2025 - Winter Glacier Express

Itinerary

Highlights

• Hotel for 5 nights with breakfast & dinner
• Tea/coffee after dinner
• Porterage and a welcome drink on arrival
• Overnight hotel for 2 nights with breakfast
• Entertainment at main hotel
• 3 included excursions
• Glacier-Express Train Andermatt - Chur (2nd class) with local guide
• Sleigh Ride in Schoppernau with a Schnapps
• St Gallen & Heiden with local guide

Your Itinerary

Day 1 - After joining your holiday coach, travel to Dover for the short sea crossing to France. Then continue via the auto-routes of France to your overnight stop. BB

Day 2 - Lots to see today as the journey takes you past the Rhine Falls in Switzerland en-route to your holiday base in Feldkirch for your 5-night stay with a welcome drink on arrival. DBB

Day 3 - 6 - At leisure in Feldkirch with three included excursions

During your stay you might like to take a walk through the forest to the neighbouring town of Rankweil. Here you can find the well-fortified basilica sitting quietly above the town - it offers a beautiful view of the Rhine Valley in Vorarlberg and Switzerland. Or you may like to spend a bit more time exploring the charms of historic Feldkirch

INCLUDED EXCURSIONS
Sleigh Ride in the Bregenzerwald & Feldkirch
Journey through the snowy, forested landscape of the Bregenzerwald for a romantic sleigh ride in Schoppernau followed by a warming local schnapps. Prost! Continue via beautiful Schwarzenberg over the Bödele pass back for magnificent views of Lake Constance. Head back to medieval Feldkirch with its narrow alleyways, pretty squares and the imposing Schattenburg castle

Glacier-Express Train
Travel into Switzerland today, past Lake Walen and Lake Lucerne, where the original first cantons of the Swiss Confederation are located. Drive via Altdorf, the home of William Tell, to Andermatt where together with a local guide, you board the panoramic carriages (2nd class) of the original Glacier-Express. This incredible journey (approx. 2½ hours), one of the most famous in the world, takes you over spectacular bridges, through mountain tunnels and via breaktaking Alpine scenery. The Glacier-Express reaches 2,033m above sea level at its highest point at the Oberalp Pass and the views along the Rhine Gorge are simply stunning. Your coach and driver will be waiting to pick you up from the railway station in Chur to take you back to the hotel

Scenic Swiss Explorer
Head across the border with a local guide to the compact Swiss city of St Gallen with its charming, traffic-free old town, striking burgher houses and its most famous landmark, the UNESCO World Heritage listed Abbey District. Here you will find the magnificent cathedral and Abbey Library with its incredibly beautiful Baroque Hall (entrance not included. Approx. CHF18. Cameras not allowed. Pre-booking may be required). Head into the historic canton of Appenzell to the hidden gem of Heiden, perched 400m above Lake Constance. Constructed in the classic Biedermeier style, Heiden was a popular resort for Victorians and is home to the Dunant Museum, dedicated to Henry Dunant, founder of the Red Cross (entrance not included approx. CHF8. Open Wed & Sun only)

Day 7 - Today bid farewell to Austria as you head north to the final overnight stop. BB

Day 8 - After breakfast, travel back through France for your return crossing to England

*** IMPORTANT TRAVEL INFORMATION ***

Passport
For advice on passports when travelling into Europe please visit: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/holiday-cancellations-and-compensation/travelling-in-europe/

EES (European Entry & Exit System)
EES is due to be begin on 6^th October 2024. This will become the new entry and exit system for UK citizens (and many other citizens) when entering or exiting the EU. For more information, please visit: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees_en

Accommodation

Hotel Weisses Kreuz, Feldkirch

The popular 4* Hotel Weisses Kreuz assures you of a warm welcome from the Herburger family who have run the hotel since 1852. It is conveniently located about a mile from the centre of Feldkirch and has a bar, terrace, steam room and solarium. The restaurant serves regional dishes and local beer. All rooms are tastefully furnished and feature all mod cons including TV and hairdryer. A kettle is available on request for a small charge.

NB The Hotel Weisses Kreuz now includes drinks (house wine / beer / soft drinks) with dinner for all 5 nights in Austria. This has required a small price increase on the price shown in our 2024 brochure on page 10.