SWITZERLAND BY RAIL. Itinerary

Transcription

1 SWITZERLAND BY RAIL TRAINS MAGAZINE TOUR September 12-23, 2019 Itinerary

2 Switzerland by Rail 2019 Travel with TRAINS Magazine and Special Interest Tours through Switzerland, a railroad wonderland. Tour Highlights Include: Gotthard Panorama Express Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway Jungfrau pass Pilatus Cog Railway Rigi Cog Railway Brienzer Rothorn Railway Bernina Express Gornergrat Cog Railway Exclusive tours & activities Chocolate Train in Montreux and more!

3 Please Note ** Group Flights Available ** Please contact us if you are interested in joining our group flight. Day 1 - Sept 12th Fly into Zurich International Airport, where you can use your Swiss Rail Pass to get to the Zurich main station. We will greet you at the Schweizerhof Hotel just across the street. For those who arrive early and want to explore, there is an option of using your rail pass to visit the Historic Swiss Railway shop in Brugg. In the evening our group will gather for a welcome dinner in the hotel's restaurant, then settle in for the night. Day 2 - Sept 13th This morning we board a passenger train at the Zurich main station and travel to Lugano via Lucerne on the Gotthard Panorama Express. En route we will take a break in Bellinzona to visit UNESCO World Heritage castles.

4 Day 4 We will then continue by rail to the border city of Lugano, where we will spend the night. Guests will have time for a funicular and/or boat ride on Lake Lugano. Day 3 - Sept 14th After a morning bus ride from Lugano to the Italian city of Tirano, we board the Bernina Express, which takes guests through the Swiss Engadin Alps, from Tirano to St. Moritz. Along the way we will see the Brusio Circular Viaduct and Bernina Hospice station. After a short stop in St. Moritz, we continue by rail to Chur, passing through the Loop Tunnel and over the Landwasser Viaduct. Day 4-15th A morning train brings us to Oberwald, where we begin our ride on the Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway. At Furka's terminus in Realp, we'll have a tour of the depot and then a passenger train will bring us to Zermatt to overnight. Day 5-16th Today we ride the Gornergrat, Europe's highest open-air cog railway, up 1,469 m to see the legendary Matterhorn.

5 Day 4 Upon returning to Zermatt we will transfer to a train to Brig then by bus March, to Naters 11th where Once aboard our coach bus, we will depart Chena we will spend the night. and return to Fairbanks. Along the way, we will stop briefly at the Alaskan Pipeline, a great architectural feat in the harshest of climates. Day 6 - Sept 17th Late afternoon will bring a brilliant tour highlight: A morning train brings us from Bob Berman s major illustrated presentation Light and Brig Color to in Martigny, the Universe. where we take the Mont Blanc Express to Chamonix, Come France. evening, Here assuming we will weather ride conditions the cable prove fair, we will charter a coach to transport our group car up to the summit, return to to a special remote location, in an attempt to experience Martigny, the impressive then continue aurora lights! on to Montreux, where we settle in for a two-night stay at the Grand Suisse Majestic. Day 7 - Sept 18th Guests have the option to relax and explore in Montreux on their own or join the group on the Chocolate Train, which brings guests to visit the Nestle Chocolate factory in Broc as well as seeing where cheese is produced in Gruyères. Day 8 - Sept 19th We continue our journey from Montreux to Interlaken. En route we will stop in Zweisimmen to see the new conversion systemfor narrow to normal gauge tracks.

6 After our arrival in Interlaken, we head up into the Alps on the Jungfrau Railway, ending at Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe. Day 9 - Sept 20th The day begins with a transfer from Interlaken to Brienz where we will ride the Brienzer Rothorn steam train from the eastern end of Lake Brienz, to the summit of the Brienzer Rothorn. Upon our return to Brienz, we continue on to Lucerne, and stay for two nights at the Hotel Continental Park. Day 10 - Sept 21st We depart in the morning for the Pilatus cog railway. Guests will go up together in a group and can come down at their leisure. Guests have the afternoon free to explore Lucerne. In the evening we will gather for a group dinner.

7 Day 4 Day 11 - Sept 22nd March, 11th Once aboard our coach bus, we will depart Chena We depart Lucerne for Rigi-Kulm and return to Fairbanks. Along the way, we will stop Cogwheel briefly at the Railway, Alaskan Pipeline, Europe's a great first architectural feat in the harshest of climates. mountain railway. Before boarding the train we will have a private Late afternoon will bring a brilliant tour highlight: Bob Berman s tour of major the illustrated Vitznau presentation depot. Light and Color in the Universe. Upon returning to Rigi we Come evening, assuming weather conditions prove continue back to Zurich, enjoy a fair, we will charter a coach to transport our group to a special farewell remote dinner location, in in the an attempt city, to experience the impressive aurora lights! and settle back into the Schweizerhof Hotel. Day 12 - Sept 23rd After breakfast, guests will either head home, use the remainder of their Swiss Travel Passes to continue traveling on their own, or join us on the extension, which will be announced in summer 2018.

8 Day 4 Included in Tour Price 11 nights March, hotel 11th stay Baggage Handling Once aboard our coach bus, we will depart Chena and return to Fairbanks. Along the way, we will stop briefly 15-day at the Alaskan 2nd Pipeline, class a great architectural feat in the harshest of climates. Swiss Rail Pass Late afternoon will bring a brilliant tour highlight: Bob Berman s All transportation major illustrated presentation and Light and Color in the Universe. activities mentioned above Come evening, assuming weather conditions prove fair, we will charter a coach to transport our group to a special 11 Breakfasts remote location, in an attempt to experience the impressive aurora lights! 10 DInners 1 lunch Not Included in Tour Price Returnairfarefrom Zurich *Groupflightsavailable* Itemsofapersonalnature AlcoholicBeverages Additional mealsorsnacks Total Cost of Tour Per person, based on double occupancy: $7420 Singles Supplement: $1686* *Room share opportunities may be available upon request. Per person deposit, due upon registration: $500 Full Payment Deadline: June 1st, 2019

9 Hotels Please see below for a list of hotels we will be staying at: Schweizerhof Hotel (Zurich) Hotel Federale (Lugano) Romantik Hotel Stern (Chur) Hotel Antares (Zermatt) Hotel Alex (Naters) Grand Suisse Majestic (Montreux) Hotel Metropol (Interlaken) Hotel Continental Park (Lucerne)

10 CANCELLATION REFUND POLICY: Tour deposits are fully refundable* until 6 months before the tour start date (*Minus a $25 per person service fee). Extension deposits are fully refundable* until 6 months before the tour start date (*Minus a $25 per person service fee). At 6 months the deposit becomes 50% refundable, and at 3 months from the tour start date the deposit is non-refundable. Exceptions can be made for extenuating circumstances on a case by case basis. TRAVEL INSURANCE We strongly recommend that all guests travel with a trip protection plan. Terms & Conditions Special Interest Tours reserves the right to change the itinerary of its tours without prior notice, upon extenuating circumstances. Itineraries subject to change due to extreme and/or emergency circumstances including: default of any third parties, sickness, weather, strikes, acts of nature, acts of terrorism, war, quarantine, theft, criminal activity or any other cause beyond our control. If a tour is canceled by Special Interest Tours due to low enrollment (less than the required minimum of 10 registered guests), Special Interest Tours shall incur no liability beyond the refund of all tour guests' payments thus far received. However, if Special Interest Tours must cancel for reasons beyond its control, including but not limited to weather, disease, strikes, acts of nature, acts of terrorism or war, SIT liability shall be limited to a refund of only those portions of the tour cost, as able to be recovered from suppliers. All arrangements to transport and accommodate other services are made upon the express condition that Special Interest Tours and its agents shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential or incidental damage, injury, or loss to person or property, accident, delay or irregularity of any kind occasioned by reason of any act or omission beyond our control, including without limitation: any act or negligence or breach of contract of any third party, such as an airline, cruise line, train, hotel, restaurant, ground handler, etc., who is to or does supply any goods or services to the tour. Without limiting the foregoing, Special Interest Tours and its agents are not responsible for any loss or expenses due to delay or change in schedule, overbooking and/or other default done by any third parties, sickness, weather, strikes, acts of nature, acts of terrorism, war, quarantine, theft, criminal activity or for any other cause beyond our control. Photo, video, and other promotional material relating to a tour may be used by Special Interest Tours for our website and additional, sponsored social media e.g.: Facebook, Instagram, Canva, and Twitter galleries, etc. All materials displaying the activity and/or likenesses of tour guests will not be sold or used outside of Special Interest Tours media. SIT Tours may be sold in conjunction with the services of any airline. The passenger tickets in use by associated carriers, when issued, shall constitute the sole contract between the carriers and the passenger. Carriers are not responsible for any act or omission or events during the time tour guests are not aboard their conveyances.