SPRINGTIME IN THE ALPS
April
16-30, 2010
Land tour from $3399.00 plus your choice of Swiss
Rail Pass
This tour is sold-out, but the waitlist is open.
Pl ease
join Rail Travel Center President Wil Doak on the 2010 departure of our
remarkable Springtime in the Alps tour of Switzerland, including small
bits of Italy and Germany. This wonderful trip is our most popular
international tour. It combines a surprisingly easy pace (using only four
hotels in 14 nights) with comprehensive sightseeing featuring the grandeur
of the Alps as seen from the superb trains of Swiss Rail. As a further
advantage, each participant will have a Swiss Rail Pass, which covers the
entire rail network plus narrow gauge mountain railways, lake steamers,
trams (trolley cars) in the major cities, and Postal Buses to the few
areas not reached by train. In that way, participants can plan independent
sightseeing to other areas of Switzerland. The pass now also includes
prepaid admission to over 400 sites throughout Switzerland. This program
is packed with value, as the price is inclusive of all breakfasts, two
lunches and ten dinners!
We begin with three nights at the beautiful Four Star
Romantik Hotel Santis in
“the most Swiss village” of
Appenzell. Another three nights are spent at the lovely
Romantik Hotel Stern, a
historic landmark Three Star property noted for superb regional cuisine of
the Graubunden Canton. We enjoy two nights in
Locarno at the Four Star
Hotel La Palma au Lac,
where the kitchen produces spectacular Italian-Swiss dishes and the hotel
lobby opens directly onto the lakeshore promenade. We end with six nights
at the lovely Four Star
Hotel
Seiler au Lac in Switzerland’s magnificent Bernese Oberland at
Bonigen/Interlaken. This lovely hotel is set on the shore of the Lake of
Brienz!
 We
ride the narrow-gauge
BERNINA
EXPRESS over the 7,000-foot Bernina Pass, dropping down from
glaciers and perpetual snowfields on the pass to the palm trees of Tirano,
Italy. We also cross the main range of the Alps on the legendary
GLACIER EXPRESS. The diners
of the Rhaetian Railway are renowned for gourmet meals and unique
tilted-stem glassware to compensate for the steep grades! We enjoy a
wonderful lunch in the diner on the GLACIER EXPRESS. We see the Matterhorn
and Zermatt, and visit the remarkable
Swiss Railway Museum in
Lucerne.
Several lake cruises enhance the tour. We sail past the
flower-clad hills of the Swiss/Italian Lake District on voyages to the
garden islands of Isola Madre and Isola Bella. We also cruise the
beautiful lakes of Constance, Locarno (the Lago Maggiore), Luzern, Thun,
and Geneva beneath towering peaks and visit the lakeside villages of
Montreux, Vitznau, and Bonigen/Interlaken. There is a walking tour of
Bern, a ride over the
“Golden Pass” on the PANORAMIC EXPRESS and so
much more! Complete details follow. All aboard!
Optional Pretour Travel Day, Thursday, April 15 Flights
leave North America for Zurich. Air travel is not included in the tour
price, as our clients live throughout North America.
 Day
One, Friday, April 16 (D) Scenic train trip to the “most Swiss village” of
Appenzell. Flights arrive in Zurich this morning. Your tour manager
will meet flights arriving before 11:30 AM. We proceed by train to
Appenzell. Our hotel for
three nights is the
Romantik Hotel
Santis, located in the heart of the Old Town in an area of
decorative hand-painted homes and shops. The afternoon is unstructured so
participants can rest after the long flight; however Appenzell offers
beautiful architecture, fine shops, a unique folkloric museum, a grand
Baroque church, and a fascinating maze of squares and narrow streets all
within a five-minute walk from our hotel.
Day Two, Saturday, April 17 (CB) Tour the cathedral
town of St. Gallen.
The magnificent Baroque interior of the St. Gallen Cathedral by
Carl Fowler
We ride the little narrow gauge train to the
beautiful cathedral town of
St.
Gallen for a walking tour of the magnificent cathedral and unique
Abbey Library, which houses a priceless collection of illuminated
manuscripts. There will also be time here to optionally use your Swiss
Pass for a ride on the Trogenbahn tram line into the beautiful rolling
countryside above the town. Matchless views open up as we ascend out over
the north of Switzerland and across the Lake of Constanz to Germany and
Austria.
 Day
Three, Sunday, April 18 (CB) Mainau Gardens in Germany; northern
Switzerland. This morning we take regional trains north to the Lake of
Constance, a great widening of the Rhine River, and cross into Germany. At
the “Free and Imperial” city of Constance, we board a lake steamer for the
lovely voyage across the lake to tour magnificent
Mainau Gardens. This floral
paradise occupies the estate of a Swedish Count. The immense spring tulip
display should be peaking during our visit. Returning to Appenzell, we
pass through sunny vineyards on flower-bedecked terraces gradually
ascending from the lakes to the Alps above the village.
Day Four, Monday, April 19 (CB,D) Train journey to
Chur; optional afternoon trip to Arosa. We ride the narrow gauge
railway to Alstatten. This line descends from the heights of the Mount
Santis massif to the Rhine River Valley and offers amazing views of three
countries: Switzerland, Austria and Lichtenstein. Here we transfer to the
mainline train for a fast run to
Chur, where we stay three nights at the lovely
Romantik Hotel Stern. An
exciting option this afternoon a ride on the
narrow gauge railway to Arosa, which departs from the main plaza in
front of the station. This line ascends through a stupendous canyon on its
hour-long journey into the high peaks.
Day Five, Tuesday, April 20 (CB) Round-trip over “the
top of the world” to Tirano, Italy on the BERNINA EXPRESS. We can
almost touch a glacier from our train today as we ride the
BERNINA EXPRESS over
7,000-foot Bernina Pass, the highest point in Europe reached by a non-cog
railway. This narrow gauge line includes spiral tunnels and horseshoe
curves as it surmounts the Albula and Bernina Passes, finally terminating
amid unexpected palm trees at Tirano in northern Italy. There is free time
for lunch before the return journey to Chur.
One of the marvels of this line is a spiral viaduct on
the ascent up the Italian side of the Pass. Previous Rail Travel Center
clients have rated this as the most scenic train trip in Europe.
Day Six, Wednesday, April 21 (CB,L) Cross Oberalp
Pass on the GLACIER EXPRESS on a circle of the Alps. We can sleep in
this morning, as departure is at 11:15AM. We re-board the Rhaetian Ry.,
riding the renowned
GLACIER
EXPRESS, with lunch in the unique narrow gauge diner while
traveling across the Oberalp Pass (literally the “Overalp Pass”). Our
descent is via the “North Ramp” of the St. Gotthard Line, renowned for its
spiral tunnels. At Arth-Goldau we change to the little-known but very
scenic
VORALPEN EXPRESS for
a lovely crossing of the meadows and heights of the pre-Alps enroute back
to Chur.
Day Seven, Thursday, April 22 (CB,D) Postal bus and
mountain railway journeys to Davos, Klosters, the San Bernardino Pass and
Locarno. The narrow-gauge trains of the
Rhaetian Railway and
Switzerland’s remarkable
Postal
Buses take us on another grand mountain circuit today. We begin
with a spectacular Postal Bus trip to the ski resort of Davos, climbing
thousands of feet above the gorges of the Landwasser River as we ascend.
At Davos we board the train for Klosters, then return to Chur, where we
reboard the postal bus for the “Via Mala”, the legendary crossing of the
San Bernardino Pass, a stunning drive across the Alps to Bellinzona in the
Italian-speaking south.
Our route ascends the breath-taking switchbacks and
narrow gorges to the short tunnel under the San Bernardino Pass; then
descends on sweeping loops with great distant vistas into the palm trees
and stone villages of the Ticino Canton. After a short train transfer, we
stay two nights in
Locarno,
a lovely resort on the palm-lined shores of Lago Maggiore. Our lodging is
the
Hotel La Palma au Lac,
located on the flower-splashed lakeshore promenades just a five-minute
stroll from the main railway station.
Day Eight, Friday, April 23 (CB,D) All-day cruise to
the Italian garden islands: Isola Madre and Isola Bella. Today we make
an all-day cruise on Lago Maggiore south into the Italian Lake District.
We disembark on the beautiful islands of
Isola Madre and
Isola Bella for walks through the castles and
formal gardens. Madre features a magnificent recreation of an English
estate garden; while Bella offers a romantic castle, unique grotto and
stunning formal plantings. We enjoy another fine dinner at the La Palma to
complete the day.
The lovely English gardens at the spring peak on Isola Madre by Carl Fowler
Day Nine, Saturday, April 24 (CB,D) Free time in
Locarno; Cento Valley and Lotschberg Lines to Interlaken. This morning
you can stay in Locarno and relax or perhaps ride the funicular railway to
the magnificent pilgrimage
church
of the Madonna Del Sasso. Optionally you can reboard a lake steamer
and sail to the Island of Brissago. This unique treasure is very different
from the formal gardens we saw yesterday in Italy. The entire island is
covered with stately trees and flowers, which should be at the peak of
spring bloom. Azaleas and rhododendrons are particularly spectacular here.
 We
travel northwest this afternoon, departing from Locarno on the narrow
gauge Cento Valley (Hundred Valley) tram (interurban trolley) line, which
ascends past thundering waterfalls up a narrow gorge to the Italian
border. We cross over the range to Domodossola and change to the mainline
Lotschberg route. This amazing line traverses the trans-Alpine Simplon and
Lotschberg Tunnels, then descends to the Lake of Thun. Here connections
are made to Interlaken and our hotel for the next six nights. The
Hotel Seiler au Lac is
located directly on the shore of the Lake of Brienz. The hotel is just
five minutes from the Interlaken Ost station using the frequent local
postal bus (fare included in the Swiss Rail Pass) in the quiet lakeside
village of Bonigen/Interlaken.
 Day
Ten, Sunday, April 25 (CB,D) Brunig Pass RY; tour Lucerne; Swiss Transport
Museum; sail Lake Brienz. We take the stunning narrow gauge crossing
of the Brunig Pass this morning en route to
Lucerne, the beautiful city on
the shores of Lake Lucerne.
We can explore the historic center or visit the superb
Swiss Transport Museum. The
Old Town is a five minute walk from the station, where you can visit the
beautiful Jesuit Church, cross the renowned covered walking bridge, and
view the famous Lion Monument. Optionally you can take the electric bus,
or the lake-steamer (free on the Swiss Rail Pass) to visit the superb
Swiss Transport Museum. This afternoon we return over the stunning Brunig
Pass to Brienz, where we board a lake steamer and cruise directly back to
Bonigen/Interlaken, disembarking literally at the front door of our hotel!
 Day
Eleven, Monday, April 26 (CB,D) Lotschberg RY and GLACIER EXPRESS routes
to Zermatt and the Matterhorn. Today we ride the rugged standard gauge
Lotschberg RY south to
Brig, changing to the narrow gauge cog-wheel trains of the Brig-Visp-Zermatt
RY and continuing along the route of the GLACIER EXPRESS to
Zermatt. The ascent from
the Rhone River Valley to Zermatt traverses a narrow canyon, then passes
stunning vistas of glaciers and quaint hill-side villages. The car-free
village of Zermatt lies at the base of the Matterhorn. Good views of the
legendary peak are seen from the village but, weather permitting, there is
an option to ride the steep cog-wheel
Gornergratt RY to a classic
overlook of the peak and glaciers (optional fare of about $45 to be paid
in Zermatt). We retrace our route back to Interlaken this afternoon.
Day Twelve, Tuesday, April 27 (CB,D) Visit Bern;
cruise Lake of Thun.
We take a fast express train this morning to
Bern, Switzerland’s grand
capitol city. Bern’s streets are lined with grand buildings and covered
arcades dating from the Middle Ages. We enjoy a walking tour of the
historic center, see the stunning Gothic cathedral and have free time for
optional tram rides (free on your Swiss passes). This afternoon we take
the train to Thun and board a lake steamer for the stunning voyage up the
Lake of Thun to Interlaken. The lake is surrounded by the towering peaks
of the Berner Oberland (the high country of Bern).
 Day
Thirteen, Wednesday, April 28 (CB,D) Free day to explore Bernese Oberland.
Today includes the option of several stunning train trips through the
towering peaks of the Bernese Oberland. This morning there is a choice of
narrow gauge trains that challenge the high peaks. Participants can select
their routes today based on the weather and willingness to pay the
surcharges assessed for the highest cogwheel routes. At no extra fare,
participants can ride the cable car and mountain railways to the car-free
village of
Murren,
descending back into the glacial valley by another cable car, then riding
a Postal Bus back to the railway station in Lauterbrunnen for the train
back to Interlaken.
Waterfall in the Lauterbrunnen Valley by Carl
Fowler
The isolated narrow gauge railway to Murren by Carl Fowler
Another circuit goes to the highest railway summit in
Europe (over 11,000 feet), the towering heights of the Jungfrau. Here you
can walk through ice-caves inside a glacier!. Three different narrow-gauge
railways comprise the Jungfrau Circuit. At one point participants can look
out a tunnel window at the great icefall on the infamous North Face of the
Eiger. The extra fare for the Jungfrau (only worth doing if the weather is
fine) is about $100, but the summit vista encompasses almost all of
Switzerland.
A third option would be to take a trip to the
wood-carvers’ village of Brienz and the
Swiss Folkloric Museum at Ballenberg, which re-creates historic Swiss farms from throughout
the country. The interpreters carry on the customary trades of each region
in authentic local dress. All rail, Postal Bus and museum admissions on
this option are free on your Swiss Pass.
Day Fourteen, Thursday, April 29 (CB,L,D) PANORAMIC
EXPRESS route to Chillon Castle; Lake Geneva. We follow the renowned
Golden Pass PANORAMIC EXPRESS
route to the shores of Lake Geneva, with a special Swiss folkloric lunch
served at our seats enroute. This unique line mixes both standard and
narrow gauge services and includes two breath-taking mountain passes and
an amazing descent through vineyards, gardens and cascading waterways to
the shores of Lake Geneva at Montreux. At Montreux we take a short
lakesteamer voyage on the Lake of Geneva to the
Castle of Chillon, made
famous by the poet Lord Byron. The day concludes with a journey along the
shores of Lake Geneva past the vineyards to Lausanne and Bern and back to
Interlaken for our spectacular Farewell Dinner at the Seiler.
Day Fifteen, Friday, April 30 (CB) Transfer by train
to Zurich Airport; tour ends. Same-day connections are available for
flights departing after noon. For morning flights, you may wish to book an
extra night in Zurich. Same-day arrivals are available to most North
American cities.
More about steam trains in Switzerland!
www.MySwitzerland.com/steam
TOUR PRICES include all lodging, admissions, meals noted
as included above, train reservations, transfers, luggage handling, and
tour manager services. A 15-Day Swiss Rail Pass must be added. Please note
the savings for two or more persons traveling together at all times using
a Swiss Saver Rail Pass.
$3399.00 per person, double occupancy
$3499.00 single occupancy
Mainau Gardens by Carl Fowler
SWISS RAIL PASS
Please note that these are current
prices for Swiss Passes. Rail Europe reserves the right to change Swiss
Pass prices based on exchange rates at any time. To lock-in your cost, you
should pay for your pass when you book.
$667.00 15-Day First Class Rail Pass
$568.00 per person for a 15-Day First Class Rail Pass
for two or more people traveling together at all times
Conditions and Booking Information (the fine
print)
|
