Festive Saxony & Steam Trains

It’s a winter wonderland time of steam and snow (hopefully!) as we make our annual steam visit to the beautiful city of Dresden for a wonderful tour, combining festive charm and great steam.

This year we feature a mainline steam excursion to Prague with locos 01 0509-8 and 475.179, and the opportunity to experience great narrow-gauge steam on 3 magnificent lines, including the reopened Weisseritztalbahn.

This tour also has much to offer as a seasonal break for non-enthusiast travellers, with sightseeing in Dresden and Prague along with shopping at traditional Christmas Markets, featuring quality hand-crafted decorations from the Saxony region and the Ore Mountains.

DAY 1 Wednesday December 15th If choosing to travel throughout by train, we depart London St Pancras International circ 13.00 hrs via Brussels and high speed ICE train to Wuppertal for one night’s stay at the InterCity Hotel including evening meal. If you wish enjoy either a late evening or early morning ride on the famous Schwebebahn elevated railway at no extra cost. (D) DAY 2 Thursday December 16th We travel to Dresden, either continuing by train from Wuppertal - or by flying from your choice of UK airports to Berlin Schönefeld and then continuing by train to Dresden. Check in at the centrally located Ibis Hotel, where we have five night’s Half Board accommodation. After our Welcome Dinner perhaps take a stroll along the waterfront to view the stunning historic buildings and our first taste of magical German Christmas Markets, featuring quality hand-crafted decorations from Saxony and the Ore Mountains (B,D) DAY 3 Friday December 17th Choose to join our included leisurely guided walking tour as an introduction to this historic city, or explore independently. Later in the morning we travel by train to Zittau on the border with Poland for an afternoon of rural winter steam from Zittau to Oybin and Jonsdorf stations on the border with the Czech Republic – or you may wish to take more free time in Dresden to explore the Christmas Markets. (B,D) DAY 4 Saturday December 18th After an early breakfast we join our mainline charter steam special to the beautiful city of Prague. Commencing with German steam haulage (01 0509-8) and upon reaching the border Czech loco 475.179 takes over to Prague. In Prague we have included a 2 course lunch in a renowned city centre restaurant followed by a guided coach tour of the city with some time then free for enjoying the Christmas Market, and the wonderful buildings for which the city is renowned. We then return with steam haulage back to Dresden enjoying the magical atmosphere of a light evening meal in the train’s beautiful heritage restaurant car en route. (B,L,D) DAY 5 Sunday December 19th A free day to leisurely enjoy Dresden - view the stunningly beautiful Zwinger Palace, Semper Opera House and the Royal Palace; perhaps choose to visit the excellent Transport Museum. Pause for reflection at one of Germany’s most famous landmarks – the Frauenkirche (Church of our Lady), rebuilt following the devastation of Dresden in 1945. (B,D) DAY 6 Monday December 20th We commence a day of superb Saxon narrow-gauge steam with a ride on the narrow gauge Lössnitzgrund Railway from Radebeul to Radeburg. We then continue by train to Freital for another magnificently enjoyable narrow gauge steam run on the recently re-opened Weisseritztalbahn to Dippoldiswalde. (B,D) DAY 7 Tuesday December 21st Returning to the UK either overland by train via Frankfurt & Brussels arriving London circ 19.00 hrs, or by train to Berlin Schönefeld and your return flight to homeward airport. (B) InterCity Hotel, Wuppertal This city centre hotel has a pleasant bar and restaurant serving local and international specialities. Modern en-suite rooms include satellite TV, radio, mini-bar and WiFi internet connection. Hotel Ibis Dresden Königstein Ideally situated for city centre sightseeing, the hotel has a restaurant serving German specialities and a bar bar along with modern en-suite bedrooms.