Alpine Steam Express

Against the backdrop of the stunning Swiss Alps and wild Jura Mountains, enjoy glamorous steam locomotives on world famous lines, framed by towering peaks and beautiful glaciers.

• Based in the historic and conveniently located city of Olten, you’ll travel on privately chartered steam trains and public steamboats, while also having time to make good use of your Swiss Travel Pass rover ticket to explore Switzerland’s amazing railway network.
• Steam over the majestic Furka Pass on one of the railway’s rarely deployed tank engines on the steeper west to east route from Oberwald to Realp, with breathtaking views and photo stops along the way.
• Experience Swiss steam at its best by land and water, including the hilly steam railway in the Zürich Oberland, the narrow gauge garden railway at Schinznach and the majestic paddle steamers on different lakes.
• Enjoy the plush comfort of 1930s luxury coaches on a main line steam charter in the rugged Val de Travers in Western Switzerland along the old Ligne Franco-Suisse from the 1860s, hauled by an iconic former SBB ‘Tiger’ tank engine.
• Travel through the pastoral Emmental Valley on a private steam charter on the beautiful, freight-only line from Huttwil
  to Sumiswald.

Thursday 3 September

London to Olten by rail

You travel by Eurostar from London St. Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord. Transferring to Paris Gare de l’Est you then journey to Basel in Switzerland via Strasbourg. A short transfer takes you to Olten, your base for the holiday. You check into your quality hotel near the station and the historic old town and have time to relax before a welcome dinner is provided. (D)

Friday 4 September

Main line steam in the Val de Travers in the Jura Mountains

Today you have a free morning to make the most of your Swiss Travel Pass, perhaps exploring new lines or narrow gauge routes in Central Switzerland near Olten. In the afternoon you travel with the group by SBB train to Neuchatel. You then experience the best of main line steam, travelling in western Switzerland on the old ‘Ligne Franco-Suisse’ from 1860 on the steep gradients from Noiraigue to the border station Les Verrieres, before returning downhill and eventually branching off to Fleurier and then the short branch line to St.Sulpice. The last section of the route to St. Sulpice has been without a regular passenger service since 1973 and is only used by heritage steam trains of the association Vapeur Val-de-Travers. You travel aboard one of Switzerland’s best preserved and most elegant rakes of standard gauge coaches, including First Class carriages with plush amenities and at-seat-catering. Your main line steam charter is hauled by a powerful 0-8-0 tank engine built in the 1950s. In St. Sulpice, you visit the large steam locomotive collection of the VVT group.
Dinner is served on the train, in the elegantly appointed cars. In the evening you return by SBB service trains to Olten. (B D)

Saturday 5 September

Steam at the Furka Railway and paddle steamer cruise on Lake Lucerne

This morning, after an exciting journey by standard and narrow-gauge service trains from Olten via the Bernese Oberland and Upper Valais to Oberwald, you board a steam train of the legendary Furka Railway and then travel steam-hauled over the original summit route of the world famous Glacier Express, seeing the namesake Rhone Glacier up close during several photo stops along the way. Your train will be hauled by the newly overhauled 0-8-0 giant tank engine No.708, which was brought back to Switzerland from Vietnam. You take the west to east route from Oberwald via Furka to Realp, which features significantly more uphill running than the reverse east to west direction. Experience the very best of the Swiss Alps!
After arrival to Realp you have more free time to use your Swiss Travel Pass and could either make the spectacular railway journey over the Oberalp Pass to Chur or travel along the Gotthard route to Lake Lucerne, where there is a delightful sunset dinner cruise by paddle steamer. (B L)

Sunday 6 September

Steam in the Zürich Oberland with two tank engines and steam at the Schinznach Garden Railway for their annual gala

More 19th century traction awaits you today, as you venture deep into the green hills of Zürich Oberland and travel on Switzerland's premier standard gauge heritage railway from Hinwil to Bauma. The Bauma station complex has recently been comprehensively re-developed and now features an original, 4-bay station canopy dating from 1859, which was first built for Basel and then moved to Bauma. This amazing structure lends great atmosphere to your steam train departure aboard a green train of ancient four-wheeled coaches hauled by the railway’s immaculate former SBB tank engines dating from the late 19th and early 20th century. You will be hauled by one steam locomotive for the outward trip from Hinwil to Bauma and then a different steam loco for the return leg, with photo stops included. After this splendid steam experience, you transfer by train to Brugg and then take one of the iconic yellow “Postauto” postal coaches for the short connection to nearby Schinznach, where a wonderful 600 mm (two foot) gauge field railway is Switzerland’s premier park railway. Running through attractive countryside, the railway also circles a large pond and traverses an impressive viaduct. This Sunday marks the railway’s annual gala with at least three different locomotives in steam. In the early evening you return to Olten for dinner at the hotel. (B D)

Monday 7 September

Steam in the Emmental with a unique “Boxcab” locomotive

After another free morning, with time to make good use of your Swiss Travel Pass and perhaps explore another rural branch line, you travel with the group in the afternoon to Huttwil, traditional site of a major steam depot and gateway to the famed Emmental region. This traditional Swiss heartland is known for its pastoral landscapes with green rolling hills, gentle fields and lots of grazing cows. The freight-only railway line from Huttwil to Sumiswald is particularly serene and ideal for photo stops with run-pasts. The unique attraction today is the Boxcab steam locomotive Nr.5 from 1936, which was specifically built for use on the Emmental lines around Huttwil and has the advantage of being suitable for one-man operation. Today the locomotive is unique in Switzerland and has only just been overhauled after years out of service. Back in Huttwil there is still time for a shed visit, before dinner is served in a historic dining car at the railway station. (B D)

Tuesday 8 September

Freedom of Switzerland with your Swiss Travel Pass

Today, you get to make the most of your Swiss Travel Pass to explore the country and its amazing public transport network to the fullest. You could venture on the Old Gotthard Route and Centovalli Railway to Ticino and even Domodossola in Northern Italy, head to Zermatt or enjoy different paddle steamers on Lake Lucerne, Lake Thun or Lake Brienz! Mountain railways off the beaten path or delightful narrow gauge trains also beckon! The Rigi rack railway is also included in the pass. The choice is yours and your tour manager will be happy to advise you! (B)

Wednesday 9 September

Return to London

You return from Olten to London via Basel and Paris, using SBB, TGV and Eurostar high speed services. (B)