Alpine Steam Express

Against the backdrop of the stunning Swiss Alps, 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 at famous locations as well as unusual spots off the beaten path.
• For the first time we charter a private steam train for the journey over the iconic Furka Pass, allowing ample opportunities for run-pasts at the most spectacular locations.
• Several steam highlights appear for the very first time in our programme, including the Val-de-Travers main line near the French border, in the heart of the Jura Mountains.
• Visit the Swiss national collection at the Brugg roundhouse, including a live steam shuttle with a historic tank engine on the main line at Brugg.
• Experience a private steam charter with a historic tank engine at Switzerland’s most beautiful park railway, at the 2-foot Schinznach Garden Railway, Switzerland’s version of Bressingham.
• Fully explore Switzerland’s amazing rail network with the additional freedom and flexibility of a multi-day Swiss Travel Pass.
  

Thursday 5th 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 6th September
Steam on the Val-de-Travers main line in the Jura Mountains
Today you enjoy the best of main line steam, travelling in western Switzerland on the old ‘Ligne Franco-Suisse’ from 1860 and then branching off onto the spur to Fleurier and 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 from Noiraigue to St. Sulpice is hauled by the famous SBB ‘Tigerli’ tank engine 8511 dating from 1911. In St. Sulpice, you visit the large steam locomotive collection of the VVT group, and a false arrival of the ‘Tigerli’-hauled train will be staged for photo opportunities. You then have lunch on site, before the steam train takes you back to Fleurier. For the rest of the afternoon you are free to use your Swiss Travel Pass and explore other local railway lines of Canton Neuchatel. (B L)

Saturday 7th September
Brugg steam shuttle and roundhouse visit; steam at the Schinznach Garden Railway
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 early afternoon you rejoin the group in Brugg, where you visit Switzerland’s largest heritage depot and main line steam locomotive collection.
A rarely steamed, SLM-built 0-4-0 industrial tank engine will take you by private steam shuttle from Brugg station through the station yard and adjacent industrial sidings to the local roundhouse and steam shed. After securing this ‘hard to get’ tank engine, you will have a privately guided visit to the Brugg roundhouse and steam workshop, which includes most of the Swiss national collection and several privately owned steam locomotives as well.
After some turntable photography, you transfer to the nearby Schinznach Garden railway, where a wonderful 600 mm (two foot) gauge field railway is Switzerland’s premier park railway. Running through attractively landscaped fields full of blossoms and young trees, the railway also circles a large pond and traverses an impressive viaduct. Simply said it is one of the most “fun” steam operations in Switzerland and provides ample opportunities for run-pasts and photo stops. In the late afternoon you return by SBB service to Olten for another dinner at the hotel. (B D)

Sunday 8th September
Steam in the Zürich Oberland with the 137-year old tank engine “Schwyz”
More archaic 19th century motive power 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 Bauma to Hinwil. Just recently, the Bauma station complex has 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 oldest operating locomotive, the 0-6-0 tank engine “Schwyz”, from 1887. This will haul your private charter train over the full length of the scenic secondary line to Hinwil, pausing for photos and run-pasts in some fantastic locations. You cross over the stone-arched viaduct at Neuthal before reaching the quaint village of Bäretswil for lunch.
Once at the junction station of Hinwil, you can watch the locomotive take water, before you return by steam train to Bauma. For the return to Olten, you are once again free to choose your preferred route, perhaps opting for the scenic lines via Rapperswil, Samstagern and Lucerne. (B D)

Monday 9th September
High altitude steam at the Furka Railway with rack tank No.708
This morning, after an exciting journey by standard and narrow-gauge service trains from Olten via the Gotthard Railway and Andermatt to Realp, you board a privately chartered heritage train hauled by the amazing rack and adhesion giant locomotive No.708, with 0-8-0-wheel alignment and externally visible traction gear. The locomotive was originally built in the 1920s for French-Indochina (Vietnam) and has only just been repaired to enter service after decades out of use in 2024. You travel over Switzerland’s premier Alpine steam railway to the Furka summit, pausing for photo stop and run-pasts at several spectacular locations. You then descend through the short summit tunnel and arrive above Gletsch, with the Rhone Glacier in plain sight. From there you continue on the last section of this heritage railway to re-open in 2011, on spiral tunnels down to Oberwald, before taking an MGB train on the stunning Glacier Express line to Brig and then travelling on the BLS summit route via the old Lötschberg tunnel back to Olten via Kandersteg, Spiez and Bern. In the evening there is another dinner at the hotel. (B D)

Tuesday 10th September
Freedom of Switzerland with your Swiss Travel Pass
Today, use get to make the most of your First Class 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 7 different paddle steamers on Lake Geneva! Rural 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! In the evening there is a farewell dinner at the hotel to end the tour. (B D)

Wednesday 11th September
Return to London
You return from Olten to London via Basel and Paris, using SBB, TGV and Eurostar high speed services (B)