Rhine Sea to Source

ITINERARY

Day 1 – From London to the Netherlands

Departing mid-morning, we take a direct Eurostar from London St. Pancras to Rotterdam for a 2-night stay.

Day 2 – Dutch Windmills of Kinderdijk

Morning transfer to Kinderdijk, the site of 19 preserved windmills. We have a guided tour of this UNESCO Heritage Site to learn about the history of these windmills and how they were instrumental in keeping the Dutch dry!

Day 3 – Boppard

Continuing to the riverside town of Boppard for a 2-night stay. Boppard is situated in one of the most scenic parts of the Rhine Gorge and is an ideal place to base ourselves.

Day 4 – On the River

We take a trip on the former paddle wheel steamer, now diesel powered, “Goethe” up-stream to Rüdesheim, passing numerous castles, vineyards and the Loreley Rock. Arriving mid-afternoon, there is time to look around Rüdesheim before returning to Boppard by train along the east bank of the river and Koblenz.

Day 5 – Onwards to Switzerland

Continuing south to Basle, we change trains at the city’s Badische Bahnhof and follow the northern (German) bank of the Rhine via Waldshut to Schaffhausen, just over the border in Switzerland, for a 3-night stay.

Day 6 – River Cruise to Stein am Rhein

Enjoy a river cruise to Stein am Rhein where there is time for lunch before returning to Schaffhausen by train and a visit to the beautiful Rhine Falls.

Day 7 – Insel Mainau – The Flower Island

The Rhine flows through Lake Constance and we take the train to Romanshorn to connect with a lake sailing to Insel Mainau (Flower Island), an island close to the city of Konstanz and renowned for its sub-tropical gardens. After a visit to the gardens and a short ferry transfer to Kreuzlingen, we return by train to Schaffhausen.

Day 8 – Chur

Morning train to Zürich with a connection to Chur in eastern Switzerland, where we stay for 3 nights. Our hotel is in the pedestrianised old town, just a short distance from the station. Chur is the home of the UNESCO World Heritage Rhaetian Railways and this afternoon there is time to take the train to Arosa, climbing up the spectacular valley of the Plessur, a tributary of the Rhine.

Day 9 – Bernina Express

We cross two major European watersheds as we take the famous Bernina Express train across the Alps to northern Italy. Starting in the valley of the Rhine, we climb via a series of amazing spirals and hairpins to the Albula Pass where a tunnel takes us into the valley of the River Inn, a tributary of the Danube. From here we climb once more to the summit of the Bernina Pass where water from a lake flows two ways – north to the Inn and, eventually, the Black Sea and south to the River Po and the Mediterranean.

Day 10 – To the Source

Two arms of the Rhine join upstream from Chur. We follow the Hinter Rhine by train to Thusis, then by postbus to the San Bernardino Pass and on to Bellinzona. Travel by train up the Gotthard main line to Göschenen and continue by narrow gauge train to the summit of the Oberalp Pass, the source of the other arm of the Rhine, the Vorder Rhine. Return by train to Chur.

Day 11 – Glacier Express

Another chance to see the spectacular line up to the Oberalp Pass as we ride the route of the Glacier Express train, once famously described as the “slowest express train in the world” – but who would want to rush through such beautiful scenery? Passing through the Furka Tunnel, we are now in the valley of the river Rhône. Changing at Brig, we cross the Alps yet again (or rather tunnel under them on this occasion) and onwards to the Swiss capital – Bern for a 2-night stay.

Day 12 – Bernese Oberland

An optional full day excursion by rail to Lauterbrunnen, then by cable car to Mürren for spectacular views of the mountains Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Returning to Interlaken down the valley of the River Lutschine (a tributary of the Rhine), followed by a lake cruise on Lake Thun before taking a main line service back to Bern. Alternatively, spend the day exploring the vibrant city of Bern. The UNESCO World Heritage Old Town is well worth a visit!

Day 13 – Basle & Cologne

By main line train to Basle where we change for our service to Cologne, following the river once more.

Day 14 – Homeward Bound

High speed service to Brussels to connect with the Eurostar to London St Pancras, arriving mid-afternoon.