Super European Steam - Springtime Spectacular

DAY 1

London to Aachen
We depart London St Pancras in the early afternoon aboard Eurostar to Brussels, connecting onwards by high-speed train to Aachen. Our arrival in this historic spa city is early evening, with time to settle into our base for the tour.

DAY 2

Exclusive Charters at Oekoven & Krefeld
This morning we head by private coach to the little-known Oekoven Railway near Rommerskirchen. Here, a 600mm gauge industrial line comes alive for us with an exclusive steam charter. We then continue to Krefeld Nord station for an included two-course lunch in the station restaurant - complete with its own brewery. After lunch, our second treat steams in: a private standard gauge charter on the famous Schluff Railway, Germany's oldest private railway, running for 10km to the Hulser Berg and back to the depot at St. Tönis. Return to Aachen by coach.

DAY 3

Mainline Steam in the Ruhr
A day for mainline steam! We travel into the Ruhr, via Essen, to Bochum-Dalhausen where we board a steam-hauled special over a freight-only line through Hattingen and Witten to Wengern and back - a rare three-hour mainline run. Afterwards there's time to explore the Bochum-Dalhausen Railway Museum, home to an impressive collection of locomotives and stock. Enthusiasts can also ride the museum's narrow gauge line (payable locally). Evening return to Aachen by rail.

DAY 4

The "Millions Line" & the Selfkantalbahn
Steam adventure across the border today! We travel into the Netherlands, joining the celebrated steam-hauled service over the scenic "Millions Line" from Schin op Geul to Simpelveld. A vintage German railbus then takes us to Vetschau, right on the German border. Back at Simpelveld there's time for lunch in the station buffet and a look around the loco shed before returning by steam to Kerkrade. From here a private coach carries us to Schierwaldenrath, where we enjoy a bucolic steam run on the metre-gauge Selfkantalbahn to Gillrath and back - a real highlight. Return to Aachen via Herzogenrath.

DAY 5

Homeward Bound
We bid farewell to Aachen this morning, travelling by ICE to Brussels for our Eurostar to London, arriving early afternoon.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch