Ffestiniog Travel

Thursday 27 June to Thursday 4 July 2013

Unescorted options also available

This tour offers a wonderful look at Holland through journeys on three memorable steam railways. A guided tour of Utrecht Railway Museum is included together with a rail pass to let you explore further afield or simply relax and enjoy the continental charms of Utrecht and Maastricht.

Day 1   London to Utrecht

Mid-morning departure on Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels, then onward rail to Utrecht for our 5-night stay.

Day 2   Utrecht Railway Museum

We walk back to Utrecht station to catch the bus to the Railway Museum. Located in the former Maliebaan Station, the museum has recently been extensively rebuilt and is well presented. Our visit to the Museum includes a guided tour with additional free time for further viewing.

Day 3   Hoorn-Medemblik Railway

Today we visit the first of the steam railways. We take the train from Utrecht to Hoorn. There is time to visit the Tram Museum before making a return journey to Medemblik, which is situated on the shores of the Ijsselmeer. On arrival back at Hoorn you may return to Utrecht at leisure, possibly stopping off in Amsterdam.

Day 4   Stoomtrein Goes-Borsele

This railway is situated in the province of Zeeland, in the south of the country. We travel from Utrecht to Goes before embarking on a nostalgic return train ride to the village of Hoedekenskerke. We are due back into Goes at lunchtime and the rest of the day is at leisure. Your tour leader will be happy to offer ideas and timings if required. Your rail pass is valid also in Belgium which is very close to here.

Day 5   Leisure Time

A free day to undertake sightseeing or further rail travel. Make use of the excellent train connections to any of the major cities in Holland or even Belgium which can be reached free of charge by using your rail pass. Nijmegen, Arnhem and Den Haag are all possibilities. Your tour leader will offer an optional escorted excursion.

Day 6   Limburg Province

After a relaxing breakfast we transfer by rail to Maastricht. Afternoon at leisure. The town is well worth exploring and you can buy a small leaflet in the tourist office for a town trail to take in the important sights. You will find cobbled streets, the oldest working water mill in Holland and you may even be able to take a river cruise.

Day 7   South Limburg Railway

Our final steam excursion is aboard the ZLSM – South Limburg Railway. We have to travel the short distance on the main line to Valkenburg to make the connection with the steam train to Simpelveld. There is time to visit the small museum here before taking a return trip to Kerkrade on a railbus, which spent its working life in Germany. We include a light lunch at Simpleveld station. The steam train returns to Valkenburg from where we travel back to Maastricht.

Day 8   To London

We return to Brussels to make the connection with Eurostar to London St Pancras, arriving early afternoon.