£1,598
One of our most popular winter rail tours and no wonder; with glühwein and glaciers, breathtaking cable cars and narrow-gauge railways, and based in the wonderfully unspoilt town of Meiringen, this is a truly captivating holiday!
- Meiringen
- Cable car ride to the Alpentower
- Sherlock Holmes Museum
- GoldenPass Line
- Lucerne
- Journey to Jungfraujoch, the highest station in Europe
- Glacier & ice caves
- Horse and carriage ride & glühwein in Grindelwald
We depart St Pancras International by Eurostar for Brussels in Standard Premier Class, enjoying a light meal and drinks during the journey. We continue by First Class train through the extensive forests and rolling hills of the Ardennes region to Luxembourg. We stay here overnight at the Mercure Grand Hotel Alfa, located opposite the railway station and close to Luxembourg's historic centre. (E,D)
From Luxembourg we travel on the First Class rail service into Switzerland, to Basel. We continue on the efficient Swiss rail network past Lake Thun to Interlaken, where we change for the narrow-gauge train to the small, charming town of Meiringen. Our hotel in Meiringen is the elegant Park Hotel du Sauvage, where we stay in well-appointed deluxe rooms for six nights. The hotel is set against a magnificent backdrop of towering snowcovered peaks and situated just a short walk from the town centre and station. (B,D)
One of Switzerland's best-kept secrets, the town of Meiringen remains unspoilt and typically Swiss. The author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle loved the town and was so taken with it that he let his famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, plunge to his death at the impressive Reichenbach Falls nearby. This morning we take a cable car ride to the Alpen Tower where we experience dramatic panoramic views of the surrounding peaks from a height of over 7,300 feet (2,225m). In the afternoon we visit the small Sherlock Holmes Museum, with its replica of the detective's study. You have some free time to explore the town. Make sure you don't miss Meiringen's other claim to fame; the meringue, available in many varieties throughout the town. (B,D)
Today's excursion is by mountain railway to the historic lakeside city of Lucerne. You have plenty of time to discover the cobbled streets lined with pretty, frescoed buildings, picturesque squares and the famous Kapellbrücke bridge. The covered bridge has served as a prison, torture chamber, watchtower and treasury in its long history. The Swiss Transport Museum, with its fascinating collection of artefacts relating to land, air and sea transportation, is also well worth a visit. (B,D)
Our excursion today is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the holiday and begins on the Bernese Oberland Railway with the journey via Lauterbrunnen to Kleine Scheidegg. We join the Jungfrau Railway for a sensational journey tunnelling right through the Eiger to the Jungfraujoch and Europe's highest railway station at 11,333 feet (3,454m). Sitting beneath the Jungfrau summit itself, the views are truly breathtaking. We also visit the glacier, with its labyrinth of ice caves and sculptures, before returning to Meiringen via Grindelwald. (B,D)
We travel to the pretty mountain village of Grindelwald which nestles at the foot of the Eiger's imposing north face. From Grindelwald we enjoy a horse and carriage ride around the village, followed by warming glühwein and gingerbread. You are then free to explore the village and perhaps enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before returning to Meiringen. (B,D)
Your day is free, giving you the opportunity to use your Swiss Half Fare Card, perhaps to return to popular Interlaken or travel via the pretty village of Lauterbrunnen to Mürren. The Schilthorn, with its revolving restaurant used in the James Bond film 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' offers breathtaking views and is just a cable car ride away from Mürren. Alternatively, the Swiss capital of Bern can also be reached by train. The city, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a delight to explore. Take in the ambience of the pedestrianised old town as you wander though the medieval streets and arcades, and take advantage of some excellent shopping opportunities. (B,D)
We leave Meiringen and travel in First Class to Basel. Our journey continues through Germany and along the scenic Rhine Gorge, with its wealth of fairytale castles nestling amongst extensive vineyards. We arrive in Cologne for an overnight stay at either the Four Points Hotel or Grand City Hotel Cologne Centre, both close to the station, the Rhine and the city's magnificent cathedral. (B,D)
Our morning departure on the high-speed train to Brussels (First
Class) connects with the Eurostar service to London. We
enjoy light meal and drinks on board before our arrival at St
Pancras International. (B,E)
E = Eurostar meal, B=Breakfast, L=Lunch,
D=Dinner
These meals, where shown are included in the price of your
holiday
01904 521 936
This tour has something for everyone. Meiringen is a lovely town to stay in as a holiday base. If you wish to experience real snow conditions there are two high mountain visits to fulfil this. Customers especially enjoy the sleigh ride into the forested area around Grindelwald.
The highlight of this holiday is inevitably the exhilarating narrow gauge cog railway ride to the top of the Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe. For most this is one of those once in a lifetime experiences (though some are known to repeat the trip in winter to contrast it with a previous summer visit). Incredibly, the last 7 kilometres of this steep uphill journey are through a tunnel inside the mountain, and at two halts passengers leave the train to view the terrain through observation windows cut through the mountainside. The line is a stunning engineering achievement. When the weather is at its kindest the views from the top are positively stunning.
A treat for sleuths is to investigate the local link with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's mythical detective Sherlock Holmes who almost met his death at a spot near the hotel. Type 'Meiringen' into a Word document and, coincidentally, the spell checker suggests something else to be found in the town! This is essentially a one-centre holiday (save for the journey to and from) and means there is little luggage handling.
Graham Dossett, Tour Manager