Page 4 - 2024 Anniversary Brochure

Jacobite steam train on Glenfinnan Viaduct

Rail Holidays of the World 2024

A Special 50th Anniversary Year!

Welcome to a very special ‘Rail Holidays of the World’ brochure which marks 50 years since we launched our very first overseas rail
tour. In October 1974 Ffestiniog Travel escorted up to 70 first-time customers on a rail tour to Switzerland to ride its majestic Alpine
railways through stunning scenery. It proved a very popular choice for regular visitors to our base in North Wales and Snowdonia
National Park - home to several heritage railways. Fifty years later and Switzerland continues to be one of our most popular destinations,
and we will honour our major milestone with a special celebratory tour to the Swiss Alps – complete with original tour leaders Liz
Turner and FT founder Alan Heywood! You can see the full tour itinerary on page 21 and 22!
There are many more options to tour Switzerland by rail in 2024 as we visit the country no less than seven times, onboard such popular
annual tours as Christmas & New in Switzerland, Snow on the Alps and Lake Lucerne alongside new tours that explore Switzerland’s
gravity-defying mountain railways and another that enables travellers to combine rail journeys with walks along scenic trails.

With 50 years of rail holiday expertise behind us we continue to seek interesting rail journeys and routes around the world to weave
into appealing new itineraries. 2024 will be a bumper year for new tours with a total of 14 on offer - three new tours for Switzerland,
two in Scotland, New Zealand, North America, South America, Slovenia, Romania, Belgium, Austria, Germany, Northern France and
even Yorkshire!
As usual we offer a combination of Grand tours that appeal to train travel fans looking to explore interesting, cultural destinations with
more in-depth train and tram themed Connoisseur tours that visit some of the leading heritage, steam, narrow gauge railways and tram
networks around the world. We are particularly excited to be returning to New Zealand, North and South America on three new
long-haul tours that promise some unforgettable rail journeys.

We travel to the Sub-Continent twice in 2024 - a long-awaited return to India to ride the outstanding hill station Darjeeling, Shimla and
Nilgiri Railways after a three-year hiatus and travellers can expect to ride one of the most breathtaking rail journeys in the world on
board the vintage Viceroy Special train in Sri Lanka.
After a challenging few years within the travel industry we look forward to meeting your renewed desire to explore the world again.
There are many advantages to travelling by train – from seeing more of a country at ground level to managing your carbon footprint.
Rail holidays are on the rise, particularly across Europe as improved networks and extended train services are introduced. Our Ticket
Only and Tailored Rail departments have had their busiest year yet as
more and more people choose to travel by train.

With 50 years of rail holiday expertise and a small, dedicated travel
team you are guaranteed an informed, personal service from the time of
booking to your return from holiday. We have remained true to our rail
travel roots and we will always pick up the phone! So, we invite you to
join us in celebrating 50 years of wonderful rail holidays by jumping on
board one of our train tours in 2024! Carriage 120 Launch at Porthmadog Harbour Station. Maria Cook
Yours sincerely
Maria Cook
General Manager

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