Swiss Maximum Steam

DAY 1

Travelling by Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris, then onwards to Bern and our hotel for six nights, the Hotel Ador, where we check in and enjoy time at leisure to explore our new surroundings.

DAY 2

Today, we enjoy a day of steam on the Brienz Rothorn Railway, an historic steam cog railway that has climbed Rothorn Kulm (2,244m) since 1892 at incredible gradients. We experience a unique journey on the "Steam Sausage Train" riding behind an historic locomotive with sausages cooking in the boiler. During our stopover at Planalp, the driver and fireman will serve us the freshly prepared sausages before continuing up the mountain to Kulm for spectacular views. We make our way back to Bern on the spectacular route of the Golden Pass Express for an evening at leisure.

DAY 3

This morning, we ride over the scenic Loetschberg line featuring imposing viaducts and a spiral as we descend to Brig before continuing to the small lakeside station of Bouveret. Here, we visit the fantastic Swiss Vapeur Parc, a prestigious miniature railway with live steam, diesel, and electric locomotives passing model villages traversing bridges and tunnels. Afterwards, we relax on a paddle steamer cruise of Lake Geneva passing vineyards and idyllic villages as we sail to Lausanne returning to Bern by rail.

DAY 4

Today, we travel over the spirals of the incredible Gotthard Pass Railway changing to the narrow-gauge railway to climb the tortuous gorge through to the alpine town of Andermatt where we take time for lunch. This afternoon, we transfer to Realp where we join the Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway travelling high into the mountains to Oberwald along the original route of the Glacier Express - crossing viaducts, journeying through tunnels, and past alpine meadows full of flowers.

DAY 5

After breakfast this morning, we tour Bern, Switzerland's charming capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with an exclusive charter on the Bern Steam Tram, dating from 1894. Afterwards, we travel by rail to Blonay for a ride behind steam on the historic Blonay-Chamby Railway to Chaulin Station where we enjoy time to discover the unique collection of narrow-gauge vehicles including steam locomotives, electric trams, and elegant Belle Epoque carriages.

DAY 6

Today, we enjoy two more steam-hauled journeys, the first from Interlaken on the fabulous Brunig Steam Railway along the shores of Lake Brienz, up the rack line, over the incredible Brunig Pass, and past serene lakes to Giswil. From here, we make our way to Sursee to visit a little-known standard-gauge steam railway, the Sursee-Triengen Railway enjoying a nostalgic journey before returning to Bern for our final evening at leisure.

Day 7

We bid farewell to Bern and to Switzerland, returning by rail to Paris, 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