Snow and Steam in Austria and Moravia

Discover the stunning landscapes and rich culture of Austria on this wonderful winter holiday packed with unique steam attractions.

• Enjoy an epic lineup of iconic narrow gauge steam locomotives on scenic line.
• Travel steam-hauled on a private steam charter train on the Alpine Mariazellerbahn, Austria’s longest and most mountainous narrow gauge railway.
• Enjoy a separate private steam charter with the original 0-8+4 articulated locomotive Mh 1 from 1906 on the rural railway from Gmünd to Litschau.
• Explore the famed Semmering railway on a panoramic OBB train.
• Visit the largest steam collection in Austria at Strasshof Museum and take a ride in steam there behind an archaic tank engine from the late 19th century.
• Make an exciting sidestep from Vienna north to Moravia for the very best of Czech main line steam with the mighty 2-8-2 tank engine 423.041 on the local lines around Olomouc.

Thursday 15 January
Arrive in Vienna, at leisure in Austria’s wonderful capital
You arrive in Austria’s capital around mid-day, following a morning flight from London. After a direct transfer from the airport you check into your centrally located hotel, where you’ll be based for the whole tour. You have a welcome lunch at the hotel, before you can spend the rest of the day exploring iconic Vienna at your leisure, using the complimentary public transport rover ticket supplied, valid for the duration of your stay in the city. (L)

Friday 16 January

Narrow-gauge steam from Gmünd to Litschau with Mh.1

In the morning you take ÖBB service train over the picturesque Franz-Josefs-Bahn from Wien FJB to Gmünd, located on the Czech border. Gmünd is home to an extensive narrow-gauge network and today you take a private charter hauled by the classic Austro-Hungarian 0-8+4 type articulated steam locomotive Mh.1 over the idyllic branch line from Gmünd to Litschau, deep in the Austrian hinterland. Framed by rolling fields and dotted small towns, the line meanders north towards the Czech border. Along the way your train poses for photos, with run-pasts added where possible. After lunch in Litschau, you return to Gmünd by steam train and then head back to Wien by ÖBB service. (B L)

Saturday 17 January

Prater Ferris Wheel and steam at Strasshof with archaic tank engine

After breakfast you’ll still have the morning to further explore Vienna and all of its wonderful sights, including the dense tram network and busy main line railway stations. Then you rejoin the group in the early afternoon for a trip to the famed Strasshof railway museum and steamshed, located just north of the city. The site hosts one of the largest collections of preserved and operational steam locomotives in Central Europe and has many iconic tank and tender locomotives dating from the Austro-Hungarian era. Indeed, the archaic 2-6-2 tender locomotive 30.33 dating from 1897 will be in steam and provide cab-ride opportunities up and down the expansive, mile-long museum yard. Naturally, attractive filming options will also be staged. After a good outing, you return to Vienna by late afternoon, with the evening still free to spend at leisure. (B)

Sunday 18 January
Steam on the Mariazell Railway with Mh. 6
After breakfast you take a high speed train from Vienna to St. Pölten, the provincial capital of Lower Austria. There you join an exclusively chartered steam train on the spectacular Mariazellerbahn, Austria’s longest and most famous narrow gauge railway. Your private charter train of First Class carriages is first hauled by the original, rod-driven vintage electric from 1911 from St. Pölten to the steam shed at Obergrafendorf. There the vintage 1908 0-8+4 articulated tender locomotive No. Mh 6 takes over for the long and steeply graded mountain section of the Mariazellerbahn with its breathtaking views and snow-covered landscape. Along the way, photo stops will be staged and lunch is served in the dedicated bar car. After arrival to the famed pilgrimage town of Mariazell, the locomotive will take water and use the turntable. You make the long and scenic descent back down to Obergrafendorf, before completing the last short leg once again with the vintage electric St. Pölten. From there you return to Wien by high speed RailJet. (B L)

Monday 19 January
Steam in Moravia with 423.041
This day adds more international flavour to the holiday, as you travel on an EuroCity train in First Class from Vienna north to the Czech Republic. In the region of Moravia you then enjoy Czech main line steam with the mighty 2-8-2 tank engine 423.041 from 1924. It will haul your train on the local lines around Olomouc and on to Litovel. After lunch in the town, you return to the Olomouc, before returning by EC train to Vienna. (B L)

Tuesday 20 January
The world famous Semmering railway and Vienna at leisure
After breakfast you board a loco-hauled ÖBB train and travel over Austria’s first and still most famous mountain railway south to Mürzzuschlag, over countless stunning, stone-arched viaducts. Built as Europe’s first trans-alpine main line from 1848 to 1854, the Semmering railway is a UNESCO World Heritage site and enduring monument to the harmonious blending of nature and engineering. At Mürzzuschlag there is time to view the Semmering monument and historic locomotives, before making the return northbound trip over the Semmering on a different loco-hauled train. Once back in Vienna you still have free time to enjoy the city for the afternoon. In the evening you join your fellow travellers for a farewell dinner at the hotel. (B D)

Wednesday 21 January
Return to London
Today you return to the UK on a direct flight from Vienna airport back to London. (B)