Timeless Trams in Germany

DAY 1

Travelling by Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels, then onwards to Gotha for our overnight stay at the Hotel am Tierpark where we check in and enjoy our first evening meal together.

DAY 2

After breakfast this morning, we enjoy a charter on the 14-mile Gotha Waldbahn in a classic 1929-built tram before taking the early afternoon ICE to Leipzig. Here, we visit the Tramway Museum to explore the comprehensive collection of historic trams including numerous special and technical vehicles plus a vintage tram charter over part of the system. Afterwards, we check-in to the InterCity Hotel for our four-night stay.

DAY 3

This morning, we take the early train to Chemnitz to visit their fascinating tramway museum which houses both narrow- and standard-gauge cars and we enjoy a private charter of ET 64 Triebwagen 801 before continuing to Plauen by train. Here, we have our second private charter of the day on the historic Triebwagen 21, built in 1905, through the streets of Plauen ahead of our evening meal at a local restaurant.

DAY 4

Today is spent at leisure to explore the huge Leipzig tram system, the third largest in Germany, using our included transport pass. With 13 lines, 90 route miles, 522 tram stops, and over 220 tramcars, we will have plenty of opportunities to ride this marvellous system.

DAY 5

After breakfast, we journey by train to Naumburg for a vintage charter on the charming, small-town tram, the smallest urban tramway in Germany at only 1.8 miles. Afterwards, we continue to Halle taking time for lunch before we journey over the country's longest tram route, the 20-mile line to Bad Durrenberg.

DAY 6

This morning, we take an ICE train to Dresden and check-in to the InterCity Hotel for our three-night stay before travelling by rail along the banks of the Elbe to Bad Schandau. From here, we take a ferry across the river to ride the bucolic Kirnitzschtalbahn tramway running along country lanes and through the valley of the Kirnitzch River to the beautiful Lichtenhainer Wasserfall. Afterwards, we board our paddle-steamer for a leisurely cruise back to Dresden enjoying our evening meal on board.

DAY 7

After breakfast this morning, we visit the Dresden Tram Museum and explore the history of the tramway through the historic fleet ranging from the oldest tramcar, built in 1902, to the youngest tramcar, built in 1985. We enjoy a chartered vintage tram journey before spending the rest of day at leisure with our included transport pass.

DAY 8

Today, we will use our included transport pass to explore the beautiful city of Dresden including a ride on the unusual, suspended monorail, one of the oldest suspension railways and a marvellous example of engineering and construction, plus the superb single-track funicular railway. This evening, we will reconvene at the hotel in time for our final evening meal together.

DAY 9

We bid farewell to Dresden and to Germany, returning by rail to Paris, where we will join the Eurostar service to London St Pancras.

B=Breakfast, D=Dinner