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Rhine Valley & Mountain Railway All Inclusive

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20252026
7 days From £1,199 £1,099 per person
4.0 stars(26 reviews)
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Discover the many treasures of the Rhine Valley on a relaxing cruise through the romantic gorge and a charming railway into the hills

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Save £100pp on selected Europe 2025 holidays when you book by 16th December 2024.

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No Single Supplement

No Single Supplement subject to availability on selected departures. 

Mobility Rating 2

2025 Tour code: 25GRS

About the tour

Enjoy an all-inclusive holiday in one of Europe's great regions, the UNESCO-listed Rhine Valley.

From a base in the picturesque town of Boppard set beside Germany's Rhine River, set sail for scenic cruise into the picturesque Rhine Gorge. Discover the area's legends while admiring magical views of clifftop castles and lush vineyards. Uncover attractive old towns and embark on a beautiful trip through vivid green forests aboard the stunning Hunsrück Railway.

Unforgettable Experiences

Exploring the beautiful Rhine Valley
Exploring the beautiful Rhine Valley
From the medieval town of Boppard on the banks of the Rhine, enjoy excursions throughout this wine-growing UNESCO World Heritage area, including a trip to historic Koblenz.
Cruising along the Rhine Gorge
Cruising along the Rhine Gorge
Set sail through one of the most scenic sections of the Rhine Gorge from Boppard to St Goar and discover the myths attached to the striking Lorelei Rock.
Journeying on the jaw-dropping Hunsrück Railway
Journeying on the jaw-dropping Hunsrück Railway
Savour spectacular views on the Hunsrück Railway, one of Germany’s steepest railways surrounded by the vast and verdant forests.
Staying in a family-run hotel in medieval Boppard
Staying in a family-run hotel in medieval Boppard
Enjoy breakfast, picnic lunch and dinner included each day and selected drinks between 7–9pm every evening at a centrally located hotel in the heart of the Rhine Valley.

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - By rail to Boppard in the Rhine Gorge

Your Rhine Valley holiday begins at London St Pancras as you meet the Tour Manager and travelling group. Boarding the Eurostar, we travel under the English Channel to Brussels. In the Belgian capital, we switch to a train to Cologne, where we catch our first sight of the Rhine.

From Cologne, we continue down this historically important river to Koblenz, changing for a short journey south to Boppard. Located on a bend in the Rhine and with great transport connections, Boppard is a popular base for explorations of this beautiful region. Arriving in early evening, our hotel is opposite the train station and boasts a garden terrace overlooking the Rhine. After checking in, we enjoy a welcome drink before our first dinner together.

Tonight and every evening of our stay, we enjoy a three-course dinner with a drinks package, served from 7pm to 9pm, which includes soft drinks, house beer, wine, tea and coffee.

Includes
  • Dinner
Day 2 - Journey into the hills on the Hunsrück Railway

After our first breakfast in Boppard, we walk into the town's historic centre to visit Boppard Castle and its museum. Standing directly on the Rhine, the castle was originally a stronghold for Boppard's nobles before becoming a toll house, collecting payment from the many ships passing through Boppard. The building now houses a museum, showcasing the town's history and exhibits about renowned furniture maker Michael Thonet.

After time to explore independently over lunch, we board the Hunsrück Railway - one of Germany's steepest railways - to Emmelshausen. This scenic route crosses two viaducts and travels through five tunnels, providing fantastic views of the lush forests blanketing the hills. On arrival in the small town of Emmelshausen, there's some free time before we return to Boppard by rail.

There's time at leisure before dinner at the hotel to relax. You could revisit a favourite spot in town or, if you haven't already discovered them, the ruins of an impressive Roman fort in the centre of Boppard.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3 - A cruise through the Rhine Gorge  

A holiday highlight awaits after breakfast as we set sail along the majestic Rhine.

Following gentle bends in the river, our cruise takes us through the most scenic part of the UNESCO-listed Rhine Gorge. Keep an eye out for castles peering out from the tops of cliffs veiled by verdant forests. On the approach to St Goar, we pass the legendary Lorelei Rock. This massive outcrop has inspired many myths, poems and legends, based on the sound created by the currents around it and a special echo. Most of the stories involve a mermaid, water spirit or siren who would lure sailors to their watery deaths. On arrival at St Goar, there's time to look around or enjoy your picnic lunch in a picturesque spot. You might like to visit Rheinfels Castle, one of the area's largest castles - a shuttle leaves from the town hall up to the castle every half hour.

In the afternoon, we cruise back to Boppard where you have some time to relax before dinner with drinks at our hotel.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 - Uncover the Rhine Valley at leisure

A full free day gives you the chance to explore Boppard and surrounding areas at your own pace. One local option is to take the Sesselbahn chairlift up to Gedeonseck (payable locally). From the heights of this mountain station, you can admire fantastic views of the largest U-shaped loop of the Rhine, lined by south-facing vineyards and forests - a great place to relax and enjoy your picnic lunch!

Your VRM Travel card gives you free rail access around the area. It's possible to travel by train and boat to the charming medieval town of Rüdesheim. This popular tourist destination is renowned for its Riesling wines, the characterful Drosselgasse alley and 'Siegfried's Museum of Mechanical Music' in the Old Town. Elsewhere, enjoy a narrow-gauge heritage rail journey past volcanic rock formations on the Vulkan Express from Brohl, north of Koblenz, to Engeln.

If you'd like to head out to explore the local vineyards, the Boppard tourist office offers a guided tour of the area. This evening, dinner and drinks is again available at our hotel.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 - A trip to historic Koblenz

With a history stretching back more than 2,000 years, Koblenz has many attractions to be uncovered during a guided walking tour. Travelling by rail after breakfast, we set out to explore the Old Town.

Koblenz was first established by the Romans at the 'confluence' of the Rhine and the Moselle rivers, and from these historic roots, and a mixture of French and German influences, the city has developed its own personality. The Deutsches Eck, or German Corner, is the name of the headland at the confluence of the rivers and one of the city's most familiar sights. Some of the popular locations in Koblenz include the 'Four Towers' - four Baroque houses set around Münzplatz - and the 12th-century Basilica of St Castor, a twin-spired Romanesque church near the Deutsches Eck. After our tour, there's free time and you could opt to take a cable car up to the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress.

Making your way back to Boppard at leisure, using your VRM Tourist Pass, we gather this evening for dinner and drinks at our hotel.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 - Free day to explore further afield

Using your VRM Tourist Pass on a full day at leisure is an ideal way to see the beautiful Rhineland and surrounding areas.

You could decide to spend the day travelling between picturesque riverside towns such as Bacharach or Bingen. The latter is dominated by the 19th-century Klopp Castle, which was sketched by JMW Turner. Near Bingen train station, you can view the Mouse Tower which, combined with the ruins of Ehrenfels Castle on the opposite bank, is one of the most attractive settings on this part of the Rhine. Further along is the city of Mainz, where you can find a 10th-century cathedral made of striking red sandstone, and the Gutenberg Museum which contains some of the first printed bibles. Alternatively, enjoy a scenic rail journey beside the Lahn River, perhaps stopping at the UNESCO-listed spa town of Bad Ems on the way to Limburg. With medieval timber-framed buildings and a striking cathedral, this is one of Germany's most beautiful towns.

Wherever you venture, you can return to our hotel this evening for our final three-course dinner and drinks.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 - Homeward bound

An exploration of the Rhine Valley has many highlights, from natural wonders to quaint villages. As a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Rhine Gorge reveals the river's breathtaking beauty. Steep cliffs lined with vineyards and forests, hilltop castles and mythical sites have been viewed on this relaxing holiday with all meals and evening drinks included.

After our final breakfast together, we board the train along the Rhine first to Koblenz and then to Cologne, where we continue to Brussels. In the Belgian capital, we switch to the Eurostar for the final leg of our journey back to London St Pancras. Arriving this evening, your discovery of the scenic Rhine Valley comes to a conclusion.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotel

Das Ebertor Hotel, Boppard

Das Ebertor Hotel, Boppard

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Trains

Eurostar
Hunsrück Railway

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Reviews

4.0 stars4.0 / 5 · 26 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (10)
  2. 4 stars
    (8)
  3. 3 stars
    (7)
  4. 2 stars
    (1)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

B Atkinson

5 stars

Submitted 15/Nov

Hotel and meal options were good Enjoyed the independent roaming useing the travel pass

Collected by Trustpilot

Christine Gracey

3 stars

Submitted 31/Oct

The lunch bags were not good . The room was stifling hot. Saturday night was noisy.

Collected by Trustpilot

Ronald Dawes

5 stars

Submitted 27/Oct

Well thought out holiday with Graeme as an excellent tour leader. Only problems experienced were with German Trains, which was out of your control

Collected by Trustpilot

Mr Maclean

3 stars

Submitted 22/Sep

The times for travel were disastrous. The train to Emmelshausen at 13:30 was absolutely overrful with all the youngsters going home from school. Some were generous enough to give their seats to the elderly. Travel by DB in Germany at the weekend involved numerous cancellations without any warning.

Collected by Trustpilot

Sandra Bunker

3 stars

Submitted 20/Sep

Not the best Rail Discoveries I’ve been on to be honest. If it had been my first it may well have been my last but I know plenty of other trips are far superior to this. The places on the itinerary were not brilliant and only the Rhine Cruise and trip to Koblenz were worth doing. Hotel very basic and food repetitive.

Collected by Trustpilot

Geoffrey Smith

4 stars

Submitted 17/Sep

An interesting tour, conveniently situated in Boppard. The rail pass was a boon with numerous places within easy reach of the hotel. The situation of the hotel was excellent, overlooking the Rhine, although the rooms allocated to us was more along the lines of Travel Lodge standard, rather than a top class hotel. The selection of food for the main course in the evening was rather unusual, albeit interesting and very tasty. The packed lunch each day was a bonus. The service at the hotel was A1. Overall, a very nice break. Jane Ansty looked after the party very well and extracted us from difficult situations, where necessary.

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