Dresden Steam Festival

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. Dinner is included.

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 days to spend at the festival. Exact details of the festival’s programme will be confirmed by the festival’s organisers closer 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.