Unparalleled service, inimitable opulence, gastronomic cuisine, jaw-dropping scenery and a luxurious night in cosy comfort; the ‘golden age of rail travel’ lives on aboard the Wagons-Lits carriages of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Piano Bar

Sleeper Cabin

Of all the luxury journeys in the world, none evokes a picture of pure elegance, timeless sophistication and unparalleled romance quite like the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. Truly harking back to the ‘golden age of rail travel’, everything from the vintage cabins, exquisite gastronomy and convivial entertainment to the deluxe sleeping cars and inimitable service ensure that you are in for the journey of a lifetime. This is one train ride that is truly unforgettable. THE JOURNEY From London to Venice, your luxury journey begins at the exclusive lounge at London Victoria. Board the British Pullman, where your steward will show you to your reserved seat. Roll through the verdant countryside of Kent as you are served a sumptuous brunch, complete with an expertly mixed Bellini cocktail. Transfer to a luxury coach to pass through the Channel Tunnel before making your way onto the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. Masterful French chefs will prepare a four-course dinner, served at your choice of sitting in one of the opulent restaurant cars. When you return to your cabin, you’ll find it transformed into a cosy bedroom. As you wake in the morning, the spectacular scenery of the Swiss Alps will roll past your window, with snow dusted peaks and lush meadows embroidering the sides of the tracks. Enjoy breakfast in your cabin at a time that suits

you, before spending the morning enjoying life on board. Relax in your cabin or head to the bar car to mingle with other like-minded guests.

romance of the 1920s in the Champagne bar. Life on board is truly a glamorous occasion from start to finish.

A three course lunch will be served in one of the splendid restaurant cars, and attractive scenery will continue to enchant you throughout the afternoon. After a delectable afternoon tea served in your cabin later in the day, the train glides across the Venetian Lagoon and pulls into Venice’s Santa Lucia station.

SLEEPING CARS

The journey also runs in reverse from Venice to London, and departures are possible in both directions from Paris – perfect for stopping off to enjoy a luxury stay in the romantic capital of Europe! THE TRAIN There are no imitations when it comes to the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express itself. The same carriages that chugged through the golden age of travel in the 1920s and 30s have been renovated for use today. From the lavish dining cars to the supreme comfort of the sleeping cabins, every inch of the train has been designed to the very highest specifications. When it comes to dining, choose from three beautifully restored restaurant cars. Delight in the classical figures and blue glass of the Côte d’Azur car, the exquisite marquetry of the Etoile Du Nord car or the black lacquer panels and ornate details of the L’Oriental car. Come the evenings, delight in the light, expertly played music in the piano bar or conjure up the

Ensure a superb night’s sleep in a cosy, comfortable sleeping car reminiscent of a five star hotel. Cabins have been lovingly restored and are impeccably furnished, with oak panelling, comfortable beds, crisp damask sheets and fine blankets to ensure you get a cosy night’s sleep relaxing in the lap of luxury. During the day your cabin beds will be transformed into plush banquette seating, the perfect spot for sitting back and watching the beautiful scenery drift by your window. DINING ON BOARD Cuisine on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is world-famous, and nothing short of fine dining. You will be served several sensational feasts during your time on board, with menus masterfully created by Chef Christian Bodiguel, and artfully whipped up by his expert team. The chefs on board the train only use the freshest local produce, acquired at stops along the route of your journey. Everything from lobster to lamb and vegetables are locally sourced and of the highest quality.

16 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Venice

5 DAYS FROM

£2,849 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Overnight full board accommodation aboard the Venice Simplon-OrientExpress in a double cabin • Flight from Venice to London • 3 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast • A transfer from station to hotel is included in Venice

DATES AND PRICES:

VENICE SIMPLON-ORIENTEXPRESS TO VENICE London ➡ Paris ➡ Venice ➡ London

LONDON

Your Venice SimplonOrient-Express journey begins in London

bridges over the canals and stop for a leisurely drink in a little campo. Iconic sights include the majestic Piazza San Marco with its famous Basilica, the buzzing Rialto Bridge and the white church of San Giorgio Maggiore.

PARIS

Travel overnight on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express through stunning Alpine scenery from London to Venice via Paris

KEY

£2,849 £3,009 £3,279 £3,279 £3,309 £3,229 £3,279 £3,229 £2,859

March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017

Nights stay

DAY 4 – VENICE

SWITZ.

ITALY

FRANCE

VENICE 3

Spend 3 nights in Venice before flying back to London

Flight home

DAY 1 – BRITISH PULLMAN & VENICE SIMPLON-ORIENT-EXPRESS As you board the British Pullman at London Victoria station, your steward will show you to your reserved seat. Sit back and enjoy brunch as you travel throughout the Kentish countryside. After crossing the Channel, board the blue and gold carriages of the Continental Wagons-Lits. Throughout your journey you will be attended to by your own personal steward. After you have settled into your private compartment, you will

DAY 5 – VENICE TO LONDON After breakfast, make your way to the airport and check in for your flight back to London.

be served a four-course dinner. When you are ready, retire to your compartment, which will have been transformed into a bedroom. DAY 2 – ARRIVE IN VENICE Breakfast is served in the comfort of your compartment as you travel through the Swiss Alps. Spend the morning in the bar car chatting to fellow guests over coffee. Lunch will be served in one of the restaurant cars. Relax in your compartment and admire the passing scenery as the train travels through the Italian Dolomites. Afternoon tea is served in your compartment as you travel through the Brenner Pass. Finally prepare to disembark as the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train crosses the Venetian Lagoon and pulls into Venice Santa Lucia station. Make your way to the Ai Mori D’Oriente hotel for check-in. DAY 3 – VENICE

Venice

Don’t leave without seeing Venice from the water, either with a private gondola ride or just by hopping aboard a Vaporetto.

Spend two days soaking up the atmosphere of Venice. The best way to explore this beautiful canal-side city is on foot. Wander through narrow cobbled streets, walk across ornate

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Why Not... Upgrade to a cabin suite for optimum luxury and comfort aboard the train.

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 17

9 DAYS FROM

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

£3,159 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES:

VENICE SIMPLON-ORIENT-EXPRESS WITH FLORENCE AND VENICE

London ➡ Paris ➡ Zurich ➡ Milan ➡ Florence ➡ Venice ➡ Paris ➡ London

LONDON

DAY 1 – LONDON TO ZURICH Your journey begins in London

Travel from London, through Paris, to Zurich, where you will check in at Hotel Du Theatre.

Travel overnight on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express through stunning Alpine scenery from Venice to London via Paris

PARIS FRANCE

ZURICH 1 SWITZ 3

ITALY

Spend 3 nights in Venice before boarding the Venice Simplon-OrientExpress to London via Paris

FLORENCE 3 KEY

VENICE

Nights stay

DAY 2 – ZURICH TO FLORENCE Travel through the Alpine scenery of the Gotthard Pass from Zurich to Florence. On arrival, check in at the Botticelli Hotel. DAYS 3 & 4 – FLORENCE Take a walk through the buzzing squares of Piazza San Giovanni and the Piazza della Signoria. DAYS 5 - 7 – FLORENCE TO VENICE Journey to Venice, arguably one of the most beautiful and exceptional cities in the world! Check in at the Ai Mori D’Oriente hotel for a three night stay.

• Eurostar to Paris and onward rail travel • Overnight full board accommodation on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express • 7 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast • Transfer from hotel to Venice SimplonOrient-Express

DATES AND PRICES:

January - April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October - December 2017

£3,159 £3,869 £3,879 £3,879 £3,709 £3,879 £3,159

Prices shown are per person. See page 62.

DAY 8 – VENICE SIMPLON-ORIENT-EXPRESS Board the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. Your steward will show you to your private compartment, before you enjoy a three-course lunch as you gaze at the beautiful passing scenery. DAY 9 – ARRIVE IN LONDON Join the cream and umber carriages of the British Pullman in Folkestone for the journey to London.

6 DAYS FROM

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

£3,269 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES:

VENICE SIMPLON-ORIENTEXPRESS FROM VERONA London ➡ Paris ➡ Zurich ➡ Verona ➡ Paris ➡ London

DAY 1 – LONDON TO ZURICH

LONDON

Take the train from London to Zurich and check in for an overnight stay at Hotel Du Theatre.

Your journey begins in London

DAY 2 – ZURICH TO VERONA PARIS FRANCE

ZURICH 1

SWITZ. Travel overnight on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express through stunning Alpine scenery from Verona to London via Paris

KEY

Nights stay

ITALY

You travel through the stunning Swiss Alps along the Gotthard Pass

3 VERONA Spend 3 nights in Verona before boarding the Venice Simplon-OrientExpress to London via Paris

Relax as the train cuts through the Alps along the Gotthard Pass into Italy. Arrive in Verona and check in at the Due Torri hotel.

• Eurostar to Paris and onward rail travel • Overnight full board accommodation aboard the Venice Simplon-OrientExpress in a double cabin • 4 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast • Transfer from hotel to Venice SimplonOrient-Express

DATES AND PRICES: January - April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October - December 2017

£3,779 £4,059 £4,059 £3,779 £3,919 £3,639 £3,269

Prices shown are per person. See page 62.

DAYS 3 & 4 – VERONA Explore the Scaliger Tombs, visit Juliet’s Balcony or enjoy opera at the Roman amphitheatre. DAY 5 – DEPART VERONA ON THE VENICE SIMPLON-ORIENT-EXPRESS Enjoy a night of gourmet cuisine and Alpine views

on board the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. DAY 6 – ARRIVE IN LONDON Board the gleaming carriages of the British Pullman and indulge in afternoon tea with a glass of Champagne en route to London.

18 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Roman Ruins, Rome

6 DAYS FROM

£2,989 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Overnight full board accommodation aboard the Venice Simplon-OrientExpress in a double cabin • Train travel between Venice and Rome • Flight from Rome to London • 4 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast • Transfer to Venice hotel

DATES AND PRICES:

VENICE SIMPLON-ORIENTEXPRESS TO VENICE AND ROME London ➡ Paris ➡ Venice ➡ Rome ➡ London LONDON GERMANY

Your Venice SimplonOrient-Express journey begins in London

PARIS

March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017

£3,029 £3,169 £3,449 £3,419 £3,419 £3,339 £3,449 £3,429 £2,989

Travel overnight on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express through stunning Alpine scenery from London to Venice via Paris

DAY 3 – VENICE AUSTRIA SWITZ.

FRANCE

VENICE 2 ITALY

Wander along the winding canals of this beautiful city or head to the spectacular St Mark’s Square and admire the incredible architecture of the Clock Tower and St Mark’s Basilica. Perhaps take a trip to the Lido by waterbus and relax on the sandy beaches. DAY 4 – VENICE TO ROME

Spend 2 nights in Rome before flying back to London

KEY

Nights stay Optional flight home

2 ROME

After breakfast, sit back and relax on your first class journey to Rome. Pass quaint Italian villages and rolling fields before arriving in Rome and checking in at the Morgana hotel. DAY 5 – ROME

DAY 1 – BRITISH PULLMAN & VENICE SIMPLON-ORIENT-EXPRESS Board the luxurious carriages of the British Pullman train at London Victoria station. Your steward will show you to your seat which will be surrounded by stunning décor and memories of journeys gone by. Sit back and enjoy brunch as you travel throughout the pretty Kentish countryside. After crossing the channel to Calais, board the blue and gold carriages of the Continental Wagons-Lits.

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

After you have settled into your comfortable private compartment, where your personal steward will ensure you have everything you require, it will soon be time to dress for dinner. Visit the famous bar car for an Agatha Christie Bellini before moving on to one of the magnificent restaurant cars, where you will be served a delicious four-course dinner. DAY 2 – VENICE SIMPLON-ORIENT-EXPRESS THROUGH THE SWISS ALPS TO VENICE

Discover the ‘Eternal City’ at your own pace. From the striking walls of the Colosseum to the sacred Vatican City, Rome is the largest openair museum in the world. DAY 6 – ROME TO LONDON After a final breakfast at the hotel, check out and make your way to the airport for your flight back to London.

Awake to the magnificent scenery of the Swiss Alps as a sumptuous continental breakfast is served in your compartment. Relax as the scenery rolls by or take a trip to the bar car for a coffee. At lunchtime, enjoy a leisurely three course meal served in another of the beautiful restaurant cars. Make a visit to the on board boutique to purchase souvenirs, or return to your compartment as the train travels through the Italian Dolomites. Later, your steward will serve a sumptuous afternoon tea. On arrival in Venice, check in at the Ai Mori D’Oriente hotel. Venice

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 19

FLORENCE VIA THE ALPS

London ➡ Paris ➡ Zurich ➡ Milan ➡ Florence ➡ Pisa ➡ London

LONDON

Your journey begins in London

PARIS

FRANCE

ZURICH 1

SWITZ.

MILAN

You travel through the stunning Swiss Alps along the Gotthard Pass Florence

KEY

Nights stay

Fly from Pisa back to London

PISA

3 FLORENCE

ITALY

Flight home

DAY 1 – LONDON TO ZURICH Travel on the Eurostar from London to Paris and then transfer onto the TGV train to Zurich. On arrival, make your way to the Du Theatre hotel for an overnight stay. Perhaps relax with a coffee in one of the many cafes in the Old Town area or look around the charming boutiques. Why not take a relaxing boat trip out on the lake and admire the stunning backdrop of the Alps in the distance. DAY 2 – ZURICH TO FLORENCE

Zurich

Enjoy breakfast in the hotel and then take the short walk to the station for your train through the spectacular Gotthard Pass. This scenic journey transports you through the striking scenery of the Swiss Alps and you may even catch glimpses of Lakes Lugano and Como. Travel further south after crossing the border into Italy with a change in Milan, before arriving in Florence and checking in at the Botticelli hotel.

20 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

5 DAYS FROM

£699 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Eurostar to Paris and onward rail travel • Flight from Pisa to London • 4 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES: January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

£699 £719 £719 £799 £819 £819 £749 £749 £819 £749 £719 £719

Gotthard Pass

Once settled in your hotel, why not head to the popular Uffizi Gallery and see the Renaissance works of great artists such as Botticelli, Raphael and Michelangelo. DAY 3 – FLORENCE Spend a full day exploring the city, why not enjoy a gelato as you stroll through the city’s lively piazzas and marvel at the magnificent dome of the Duomo Basilica. Admire the charming views along the River Arno and cross the city’s oldest bridge, the 14th century Ponte Vecchio.

DAY 4 – FLORENCE After breakfast, why not head out to do some shopping at the San Lorenzo Street Market or view the magnificent frescoes at the Gothic Basilica. Alternatively, view a vast collection of paintings at the Accademia Gallery. DAY 5 – FLORENCE TO LONDON Following breakfast in the hotel, make your way to the train station for the journey west from Florence to Pisa. On arrival, make your way to the airport and check in for your flight back to London.

Florence

Why Not... The Alps

Extend your holiday by taking the train around Tuscany, perhaps visiting the historic cities of Siena and Lucca, easily accessible by rail.

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 21

7 DAYS FROM

Gurtnellen, Swiss Alps

£909 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Return Eurostar to Paris and onward rail • 6 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

FLORENCE AND LAKE COMO VIA THE ALPS London ➡ Paris ➡ Zurich ➡ Milan ➡ Lake Como ➡ Florence ➡ Turin ➡ Paris ➡ London LONDON Your journey begins in London

£909 £939 £939 £1,059 £1,099 £1,059 £1,019 £1,019 £1,099 £949 £939 £939

PARIS

laden with jewellers and goldsmiths and offering beautiful views across the Arno river. Alternatively, take a day trip to another of Tuscany’s pretty destinations such as Siena or Lucca, for a true taste of Tuscany at one of the region’s delightful, historic towns.

1 ZURICH

FRANCE

SWITZERLAND

You travel through the stunning Swiss Alps along the Gotthard Pass

2 COMO Spend 1 night in Turin before travelling back to London

KEY

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

Nights stay

TURIN 1

ITALY

FLORENCE

DAY 1 – LONDON TO ZURICH Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, then transfer on to Zurich, where you will check in at the Du Theatre hotel on arrival. Spend the evening by the lake in the old town district of Niederdorf, famous for its bars, restaurants, lounges and fashion shops for a unique shopping experience. DAY 2 – ZURICH TO COMO Take the train from Zurich to Lake Como. Relax as the train cuts through the Alps along the famous

Gotthard Pass and crosses the border into Italy. Arrive in Como and make your way to the Hotel Metropole Suisse for a two night stay. DAY 3 – COMO Soak up the sunshine with a stroll along the water’s edge or spend an afternoon visiting the small, pretty towns aboard one of the numerous ferries that circumnavigate the waters. Feast on delicious cuisine and discover Lake Como’s exquisite villas. The most famous one is Villa Carlotta, which features a combination of luxurious interiors and art collections.

DAY 6 – FLORENCE TO TURIN Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and then make your way to the train station for the journey to Turin. Enjoy glimpses of the Tuscan and Lombard countryside from the comfort of your seat before checking in at the Starhotels Majestic hotel on arrival. Enjoy a stroll through the streets of Turin for an afternoon and spend an evening dining al fresco at a pavement restaurant. DAY 7 – TURIN TO LONDON After breakfast, check out of your hotel and return to the train station for the journey to Paris. Stop for lunch or some sightseeing in Paris or transfer straight onto a Eurostar service back to London.

DAY 4 – COMO TO FLORENCE Travel to Florence via Milan, passing by Italian fields, vineyards and the picturesque city of Bologna along the way. Check in at the Botticelli hotel and start exploring! DAY 5 – FLORENCE Florence

Take a leisurely stroll through the buzzing squares or over Florence’s “bridge of gold”,

22 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Lake Como

Lake Garda

7 DAYS FROM

£779 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Return Eurostar to Paris and onward rail travel • 6 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

FLORENCE AND LAKE GARDA VIA THE ALPS London ➡ Paris ➡ Zurich ➡ Milan ➡ Lake Garda ➡ Florence ➡ Turin ➡ Paris ➡ London LONDON Your journey begins in London

DAY 5 – FLORENCE

Spend 1 night in Turin before travelling back to London

Nights stay

ZURICH

SWITZERLAND

FRANCE

£789 £809 £809 £869 £899 £1,019 £989 £779 £1,019 £819 £819 £819

PARIS

KEY

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

MILAN 1

ITALY

You travel through the stunning Swiss Alps along the Gotthard Pass

2 DESENZANO

TURIN FLORENCE

DAY 1 – LONDON TO ZURICH

DAY 2 – ZURICH TO DESENZANO

Travel on the Eurostar from London to Paris, where you transfer onto a TGV train to Zurich. Speed through the French Champagne region passing quaint French villages and picturesque countryside before arriving in Zurich. Check in at the hotel Du Theatre and head out for dinner.

After breakfast, take the train from Zurich to Desenzano via Milan. Watch as the mountainous scenery rolls past your window as the train cuts through the Alps along the Gotthard Pass and crosses the Italian border. Enjoy the stunning mountain scenery before arriving at Lake Garda and checking in at the Villa Rosa Desenzano Del Garda hotel.

Spend the day in Florence at your own leisure. Visit the most famous gallery in Florence, the Uffizi, which houses works by Botticelli, Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo. Take a stroll across the Ponte Vecchio or the Piazza San Giovanni and admire the exquisite Renaissance architecture. Alternatively, visit more of Italy’s famous churches such as the San Lorenzo, Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce. DAY 6 – FLORENCE TO TURIN Check out of your hotel before taking the train to Turin and checking in at the Starhotels Majestic hotel. Stroll around the city’s streets for an afternoon before savouring an Italian feast at a local restaurant. DAY 7 – TURIN TO LONDON Enjoy breakfast before boarding the train to Paris before changing onto a Eurostar to London.

DAY 3 – DESENZANO Relax at one of the city’s stunning beaches and cool off with an invigorating dip in the lake before a meal at a nearby trattoria. Alternatively, why not take a ferry to a nearby town such as Riva or Sirmione and discover more of this idyllic region at your own pace. DAY 4 – DESENZANO TO FLORENCE

Schallenen Gorge, Switzerland

Take the train from Desenzano to Florence via Milan. Upon arrival, check in at the Botticelli hotel for a two night stay. Spend the afternoon relaxing on one of Florence’s pretty terraces and enjoying some Tuscan delicacies.

Turin

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 23

6 DAYS FROM

Colosseum, Rome

£819 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Eurostar to Paris and onward rail travel • Flight from Rome to London • 5 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

FLORENCE AND ROME

London ➡ Paris ➡ Zurich ➡ Milan ➡ Florence ➡ Rome ➡ London

LONDON Your journey begins in London

PARIS

ZURICH 1 SWITZ.

FRANCE

£819 £839 £849 £979 £989 £909 £869 £869 £979 £859 £839 £839

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

MILAN

You travel through the stunning Swiss Alps along the Gotthard Pass

charming rural villages and verdant fields. Arrive in Rome and check in at the Morgana hotel. Spend the next two days exploring the ‘Eternal City’. Don’t forget to throw a coin into the Trevi fountain or perhaps explore the Vatican City.

ITALY

DAY 5 – ROME 2 FLORENCE KEY

Nights stay Flight home

ROME

Spend 2 nights in Rome before flying back to London

Visit Villa Borghese and take a stroll around the pretty gardens or take a look at the zoo. Treat yourself to some delicious Italian cuisine at a traditional trattoria or cool down with an icecold gelato. DAY 6 – ROME TO LONDON

DAY 1 – LONDON TO ZURICH

DAY 2 – ZURICH TO FLORENCE

Depart London St Pancras on the Eurostar to Paris and connect onto a TGV Lyria train. Traverse the French countryside and cross the Swiss border to Zurich, where you will check in at the hotel Du Theatre for an overnight stay.

Board a service to Florence via Milan. Travel across the Gotthard Pass and take in the spectacular views of the Swiss Alps before continuing on through the Italian countryside to Florence. On arrival, check in at the Botticelli hotel.

Enjoy a drink by the lake or wander around the boutique shops hidden in the small alleyways throughout this area. Return to your hotel at the end of a pleasant evening for a good night’s rest.

DAY 3 – FLORENCE No visit to Florence is complete without a visit to the Duomo Basilica. Marvel at its beautiful frescoes and the spectacular dome that dominates the city’s skyline. Visit the museums housed at the Pitti Palace or take a stroll around the charming Boboli Gardens. See the magnificent collection of Renaissance art at the Uffizi Gallery, home to the works of artists such as Raphael and Michelangelo. Or you may wish to soak up the local architecture and visit some of the city’s iconic churches, such as Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce. DAY 4 – FLORENCE TO ROME

Zurich

After breakfast, take a train from Santa Maria Novella station and journey south past

Enjoy a final breakfast in the hotel and then transfer to the airport to check in for your flight back to London.

Gotthard Pass

Why Not... Upgrade to first class train travel over the stunning Gotthard Pass for an unforgettable experience.

24 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Siena

8 DAYS FROM

£1,009 person

per

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Eurostar to Paris and onward rail travel • 7 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast • Flight from Pisa to London

DATES AND PRICES:

FLORENCE, SIENA AND LUCCA London ➡ Paris ➡ Zurich ➡ Milan ➡ Florence ➡ Siena ➡ Lucca ➡ Pisa ➡ London LONDON Your journey begins in London

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

£1,009 £1,029 £1,029 £1,099 £1,179 £1,159 £1,099 £1,099 £1,179 £1,069 £1,009 £1,009

PARIS

DAY 6 – SIENA TO LUCCA

FRANCE

ZURICH 1 SWITZ.

You travel through the stunning Swiss Alps along the Gotthard Pass

MILAN ITALY

LUCCA 2

KEY

Spend 2 nights in Lucca before flying back to London from Pisa

Nights stay Flight home

DAY 1 – LONDON TO ZURICH Travel on the Eurostar from London to Paris and then transfer onto the TGV train to Zurich. Speed through the French Champagne region passing quaint French villages and picturesque countryside before arriving into Zurich and checking in a the hotel Du Theatre. DAY 2 – ZURICH TO FLORENCE Take the train from Zurich to Florence via Milan. Relax as the train cuts through the Alps along the famous Gotthard Pass across the border into Italy. Look out for views of Lake Lugano and Lake

PISA

2 FLORENCE 2 SIENA

Como, too! Change in Milan before arriving in Florence and checking in at the Botticelli hotel. DAY 3 – FLORENCE Discover the reasons behind Florence’s reputation as a “capital of art”. Visit the most famous gallery in Florence, the Uffizi, which houses works by Botticelli, Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo. Alternatively, visit more of Italy’s famous churches such as the San Lorenzo, Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce.

DAY 7 – LUCCA Explore the highlights of Lucca such as the cathedral San Martino, the churches of San Michele and San Frediano, and the Guinigi Tower, belonging to the prestigious Guinigi family. Shop for Italian treats on Via Gallitassi before relaxing in Piazza San Michele with a glass of local wine. DAY 8 – LUCCA TO LONDON After breakfast, check out and ride the rails to Pisa before transferring to the airport for your flight back to London.

DAY 4 – FLORENCE TO SIENA Board a train to Siena, surrounded by olive groves and the vineyards of Chianti. Siena’s medieval Romanesque architecture and fine Italian roots make it a stunning destination. Check in at the Athena Hotel for a two night stay. DAY 5 – SIENA Spend your second day in Siena exploring more of the sights. Travel the short distance to the Arbia valley and to the hill-top town of Montalcino, home to the famous Brunello wine.

Florence

Travel to Lucca, protected by 16th century walls. Lucca is a medieval gem of Tuscany. Featuring superb dining and charming antique markets. The city is also only half an hour away from beautiful beaches! Check in at the San Luca Palace hotel and set out to explore.

Trenitalia

Why Not... Extend your stay and book a daytrip to Pisa, Montepulciano or Brunello di Montalcino and indulge in Tuscany’s history or wine!

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 25

PARIS AND BEYOND

Louvre

Discover the French ‘joie de vivre’ on a journey of discovery by rail.

Paris

The landscapes and locales of France are just a stone’s throw away across the English Channel. One of our customer’s favourite destinations; wherever you are headed, the characteristic exquisite cuisine, rolling green vineyards, elegant castles, sparkling coastline and fine wines synonymous with the country are never more than moments from the sides of the tracks.

Catch the Eurostar from central London to central Paris in just over two hours and discover the world of illustrious landmarks, artistic masterpieces, world-renowned romance and Seine-side strolling that make the City of Lights so unique. Wherever your journey through France might end up taking you, a stopover for a night of Parisian elegance never goes amiss.

From the top of the iconic Eiffel Tower to the sandy shores of the Côte d’Azur, the sheer diversity of France’s beauty is to be admired in itself. Truly, there is no better way to get to know the country’s famed beauty than watching the landscapes roll past your window as you meander through by train.

From the capital, France’s patchwork of highspeed railway tracks open opportunities in far flung corners and glamorous hotspots all over the country. A journey aboard a splendid TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse or Train of High Speed) will whiz you to any of hundreds of the country’s most gorgeous, historic and tempting locations.

For added convenience, Eurostar run direct services that could see you exploring Provence’s lavender fields, Lyon’s gastronomic delights, Aix-enProvence’s historic fountains or Avignon’s distinctive stone bridges in next to no time. Just board in London St Pancras International, relax and enjoy the direct journey! Let us know which French treasures inspire you, or head even further afield! Why not catch the train past chateaus, flamingos, the Mediterranean Sea and the towering Pyrenees to Barcelona by direct, high-speed train? It’s a badly kept secret, but train travel through France truly is comfortable, highspeed, scenic and convenient - the perfect way to explore eminent landmarks and hidden gems alike!

5 DAYS FROM

Barcelona

£529 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Return Eurostar to Paris and onward rail travel • 4 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

PARIS AND BARCELONA London ➡ Paris ➡ Barcelona ➡ Paris ➡ London

LONDON

KEY

Your journey begins in London

Nights stay

and check in at the Eiffel Saint Charles hotel for a two night stay. DAY 2 – PARIS

PARIS 2

FRANCE

SPAIN

BARCELONA 2

Spend 2 nights in Barcelona before travelling back to London

DAY 1 – LONDON TO PARIS Take a Eurostar service from London to Paris

Admire the mesmerising city views from the top of the Eiffel Tower. Be sure to visit some of the city’s exquisite bakeries to enjoy fresh pastries and delicate macarons. Why not take a river cruise along the Seine with running commentary on the historic sights along the river? DAY 3 – PARIS TO BARCELONA Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before catching the train and checking in at the Park Hotel Barcelona for a two night stay.

DATES AND PRICES: January - April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October - December 2017

£589 £689 £679 £669 £669 £529 £529

Prices shown are per person. See page 62.

DAY 4 – BARCELONA Explore the medieval buildings of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter and discover the city’s most famous landmark - Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia. You might also like to enjoy some peace and quiet amidst the mosaics of the Park Güell. DAY 5 – BARCELONA TO LONDON After breakfast, back to Paris before boarding the Eurostar to London.

26 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Avignon

5 DAYS FROM

£489 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Return Eurostar to Aix-en-Provence and onward rail travel • 4 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

AIX-EN-PROVENCE AND AVIGNON

London ➡ Paris ➡ Aix-en-Provence ➡ Avignon ➡ Paris ➡ London LONDON Your journey begins in London

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

£519 £529 £509 £579 £599 £599 £609 £609 £599 £539 £509 £489

DAY 3 – AIX-EN-PROVENCE TO AVIGNON

PARIS

Travel on a TGV train from Aix-en-Provence to Avignon. Pass olive and lemon groves on your way and enjoy a taste of the Côtes du Rhône before arriving in Avignon TGV station. Upon arrival, check in at the De L’Horloge hotel for a two night stay.

FRANCE

DAY 4 – AVIGNON

Spend 2 nights in Avignon before travelling back to London via Paris KEY

AVIGNON

Nights stay

DAY 1 – LONDON TO AIX-EN-PROVENCE Travel by Eurostar from London to Paris and transfer to a high speed TGV through glorious French countryside and quaint villages to Aix-en-Provence. On arrival, check in at the Aquabella hotel for a two night stay. DAY 2 – AIX-EN-PROVENCE Explore the city of Aix-en-Provence at your own leisure. Take time to visit the sights of this ancient Celtic city dating back to the 3rd century

AIX-EN-PROVENCE

AD. Stroll down the tree-lined avenue of Cours Mirabeau, taking time for a coffee at a local café or a visit to one of the many bookshops lining the streets. Alternatively, visit the Old Town or the Mazarin District packed with shops, markets, museums, architectural masterpieces and fountains - for which the city is famous. Remember to stop at one of the numerous markets in the city for fresh flowers and tasty local produce.

Eurostar

Explore the fascinating and atmospheric city of Avignon. Visit the impressive three-acre Palace of the Popes built in the 14th century. Explore the nearby Petit Palais and Palais du Roure museums as well as the city’s thriving café culture. Take your time to wander through the ancient streets and courtyards, brimming with private mansions, before relaxing with a glass of local wine in one of the fantastic restaurants Avignon has to offer. DAY 5 – AVIGNON TO LONDON After breakfast today, head back to Avignon station and catch a train back to London.

Aix-En-Provence

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 27

7 DAYS FROM

Nice

£609 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Return Eurostar and onward rail travel • 6 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

AIX-EN-PROVENCE AND NICE

London ➡ Paris ➡ Aix-en-Provence ➡ Nice ➡ Paris ➡ London

DAY 1 – LONDON TO AIX-EN-PROVENCE

LONDON

Speed from London to Paris before travelling through glorious French countryside and idyllic villages to Aix-en-Provence. Check in at the Aquabella hotel for a two night stay.

Your journey begins in London

PARIS

DAYS 2 & 3 – AIX-EN-PROVENCE

FRANCE Spend 3 nights in Nice before travelling back to London via Paris

KEY

Nights stay

AIX-EN-PROVENCE

NICE

Spend two days in the heart of Provence discovering the “city of art and lights”. Take a walk through the Cours Mirabeau and visit the 17th and 18th century mansions, decorated with ancient fountains and beautiful flowers.

January - April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October - December 2017

£609 £789 £789 £819 £809 £739 £639

Prices shown are per person. See page 62.

you journey to Nice by train. On arrival, check in at the Ellington hotel. DAYS 5 & 6 – NICE Nice offers beautiful beaches, luxurious seaside dining and plenty of opportunity for shopping and sightseeing, so head out and explore.

DAY 4 – AIX-EN-PROVENCE TO NICE

DAY 7 – NICE TO LONDON

After breakfast, travel through Provençal countryside and along the sparkling Côte d’Azur as

After breakfast, travel from Nice to Paris before transferring back to London.

6 DAYS FROM

Marseille

£369 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Return Eurostar and onward rail travel • 5 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

MARSEILLE AND AVIGNON London ➡ Paris ➡ Marseille ➡ Avignon ➡ London

DAY 1 – LONDON TO MARSEILLE

LONDON

Take the train from London to Marseille via Paris. Relax in your seat and watch as the rolling French countryside passes your window. Arrive in Marseille and check in at the Escale Oceania Vieux Port hotel.

Your journey begins in London

PARIS

DAYS 2 & 3 – MARSEILLE Spend your time in Marseille exploring all the city has to offer. The Vieux Port (Old Harbour) is still in use, and you can often watch fishermen auctioning their stock.

FRANCE

Spend 2 nights in Avignon before travelling back to London directly or through Paris KEY

Nights stay

DAY 4 – MARSEILLE TO AVIGNON

AVIGNON 2 3 MARSEILLE

Take a direct train to Avignon, which first rose to fame in the 14th Century as the city the Popes

January - April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017

£479 £559 £559 £549 £549 £369 £369

Prices shown are per person. See page 62.

fled to when leaving Rome. Check in at the hotel De L’Horloge on arrival. DAY 5 – AVIGNON Spend a full day in Avignon wandering the pretty streets and exploring the city’s squares. Visit the Place de l’Horloge and wonder through smaller squares in the surrounding area which offer a peaceful place to people watch. DAY 6 – AVIGNON TO LONDON Enjoy the train journey back to London.

28 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Avignon

5 DAYS FROM

£469 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Return Eurostar and onward rail travel • 4 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES: January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

AVIGNON AND NICE

London ➡ Paris ➡ Avignon ➡ Nice ➡ Paris ➡ London LONDON Your journey begins in London

PARIS

DAY 4 – NICE

FRANCE

Spend 2 nights in Nice before travelling back to London via Paris

AVIGNON 2

KEY

£479 £499 £499 £549 £589 £599 £619 £609 £549 £519 £489 £469

Nights stay

2 NICE

DAY 1 – LONDON TO AVIGNON

DAY 2 – AVIGNON

Speed under the English Channel from London St Pancras, Ebbsfleet or Ashford to Paris before transferring on to the high-speed TGV to Avignon. Travel through the Auvergne region with its volcanic landscapes, winding rivers and rolling valleys before arriving in Avignon. Check in at the De L’Horloge hotel for a two night stay.

Explore Avignon’s most famous and historic building - the impressive Palace of the Popes, built in the 14th century. Take a walk through the Petit Palais and nearby Palais du Roure museums as well as exploring the city’s thriving café culture. Discover the charm of the city’s ancient streets and the courtyards of its private mansions before relaxing with a glass of local wine in one of the fantastic restaurants.

Spend another day at your own leisure exploring the charming town of “Nice la belle”. Blessed with a sunny, temperate climate, Nice offers beautiful beaches, luxurious seaside dining and plenty of opportunities for shopping. Not to be missed is the flower and food market in the centre of the Old Town. For some culture, visit the Chagall and Matisse galleries to experience the colourful works of two famous French artists. DAY 5 – NICE TO LONDON Travel from Nice to Paris or Lille on the TGV passing by scenic French countryside before stopping for lunch or transferring straight onto your Eurostar back to London.

DAY 3 – AVIGNON TO NICE

Avignon

Board the TGV train and travel south through the landscapes of Provence before continuing along the Mediterranean coast to Nice’s glamorous villas and golden beaches. Check in at the Ellington hotel for a two night stay. Spend the evening enjoying traditional cuisine in one of the charming restaurants in Nice. The boulevards are lined with cosy eateries serving fantastic dishes featuring fresh fish, cheeses and of course, local wine.

Place Massena, Nice

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 29

BRUSSELS AND BEYOND

Brussels

A holiday to Belgium will treat you to much more than chocolate and beer!

Brussels

Catching the Eurostar to Brussels signals the beginning of an adventure! Whether you’re bound for a weekend of gallery hopping in the Belgian capital or planning to travel on much further, get ready to jump aboard the train and make yourself comfortable. Speed under the English Channel to the centre of Brussels in under two hours from London. It’s simple and easy. Brussels is the famous bi-lingual capital of Europe, but it is so much more than that. The city’s picturesque streets effortlessly display ornamental and quirky architecture, and a vibrant buzz draws eager visitors to its central, medieval Grand Place like a magnet. The scent of sugar-dusted waffles wafts from cafés and people greedily tuck in to moules-frites, the

region’s traditional dish. Nowhere else in the world can one truly discover Tin Tin, Magritte and the Manneken Pis – Brussels is their home city! Of course, you’ll also find beers from all over Belgium and a fair share of chic chocolatiers to indulge in; the city, as well as the country, is famous for them. Brussels is the railway gateway to Belgium! When you board the comfortable carriages of the train, you can choose to end up in any number of wonderful cities, many just a short hop away. In no time at all, you could be sailing the dreamy canals of medieval Bruges, where cobbled, lamp-lit streets and gabled almshouses delight visitors with their fairytale charm. Even closer is vibrant Ghent, one of Europe’s best kept secrets! A historically

fascinating university city, here Flemish tradition (the highlight of which is the imposing 12th century castle) mingles with contemporary cool and thriving local culture. Discover Belgium’s cities for yourself without missing the rolling countryside in between destinations. Brussels will be your first port of call on journeys all over the continent. From here, you can connect to the fascinating history and scenic vistas of Germany, the laid back charm of Scandinavia or the mountain passes of Austria. Amsterdam’s twisting canals and Cologne’s imposing Rhineside Cathedral can be reached directly by highspeed train, but don’t forget to immerse yourself in Belgium’s unique magic before you head on your way.

5 DAYS FROM

Ghent

£359 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Return Eurostar to Brussels and onward train travel • 4 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

GHENT AND BRUSSELS London ➡ Brussels ➡ Ghent ➡ Brussels ➡ London

DAY 1 – LONDON TO GHENT LONDON

Travel by Eurostar from London to Brussels and connect onto a local train bound for Ghent. On arrival, check in at the Marriott Ghent hotel.

Your journey begins in London

2 GHENT 2 BRUSSELS

FRANCE

KEY

Nights stay

Spend 2 nights in Brussels before travelling back to London

BELGIUM

DAY 2 – GHENT After breakfast, head to the Kouter area for some shopping! The bars and cafés around the Vrijdaagmarkt are great for people watching. DAY 3 – GHENT TO BRUSSELS Take the short train journey from Ghent back to Brussels, where you’ll check in for a two night stay at the Leopold hotel.

January - April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October - December 2017

£359 £379 £389 £359 £359 £419 £379

Prices shown are per person. See page 62.

DAY 4 – BRUSSELS Brussels is best known for its beer and chocolate but there is so much else to see and do whilst in this medieval city. Enjoy a stroll around the Grand Place or shop until you drop at Brussels’ most exclusive shopping area, Avenue Louise. DAY 5 – BRUSSELS TO LONDON Make your way back to the train station after breakfast and take the Eurostar back to London.

30 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Amsterdam

5 DAYS FROM

£379 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Return Eurostar to Brussels and onward rail travel • 4 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

BRUSSELS AND AMSTERDAM London ➡ Brussels ➡ Amsterdam ➡ Brussels ➡ London

Spend 2 nights in Amsterdam before returning to London via Brussels

AMSTERDAM 2

Your journey begins in London

BRUSSELS BELGIUM

FRANCE KEY

Travel by Eurostar from London through verdant countryside to Brussels. On arrival, check in at the Leopold hotel. DAY 2 – BRUSSELS

NETHERLANDS

LONDON

DAY 1 – LONDON TO BRUSSELS

Discover the medieval Grand Place in the heart of the city and enjoy some local Belgian beers. There are many interesting museums to visit, such as the Comic Strip Museum and the Classical Art Museum. DAY 3 – BRUSSELS TO AMSTERDAM Journey by train to Amsterdam and, on arrival, check in at the Inntel Amsterdam Centre.

Nights stay

Bruges canals

January - April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October - December 2017

£379 £499 £499 £459 £459 £499 £439

DAY 4 – AMSTERDAM Visit the fascinating Anne Frank Museum or the famous Rijksmuseum. Perhaps take a boat trip through the city’s winding canals or relax at the biggest park in Amsterdam, Vondelpark. DAY 5 – AMSTERDAM TO LONDON After breakfast, make your way to the station for the return journey to London via Brussels.

5 DAYS FROM

£359 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Return Eurostar to Brussels and onward rail travel • 4 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

BRUGES AND BRUSSELS London ➡ Brussels ➡ Bruges ➡ Brussels ➡ London

DAY 1 – LONDON TO BRUGES Travel from London to Bruges, via Brussels, and check in at the Martin’s Brugge hotel.

Your journey begins in London

DAY 2 – BRUGES

LONDON BRUGES

Spend 2 nights in Brussels before travelling back to London

FRANCE KEY

Nights stay

BRUSSELS BELGIUM

Explore the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage listed centre of Bruges, either on foot through the medieval cobbled streets, or by boat along the pretty canals. DAY 3 – BRUGES TO BRUSSELS After breakfast, take the train from Bruges to Brussels and check in at the Leopold hotel. DAY 4 – BRUSSELS Head out to do some shopping; from designer

DATES AND PRICES: January - April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October - December 2017

£359 £409 £409 £409 £419 £419 £379

boutiques along the world’s first shopping arcade, the Galeries Saint Hubert, to the famous names on the Avenue Louise, there is something for everyone! DAY 5 – BRUSSELS TO LONDON After breakfast at your hotel, return to the station for your Eurostar service back to London.

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 31

5 DAYS FROM

Bernina Express

£719 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Eurostar to Paris and onward rail travel • 4 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast • 3 day Swiss Pass • Return seat reservations on the Bernina Express between Chur and Tirano

DATES AND PRICES:

CLASSIC BERNINA EXPRESS

London ➡ Paris ➡ Strasbourg ➡ Basel ➡ Chur ➡ Bernina Express ➡ Chur ➡ Lucerne ➡ Paris ➡ London LONDON Your journey begins in London

£719 £739 £739 £749 £789 £789 £779 £779 £779 £749 £739 £779

PARIS 1 STRASBOURG

lovely choice of cafés and restaurants, before returning for your second night in Chur.

FRANCE

DAY 4 – CHUR TO LUCERNE

BASEL SWITZ. LUCERNE 1

KEY

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

Nights stay

Spend 1 night in Lucerne before travelling back to London

DAY 1 – LONDON TO STRASBOURG Travel to Paris by Eurostar before hopping onto a high speed train to Strasbourg and checking in at the Le Grand Hotel. Discover the sights and sounds of Strasbourg. Famous for housing a number of European institutions, this city is filled with plenty of exciting sightseeing opportunities and, of course, gourmet delicacies. DAY 2 – STRASBOURG TO CHUR After breakfast, catch a train onwards to Basel before connecting on to a local service. On arrival in Chur, check in at the ABC Chur.

St Moritz

2 CHUR

Bernina Express excursion from Chur to Tirano and return

TIRANO ITALY

The oldest city in Switzerland, Chur is situated in a deep valley formed by the Rhine. It has a rich history and was founded by the Romans in 15 BC. Enjoy a wander around the Old Town or visit the lovely Cathedral of of Saint Mary of the Assumption.

Leave Chur this morning and travel via Thalwil to picturesque Lucerne, checking in at the Waldstaetterhof hotel for an overnight stay. . Explore the Old Town’s classical Swiss architecture, including the stunning Baroque Jesuit church and the medieval Chapel Bridge, or just enjoy the waterfront by hiring a bike or wandering along the elegant promenade. DAY 5 – LUCERNE TO LONDON After a morning in Lucerne, take the train to Basel before connecting on to the high speed train to Paris and then on to London.

DAY 3 – BERNINA EXPRESS Depart Chur on the Bernina Express to Tirano via St Moritz. The train crosses the Alps and offers breathtaking views from it’s panoramic carriages. Ride over spectacular viaducts, through sheer rock gorges, zig zag tunnels and alongside mountain streams and glaciers. Be sure not to miss the impressive Landwasser Viaduct, which will appear on your right just before St Moritz. The train climbs up over 2,000 metres on the Bernina Pass and the entire trip is narrated. Food is available to buy on the train. This whole area is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy lunch in Tirano at the end of the line, or stop a little earlier in Poschiavo, which has a

Lucerne

Why Not... Make a stop en route in Interlaken and travel to Europe’s highest train station, the Jungfraujoch.

32 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Bernina Express

5 DAYS FROM

£919 per person

Air & Rail holiday available from £0,000

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Eurostar to Paris and onward rail travel • 4 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast • 3 day Swiss Pass in standard class • Return seat reservations on the Glacier Express between Brig and Chur • Seat reservations on the Bernina Express between Chur and Tirano

DATES AND PRICES:

CLASSIC GLACIER AND BERNINA EXPRESS

London ➡ Paris ➡ Basel ➡ Interlaken ➡ Glacier Express ➡ Chur ➡ Bernina Express ➡ Chur ➡ Paris ➡ London

Travel in and out of Switzerland with the Eurostar and an onward TGV to Basel

BASEL SWITZERLAND

INTERLAKEN 2

CHUR 2

BRIG

ST MORITZ

Glacier Express route from Brig to Chur KEY

Spend 2 nights in Chur before returning to London

TIRANO Bernina Express excursion from Chur to Tirano and return

Nights stay

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

£919 £939 £939 £939 £1,009 £1,009 £1,049 £1,049 £1,049 £1,009 £939 £939

The train crosses the Alps and offers breathtaking views from the panoramic carriages. Ride over spectacular viaducts, through sheer rock gorges and zig zag tunnels, alongside mountain streams and glaciers. The line finishes in the Italian border town of Tirano and, after time for a bite to eat, you board the train back to Chur. DAY 5 – CHUR TO LONDON

DAY 1 – LONDON TO INTERLAKEN Take the Eurostar to Paris before speeding through the French Champagne region through picturesque countryside to Switzerland. Change in Basel for Interlaken and check in at the Krebs hotel. DAY 2 – INTERLAKEN Why not take a trip up the famous Jungfrau Mountain and travel to the highest train stations in Europe? Travel through tunnels made of solid Alpine rock before arriving at the Jungfraujoch. On a clear day, you’ll enjoy breathtaking views as far

as the Vosges Mountains in France and the Black Forest in Germany. DAY 3 – GLACIER EXPRESS TO CHUR

Enjoy a final breakfast in the hotel and then make your way to the station to catch the train to Basel. From here, connect on to the high speed TGV Lyria to Paris. Return to London on the Eurostar.

Make your way to the train station for the journey to Brig. The train rides the rails over the spectacular Lötschberg Mountain via Kandersteg. On arrival, board the Glacier Express and take a panoramic tour of the Swiss Alps from Brig through to Chur. Travel in comfort aboard what is probably the world’s slowest express train, through the unspoilt beauty of mountain forests, peaceful Alpine meadows and lush valleys. The “oldest city in Switzerland”, Chur is situated in a deep valley formed by the Rhine. Check in at the ABC Chur and begin to explore the city! DAY 4 – BERNINA EXPRESS One of the world’s most scenic journeys, soak up views of towering viaducts, rocky mountain gorges, icy glaciers and Alpine streams from the train’s panoramic windows.

Interlaken

Chur

Why Not... Upgrade to first class on the Glacier and Bernina Express trains for unparalleled luxury and comfort.

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 33

5 DAYS FROM

Glacier Express

£1,109 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Eurostar to Paris and onward rail travel • Flight from Zurich to London • 4 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast • 4 day Swiss Flexi Pass • Day trip to Jungfraujoch • Seat reservation on the Glacier Express

DATES AND PRICES:

CLASSIC GLACIER EXPRESS AND JUNGFRAUJOCH

London ➡ Paris ➡ Basel ➡ Interlaken ➡ Jungfraujoch ➡ Glacier Express ➡ St Moritz ➡ Zurich ➡ London LONDON Your journey begins in London

PARIS

You end your journey in Zurich and fly back to London

BASEL

ZURICH

INTERLAKEN 2 SWITZ 2 ST MORITZ BRIG KEY

Daytrip to the Jungfraujoch, 3,454 metres above sea level

Nights stay Flight home

Landwasser Viaduct. Arrive in St Moritz in the late afternoon and check in at the Hauser St Moritz hotel. DAY 4 – ST MORITZ

FRANCE

£1,109 £1,189 £1,459 £1,429 £1,429 £1,429 £1,439 £1,439 £1,389 £1,149

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017

Glacier Express from Brig to St Moritz

Enjoy a full day soaking up the scenery of St Moritz, famous for its elegant atmosphere and its glamorous ski scene. It is said that winter sports were invented here, and there are plenty of activities to choose from in both winter and summer. Explore some of the 180 kilometres of walking trails, some through Switzerland’s only national park. DAY 5 – ST MORITZ TO LONDON

DAY 1 – LONDON TO INTERLAKEN

DAY 2 – JUNGFRAUJOCH DAY TRIP

Travel on the Eurostar to Paris and connect on to the TGV Lyria service from the Gare de Lyon to Basel on the Swiss border. Here, transfer onto a train bound for Interlaken, where you’ll check in at the Krebs Hotel.

Journey up to the highest station in Europe, the Jungfraujoch. Start out through the beautiful Lauterbrunnen Valley and then begin climbing up to Kleine Scheidegg. From here the train heads up into the Eiger Mountain with breathtaking views from windows cut into the rock along the way. You will arrive at the Jungfraujoch at 3,454 metres above sea level. From here, on a clear day, you can see as far as the Black Forest and the Vosges mountains in France. Return down to Interlaken in the afternoon for your second night’s stay.

Enjoy an evening exploring the centre of this pretty town, surrounded by mountain peaks.

After breakfast this morning, take the train from St Moritz to Zurich Airport and check in for your flight back to London.

DAY 3 – GLACIER EXPRESS TO ST MORITZ Travel via Spiez to Brig. Here, join the famous red and white panoramic carriages of the Glacier Express.

Aare River, Interlaken

This fantastic journey runs over 291 bridges, through 91 tunnels and reaches its highest point at the Oberalp Pass, 2033 metres above sea level. Pass majestic snow-capped peaks, dramatic gorges, glacial streams and Alpine meadows before crossing the famous

34 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Sphinx Observatory, Jungfraujoch

Golden Pass

6 DAYS FROM

£1,479 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Flight from London to Geneva and Zurich to London • Onward rail travel • 5 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast • 4 Day Swiss Pass Standard Class • Seat reservations on the Golden Pass, Glacier Express and Bernina Express

DATES AND PRICES:

SWITZERLAND’S LAKES AND MOUNTAINS

London ➡ Geneva ➡ Montreux ➡ Golden Pass ➡ Interlaken ➡ Jungfraujoch ➡ Interlaken ➡ Brig ➡ Glacier Express ➡ Chur ➡ Bernina Express ➡ Chur ➡ Zurich ➡ London

You end your rail journey in Zurich and fly back to London

SWITZERLAND Excursion to Jungfraujoch

INTERLAKEN 2

CHUR 2

Bernina Express excursion to Tirano

through peaceful Alpine meadows, deep valleys and lush forests en route. Arrive in Chur and check in at the ABC hotel.

JUNGFRAUJOCH

DAY 5 – BERNINA EXPRESS

ST. MORITZ 1

BRIG

GENEVA MONTREUX Fly into Geneva and begin your rail journey

Glacier Express route from Brig to Chur

TIRANO KEY

ITALY

DAY 1 – LONDON TO MONTREUX Travel to Geneva from London by air, and then transfer onto a train from the airport to Montreux, where you’ll check in at the Helvetie hotel. DAY 2 – THE GOLDEN PASS LINE – MONTREUX TO INTERLAKEN Make your way to the railway station and join the Golden Pass line. As the journey begins, the route rises above Lake Geneva, offering amazing views of the Swiss Riviera. The train passes through a mountain tunnel at Jaman,

£1,479 £1,489 £1,489 £1,509 £1,529 £1,529 £1,529 £1,529 £1,529 £1,559

ZURICH Travel along the Golden Pass Line to Interlaken

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017

Nights stay Return flights

and then continues on to Chateaux d’Oex and Gstaad. The highest point of the journey is at 1, 274 metres! On arrival in Interlaken, check in at the Krebs hotel.

Take the Bernina Express for the final part of the trip to Tirano via St Moritz. Be dazzled at the incredible views of imposing glaciers, sheer rock gorges and far-reaching viaducts through the panoramic carriages of the train. Look out for the magnificent Landwasser Viaduct just before the village of Filisur. A stop will be made in Tirano or Poschiavo for lunch before you catch the train back to Chur. DAY 6 – CHUR TO LONDON Have breakfast before taking the train back to Zurich and check in for your flight back to London.

DAY 3 – JUNGFRAU EXCURSION Climb to Europe’s highest altitude railway station on Jungfrau Mountain, at a colossal 3,454 metres high. The journey takes you to Kleine Scheidegg, before reaching the station at Eigergletscher, which is well known for its mountain restaurant and Huskies. At Jungfraujoch, take in the breathtaking views of the Black Forest in Germany and the Vosges Mountains in France. After a spectacular day sightseeing, return to your hotel. DAY 4 – GLACIER EXPRESS TO CHUR Depart Interlaken and travel over the incredible Lötschberg Mountain to Brig, where you will meet the Glacier Express.

Chateau de Chillon

Once onboard, follow the tracks through the majestic Swiss Alps on the journey from Brig to Chur. The train gently glides along the rails

Thun Lake

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 35

5 DAYS FROM

Vienna

£689 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Flight from London to Zurich and Vienna to London • Onward rail travel • 4 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

ARLBERG PASS: ZURICH, INNSBRUCK AND VIENNA

London ➡ Zurich ➡ Arlberg Pass ➡ Innsbruck ➡ Vienna ➡ London

Take the train through the Swiss and Austrian Alps over the spectacular Arlberg Pass

AUSTRIA 1

ZURICH 1

INNSBRUCK

SWITZERLAND Fly to Zurich and begin your rail journey

£689 £689 £689 £719 £719 £719 £719 £719 £729 £729 £699 £699

VIENNA

You end your rail journey in Vienna and fly back to London

KEY

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

Nights stay Return flights

DAY 3 – INNSBRUCK TO VIENNA Travel by train to Vienna and check in at the Austria Trend Hotel Beim Theresianum. Enjoy time at leisure to explore the sights. Stretch your legs with a wander around some of the city’s highlights such as the Anchor Clock, the prestigious Opera House and the Hofburg, Vienna’s Imperial Palace. Spend the evening sampling some Austrian cuisine, such as the Wiener Schnitzel and Sachertorte - a delicious chocolate cake. DAY 4 – VIENNA

DAY 1 – LONDON TO ZURICH

DAY 2 – ARLBERG PASS TO INNSBRUCK

Fly from London to Zurich; Switzerland’s most cosmopolitan and elegant city, situated on the banks of the River Limmat. On arrival, check in at the hotel Du Theatre. Zurich is home to an impressive number of art galleries and museums, among which are the Swiss National Museum and the Kunsthaus. Spend the evening by the lake in the old town district of Niederdorf, famous for its bars, restaurants, lounges and fashion shops.

Take the train through the Swiss and Austrian Alps over the Arlberg Pass. This spectacular journey leaves Zurich, travelling along the banks of Lake Zurich before you are greeted with spectacular Alpine scenery. You briefly pass through Liechtenstein before entering Austria. Travel along the Arlberg Pass and be delighted at every turn by the wonderful vistas of mountains and meadows. Arrive in Innsbruck and check in at the Hilton Innsbruck for an overnight stay.

Enjoy breakfast in the hotel and begin another day of exploration. Why not indulge with a visit to the opera at Vienna’s celebrated buildings dedicated to the world of music. With over 500 concerts a year at Musikverein (Vienna’s concert hall) there will surely be something for every taste! DAY 5 – VIENNA TO LONDON Have breakfast at your hotel before making your way to the airport for your flight back to London.

Surrounded by snowcapped mountains, Innsbruck has gained a reputation as an impressive Austrian holiday destination due to its fantastic winter sporting events and famous historical monuments. Visit the Hofkirche Innsbruck or the Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof), both popular landmarks dedicated to Maximilian I, before indulging in some local cuisine such as Apfelstrudel. Zurich

36 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Innsbruck

Brenner Pass

5 DAYS FROM

£609 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Flight from London to Munich and Verona to London • Onward rail travel • 4 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

BRENNER PASS: MUNICH, INNSBRUCK AND VERONA London ➡ Munich ➡ Innsbruck ➡ Verona ➡ London

Fly to Munich and begin your rail journey

2 MUNICH

GERMANY

£609 £609 £609 £629 £679 £639 £649 £649 £639 £719 £689 £689

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

DAY 4 - INNSBRUCK TO VERONA

AUSTRIA 1 INNSBRUCK

You travel through the stunning Brenner Pass

KEY

Nights stay Return flights

ITALY

DAY 1 – LONDON TO MUNICH Begin your scenic adventure with a flight from London to Munich, where you’ll check in at the Tryp Munich City Center. Head out to explore the city! Munich is the capital of Bavaria with a long and illustrious history. DAY 2 – MUNICH Spend a full day in Munich. Take a walk to the Marienplatz (Main Square) to see the fantastic architecture such as the Glockenspiel and the Old City Hall, which dates back to the 15th century. Enjoy traditional Bavarian fare such as

Spend 1 night in Verona before flying back to London

VERONA

weissbier (‘white beer’, made with wheat) and schweinsbraten (roasted pork) at one of the excellent restaurants situated in the Marienplatz. DAY 3 – MUNICH TO INNSBRUCK

Full of magic from the glory days of the Roman Empire, Verona is an Italian gem, with stunning architecture, fine Italian food and Shakespearian romance. DAY 5 - VERONA TO LONDON Enjoy breakfast at your hotel this morning and head to the airport for a flight back to London.

Take the train across Bavaria and the Austrian border to Innsbruck. Meander around the bases of the imposing Alpine mountains. The train passes through the historic market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and through stunning mountain scenery to the self proclaimed capital of the Alps, Innsbruck. Look out for Kufstein fortress as your cross the Austrian border. This is truly one of Europe’s most scenic rail journeys! On arrival, check in at the Hilton Innsbruck for an overnight stay. Innsbruck is city of stately beauty, ringed with snow-capped mountains. Wander around the old town, taking in the famous Goldenes Dach (Golden Roof), the Imperial Church with its striking memorial to Emperor Maximillian I or the Stadtturm for great views of the city.

Munich

After breakfast, take the train from Innsbruck through the Alps via the Brenner Pass route. This scenic journey takes you through Alpine meadows and past snowy peaks before skirting around Lake Garda and arriving into Verona. Travel over 3,000 feet up to Brenner, twisting and turning through the mountains before gliding through Italy’s rolling hills. Arrive in Verona and check in at the Roseo Hotel Leon D’Oro.

Bassano del Grappa

Why Not... Catch the train home or even take the luxurious Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 37

GERMANY AND BEYOND

Berlin

A treasure chest of landmarks, a melting pot of cultures and an open history.

Cologne

Navigating Germany on a holiday by train is a breeze! Germany’s trademark ICE trains are wonderfully comfortable, incredibly fast and famously timely, plus there’s always something exciting or beautiful to see out the window! With an efficient, criss-crossing railway network spanning the entire country and paving the way to adventures further afield, just take to the tracks on your next adventure and speed wherever you’d like to go. We know you’ll love soaking up all of Germany’s famously intriguing landscapes along the way. Germany itself is one of Railbookers’ customers’ favourite destinations – and it’s not hard to see why. The country is a treasure chest of legendary landmarks, a melting pot of effervescent

cultures and an open history textbook just waiting for you to dive into it! The diverse country is home to Berlin’s vibrant grit and chic green spaces, Bavaria’s traditional beer houses and imposing Alpine peaks, Cologne’s Rhine-side gothic Cathedral and Dresden’s ‘Jewel box’ of reconstructed treasures. The perfect country for stopping along the route of your journey, you’ll also find traditional villages, winding river passes and culture-rich towns embroidering the tracks between the big cities. On a train holiday to Germany there are centuries of history and culture embroidering the sides of the tracks. Want to experience Germany’s wonders by train? You’ll find gingerbread-scented Christmas markets, dreamy river valleys and monuments of

colossal importance all waiting to be discovered - and are all easily accessible by rail. Enjoy a holiday exploring the best of the country, or use Germany’s myriad railway hubs as a first step for an inspirational adventure further afield. Board the train and admire the spire-embroidered skyline of imperial Prague, immerse yourself in the grandiose architecture and sophisticated operatic heritage of opulent Vienna or relax in the thermal waters of Budapest’s ancient baths. Or, why not explore the unspoiled landscapes and lively buzz of the vibrant cities and towns in Poland. Germany’s railway tracks are a veritable gateway to the east.

5 DAYS FROM

Cologne

£549 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Return Eurostar to Brussels and onward rail travel • 4 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

COLOGNE AND BERLIN

London ➡ Brussels ➡ Cologne ➡ Berlin ➡ Cologne ➡ Brussels ➡ London DAY 1 – LONDON TO COLOGNE Travel to Cologne via Brussels and check in at the Marriott Cologne for a two night stay. Your journey begins and ends in London

LONDON

BERLIN 2

NETH. BELGIUM

BRUSSELS

COLOGNE

Spend 2 nights in Berlin before travelling back to London

GERMANY

DAY 2 – COLOGNE Cologne is a cosmopolitan city, with a sky line dominated by the twin spires of its famous Gothic Dom Cathedral. You can climb up inside one of the spires if you wish to take in spectacular views of the city. DAY 3 – COLOGNE TO BERLIN

KEY

Nights stay

Continue your journey to Berlin, checking in at the Hampton by Hilton Berlin City West on arrival.

DATES AND PRICES: January - April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October - December 2017

£549 £599 £569 £559 £559 £579 £569

Prices shown are per person. See page 62.

DAY 4 – BERLIN Explore the German capital. Visit the Berlin Wall. Symbolising the division between the capitalist West and communist East, sections of the wall can be visited at several locations, but the East Side Gallery boasts the most colourful and intact fragments. DAY 5 – BERLIN TO LONDON Train back to London via Cologne and Brussels.

38 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Old Town, Prague

8 DAYS FROM

£779 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Eurostar to Brussels and onward rail travel • 7 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast • Bus travel between Prague and Nuremberg

BERLIN AND PRAGUE

DATES AND PRICES:

London ➡ Brussels ➡ Cologne ➡ Berlin ➡ Prague ➡ Nuremberg ➡ Frankfurt ➡ Brussels ➡ London

Take the train through Brussels and Cologne to Berlin and check in at the Hampton by Hilton Berlin City West.

January - April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October - December 2017

DAYS 2 & 3 – BERLIN

Prices shown are per person. See page 62.

DAY 1 – LONDON TO BERLIN

Your journey begins in London

BERLIN 3

LONDON

NETH. GERMANY

BRUSSELS BELGIUM

FRANKFURT

PRAGUE 3 CZECH REP. 1 NUREMBERG

Spend 1 night in Nuremberg before flying back to London

KEY

Nights stay

£839 £919 £899 £859 £859 £859 £779

Spend two full days exploring the fascinating city of Berlin with its innumerable museums and fabulous architecture.

magnificent Charles Bridge and make your way to the Old Town Square to see the astronomical clock.

DAY 4 – BERLIN TO PRAGUE

DAY 7 – PRAGUE TO NUREMBERG

Enjoy a scenic journey from Berlin to Prague. On arrival, check in at the Jury’s Inn Prague.

Catch the bus to Nuremberg and check in at the Am Jakobsmarkt hotel.

DAYS 5 & 6 – PRAGUE

DAY 8 – NUREMBERG TO LONDON

Spend two days exploring Prague. Cross the

Travel back to London via Brussels.

Prague

8 DAYS FROM

£569 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Eurostar to Brussels and onward rail travel • Flight from Prague to London • 7 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

BERLIN, DRESDEN AND PRAGUE London ➡ Brussels ➡ Cologne ➡ Berlin ➡ Dresden ➡ Prague ➡ London

Your journey begins in London

BERLIN 3

LONDON

NETH.

BRUSSELS BELGIUM

COLOGNE GERMANY

KEY

DRESDEN 1 PRAGUE 3 CZECH REP. Spend 3 nights in Prague before flying back to London

Nights stay Flight home

Brussels and Cologne, and check in at the Hampton by Hilton Berlin City West. DAYS 2 & 3 – BERLIN Explore Berlin! Visit both the Reichstag building for wonderful views, exhibitions and a rooftop restaurant and also the Brandenburg Gate also has a fascinating past and is one of Germany’s most recognisable symbols. DAY 4 – BERLIN TO DRESDEN Journey on to Dresden for an overnight stay at the Star Inn Premium im Haus Altmarkt.

DAY 1 – LONDON TO BERLIN

DAY 5 – DRESDEN TO PRAGUE

Take the train from London to Berlin via

Travel by train to Prague and check in at the Jury’s Inn.

DATES AND PRICES: January - April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October - December 2017

£609 £649 £579 £569 £569 £639 £629

Prices shown are per person. See page 62.

DAYS 6 & 7 – PRAGUE Explore Prague’s four districts: The New Town, the neighbouring Old Town Quarter, the Jewish Quarter and the Lesser Quarter, home of Prague Castle. DAY 8 –PRAGUE TO LONDON After breakfast, fly back to London.

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 39

9 DAYS FROM

Passau

£919 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Return Eurostar to Brussels and onward rail travel • Bus travel between Nuremberg and Prague • Economy double sleeper accommodation between Vienna and Cologne • 7 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

PRAGUE, VIENNA AND BUDAPEST London ➡ Brussels ➡ Nuremberg ➡ Prague ➡ Vienna ➡ Budapest ➡ Vienna ➡ Cologne ➡ Brussels ➡ London

Your journey begins in London

GERMANY

LONDON BELGIUM BRUSSELS

COLOGNE

Return journey is via Vienna and sleeper to Cologne

2 PRAGUE

NUREMBERG

Spend 1 night in Nuremberg on your outbound journey

CZECH REP. 2

Spend 2 nights in Budapest before returning to London via Vienna, Cologne and Brussels

VIENNA

AUSTRIA

BUDAPEST HUNGARY

KEY stay TO NUREMBERG DAY 11– Nights LONDON

DAY 3 – PRAGUE

Depart London for Brussels and then ride the rails to Nuremberg, checking in at the Am Jakobsmarkt hotel on arrival.

Take a walk along Prague’s centrepiece, the 14th century Charles Bridge, and admire the stunning views of Prague Castle towering above the city and the Vltava River. Whilst riverside, perhaps visit the Mala Strana (the Little Quarter), home to the Baroque church of St Nicholas and the Renaissance gardens.

DAY 2 – NUREMBERG TO PRAGUE Spend the morning in Nuremberg, perhaps strolling around one of the markets in the Altstadt. Take the bus to Prague and check in at the Jury’s Inn on arrival.

DAY 4 – PRAGUE TO VIENNA Follow the tracks south from Prague to Vienna for a two night stay at the Austria Trend Hotel Beim Theresianum. DAY 5 – VIENNA

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017

£919 £1,059 £969 £989 £1,159 £1,169 £1,099 £1,139 £1,069 £1,069

DAY 6 – VIENNA TO BUDAPEST Continue your journey south east, crossing the border into Hungary and arriving at your final stop, Budapest, for a two night stay at the Golden Park hotel. DAY 7 – BUDAPEST Explore the “City of Spas” at your leisure. Relax at the Szechenyi Baths, 15 indoor and three outdoor pools are kept at a constant warm temperature to enjoy all year round. Take in the views from the Szechenyi Chain Bridge or perhaps learn about the harrowing history of the House of Terror, now a museum. DAY 8 – BUDAPEST TO COLOGNE After lunch, take the train from Budapest back up to Vienna. Connect onto an overnight sleeper train travelling to Cologne. Retire to your private compartment for the evening as you follow the tracks out of Vienna, across the border to Germany. DAY 9 – COLOGNE TO LONDON After breakfast, travel back to London via Brussels.

Much of Viennese cultural life can be found in the Museumsquartier, home to an array of museums, cafes and restaurants within a former imperial stable building. Enjoy an operatic experience to remember at the Wiener Staatsoper (Vienna State Opera) or view the works of famous painters such as Rubens and Raphael at the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Fine Arts). Charles Bridge, Prague

40 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Viewpoint of Budapest from Matthias Church

Warsaw

10 DAYS FROM

£989 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Return flight between London and Warsaw • Onward rail travel in first class • 9 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

POLISH EXPLORER

London ➡ Warsaw ➡ Gdansk ➡ Poznan ➡ Wroclaw ➡ Krakow ➡ Warsaw ➡ London

2 GDANSK Your journey begins in London with a flight to Warsaw

POZNAN 1

POLAND

LONDON

WROCLAW 2

2 KRAKOW

Spend 2 nights in Krakow before returning to Warsaw in First Class for your flight back to London

KEY

WARSAW

£989 £999 £1,019 £1,109 £1,179 £1,179 £1,279 £1,259 £1,169 £1,169

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017

Nights stay Return flights

DAY 1 – LONDON TO WARSAW

DAY 4 – GDANSK

Fly into Warsaw this morning and check in at the Metropol hotel for a two night stay. Spend the next few days exploring Poland’s rapidly changing capital.

Lying on the Baltic Coast, Gdansk is Poland’s principal seaport with a colourful history of German rule, Polish rule and more recently, extensive self-rule.

DAY 2 – WARSAW

DAY 5 – POZNAN

Warsaw’s Old Town is a major attraction as it is one of the most historic sights in the city and contains a plethora of interesting architecture.

Take the train in first class to Poznan and check in at the Nh Poznan hotel. Visit the Gothic Church of St John of Jerusalem, which dates back to the 12th century, or why not visit one of the many museums such as the National Museum or Archaeological Museum.

DAY 3 – WARSAW TO GDANSK Travel in first class to Gdansk for a two night stay at the Scandic Gdansk hotel.

Take to the tracks in first class from Wroclaw to Krakow and check in at the Yarden hotel. DAY 9 – KRAKOW Krakow has an array of historical and cultural delights to offer every visitor. Visit the hilltop Wawel Castle or shop for homemade Polish gifts in the magnificent Cloth Hall on the market square. Wander through the Old Town area and marvel at its soaring Gothic churches, or relax in one of the many bars, restaurants or cafes which are tucked away down its cellars and narrow alleyways. DAY 10 – KRAKOW TO LONDON After breakfast, travel in first class to Warsaw before flying back to London from the airport.

DAYS 6 & 7 – POZNAN TO WROCLAW Continue your journey in first class to Wroclaw, and check in at the Novotel Wroclaw Centrum. Spend the next few days exploring Poland’s fourth-largest city. A visit to Wroclaw would not be the same without taking in the unique Gothic architecture of its magnificent market square (Rynek) which is Poland’s second biggest after Krakow.

Krakow

DAY 8 – WROCLAW TO KRAKOW

Krakow Market Square

Why Not... Travel out to Warsaw by rail, stopping overnight in Berlin along the way.

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 41

9 DAYS FROM

Barcelona

£979 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Flight from London to Barcelona and Madrid to London • Onward rail travel • 8 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

BARCELONA, SEVILLE AND MADRID London ➡ Barcelona ➡ Seville ➡ Madrid ➡ London

SPAIN Spend 3 nights in Madrid before flying back to London

Fly to Barcelona and begin your rail journey

BARCELONA

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017

£1,049 £1,019 £979 £1,099 £1,169 £1,109 £1,149 £1,139 £1,209 £1,009

DAY 6 – SEVILLE TO MADRID

Travel to Madrid, the Spanish capital, for three days of exploration. On arrival, check in at the Tryp Atocha hotel.

MADRID 3

DAYS 7 & 8 – MADRID

KEY

SEVILLE

Nights stay Return flights

DAYS 1 - 3 – LONDON TO BARCELONA Fly to Barcelona. On arrival, check in at the Park hotel for a three night stay. The tree lined boulevard of Las Ramblas stretches down from the Plaça de Catalunya to the sea. Here you can usually see street performers in action and peruse market stalls selling birds and flowers. Barcelona is host to an amazing range of architecture, from the medieval streets of the Barri Gòtic to the Modernista buildings in

Almudena Cathedral, Madrid

Eixample. Chief among this school of architects is Antoni Gaudi, whose exuberant creations are some of the most visited attractions in the city. Get great city views from the top of the mighty Sagrada Familia Cathedral or stroll along the shaded pathways of Park Güell. DAY 4 – BARCELONA TO SEVILLE

If you like art galleries then you are in the right place! Madrid’s so called ‘Golden Triangle of Art’ includes three fabulous galleries, the Museo Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (home to Picasso’s Guernica), the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and most famous of all, the Prado which offers one of the finest collections in the world. Spend your days here exploring this vibrant capital city, and your evenings doing as the locals do and enjoying some al fresco tapas. But be warned, madrileños do not usually dine before 9 o’clock in the evening. DAY 9 – MADRID TO LONDON Enjoy breakfast before making your way to the airport for your flight back to London.

Take the train to Seville for a two night stay at the Las Casas de la Juderia Seville. DAY 5 – SEVILLE Seville is a stunning city with grand, Moorish influenced architecture and a vibrant Andalucian culture. Visit famous sights such as the huge Gothic Cathedral or the impressive Plaza de España, built for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. Alternatively, the beautiful Real Alcázar is a Moorish palace with myriad rooms, courtyards and formal gardens to explore, and offers peaceful shelter from the summer sun.

Seville

Why Not... Take the train to Barcelona via Paris. The journey is comfortable, scenic and super high-speed!

42 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Seville

8 DAYS FROM

£979 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Return flights between London and Madrid • Onward rail travel • 7 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

MADRID AND ANDALUCIA

London ➡ Madrid ➡ Granada ➡ Cordoba ➡ Seville ➡ Madrid ➡ London

Spend 2 nights in Seville before returning to Madrid for your flight to London

£979 £979 £1,039 £1,159 £1,159 £999 £979 £979 £1,199 £1,209 £1,009 £1,009

1 MADRID

SPAIN

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

Your journey begins in Madrid

DAY 6 – CORDOBA TO SEVILLE Continue your holiday to Andalucia by catching a train to Seville and checkin in at the Las Casas de la Juderia.

CORDOBA

DAY 7 – SEVILLE

SEVILLE

2 GRANADA

KEY

Nights stay Return flights

DAY 1 – LONDON TO MADRID

DAY 3 – GRANADA

Fly to Madrid, check in at the Tryp Atocha, and head out to explore the vibrant capital of Spain. Marvel at the stunning architecture of the Bakery House, which dominates the area, or just soak up the lively atmosphere. Madrid is renowned for its many art galleries, so a visit to the Prado Museum to take a look at the impressive collection of inspiring artwork is recommended.

Lose yourself in the exceptional Moorish architecture of the Alhambra or simply enjoy the panoramic view from the ‘palace city’, which dominates Granada’s cityscape. Explore the old cobbled Carrera del Darro, or admire the baroque Basilica de San Juan de Dios with its magnificent paintings and other breathtaking ornaments.

DAY 2 – MADRID TO GRANADA Ride the tracks through Spain’s sweeping scenery to Granada and check in at the Hospes Palacio de los Patos.

Start your exploration in the Parque de María Luisa, one of the many green havens in Seville. Relax by the pond or admire the evening sun illuminating the buildings of Plaza de Espana. Also situated here is the Museum of Art and Traditions, where you can view remarkable collections of ceramics or the interesting photo archive. Visit the Cathedral of Seville. The Gothic construction is one of the largest churches in the world and is especially renowned for its nave, the longest in Spain. DAY 8 – SEVILLE TO LONDON After breakfast, board your train to Madrid and fly back to London.

DAY 4 – GRANADA TO CORDOBA Travel through the striking countryside to Antequera-Santa Ana and on to the historic city of Cordoba, where you’ll check in at the Hospes Palacio del Bailio. DAY 5 – CORDOBA

Old Town, Cordoba

Spend time roaming the picturesque alleys of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Old Town, dominated by the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba with its colossal Roman columns and marvellous interior. Shop until you drop in the Plaza de las Tendillas, where you will also find a large number of cafés perfect for absorbing the local atmosphere.

Granada

Why Not... Beat the queues and let us organise your skip-the-line entrance to Granada’s Alhambra before you travel

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 43

6 DAYS FROM

Barcelona

£929 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Return Eurostar to Montpellier and onward rail travel • 5 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

BARCELONA VIA MONTPELLIER

London ➡ Paris ➡ Lille ➡ Montpellier ➡ Figueres ➡ Barcelona ➡ Lille ➡

Your journey begins in London

LONDON 1 LILLE

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017

£929 £939 £959 £1,549 £1,549 £1,549 £1,549 £1,549 £1,059 £939

PARIS

DAYS 3 & 4 – BARCELONA Spend two full days in the Catalan capital. Follow Gaudi’s legacy by visiting his wonderful masterpieces. From the breathtaking and still unfinished Sagrada Familia to the hilltop Parc Guell, Gaudi has created some of the most inspiring architecture based on his love of religion, nature and Catalonia.

FRANCE

DAY 5 – BARCELONA TO LILLE 1

SPAIN KEY

Nights stay

BARCELONA 3

DAY 1 – LONDON TO MONTPELLIER Board the Eurostar and speed under the English Channel before arriving in Paris and connect onto a high-speed TGV from Paris to Montpellier. Admire the beauty of the Rhone Valley and Provence whilst relaxing in your seat! On arrival, check in at the Courtyard by Marriott Montpellier for an overnight stay. Spend your evening in this elegant city in the heart of the Languedoc-Roussillon region,

Montpellier

MONTPELLIER

Spend 3 nights in Barcelona before returning to London with a 1 night stop in Lille

only a stone’s throw from the sun-kissed Mediterranean Sea. Its sunny climate provides a vibrant social scene full of artists and writers. Montpellier has plenty to offer when it comes to a tasty meal, with Rue des Ecoles Laiques and nearby Rue du Pila Saint Gely offering a variety of styles, including Italian, Moroccan, Turkish, Lebanese and of course French cuisine.

Travel back through the Spanish countryside and across the border to France whizzing past vineyards and lemon groves as you travel. Change on to a TGV service at Montpellier and continue on to Lille for an overnight stay at the Lille Europe Hotel. DAY 6 – LILLE TO LONDON After breakfast, spend the morning sightseeing in Lille, or do some last minute shopping before returning to London on the Eurostar.

DAY 2 – MONTPELLIER TO BARCELONA After breakfast, take the high speed train through the Perthus Tunnel and down across the Spanish border to Figueres. From here, change onto a regional service to Barcelona. On arrival, check in at the Hospes Las Casas Del Rey de Baeza for a three night stay. Settle into your hotel and then head out to begin your exploration of Barcelona. For the perfect introduction wander down Las Ramblas, the most famous tree-lined pedestrian boulevard in the world packed with buskers, living statues, mime artists and the odd street performance.

44 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Eurostar

Portugal skyline

9 DAYS FROM

£699 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Flight from London to La Coruna and Lisbon to London • Onward rail travel • 8 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

LA CORUNA TO LISBON

London ➡ La Coruna ➡ Santiago De Compostela ➡ Vigo ➡ Porto ➡ Coimbra ➡ Lisbon ➡ London

LA CORUNA 2

Fly into La Coruna and begin your rail journey

1 SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

PORTUGAL 1 COIMBRA

SPAIN

2 LISBON 1

Nights stay Return flight

Spend 2 nights in Lisbon before flying back to London

DAY 1 – LONDON TO LA CORUNA Take a flight to the port city of La Coruna. Check in at the Tryp Coruna for your two night stay. Once you have settled in, head out to explore the city! DAY 2 – LA CORUNA The historical centre, Cidade Velha, is home to many of the wonderful architectural and cultural monuments of the city. Here you will find the wonderful Santiago Church, as well as the Castelo de San Antón - a castle that plays host to a fascinating Archaeological museum.

£699 £699 £699 £759 £759 £769 £789 £789 £749

Flights are available on select days from November to April, call for details. Prices are based on two people sharing a standard twin or double room, and subject to availability and change. Single occupancy supplements apply. Some hotels will require payment of local city taxes on arrival. See page 62.

DAY 6 – PORTO TO COIMBRA

2 PORTO

KEY

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017

DAY 3 – LA CORUNA TO SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA Enjoy breakfast before catching the train along the Pilgrims’ Trail to Santiago de Compostela, famous world over for being the final resting place of St James the Apostle. Check in at the Tryp Santiago for an overnight stay. DAY 4 – SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA TO PORTO

Take the train down to Coimbra, often described as the medieval capital of Portugal. Check in at the Hospes Las Casas Del Rey de Baeza for an overnight stay. DAY 7 – COIMBRA TO LISBON Take a high-speed train towards Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal. On arrival, check in at the Lisboa Plaza for a two night stay DAY 8 – LISBON For incredible views, take the elevator and visit the Cristio Rei, a statue of Christ that stands 100m over the city. In the evenings, a visit to the hilltop district Bairro Alto is recommended, here you will find pretty, narrow streets embellished with a wide range of restaurants, bars and cafés. DAY 9 – LISBON TO LONDON Check out of your hotel after breakfast and make your way to Lisbon Portela Airport for your flight back to the UK.

Journey towards Porto and check in for a two night stay at the Tryp Porto Centro. You will no doubt be charmed by the colourful buildings flanking Porto’s hills, the baroque churches and the meandering mazes of streets that embroider the banks of the Duoro. DAY 5 – PORTO

La Coruna

For a true local experience visit the Mercado do Bolhão, a traditional food market selling fresh produce and dotted with local restaurants. For an evening stroll head to the Matosinhos area near the beach, it is here you will find some of the best restaurants in the city.

Porto Cityscape

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 45

8 DAYS FROM

Porto

£659 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Flights from London to Porto and Lisbon to London • Onward rail travel • 7 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

PORTO, COIMBRA AND LISBON London ➡ Porto ➡ Coimbra ➡ Lisbon ➡ London

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017

£659 £669 £669 £779 £789 £779 £709 £709 £729 £729

PORTO 2

Fly into Porto and begin your rail journey

PORT. 2 COIMBRA 3

LISBON

Spend 3 nights in Lisbon before flying back to London

After a final leisurely breakfast in Coimbra, head over to the station and take the train directly to Lisbon. Check in at the Lisboa Plaza for a three night stay. DAYS 6 & 7 – LISBON Portugal’s historic capital city is draped over seven hills overlooking the mouth of the River Tagus. As one of the oldest cities in the world, it has a huge amount to explore from the narrow streets of the Barrio Alto to the majestic Praça do Comércio, the central square overlooking the wide river.

KEY

DAY 5 – COIMBRA TO LISBON

Nights stay Return flights

DAY 1 – LONDON TO PORTO

DAY 2 – PORTO

DAY 8 – LISBON TO LONDON

Take a flight from London to Porto for a two night stay at the Tryp Porto Centro. Spend two days exploring the beautiful, historic city on the banks of the River Duoro at leisure. Wander through the UNESCO World Heritage listed Old Town, witness the colourful market hustle and bustle of the Mercado do Bolhão and don’t miss a tour of the Fundação de Serralves, a contemporary art gallery housed in a beautiful Art Deco building with lovely gardens.

We believe no visit to Porto would be complete without a tour around the Port Wine cellars. These are situated in Vila Nova de Gaia, across the river by bridge from Ribeira.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before flying back to London.

DAY 3 – PORTO TO COIMBRA Board the train for a short train journey from Porto to Coimbra. On arrival, check in at the Tryp Coimbra. DAY 4 – COIMBRA Coimbra is a fascinating city in a lovely location overlooking the Mondego River. The city’s university was founded in 1290, making it the oldest university in Portugal. You can visit the ornately decorated halls, chapel and library and then enjoy the spectacular views of the city from outside. There are many lovely parks in the city, one of the best being the Dr Manuel Braja Park, designed in the 1920s with a grand bandstand and some beautiful sculptures.

Caption

Tram, Lisbon

Why Not... Extend your holiday and experience another city by catching the sleeper train from Lisbon to Madrid at the end of your trip.

46 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Porto

9 DAYS FROM

£579 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Flights from London to La Coruna and Porto to London • Onward rail travel • 8 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

GALICIA, VIGO AND PORTO

London ➡ La Coruna ➡ Santiago De Compostela ➡ Pontevedra ➡ Vigo ➡ Porto ➡ London

Fly into La Coruna and begin your rail journey

LA CORUNA 2 2 SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA 1 VIGO 2 PONTEVEDRA

Spend 1 night in Porto before flying back to London

SPAIN

KEY

£659 £659 £689 £589 £579 £629

centuries. The hillside location lends itself to wonderful views, with streets sloping down to the Lerez River.

1 PORTO

PORTUGAL

DATES AND PRICES: May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017

Nights stay Return flights

DAY 6 – PONTEVEDRA TO VIGO Ride the rails to Vigo for a two night stay at the Bahia De Vigo hotel. Soak up the history and culture of this port-side city. The Guia hill is a great place for unparalleled views of the city, and is an important landmark having served sailors for centuries as a reference when entering the port. DAY 7 – VIGO

DAY 1 – LONDON TO LA CORUNA Fly to La Coruna and check in at the Tryp Coruna hotel. As the largest city in Galicia, La Coruna boasts plenty of exciting attractions flanking its beautiful coastline. DAY 2 – LA CORUNA Discover the archaeological museum within the imposing Castillo de San Anton, visit the famous Roman lighthouse, Torre de Hércules, or simply relax with a pint of the city’s famous local beer: Estrella Galicia.

DAY 3 – LA CORUNA TO SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA Catch the train to Santiago de Compostela, famous as being the final destination of the Pilgrim’s Trail. Check in at the Tryp Santiago before visiting the Cathedral, which showcases an eclectic, marvellous mix of architectural styles. DAY 4 – SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA The Old City here is a registered UNESCO World Heritage Site, so a stroll down the historic streets is recommended. There are many picturesque squares around the city, including the wonderful Plaza de Praterias, home to a magnificent fountain as well as the best views imaginable of the famous cathedral.

Wander the Old Town, which slopes above the marina, indulge in fresh seafood or take a daytrip to Baiona, a short bus ride from Vigo and home to a quaint fishing port and the impressive Castelo de Monterreal. DAY 8 – VIGO TO PORTO Take the train to Porto and check in at the Tryp Porto Centro. This Portuguese city is beautiful and you’ll find a plethora of sights to visit. Gazing up from the river Douro, you’ll see colourful houses lining the hills, where bell towers, churches and intricate architecture abound. DAY 9 – PORTO TO LONDON Have breakfast at your hotel before making your way to the airport for your flight back to London.

DAY 5 – SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA TO PONTEVEDRA

Santiago

Travel by train to Pontevedra and check in at the Rias Bajas hotel. The city enjoys a reputation as the artistic hub of Galicia, its beautiful panoramas having inspired artists for

Why Not... Take the train to Spain with a scenic journey and overnight stay in Barcelona and Madrid.

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 47

9 DAYS FROM

Copenhagen

£1,199 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Eurostar to Brussels and onward rail travel • Flight from Stockholm to London • 8 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

SCANDINAVIAN GRAND TOUR

London ➡ Brussels ➡ Cologne ➡ Copenhagen ➡ Gothenburg ➡ Oslo ➡ Stockholm ➡ London OSLO 2

2 STOCKHOLM

NORWAY

SWEDEN DENMARK

DAYS 5 & 6 – OSLO Travel by train to another Scandinavian capital, Oslo, and check in at the Comfort Express Station hotel. Discover the city’s fascinating past by visiting the Historical Museum, explore the Gamlebyen (Old Town) area, or go for a stroll along the Akerselva River.

2 COPENHAGEN

Your journey begins in London

LONDON

£1,199 £1,219 £1,219 £1,239 £1,339 £1,339 £1,269 £1,279 £1,329 £1,379

Spend 2 nights in Stockholm before flying back to London

GOTHENBURG 1

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017

DAY 7 – OSLO TO STOCKHOLM NETH.

BELGIUM

BRUSSELS FRANCE

GERMANY KEY

1 COLOGNE

Nights stay Flight home

DAY 1 – LONDON TO COLOGNE Travel from London to Cologne via Brussels, and check in at the Marriott Cologne hotel. Visit Cologne’s Chocolate Museum for a tasting, relax in a traditional bar and sample the local speciality beer, or head up to the top of the Dom for fabulous views over the city. DAY 2 – COLOGNE TO COPENHAGEN Travel via Hamburg to the German port of Puttgarden. Once there, connect onto one of the few remaining boat trains in Europe as you make your way to the Danish port of

Rodby. Continue north through rolling Danish countryside to Copenhagen for a two night stay at the Admiral Hotel. DAY 3 – COPENHAGEN Copenhagen is a beautiful harbour city straddling the islands of Zeeland and Amager and offering a wealth of museums, culture, shopping and sightseeing opportunities. Take a guided canal and harbour tour or enjoy a spin on the Ferris wheel at Tivoli Gardens, the oldest amusement park in the world.

Ride the rails to Stockholm and check in at the Hotel Kungstradgarden. A number of Stockholm’s main sights are in the Gamla Stan, the Old Town area, including Storkyrkan cathedral with the Crown Jewel exhibition and a cathedral dating from the mid-13th century. DAY 8 – STOCKHOLM Visit the National Museum which holds the largest art collection in Sweden, or visit the fascinating Vasa Museum where you can see an almost intact 64-gun warship that sank in the harbour on its maiden voyage in 1628. DAY 9 – STOCKHOLM TO LONDON After breakfast, fly back to London.

DAY 4 – COPENHAGEN TO GOTHENBURG Travel over the Oresund Bridge to Gothenburg and check in at the Clarion Post Gothenburg hotel. Spend the afternoon taking a boat trip out to the 17th century Alvsborgs Fastning Fortress.

Stockholm

After an afternoon sightseeing, relax in one of the city’s restaurants. Gothenburg has a worldwide reputation for innovative cuisine using local produce, and boasts several Michelin starred restaurants.

Oslo City Hall

Why Not... Extend your stay in Oslo and visit some of Norway’s magnificent fjords!

48 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Fjord Valley

5 DAYS FROM

£829 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Return flights from London to Oslo • Rail, bus and boat travel • 4 nights’ hotel stay with breakfast

DATES AND PRICES:

NORWAY IN A NUTSHELL

London ➡ Oslo ➡ Flam ➡ Gudvangen Voss ➡ Bergen ➡ Oslo ➡ London

KEY

Nights stay Return flights

Flam Railway Journey from Myrdal

before continuing to Voss for your onward train journey to Bergen. Check in at the Clarion Admiral Bergen on arrival.

FLAM 1

MYRDAL

Take a ferry through the fjords to Gudvangen and a scenic bus to Voss before catching the train to Bergen

£829 £829 £829 £829 £829 £829 £829 £849 £1,059 £1,059

NORWAY

GUDVANGEN VOSS BERGEN 1

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017

Begin and end your rail journey in Oslo with return flights from London

2 OSLO

DAY 1 – LONDON TO OSLO

DAY 2 – OSLO TO FLAM

Fly to Oslo, check in at the Comfort Express Station hotel, and explore Norway’s capital. Head up to the Akershus Festnin, a medieval castle with two museums and breathtaking views over the Oslofjord. Alternatively, visit one of Oslo’s wide choice of museums. Take a boat out to the Bygdøy Peninsula for the highest concentration of these or stay in the centre of town and see Edvard Munch’s The Scream at the National Gallery.

Take an early train from Oslo to Myrdal and then connect with the world famous Flam Railway. The journey down from the mountain station of Myrdal down to Flam, deep in the fjord, is one of the most spectacular in Europe. The journey travels along the steepest normal track railway line in the world, dropping 861 metres in just under an hour. Take in the awe-inspiring views of rugged mountains, deep valleys and thundering waterfalls as you descend into the Aurlandsfjord. Arrive in Flam and check in at the Fretheim hotel.

DAY 4 – BERGEN TO OSLO Enjoy a scenic journey from Bergen to Oslo along the Bergen Line, the highest mainline rail line in Northern Europe. Arrive in Oslo, check in at the Comfort Express Station hotel and perhaps venture to the lively Aker Brygge waterfront area. Alternatively, head to the Oslo Opera House, an amazing building constructed to resemble a glacier emerging from the water. The building is worth a visit, even if you don’t go for a performance. DAY 5 – OSLO TO LONDON After breakfast, enjoy a morning in Oslo before flying back to London.

DAY 3 – FLAM TO BERGEN Your onward journey begins with a ferry ride into the UNESCO World Heritage listed Nærøyfjord, the narrowest fjord in the world. This branch of the Sognefjord is spectacularly beautiful with its high peaks framing the narrow thread of water.

Nærøyfjord

Travel by bus up the winding bends of the Stalheimskleiva to a lookout point above the Stalheimsfossen and Sivlefossen waterfalls. You’ll make a brief stop to admire the view

Bergen, Norway

Why Not... Travel out to Oslo by train, stopping in Cologne and Copenhagen en route.

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 49

USA AND CANADA The vast size, majestic landscapes and vibrant cultures of the USA and Canada truly are best discovered by rail.

JASPER

WHISTLER

Edmonton

LAKE LOUISE

VANCOUVER

Saskatoon

BANFF

VICTORIA North Cascades Nat. Park

Olympic Nat. Park

SEATTLE

Cascades

Spokane

Mt. Rainier Nat. Park

PORTLAND

Glacier Nat. Park

WHITEFISH

Winnipeg

WATERTON

QUÉBEC CITY

EAST GLACIER PARK

Empire Builder

Eugene-Springfield

Coast Starlight

Grand Teton Nat. Park

Capitol Corridor Oakland/Emeryville

Nat. Park

Yosemite Nat. Park

YOSEMITE VALLEY

San Jose

Kings Canyon

Arches Nat. Park

Zion Nat. Park

MERCED Nat. Park SEQUOIA NAT. PARK

San Joaquins PASO ROBLES

San Luis Obispo

Pacific Surfliner SANTA BARBARA

Death Valley Sequoia Nat. Park LAS Nat. Park

Bakersfield

SAN DIEGO

Grand Rapids

WILLIAMS SEDONA

Petrified Forest Nat. Park

Southwest Chief

Capitol Limited Shenandoah Nat. Park

Cincinnati

Newport News

Piedmont

Mammoth Cave Nat. Park

SANTA FE

Texas Eagle

Hot Springs Nat. Park

Heartland Flyer

Tucson Carlsbad Caverns Nat. Park

Fort Worth

City of New Orleans

Silver Star

CHARLOTTE

MEMPHIS

Palmetto

Congaree Nat. Park

Silver Meteor

ATLANTA

DALLAS

CHARLESTON

Crescent

SAVANNAH

Guadalupe Mts. Nat. Park

Jacksonville Mobile

Sunset Limited

ST. AUGUSTINE

Austin Big Bend Nat. Park

Carolinian

Raleigh

Great Smoky Mtns. Nat. Park

Oklahoma City Little Rock

Ethan Allen

WILLIAMSBURG

Cardinal

ALBUQUERQUE

El Paso

Quincy

ST. LOUIS

BOSTON

NEW YORK Regional PHILADELPHIA BALTIMORE WASHINGTON, DC LORTON (AUTO TRAIN® TERMINAL)

PITTSBURGH

Kansas City

Vermonter PORTLAND Downeaster

Keystone & Pennsylvanian

Cuyahoga Valley Nat. Park

DENVER

PHOENIX/ SCOTTSDALE Saguaro Nat. Park

Windsor Cleveland

Indianapolis

FLAGSTAFF Joshua Tree Nat. Park

Pontiac

Omaha

Rutland

NIAGARA FALLS ALBANYBuffalo RENSSELAER

Sarnia Port Huron

Detroit

GLENWOOD SPRINGS

Black Canyon Capitol Reef of the Gunnison Nat. Park Canyonlands Nat. Park Nat. Park Bryce Canyon Mesa Verde VEGAS Nat. Park Nat. Park Great Sand Grand Canyon Dunes Nat. Park GRAND CANYON Nat. Park

Channel Islands Nat. Park

LOS ANGELES ANAHEIM

California Zephyr

Rocky Mtn. Nat. Park

Great Basin SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

SAN FRANCISCO

ST. PAULMINNEAPOLIS

CHICAGO

SALT LAKE CITY

St. Albans

Maple Leaf

Lake Shore Limited TORONTO

Milwaukee

RENO

Auburn

Acadia Nat. Park

Ottawa

Badlands Nat. Park

Wind Cave Nat. Park

Lassen Volcanic Nat. Park

SACRAMENTO

MONTRÉAL

Adirondack

Yellowstone Nat. Park

Redwood Nat. Park

HALIFAX

Isle Royale Nat. Park

Theodore Roosevelt Nat. Park (South Unit)

WEST YELLOWSTONE

Crater Lake Nat. Park

Voyageurs Nat. Park

Theodore Roosevelt Nat. Park (North Unit)

Houston

SANFORD (AUTO TRAIN® TERMINAL)

NEW ORLEANS

SAN ANTONIO

ORLANDO

Tampa

MIAMI Everglades Nat. Park

Biscayne Nat. Park

Dry Tortugas Nat. Park

North American rail provides you relaxing, enjoyable, stress free transportation from a whole new vantage point. You’ll travel through some of the most scenic landscapes to iconic national parks such as the Grand Canyon and the Canadian Rockies and to bustling cities like San Francisco and New York City. Serving the most popular destinations in the USA and Canada, your holiday includes accommodations, sightseeing, meals and more with the option to tailor it to your liking.

Enjoy the experience of traveling by rail with chef prepared meals, comfortable daytime and sleeping accommodations and a front row seat to the beautiful landscapes around you. Meet and mingle with your fellow travellers in the observation dome as you look out the floor to ceiling windows to a non-obstructed view of the North American landscapes.

Stand up, stretch your legs and enjoy the room to roam while on board. With over 500 rail stations, no matter where you choose to travel in North America, the train will get you there resourcefully, affordably, securely, and with incomparable serenity. There is no better way to experience the beauty of North America than by rail.

50 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Jazz Blues

10 DAYS FROM

£2,049 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES:

SAVE UP TO £200 PER COUPLE

• Flight from London to Chicago and New Orleans to London • Airport transfers in Chicago and New Orleans • Amtrak® rail travel • 1 night onboard Amtrak • 7 nights’ hotel stay • Hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tours of Chicago and New Orleans • Sightseeing city tour of Memphis

DATES AND PRICES: January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

JAZZ BLUES ROCK N ROLL Chicago ➡ Memphis ➡ New Orleans

CHICAGO 2 ILLINOIS

Fly from London to Chicago

Spend 1 night on Amtrak

KENTUCKY

Prices are based on two people sharing a standard twin or double room, including BA flights from London, and are subject to availability and change See page 62. Amtrak travel is based on Coach accommodations unless otherwise stated. Upgrades to Roomette or Bedroom are available.

TENNESSEE

LOUISIANA 1

MISSISSIPPI

MEMPHIS 2

KEY

French Quarter and historic Jackson Square. Explore the historic cemeteries, often referred to as “Cities of the Dead.” Marvel at the fascinating stories of voodoo and piracy on Bayou St. John, the waterway used by Jean Lafitte and his band of pirates.

Nights stay Return flights

Spend 3 nights in New Orleans before flying home to London

DAYS 1 & 2 – CHICAGO Welcome to Chicago! Catch your flight from the UK and check in at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza. Explore the ‘Windy City’ on a hop-on hopoff sightseeing tour covering 13 magnificent miles of the city. Be sure to stop by the iconic attractions Chicago has to offer, including the Skydeck Chicago, Navy Pier, Millennium Park and 360 Chicago. Dinner this evening at a popular restaurant in Chicago is included. DAY 3 – OVERNIGHT ON BOARD AMTRAK® Board Amtrak’s City of New Orleans® for a relaxing overnight trip down south to Memphis. Your journey on this train route takes you through the heart of the USA’s musical heritage.

3 NEW ORLEANS

attractions! On your Graceland tour, you’ll get up close and personal to the things Elvis cherished most in the world and truly get a glimpse of his life at Graceland. This evening, enjoy your included dinner at a popular Memphis restaurant. DAY 6 – MEMPHIS TO NEW ORLEANS Ride the rails through musical Mississippi to New Orleans - the birthplace of jazz! Check in at the Wyndham French Quarter.

Enjoy a Battlefield Cruise and take in the amazing views of the French Quarter and the Port of New Orleans from the river as the boat’s captain entertains you with a detailed narration of New Orleans landmarks, history and river lore. DAY 9 – DEPART NEW ORLEANS Catch your flight back to the UK. DAY 10 – UK Welcome home!

DAYS 7 & 8 – NEW ORLEANS Set off for your New Orleans city tour. Absorb the sights and sounds of the world famous New Orleans

DAYS 4 & 5 – MEMPHIS Arrive in Memphis and check in at the Crowne Plaza. Tour Memphis and Graceland, discovering downtown, the mighty Mississippi, Beale Street and many more wonderful

£2,049 £2,049 £2,099 £2,249 £2,249 £2,249 £2,549 £2,249 £2,299 £2,149 £2,099 £2,049

Why Not... Navy Pier, Chicago

Add in car hire in Memphis and drive to Nashville to experience ‘Music City’ and the home of all things country music!

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 51

Capitol Building, Washington DC

11 DAYS FROM

£2,499 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES:

SAVE UP TO £200 PER COUPLE

AMERICAN HERITAGE

Boston ➡ New York City ➡ Philadelphia ➡ Washington, DC

Fly from London to Boston

NEW YORK

MASS. CONN. RI 3

PENNSYLVANIA

PHILADELPHIA 2

BOSTON

WASHINGTON, DC

NEW YORK CITY

KEY

Nights stay Return flights

DAYS 1 & 2 – BOSTON

DAYS 4 & 5 – NEW YORK CITY

Fly to Boston and check in at the Sheraton hotel. Use your CityPASS® to explore some of Boston’s most popular attractions, including the New England Aquarium and the Skywalk Observatory at the Prudential Center.

Experience firsthand what the excitement of the Big Apple is all about with a sightseeing tour on a hop-on, hop-off bus! Your onboard guide will point out the city’s major landmarks and attractions and give you some history and background on this sprawling metropolis.

DAY 3 – BOSTON TO NEW YORK CITY Board the train to New York City, checking in at the Holiday Inn Times Square for a three night stay.

£2,499 £2,499 £2,549 £2,949 £2,949 £2,949 £3,299 £2,999 £3,149 £2,949 £2,699 £2,649

DAY 8 – PHILADELPHIA TO WASHINGTON, DC

Spend 2 nights in Washington, DC before flying home to London

Enjoy a hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour. See ancient burial grounds, national historic landmarks like the Old North Church and the sombre site of the Boston Massacre.

DATES AND PRICES: January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

MARY. 2

• Flights from London to Boston and Washington, DC to London • Airport transfers in Boston and Washington, DC • Amtrak® rail travel • 9 nights’ hotel stay • Hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour of Boston, New York City and Washington, DC

Use your CityPASS to visit some must-see attractions like the Empire State Building and the American Museum of Natural History. On your second evening, enjoy dinner in New York’s only revolving rooftop restaurant—The View.

Board an Amtrak train to Washington, DC and check in at the Phoenix Park Hotel. DAY 9 – WASHINGTON, DC Discover Washington aboard a hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour. Stops include the Jefferson Memorial, the National Cathedral, and the Smithsonian. You will also have your choice of admission to two of the best museums in the country – the infamous Crime Museum or the International Spy Museum DAY 10 – DEPART WASHINGTON, DC Fly back to the UK. DAY 11 – UK Welcome back to the UK.

DAY 6 – NEW YORK CITY TO PHILADELPHIA Catch an Amtrak train to Philadelphia for a two night stay at the Holiday Inn Express East Penn’s Landing. DAY 7 – PHILADELPHIA

Boston

Philadelphia is a city rich in American history and culture. As the first capital of the United States and the birthplace of the American Constitution, Philadelphia offers so much to see and explore. Visit six of the city’s best attractions including the Franklin Institute and One Liberty Observation Deck with your CityPASS!

Liberty Bell, Philadelphia

Why Not... Extend your journey south along the tracks to the historic cities of Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA.

52 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Grand Canyon

15 DAYS FROM

£2,599 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES:

SAVE UP TO £200 PER COUPLE

DATES AND PRICES:

ROUTE 66 BY RAIL

Chicago ➡ St Louis ➡ Albuquerque ➡ Williams ➡ Grand Canyon ➡ Williams ➡ Los Angeles

KEY

Fly from London to Chicago

Nights stay Return flights

CHICAGO 2 NEVADA Spend 1 night on Amtrak

Spend 1 night on Amtrak

ST. LOUIS 2 KANSAS MISSOURI

NEW MEXICO

OKLAHOMA 2 WILLIAMS ARIZONA ALBUQUERQUE

OR IF

L CA

LOS ANGELES 2

ILLINOIS

GRAND CANYON

Spend 2 nights in Los Angeles before flying home to London

• Flights from London to Chicago and Los Angeles to London • Airport transfers in Chicago and Los Angeles • Amtrak® rail travel • 11 nights’ hotel stay • 2 nights’ stay onboard Amtrak • Hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour of Chicago • Walking sightseeing city tour of Albuquerque • Grand Canyon Freedom Tour

TEXAS

£2,599 £2,599 £2,749 £2,999 £3,049 £3,049 £3,349 £3,049 £3,049 £2,749 £2,699 £2,649

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

the Grand Depot Café before boarding the Southwest Chief train to Los Angeles. DAYS 12 & 13 – LOS ANGELES

DAYS 1 & 2 – CHICAGO

DAY 5 – OVERNIGHT ONBOARD AMTRAK

Fly to the ‘Windy City’ and check in at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza. Enjoy a multiday hop-on hop-off sightseeing tour. Remember to take a picture at the famous sign marking the start of Route 66!

Travel to Albuquerque on a relaxing overnight trip on the Southwest Chief©. Travel past wheat fields and ranches, missions and pueblos as you journey west.

DAY 3 – CHICAGO TO ST LOUIS Travel to Union Station and board Amtrak’s Texas Eagle© to St Louis for a two night stay at the St Louis City Center Hotel. DAY 4 – ST LOUIS Visit the “Gateway to the West” at the St Louis Gateway Arch. At an astounding 630-feet tall, the magnificent Gateway Arch remains the tallest man-made national monument in the United States.

DAYS 6 & 7 – ALBUQUERQUE Check in at the Crowne Plaza Albuquerque for a two night stay and learn about the history of the city and Route 66 on a private tour.

DAY 14 – DEPART LOS ANGELES Board your flight back to the UK. DAY 15 - UK Arrive in the UK.

DAY 8 – ALBUQUERQUE TO WILLIAMS Board Amtrak to Williams Junction on the Southwest Chief. On arrival, check in at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel. DAYS 9 & 10 – GRAND CANYON Enjoy breakfast at the Grand Depot Café and be sure to not miss the morning shootout before boarding the Grand Canyon Railway into the Grand Canyon National Park. Explore the South Rim with lunch on your motorcoach tour, and take in the spectacular vistas. Spend the night at the Maswik Lodge. DAY 11 – OVERNIGHT ONBOARD AMTRAK

Williams Desert Train

Check in at the LA Hotel Downtown and enjoy a guided city tour. See the homes of famous movie stars, tour Hollywood and visit the popular California beaches. At Santa Monica Pier make sure to take a picture at the sign marking the end of Route 66.

Board the Grand Canyon Railway back to Williams. Enjoy your included dinner at

St. Louis Courthouse Building

Why Not... Upgrade to a ‘roomette’ or bedroom aboard the train for comfortable beds on the overnight journeys.

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 53

COAST TO COAST ACROSS THE USA New York City ➡ Washington, DC ➡ Chicago ➡ Williams ➡ Grand Canyon ➡ Los Angeles ➡ San Francisco

DAY 7 – CHICAGO Spend 3 nights in San Francisco before flying home to London

SAN FRANCISCO 3

CALI.

Spend 1 night on Amtrak

GRAND CANYON

LOS 1 ANGELES

Fly from London to New York City

Return shuttle between Williams and KANSAS Grand Canyon

1 1

NEW MEXICO

WILLIAMS

ARIZONA

CHICAGO MISS.

ILL. IND. OHIO

NY NEW YORK CITY 3

PENN.

WASHINGTON, DC

Spend 1 night on Amtrak

DAY 8 – OVERNIGHT ONBOARD AMTRAK Board Amtrak and the Southwest Chief® to journey south towards the Grand Canyon. Travel through plains, deep forests, and the desert on a spectacularly scenic journey. DAY 9 – WILLIAMS This evening the train will arrive in Williams. Check in at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel. Tomorrow you will get to visit the Grand Canyon! DAY 10 – GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK Ride the famous Grand Canyon Railway for a trip to the South Rim of the Canyon. Enjoy beautiful sights as you travel through one of the largest expanses of ponderosa pine forest in North America before reaching the Canyon itself. Spend the night at the Maswik Lodge.

KEY

Welcome to the Windy City! Check in at the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza and use your hop-on hop-off tour to explore Chicago! Visit Millennium Park, ‘The Bean’ and the Magnificent Mile!

Nights stay Return flights

DAYS 1 TO 3 – NEW YORK CITY

DAYS 4 & 5 – WASHINGTON, DC

Arrive in the ‘Big Apple’, check in at the Holiday Inn Times Square and explore NYC.

Take Amtrak’s Northeast Regional® route to Washington, DC for a stay at the Phoenix Park Hotel. Use your hop-on, hop-off tour to stop at any of the exciting attractions around the United States’ capital. Stops include any of the popular Smithsonian Museums, the White House, and the US Capitol Building.

Enjoy a hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour! Use your pass to make your way around all of the major attractions in Manhattan.You also have admission to either the Empire State Building Observatory or access to the Top of the Rock at the Rockefeller Center – perfect for enjoying the unparalleled cityscapes at your chosen time of day.

DAY 6 – OVERNIGHT ONBOARD AMTRAK Board Amtrak’s Capitol Limited® route for your overnight trip to Chicago. Grand Canyon

54 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Green Mountains

SAVE UP TO £200 PER COUPLE

17 DAYS FROM

£3,199 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Flights from London to New York City and San Francisco to London • Airport transfers in New York City and San Francisco • Amtrak® rail travel • 12 nights’ hotel stay • 3 nights stay onboard Amtrak • Hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour of New York City, Washington, DC, Los Angeles and San Francisco • Admission to the Empire State Building or Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center • Ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island • Monuments by Moonlight tour of Washington, DC • Grand Canyon Freedom Tour

DATES AND PRICES:

DAY 11 – OVERNIGHT ONBOARD AMTRAK Explore around the South Rim before boarding the Grand Canyon Railway back to Williams. Enjoy dinner before your evening departure onboard the Southwest Chief westbound to California! DAY 12 – LOS ANGELES Arrive in the City of Angels. Check in at the LA Hotel Downtown and use your hop-on hop-off city tour to explore! Your tour will take you to all of the famous Hollywood attractions such as the Hollywood Sign, Santa Monica Beach, and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. DAY 13 – LOS ANGELES TO SAN FRANCISCO Board the Coast Starlight® to San Francisco. This route follows the Pacific Ocean and is widely regarded as one of the world’s most

scenic journeys! Check in at the Holiday Inn Fisherman’s Wharf for a three night stay. DAYS 14 & 15 – SAN FRANCISCO Explore San Francisco with a hop-on, hop-off sightseeing pass. Your tour will act as your gateway to important San Francisco landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, and Union Square.

January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017

£3,199 £3,199 £3,349 £3,649 £3,699 £3,749 £3,999 £3,749 £3,899 £3,449 £3,399 £3,349

Perhaps visit Pier 39 to experience the fun attractions, restaurants, and famous sea lions. Experience the nation’s oldest Chinatown or enjoy your tour around San Francisco’s varied neighbourhoods as you are treated to a full tour of the ‘City by the Bay’. DAY 16 – DEPART SAN FRANCISCO Board your return flight. DAY 17 - UK Land today and make your way home.

Denver City Skyline

Why Not... New York

San Francisco

Upgrade to a ‘roomette’ or bedroom aboard the train for comfortable beds on the overnight journeys.

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 55

ALASKA RAIL AND SAIL

Chicago ➡ Seattle ➡ Ketchikan ➡ Juneau ➡ Skagway ➡ Victoria ➡ Seattle

ALASKA

downtown and stroll through Pike Place Market. Grab dinner at one of the local restaurants. Be sure to check out the vibrant art scene and eclectic shops downtown as well.

DAY 5 - NORWEGIAN JEWEL® AT SEA

SKAGWAY

The Norwegian Jewel doesn’t depart until 4:00 pm, so use the morning to see any Seattle sights you didn’t get a chance to see during your stay. If you like seafood, be sure to take some time today to sample some of the best and freshest seafood you’ll ever taste. While at sea this afternoon, spend some time getting acquainted with many of the ship’s facilities.

SAWYER GLACIER

1 /JUNEAU

KETCHIKAN

1 1 night at sea

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Spend 2 nights on Amtrak

DAY 6 - NORWEGIAN JEWEL® AT SEA

VICTORIA 2 nights at sea Board your cruise in Seattle KEY

1 1

Nights stay

1 WASH’TON 1

SEATTLE

MONTANA

N.DAKOTA MINN. WISC.

Disembark in Seattle and fly home to London

IDAHO

Fly from London to Chicago

CHICAGO ILLI.

Nights aboard ship Return flights

DAY 1 - ARRIVE CHICAGO

DAY 3 -OVERNIGHT ONBOARD AMTRAK

Welcome to Chicago! After your flight arrives, take the included transfer to your hotel where you’ll check in for an evening.

Enjoy stunning views as you cross the North Dakota plains and travel over the spectacular Gassman Coulee Trestle, a breathtaking elevated train bridge. Skirting the Missouri River, you’ll wind through the Big Sky Country of Montana, passing by a traveller’s favourite, the stunning Glacier National Park.

DAY 2 -

OVERNIGHT ONBOARD AMTRAK

After a free morning in Chicago, make your own way to the train station and board Amtrak to Seattle for a scenic ride on the Empire Builder. Travel along major portions of the Lewis and Clark trail and settle in for an exciting adventure through the majestic wilderness as you follow the footsteps of early pioneers!

Enjoy a leisurely day at sea! There is so much to see and do on this ship! Head to the casino, take in one of the ship’s shows or simply lounge by the pool. DAY 7 - NORWEGIAN JEWEL® - KETCHIKAN Welcome to Ketchikan, Alaska, ancestral home of the Tlingit people, who have carved the world’s largest collection of totem poles. Thanks to its abundant rainfall, Ketchikan is surrounded by some of the world’s most lush wilderness.

DAY 4 - SEATTLE Welcome to Seattle! Check into your hotel and drop off your luggage. Then, it is time to start exploring all Seattle has to offer! Head

56 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Alaska

Norwegian Jewel

13 DAYS FROM

£2,599 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Flights from London to Chicago and Seattle to London • Transfers from airport to hotel, hotel to cruise port and cruise port to airport • Amtrak® rail travel • 2 nights’ hotel stay • 2 nights’ stay onboard Amtrak • Hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour of Seattle • Norwegian Cruise Line’s 7 Day Sawyer Glacier Cruise on the Norwegian Jewel®

DATES AND PRICES: May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017

£3,449 £2,599 £3,549 £2,999 £2,999

DAY 8 - NORWEGIAN JEWEL® - SAWYER GLACIER/JUNEAU Juneau, has been called “Alaska’s peak experience,” due in part to its unparalleled glacier views and amazing collection of landmarks, like Tracy Arm Fjord, the Juneau Icefields, and Glacier Bay National Park. There is no shortage of things to do in Juneau! Kayak up one of the area’s many protected waterways. Tour the historic downtown area. Try your hand at panning for gold. Back on the ship this afternoon, prepare to experience the beauty of the Alaskan wilderness as you pass the gigantic Hubbard Glacier and Icy Strait Point. DAY 9 - NORWEGIAN JEWEL® - SKAGWAY Located along the scenic Inside Passage, Skagway was once a hot spot for gold digging. Today, travellers come in search of other riches,

to experience yesteryear along Skagway’s charming boardwalk lined with buildings that replicate those Gold Rush days. DAY 10 - NORWEGIAN JEWEL® AT SEA Enjoy a day at sea, cruising to your next destination. Relax at the Bora Bora Health Spa, or take a dip in the hot tubs. Tonight, watch some onboard entertainment, like Cirque Bijou.

DAY 12 - DEPART SEATTLE After you disembark from the Norwegian Jewel®, transfer to the airport for your flight home. DAY 13 - UK Arrive back in the UK and make your way home.

DAY 11 - NORWEGIAN JEWEL® - VICTORIA Spend the afternoon and evening in the quaint coastal town of Victoria. Roam the spacious lawns of the stunning Butchart Gardens and see exotic flora, fascinating topiary, and exquisite fountains. Explore the historic Bastion Square, the cultural treasures of Chinatown, and the many charming sights along the boardwalk of the Inner Harbour.

Alaska

Why Not... Alaska

Upgrade your cabin on the Celebrity Solstice for the ultimate luxury rail and sail adventure.

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 57

ULTIMATE CANADA BY RAIL WITH THE ROCKIES Toronto ➡ Niagara Falls ➡ Toronto ➡ Jasper ➡ Banff ➡ Jasper ➡ Vancouver BRITISH COLUMBIA Spend 1 night on Via Rail

legendary scenery on this train route has made it one of the most renowned long-distance journeys in the world!

SASK. ALBERTA

JASPER 3

1 BANFF

VANCOUVER

MANITOBA Spend 3 nights on Via Rail

DAYS 6 & 7 – JASPER

ONTARIO Fly from London to Toronto

Take a return shuttle to Banff Spend 2 nights in Vancouver before flying home to London

TORONTO 2

Take a day trip to Niagara Falls

NIAGARA FALLS

KEY

Nights stay Return flights

DAY 1 – TORONTO

DAY 3 – OVERNIGHT ONBOARD VIA RAIL

Fly to Toronto and check in at the Eaton Chelsea Hotel. Explore the city with your hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour. This tour features top Toronto spots like the Royal Ontario Museum, the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Toronto Harbour and Chinatown.

Experience Toronto from the CN Tower with beautiful views of the city from 553 metres above the ground! In the evening, board your overnight VIA Rail train west to the Canadian Rockies.

DAY 2 – NIAGARA FALLS TRIP

DAYS 4 & 5 – OVERNIGHT ONBOARD VIA RAIL

You will be picked up at your hotel for a funfilled day at one of the wonders of the natural world, Niagara Falls. Highlights of your day will include a meal overlooking the Falls, a ride on the lake, and a winery tour and tasting.

Continue your journey on the train westbound to Jasper, admiring the breathtaking landscape along the way. This train ride gives you the opportunity to discover the beauty of Canada, fully in tune with the nature around you. The

Check in at Chateau Jasper, high in the mountains! Explore the spectacular natural treasures of Jasper National Park, the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies. Stand above the massive walls of Maligne Canyon for stunning views of rushing waterfalls. Discover the mystery of the disappearing water at Medicine Lake. DAY 8 – JASPER TO BANFF Depart Jasper for a scenic drive out to Banff. Your ride along the world famous Icefields Parkway will be full of gorgeous sights, pristine lakes, and breathtaking mountain peaks. Visit the natural wonder of the Columbia Icefield, one of the largest expanses of ice and snow south of the Arctic Circle. Step onboard an Ice Explorer for an interpretive adventure on the Athabasca Glacier. At the Glacier Skywalk, you’ll be treated to an unobstructed view on a glass-floored observation platform that extends over the Sunwapta Valley. Stay at the Rimrock Hotel.

58 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Moraine Lake, Banff

Canadian Rockies

SAVE UP TO £150 PER COUPLE

14 DAYS FROM

£3,349 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Flights from London to Toronto and Vancouver to London • Airport transfers in Toronto and Vancouver • 4 nights aboard VIA Rail® • 8 nights’ hotel stay • Roundtrip shared transfers between Jasper and Banff • Admission to the CN Tower in Toronto, Vancouver Lookout, Jasper Skytram, Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, Glacier Skywalk and Glacier Discovery Center • Hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour of Toronto and Vancouver • Sightseeing city tour of Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake • Sightseeing tour of Jasper National Park and Icefields Parkway

DATES AND PRICES: April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017

DAY 9 – BANFF TO JASPER

DAYS 11 & 12 – VANCOUVER

Explore Banff before taking an afternoon shuttle back to Jasper. Once you’re on VIA Rail, you’ll get a chance to sit back, relax, and just enjoy the scenery on the drive back to Jasper National Park.

Check in at the Comfort Inn Vancouver and discover the city with a hop-on, hop-off tour. Visit popular landmarks like Stanley Park, Gastown and Granville Island.

DAY 10 – OVERNIGHT ONBOARD VIA RAIL In the afternoon, travel to the VIA Rail station and board the train for your journey west to Vancouver. Enjoy the scenery of the Rockies while you relax on the train. Be sure to take a picture of Mount Robson, the tallest peak in the Canadian Rockies!

£3,549 £3,549 £3,649 £4,149 £3,699 £3,749 £3,349

Continue exploring with your included admission to the Vancouver Lookout, which towers hundreds of feet above the city. Sweeping 360-degree views await you at the top of this amazing attraction. DAY 13 – DEPART VANCOUVER Take a flight back to the UK. DAY 14 – UK Your flight will land today.

Vancouver

Toronto Skyline

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 59

ROCKIES DISCOVERY EASTBOUND WITH SEATTLE Seattle ➡ Vancouver ➡ Victoria ➡ Vancouver ➡ Jasper ➡ Banff ➡ Lake Louise ➡ Banff ➡ Calgary

BRITISH COLUMBIA

ALBERTA

Spend 1 night on Via Rail

JASPER 2

BANFF VANCOUVER Take a return shuttle between Vancouver and Victoria

DAY 4 - VANCOUVER TO VICTORIA TO VANCOUVER

LAKE LOUISE

VICTORIA WASH. SEATTLE 1

Spend 1 night in Calgary before flying home to London

CALGARY

Take a return shuttle between Banff and Lake Louise

Fly from London to Seattle KEY

Nights stay Return flights

DAY 1 - ARRIVE SEATTLE Welcome to Seattle! Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel and start exploring the Emerald City. DAY 2 - SEATTLE TO VANCOUVER Spend the morning discovering all Seattle has to offer. Be sure to visit the Space Needle for a bird’s eye view of Seattle. Afterwards, don’t forget to view the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit for some of the most interesting and beautiful blown glass sculptures in the world. This afternoon, you’ll transfer on your own to Seattle’s King Street Station and board Amtrak

This morning, travel to the Vancouver Bus Station, where a motorcoach will take you to the Victoria Ferry service for a relaxing ride to Victoria. This quaint coastal gem has a dynamic blend of serene mountain views, historic charm, and urban appeal. During your time in Victoria you will visit the famous Butchart Gardens - an oasis of colours and beauty. Afterwards, take the ferry back to Vancouver. DAY 5 - OVERNIGHT ONBOARD VIA RAIL This evening, travel to the VIA Rail station and board Amtrak eastbound to Jasper. Relax, and take in the scenery along the way as you venture into Canadian Rocky territory! DAY 6 - JASPER Wake up in the Canadian Rockies and enjoy a relaxing day on the train. Take in the breathtaking landscape as you wind through the Canadian Rockies Region of Alberta, Canada. Sit atop the observation car for 360-degree views of the magnificent mountains and be sure to look for Pyramid Falls. Later this afternoon, you’ll arrive in Jasper and transfer on your own to your hotel.

for your scenic ride through the Cascades up into Canada. Arrive in Vancouver this evening and make your own way to your hotel for a good night’s rest. DAY 3 - VANCOUVER Today’s full day of sightseeing will start with a hop-on, hop-off city tour that takes you to Vancouver’s most popular areas: Stanley Park, Chinatown, Gastown, Granville Island, and more! Today also includes admission to Vancouver Lookout, towering over 168m over the city!

60 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

Vancouver

Seattle

12 DAYS FROM

£2,649 per person

HOLIDAY INCLUDES: • Flights from London to Seattle and Calgary to London • Airports transfers in Seattle and Calgary • Amtrak rail travel • 9 nights’ hotel stay • 1 night onboard VIA Rail from Vancouver to Jasper • Return ferry service from Vancouver to Victoria • Tour transfer from Jasper to Banff and shuttle transfer from Banff to Calgary • Admission to the Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibit and Butchart Gardens. • Hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour of Vancouver • Sightseeing tour of Jasper National Park and the Icefields Parkway from Jasper • Mountains, Lakes & Waterfalls Tour

DATES AND PRICES: May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017

DAY 7 - JASPER Explore the spectacular natural treasures of the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies. During this exhilarating sightseeing tour, you’ll see many incredible sights, including Athabasca Viewpoint, Maligne Canyon and Medicine Lake. Stand above the massive walls of Maligne Canyon for stunning views of rushing waterfalls. DAY 8 - JASPER TO BANFF Depart Jasper this morning, for a scenic drive out to Banff. Enjoy the wildlife, pristine lakes, and breathtaking mountain peaks along the world famous Icefields Parkway. Visit the natural wonder that is Columbia Icefield, one of the largest expanses of ice and snow south of the Arctic Circle. Step onboard an Ice Explorer for an interpretive adventure of the Athabasca Glacier. At the Glacier Skywalk, enjoy the unobstructed view on a glass-

floored observation platform extending 30m out over the Sunwapta Valley. After a full day of sightseeing, check into your hotel for the evening. DAY 9 - BANFF TO LAKE LOUISE TO BANFF Today you’ll explore Lake Louise, one of the most photographed landscapes in the Canadian Rockies. Experience this remarkable destination first-hand with plenty of time to enjoy lunch and explore the lake at your leisure. Search for wildlife or simply relax in the historical Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. This tour also highlights Johnston Canyon, another spectacular treasure of the Rockies.

£2,699 £2,899 £3,449 £2,899 £2,699 £2,649

DAY 10 - BANFF TO CALGARY Today, take your included shuttle transfer from Banff to your hotel in Calgary, the largest city in Alberta. The evening is yours to enjoy this amazing city on your own. DAY 11 - DEPART CALGARY Transfer to the airport for your return flight. DAY 12 – UK Today your flight will land in the UK..

Calgary

Why Not... Jasper

Banff

Extend your stay in Vancouver or visit another North American city, speak to your Travel Agent.

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 61

8.CHANGES MADE BY US

TERMS AND CONDITIONS The following booking conditions and any other written information we brought to your attention before we confirmed your booking, form the basis of your contract with Railbookers UK Trading Ltd, trading as Railbookers of 1 -2 Bolt Court Fleet Street London EC4A 3DQ (“we” or “us”). Please read them carefully as they set out our respective rights and obligations. By asking us to confirm your booking, we are entitled to assume that you have read these booking conditions and agree to them. References to “you” and “your” means all persons named on the booking (including anyone who is added or substituted at a later date), or any of them as applicable. References to “holiday”, “booking” or “arrangements” means the holiday arrangements which we agree to make, provide or perform (as applicable) as part of our contract with you, unless otherwise stated. By making a booking, the first named person on the booking (“lead passenger”) agrees on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking that: 1. He/she has read these terms and conditions and has the authority to and does agree to be bound by them; 2. He/she consents to our use of information in accordance with our Privacy Policy 3. He/she is over 18 years of age and where placing an order for services with age restrictions declares that he/she and all members of the party are of the appropriate age to purchase those services; and 4. He/she accepts financial responsibility for payment of the booking on behalf of all persons named on the booking

1. MAKING YOUR BOOKING You may book with us by telephone, e-mail or via one of our authorised travel agents. Once we (or your authorised travel agent) have received all appropriate payments, we will, subject to availability, acknowledge your holiday over the telephone (where you or your travel agent make the booking by telephone) or by e-mailing or otherwise sending a booking confirmation letter/invoice to the lead passenger. We reserve the right to return your deposit and decline to issue a confirmation at our absolute discretion. Where you book through one of our authorised travel agents, the booking confirmation letter/ invoice and all other communications will be sent to your agent and you should also contact us through the agent. The acknowledgement of your booking is not a confirmation of it and does not create a legally binding contract. A binding contract between you and us only comes into existence once we have issued you with a booking confirmation that will confirm the details of your booking and will be sent to you or your travel agent. All references in these booking conditions to the confirmation of your booking means the booking confirmation letter/invoice. If your confirmed arrangements include a flight, we (or if you booked via an authorised agent of ours, that agent) will also issue you with an ATOL Certificate. Upon receipt, if you believe that any details on the ATOL Certificate or booking confirmation or any other document are wrong you must advise us immediately as changes cannot be made later and it may harm your rights if we are not notified of any inaccuracies in any document within ten days of our sending it out (five days for tickets). We will do our best to rectify any mistake notified to us outside these time limits but you must meet any costs involved in doing so. The only exception to this requirement to meet costs is where the mistake in question was made by us and there is good reason why you did not tell us about it within these time limits.

2. PAYMENT You are required to send us the appropriate deposit per person or full payment if booking within 90 days of departure at the time of booking. In addition to the deposit applicable to the holiday, a further additional deposit is required equal to at least the minimum of the additional cost for any nonrefundable booking variations including flight, rail and hotel upgrades. Please note, deposits and all additional deposits are not refundable except where expressly stated in these booking conditions. Full payment is due 90 days prior to travel. If you paid your deposit by credit or debit card, full payment will automatically be applied to your booking using the card you used for your deposit. If you prefer to pay your balance differently, please notify your travel consultant. If a cheque payment is declined by your bank for any reason, an administration charge of £30 will be made. If you return your payment counterfoil before the date that payment is due, this authorises us to take payment early. If we do not receive all payments in full and on time, we are entitled to assume that you wish to cancel your booking. In this case, we will be entitled to keep all deposits paid or due at that date. If we do not cancel straight away because you have promised to make payment, you must pay the cancellation charges shown in clause 7 depending on the date we reasonably treat your booking as cancelled. Except for flight inclusive bookings, all monies you pay to one of our authorised travel agents for your holiday with us will be held by the agent on your behalf until a contract between us comes into existence. After that point, your agent will hold the monies on our behalf until they are paid to us. For flight inclusive bookings, all monies paid to any authorised travel agent of ours for your holiday with us will be held on behalf of and for the benefit of the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust subject to the travel agent’s obligation to pay such monies to us in accordance with our trading terms unless we fail. In the unlikely event of our financial failure, all monies then held by the travel agent or subsequently paid by you to the travel agent

will be held by the agent on behalf of and for the benefit of the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust without any obligation on the agent to pay such monies to us.

3. YOUR CONTRACT English law (and no other) will apply to your contract and to any dispute, claim or other matter of any description which arises between us (“claim”) except as set out below. We both also agree that any claim must be dealt with under the ABTA Arbitration Schemes (if the Scheme is available for the claim in question - see clause 12) or by the Courts of England and Wales only unless, in the case of Court proceedings, you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland. In this case, proceedings must either be brought in the Courts of your home country or those of England and Wales. If proceedings are brought in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you may choose to have your contract and any claim governed by the law of Scotland or Northern Ireland as applicable (but if you do not so choose, English law will apply).

4. INSURANCE It is a condition of your contract with us that you have adequate travel insurance cover. Such insurance should ensure that you are properly covered against unexpected cancellation charges, unexpected costs that might be incurred while you are away, loss of money, or belongings, or personal liability claims.

5. HOLIDAY PRICES Advertised prices are subject to availability and change, and are based on two people sharing a standard twin or double room. Single occupancy supplements will apply for solo travellers. Hotel and room facilities vary and may be subject to additional fees. Some will require payment of local city taxes on arrival. Please contact us for details. Please note changes and errors occasionally occur. We reserve the right to increase/decrease and correct errors in advertised prices at any time before your holiday is confirmed. Before you make a booking, we will give you the basic price for your chosen holiday. You should check all details before you make your booking. Upgrades or any other variations which you have requested are on a request basis with our suppliers and subject to availability, and prices for these will only be confirmed once the prices and availability has been confirmed by our suppliers. For all holidays, once you have accepted the basic price and a booking has been confirmed, that price is fully guaranteed and will not be subject to any surcharges.

6. IF YOU CHANGE YOUR BOOKING If after your holiday has been confirmed you wish to alter your booking, we will try to make the necessary arrangements provided we receive written confirmation of the change from the person who signed the booking form, or your travel agent, before the date on which the final balance of the cost of your holiday is due. Whilst we will do our best to assist, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet your requested change. There is no refund permitted on rail tickets once they have been issued. Changes and transfers will be subject to an administrative fee of £25 per change per person as well as any applicable rate changes or extra costs incurred by us and any costs or charges incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers. You should be aware that these costs could increase the closer to the departure date that changes are made and you should contact us as soon as possible. Where we are unable to assist you and you do not wish to proceed with the original booking we will treat this as a cancellation by you. A cancellation fee may be payable. Transfer of Booking: If you or any member of your party is prevented from travelling, that person(s) may transfer their place to someone else (introduced by you and satisfying all the conditions applicable to the arrangements) providing we are notified not less than 28 days before departure and you pay an amendment fee of £25 per person transferring, meet all costs and charges incurred by us and/or incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers and the transferee agrees to these booking conditions and all other terms of the contract between us. If you are unable to find a replacement, cancellation charges as set out will apply in order to cover our estimated costs. Otherwise, no refunds will be given for passengers not travelling or for unused services. Note: Certain arrangements may not be amended after they have been confirmed and any alteration could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements.

7. CANCELLATIONS Holidays are subject to the following cancellation charges: 90 days or earlier prior to departure

loss of deposit

From 28 to 89 days prior to departure

50% of package price

From 15 to 27 days prior to departure

75% of package price

14 days or less prior to departure

100% of package price

Note: certain arrangements may not be amended after they have been confirmed, and any alteration or cancellation could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements, in addition to the charge above. There is no refund permitted on rail tickets once they have been issued. Depending on the reason for your cancellation, you may be able to reclaim these cancellation charges (less any applicable excess) under the terms of your own travel insurance policy. Claims must be made directly to the insurance company concerned.

It is very unlikely that we will have to make any changes but occasionally it may be necessary to change your hotel to one of a similar category or change the time of your train ticket due to circumstances beyond our control. We will let you know as soon as possible about this type of change but we are unable to pay compensation. If we have to make what we consider to be a major change to your booking such as an alteration to the departure time by more than 12 hours or a change of accommodation to a lower category we will inform you immediately and offer you the choice of a full refund or an alternative package. If you prefer to go ahead with the changed booking, you will receive compensation of up to £25 per person, except infants.

9. EVENTS BEYOND OUR CONTROL – FORCE MAJEURE Except where otherwise expressly stated in these booking conditions we will not be liable or pay you compensation if our contractual obligations to you are affected by any event which we or the supplier(s) of the service(s) in question could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. These events can include, but are not limited to war, threat of war, civil strife, terrorist activity and its consequences or the threat of such activity, riot, the act of any government or other national or local authority including port or river authorities, industrial dispute, lock closure, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, chemical or biological disaster and adverse weather, sea, ice and river conditions and all similar events outside our or the supplier(s) concerned’s control. Advice from the Foreign Office to avoid or leave a particular country may constitute Force Majeure. We will follow the advice given by the Foreign Office.

10. OUR LIABILITY TO YOU (1) We will accept responsibility for the arrangements we agree to provide or arrange for you as an “organiser” under the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992 as set out below. Subject to these booking conditions, if we or our suppliers negligently perform or arrange the services which we are obliged to provide for you under our contract with you, as set out on your confirmation invoice, we will pay you reasonable compensation. The level of such compensation will be calculated taking into consideration all relevant factors such as but not limited to, following the complaints procedure as described in these conditions and the extent to which ours or our employees’ or suppliers’ negligence affected the overall enjoyment of your holiday. Please note that it is your responsibility to show that we or our supplier(s) have been negligent if you wish to make a claim against us. (2) We will not be responsible for any injury, illness, death, loss (including loss of possessions and loss of enjoyment), damage, expense, cost or other sum or claim of any description whatsoever which results from any of the following: a) the act(s) and/or omission(s) of the person(s) affected or any member(s) of their party b) the act(s) and/or omission(s) of a third party not connected with the provision of your holiday and which were unforeseeable or unavoidable or c) “force majeure” as defined in clause 9 above. (3) Please note we cannot accept responsibility for any services which do not form part of our contract. This includes, for example, any additional services or facilities which your hotel or any other supplier agrees to provide for you where the services or facilities are not advertised in our brochure or on our website and we have not agreed to arrange them as part of our contract and any excursion you purchase during your holiday. Please also see clause 15 “Excursions, Activities and Brochure/ Website Information”. (4) We limit the amount of compensation we may have to pay you if we are found liable under this clause as follows: (a) Loss of and/or damage to any luggage or personal possessions and money, The maximum amount we will have to pay you in respect of these claims is an amount equivalent to the excess on your insurance policy which applies to this type of loss per person in total because you are assumed to have adequate insurance in place to cover any losses of this kind. (b) Claims not falling under (a) above and which don’t involve injury, illness or death The maximum amount we will have to pay you in respect of these claims is twice the price paid by or on behalf of the person(s) affected in total. This maximum amount will only be payable where everything has gone wrong and you or your party has not received any benefit at all from your booking. (c) Claims in respect of international travel by air, sea and rail, or any stay in a hotel i) The extent of our liability will in all cases be limited as if we were carriers under the appropriate Conventions, which include The Warsaw/Montreal Convention (international travel by air); The Athens Convention (with respect to sea travel); The Berne/ Cotif Convention (with respect to rail travel) and The Paris Convention (with respect to hotel arrangements). You can ask for copies of these Conventions from our offices. In addition, you agree that the operating carrier or transport company’s own ‘Conditions of Carriage’ will apply to you on that journey. When arranging transportation for you, we rely on the terms and conditions contained within these international conventions and those ‘Conditions of Carriage’. You acknowledge that all of the terms and conditions contained in those ‘Conditions of Carriage’ form part of your contract with us, as well as with the transport company and that those ‘Conditions of Carriage’ shall be deemed to be included by reference into this contract. ii) In any circumstances in which a carrier is liable to you by virtue of the Denied Boarding Regulation 2004, any liability we may have to you under our contract with you, arising out of the same facts, is limited to the remedies provided under the Regulation as if (for this purpose only) we were a carrier.

62 I To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent

iii) When making any payment, we are entitled to deduct any money which you have received or are entitled to receive from the transport provider or hotelier for the complaint or claim in question.

16. FLIGHTS

We are a Member of ABTA, membership number Y6401. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. We can also offer you ABTA’s scheme for the resolution of disputes which is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. If we can’t resolve your complaint, go to www.abta.com to use ABTA’s simple procedure. Further information on the Code and ABTA’s assistance in resolving disputes can be found on www.abta.com. You can also access the European Commission Online Dispute (ODR) Resolution platform at http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/. This ODR platform is a means of registering your complaint with us; it will not determine how your complaint should be resolved.

In accordance with EU Directive (EC) No 2111/2005, we are required to bring your attention the existence of a “Community List” which contains details of air carriers that are subject to an operating ban within the EU Community. The Community List is available for inspection at http://ec.europa.eu/transport/ air-ban/list_en.htm. We are also required to advise you of the carrier(s) or, if the carrier(s) is not known, the likely carrier(s) that will operate your flight(s) at the time of booking. Where we are only able to inform you of the likely carrier(s) at the time of booking, we will inform you of the identity of the actual carrier(s) as soon as we become aware of this. Any change to the operating carrier(s) after your booking has been confirmed will be notified to you as soon as possible. We are not always in a position at the time of booking to confirm flight timings which will be used in connection with your flight. Where flight timings are given at the time of booking or detailed on your confirmation letter/invoice these are for guidance only and are subject to alteration and confirmation. The latest timings will be shown on your tickets which will be dispatched to you approximately two weeks before departure. You must accordingly check your tickets very carefully immediately on receipt to ensure you have the correct flight times. It is possible that flight times may be changed even after tickets have been dispatched. We will contact you as soon as possible if this occurs. Any change in the identity of the carrier(s), flight timings, and/or aircraft type (if given) will not entitle you to cancel or change to other arrangements without paying our normal charges except where specified in these conditions. Regardless of any information given in good faith, operational changes may be made by an airline at any point and we cannot be responsible for these. If the carrier(s) with whom you have a confirmed reservation becomes subject to an operating ban as above as a result of which we/the carrier(s) are unable to offer you a suitable alternative the provisions of clause 8 (Changes and Cancellations by Us) will apply. Prices quoted in our brochures and on our website are based on special airfares offered to us by the airlines. These represent a reduction on the normal IATA fares which entitle passengers to privileges and flexibility that our clients do not normally require as part of the holiday. Tickets at our special fare are valid only on the airline and dates shown and do not automatically entitle passengers to switch to another carrier in case of a flight cancellation, delay or technical problems with the aircraft or the reservation. Please note that most airlines now operate 100% non-smoking services.

13. CONDITIONS OF SUPPLIERS

17. DENIED BOARDING REGULATIONS

Many of the services which make up your holiday are provided by independent suppliers. Those suppliers provide these services in accordance with their own terms and conditions. Some of these terms and conditions may limit or exclude the supplier’s liability to you, usually in accordance with applicable international conventions or EU regulations (see clause 10(4) (c)). Copies of the relevant parts of these terms and conditions are available on request from us or the supplier concerned.

If you or any member of your party misses your flight or other transport arrangement, it is cancelled or you are subject to a delay of over 3 hours for any reason, you must contact us and the airline or other transport supplier concerned immediately. If your flight is cancelled or delayed, your flight ticket is downgraded or boarding is denied by your airline, depending on the circumstances, the airline may be required to pay you compensation, refund the cost of your flight and/or provide you with accommodation and/ or refreshments under EC Regulation No 261/2004 - the Denied Boarding Regulations 2004. Where applicable, you must pursue the airline for the compensation or other payment due to you. All sums you receive or are entitled to receive from the airline concerned by virtue of these Regulations represent the full amount of your entitlement to compensation or any other payment arising from such cancellation, delay, downgrading or denied boarding. This includes any disappointment, distress, inconvenience or effect on any other arrangements. The fact a delay may entitle you to cancel your flight does not automatically entitle you to cancel any other arrangements even where those arrangements have been made in conjunction with your flight. We have no liability to make any payment to you in relation to the Denied Boarding Regulations as your entitlement to any compensation or other payment (as dealt with above) is covered by the airline’s obligations under the Denied Boarding Regulations. If, for any reason, we make any payment to you or a third party which the airline is responsible for in accordance with the Denied Boarding Regulations, you must, when requested, assign to us the rights you have or had to claim the payment in question from the airline. If the airline does not comply with these rules you should complain to the Civil Aviation Authority at www. caa.co.uk/passengers. Please note, your rights under clause 8 (“Changes and Cancellations by Us”) and clause 10 (“Our Liability to You”) of these booking conditions are not affected by the above Denied Boarding Regulations except that we are entitled to argue that the amount you receive or are entitled to receive from the airline is sufficient to meet any compensation obligation we may have to you as your tour operator as a result of any such cancellation, delay, downgrading or denied boarding.

(5) Please note, we cannot accept any liability for any damage, loss, expense or other sum(s) of any nature or description (a) which on the basis of the information given to us by you concerning your booking prior to our accepting it, we could not have foreseen you would suffer or incur if we breached our contract with you or (b) which did not result from any breach of contract or other fault by ourselves or our employees or, where we are responsible for them, our suppliers. Additionally we cannot accept liability for any business losses or expenses including, without limitation, self-employed loss of earnings.

11. COMPLAINTS AND PROBLEMS In the unlikely event that you have any reason to complain or experience any problems with your holiday whilst away, you must immediately inform us by contacting us by telephone on our 24 hour emergency helpline. Until we know about a problem or complaint, we cannot begin to resolve it. Most problems can be dealt with quickly. If you remain dissatisfied, however, you must write to us within 28 days of your return to the UK giving your booking reference and full details of your complaint. Only the lead passenger should write to us. If you fail to follow this simple complaints procedure, your right to claim the compensation you may otherwise have been entitled to may be affected or even lost as a result. Please note that we offer an Alternative Dispute Resolution service through our ABTA membership. Please see clause 12 for further details.

12. ARBITRATION

14. SPECIAL REQUESTS Any special requests must be advised to us at the time of booking e.g. diet, room location, a particular facility at a hotel etc. You should then confirm your requests in writing. Whilst every effort will be made by us to try and arrange your reasonable special requests, we cannot guarantee that they will be fulfilled. The fact that a special request has been noted on your confirmation invoice or any other documentation or that it has been passed on to the supplier is not confirmation that the request will be met. Failure to meet any special request will not be a breach of contract on our part unless the request has been specifically confirmed in writing. We do not accept bookings that are conditional upon any special request being met.

15. EXCURSIONS, ACTIVITIES AND BROCHURE/WEBSITE INFORMATION The information contained in our brochure and on our website is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of the brochure going to print or at the time of publication on our website. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the brochure and prices at the time of printing or publication, regrettably errors do occasionally occur. You must therefore ensure you check all details of your chosen holiday (including the price) with us at the time of booking. We may provide you with information (in our brochure, on our website and/or when you are on holiday) about activities and excursions which are available in the area you are visiting but cannot be pre-booked with us. We have no involvement in any such activities or excursions which are not run, supervised, controlled, inspected or endorsed in any way by us. They are provided by local operators or other third parties who are entirely independent of us. They do not form any part of your contract with us. We cannot accept any liability on any basis in relation to such activities or excursions and the acceptance of liability contained in clause 10(1) of our booking conditions will not apply to them. We do not however exclude liability for the negligence of ourselves or our employees resulting in your death or personal injury. We cannot guarantee accuracy at all times of information given in relation to such activities or excursions or about the area(s) you are visiting generally (except where this concerns the services which will form part of your contract) or that any particular excursion or activity which does not form part of our contract will take place as these services are not under our control. If you feel that any of the activities or excursions mentioned in our brochure or on our website which are not part of our contract are vital to the enjoyment of your holiday, write to us immediately and we will tell you the latest known situation. If we become aware of any material alterations to destination/area information and/or such outside activities or excursions which can be reasonably expected to affect your decision to book a holiday with us, we will pass on this information at the time of booking. Activities referenced in the itinerary during free time are for suggested purposes only and are not included. During the off-season, some included activities may not be available. In this case, a similar activity will be substituted.

18. RAIL RESERVATIONS Although we do our best to follow the routes noted on the itinerary there might be occasions when a different routing and/or departure time is necessary due to timetable variations or seat availability. Prices quoted are based on special fares negotiated with our rail partners. Should you wish to travel on any Eurostar or other rail service, other than those included as part of your holiday, a rail variation charge of £25 per person per service plus any additional cost will apply. Any change involving sleeper services will be quoted on an individual basis.

what is financially protected, where you can get information on what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong. We, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL Certificate, will provide you with the services listed on the ATOL Certificate (or a suitable alternative). In some cases, where neither we nor the supplier are able to do so for reasons of insolvency, an alternative ATOL holder may provide you with the services you have bought or a suitable alternative (at no extra cost to you). You agree to accept that in those circumstances the alternative ATOL holder will perform those obligations and you agree to pay any money outstanding to be paid by you under your contract to that alternative ATOL holder. However, you also agree that in some cases it will not be possible to appoint an alternative ATOL holder, in which case you will be entitled to make a claim under the ATOL scheme (or your credit card issuer where applicable). If we, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL certificate, are unable to provide the services listed (or a suitable alternative, through an alternative ATOL holder or otherwise) for reasons of insolvency, the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust may make a payment to (or confer a benefit on) you under the ATOL scheme. You agree that in return for such a payment or benefit, you assign absolutely to those Trustees any claims which you have or may have arising out of or relating to the non-provision of the services, including any claim against us, the travel agent or your credit card issuer where applicable. You also agree that any such claims may be re-assigned to another body, if that other body has paid sums you have claimed under the ATOL scheme. *The flights and flight inclusive holidays we arrange are ATOL protected providing they are made available in the UK. For further information visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk. If your holiday does not include flights, ABTA will financially protect your holiday by ensuring you receive a refund or, if your arrangements include return travel to the UK (other than flights), you are returned to the UK in the event that your holiday cannot be provided as a result of our insolvency. Please go to www.abta.com for a copy of the guide to ABTA’s scheme of financial protection. If you book arrangements other than an ATOL protected flight or package holiday from us, your monies will not be financially protected. Please ask us for further details.

20. DATA PROTECTION Railbookers UK Trading Ltd is a data controller for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998. Please be assured that we have measures in place to protect the personal information you give us. This information will be passed on to the relevant suppliers of your travel arrangements. It may also be provided, either by us or by the suppliers of your travel arrangements, to third parties and public authorities such as banks and credit card companies, customs or immigration if required by them, or as required by law. Certain information may also be passed on to security or credit checking companies or insurance providers. The above applies to any sensitive information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities, medical conditions, or dietary/religious requirements but we will obviously only pass these on where necessary to do so to provide the service you have requested. If we cannot pass on this information as set out above, we may be unable to provide your booking or other services you have requested (for example, travel insurance). In making your booking, you consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons who may be outside the EU/ European Economic Area. If you travel outside the EU/European Economic Area, controls on data protection may not be as strong as the legal requirements in the UK. We would like to use your details for marketing purposes (e.g. sending you our brochures) and to pass them on to other companies within our group who may also contact you for marketing purposes. If you do not wish to receive any further information from us or other companies in our group please let us know this at the time you give us your details or, if you do not do so then, at any time subsequently. You are generally entitled to ask us (by letter or e-mail) what details of yours are being held or processed, for what purpose and to whom they may be or have been disclosed. We will charge a fee to respond to such a request. We promise to respond to your request within 40 days of receiving your written request and fee. In certain limited circumstances we may be entitled to refuse your request. To improve our service, calls may be recorded for training and quality purposes.

21. NAMES All names, titles and initials of those travelling must be correctly given at the time of booking. Name changes cannot be made at a later date without extra charges being incurred. If you are purchasing or arranging a holiday on behalf of someone else you must ensure you have each passenger name as per their passport. If you provide us with incorrect passenger names, name changes will not be permitted and you will have to purchase a new ticket subject to availability.

19. YOUR FINANCIAL PROTECTION The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992 require us to provide security for the monies that you pay for the package holidays booked from this brochure or our website and for your repatriation in the event of our insolvency. We provide this security by way of an ATOL (ATOL number 7579) administered by the Civil Aviation Authority for packages which include a flight and a bond held by ABTA (ABTA number Y6401) for packages that do not include a flight (www.abta.com). When you buy an ATOL protected flight or flight inclusive holiday from us, you will receive an ATOL Certificate*. This lists

7579

ABTA No.Y6401

To book call us on 020 3327 3586, visit www.railbookers.co.uk or see your Travel Agent I 63

HOW TO BOOK Call 020 3327 3586 visit www.railbookers.co.uk visit your local Travel Agent

7579

Y6401