Bavarian Steam Spectacular

DAY 1

Travelling by Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris, then onwards to Ulm and our hotel for five nights, the Ibis Hotel, where we check in and enjoy our first evening at leisure.

DAY 2

After breakfast this morning, we travel by rail to Amstetten for a metre-gauge steam run along the beautiful Alb-Bahnle line to Oppingen and return. After a short break, we then enjoy a historic ride over the 20km standard-gauge line to Gerstetten, a scenic journey that beautifully combines nostalgia and local transport. On our return to Ulm, we enjoy an evening at leisure to stroll around this beautiful city on the banks of the River Danube.

DAY 3

After breakfast, we experience a tour of Ulm in a specially chartered vintage tram to discover the highlights of the city before travelling by coach to the Hartsfeld Railway. Here, we journey along their line with a private charter of their vintage 1954-built, 'centre cab' crocodile diesel locomotive known as 'Jumbo'. The original line was considered one of the most spectacular in Germany and the reconstructed section runs for 5.7km through the idyllic Egau Valley between Neresheim and Katzenstein on the shores of Lake Hartsfeld. The railway is operating our private charter outside of their normal running dates. On our return to Ulm, the rest of the day is at leisure to explore this vibrant city, perhaps visit the Ulm Minster with the highest steeple in the world or discover Shiefes Haus, the most crooked hotel in the world.

DAY 4

Today, we make our way to Augsburg and enjoy a special steam-hauled (Pacific 01 1066 scheduled) journey over a 75km section of the mainline to Nordlingen for the exciting Bavarian Railway Museum Steam Festival. We have free time to explore the superb collection of steam locomotives including the famous Class 18 Pacific in its beautiful green livery plus steam demonstrations, visiting locomotives, various exhibitions, and an included 2hr mainline ride behind steam. At the end of our visit, we are travelling by scheduled train via a scenic route, different to the outward journey, to arrive back in Ulm for a leisurely evening. Alternatively, the outward steam charter is returning with heritage electric haulage and travel on this can be arranged at no extra cost.

DAY 5

This morning, we travel by rail to Warthausen for a public steam journey on the charming narrow-gauge Ochsle Railway traversing steep gradients through hilly landscapes and past faithfully renovated stations to Ochsenhausen and return. Here, we enjoy our lunch together in a local restaurant before making the return journey by local trains to Ulm for our final evening at leisure.

DAY 6

We bid farewell to Germany and to Ulm, returning by rail to Brussels, where we will join the Eurostar service to London St Pancras.

*Important Note: Whilst the arrangements for all described steam train travel are in place, we do reserve the right to make substitutions should it be deemed necessary for whatever reason.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch