Dresden Steam Festival
Holiday Highlights
- Dresden Steam Engine Festival, including evening photographic session at Roundhouse 1
- Return journey on Kirnitzschtal tramway
- Return journey on the Weisseritztalbahn & Loessnitzgrundbahn steam railways
- Travel by paddle steamer on the Elbe River
- Public transport ticket for central Dresden
- 8 days from £1,595pp
Tour Dates:
Wednesday 12 April to Wednesday 19 April 2023
Our tour to Dresden for the Steam festival has become an annual favourite. Enjoy lots of steam content over the 15th Festival weekend before experiencing return trips on both the Weisseritztalbahn and Loessnitzgrundbahn. We also include a day trip up the Elbe on a historic paddle steamer.
ITINERARY
Day 1 – Aachen
Early afternoon Eurostar from St Pancras London to Brussels where we connect to the high speed train to Aachen. Our hotel for tonight, the Ibis am Marschiertor, is just a short walk away.
Day 2 – Onwards to Dresden
Travel via regional services and ICE from Aachen to Dresden. Our hotel for the next 5 nights is the InterCityHotel which is situated adjacent to the main station in Dresden.
Days 3 & 4 – Dresden Steam Engine Festival
We have 2 full days to spend at the festival, as well as tickets for a special photography event on the Friday evening. Exact details of the festival’s programme will be confirmed by the festival’s organisers nearer to the time, but we can expect informative presentations, fascinating displays, steam loco cab rides, diesel engines at the Verkehrsmuseum, model trains and both historic and modern locos. We will have access to the festival area around the railway and Dresden traffic museums and entry also includes an evening, illuminated photo session of steam locomotives at Roundhouse 1, with commentary, and a steam journey ‘special’ (route details are still to be confirmed).
Day 5 – Weisseritztalbahn & Loessnitzgrundbahn
Today we make a return trip on the two local steam railways located on the outskirts of Dresden, the Weisseritztalbahn and the 17km Loessnitzgrundbahn line from Radebeul.
Day 6 – Paddle Steamer up the Elbe
A journey up the Elbe River by paddle steamer. We take a morning paddle steamer from Dresden to Bad Schandau, stopping off at Pillnitz en route. At Bad Schandau we board the historic Kirnitzschtal tramway which runs through the valley of the Kirnitzch River to the Lichtenhain Waterfall. The return journey to Dresden is by S-bahn.
Day 7 – Cologne
Morning departure to Cologne via ICE train. Following a change of trains in Frankfurt, we arrive in Cologne early evening. Our hotel is ideally located in the station building.
Day 8 – Homeward Bound
We take a morning ICE to Brussels and change on to the Eurostar to London. Arrive back in London mid-afternoon.
Tour Route
Selected Hotels
Ibis am Marschiertor, Aachen
InterCityHotel, Dresden
Ibis Köln am Dom, Cologne
Please note - hotels can be subject to change
Price Includes
- All rail travel as stated in standard class
- 2-day entry to Dresden Steam Festival
- Accommodation in good quality hotels on a bed and breakfast basis
- Excursions as stated
- Services of a tour leader from London and throughout the tour
Price per person
| Escorted holiday: | £1,595 |
| Single room supplement: | £200 |
| Deposit for this holiday: | £100 |
