TRAINS & TRAVEL
P.O. BOX 10625
RENO, NEVADA 89510-0625
Chris@traintrips.biz Rail Tours Manager. For question regarding tour itineraries and details.
Deborah@traintrips.biz Office Manager: Accounting
1-800 359-4870 USA
1-800 752-1836 CANADA
1-800 266-8751 FAX
(530) 836-1944
OFFICE HOURS 9AM TO 5PM MONDAY-FRIDAY
PACIFIC WEST COAST TIME


TOUR 11
RAILFAN TOUR
SEPTEMBER 18-OCTOBER 2, 2010
SURE-GO COMPLETED


Our Swiss Rail Adventure tour is an in depth look at Switzerland by Rail. Each traveler will receive a first class Swiss Rail Pass for use during the tour. This is a tour aimed at the railfan traveler, train rider, and mileage collector. General tourism is limited, but the trip does include some of the most famous tourist rail experiences. We have chosen the hotels for this tour because they are close to railway stations. Some are in very small, off-the-beaten-path towns. In most cases we are staying in good tourist class hotels. Maximum group size will be 28.

DAY 1 SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 18: (L-D) Independent morning arrival at Zurich airport. Your guide, Dr. John Kirchner will meet the group at the Zurich airport at 10:00AM for the transfer into the city. The first point of interest to be visited will be the Tramway Museum, and we will get there by chartered historic tram over portions of the city's extensive street railway system. Overnight at the tiny mountain railroad town of Realp, at the Post Hotel, with welcome dinner after check-in.

 Post Hotel


DAY 2 SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 19: (B-D) Today we ride all day on the fantastic Furka Bergstrecke steam rack train, powered by an 80-year old cog locomotive, along a scenic route that takes us into alpine scenery, well above the tree-line. Overnight in Realp, Post Hotel.









DAY 3 MONDAY SEPTEMBER 20: (B-D) This morning we journey by meter gauge MGB (Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn) via the 9.5 mile Furka Base Tunnel, en route to Brig and Zermatt, including a spectacular ride to Gornergrat by GGB cogwheel railway (10,135 ft above sea level). Then back to Brig at the Hotel Ambassador.


Hotel Ambassador


DAY 4 TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 21: (B) Early risers will find Brig's two stations of interest. We depart town on SBB and soon enter the famed 12.5 mile Simplon Tunnel, emerging in Italy at Domodossola, where we switch to FART, a meter gauge electric for the scenic run to Locarno. Time for lunch and a ride on the funciular, and then we are off by SBB for the fast trip north to Luzern, including the 9-mile Gotthard Tunnel. Overnight Luzern, Hotel Drei Koenige.






Hotel Drei Konige


DAY 5 WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 22: : (B) Morning takes us to the Pilatus Bahn rack railway, the world steepest, and then, in the afternoon, we cross Lake Luzern by steamboat to Vitznau, where we board the Vitznau-Rigi-Bahn rack line to Rigi Kulm. Dropping down the other side of the mountain, we transfer at Arth-Goldau to return to Luzern. Hotel Drei Koenige.






Carlton Hotel in Interlaken


DAY 6 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 23: (B-D) Today we head by meter gauge to Interlaken Ost, continuing on to the ultimate climb on the Jungfrajoch rack line, to its spectacular "Top of Europe" station inside a mountain (11,322 ft.). Then down, via an alternate route, to Interlaken Ost. Carlton Hotel.



The above photos were taken in the Interlaken area




DAY 7 FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 24: (B) Today's main goal is the fantastic steam powered Brienz Rothorn Bahn rack railway. We return by boat to Interlaken Ost. Overnight at the Carlton Hotel.





DAY 8 SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 25: (B-D) We head west today to Zweisimmen, where we transfer to the famous meter gauge "Golden Pass" route to Montreux. From there we continue on to Aigle and Bex, with their local interurban lines, and finally arrive in the Rhone Valley town of Martigny. Overnight Hotel Forclaz-Touring.


Hotel Forclaz Touring


DAY 9 SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 26: (B) Visit Monteux this morning or ride local rail lines. And then, in the afternoon, our adventure takes us by steam over the Blonay-Chamby museum railway. Return to Martigny. Hotel Forclaz-Touring

DAY 10 MONDAY SEPTEMBER 27: : (B-D) We head west along Lake Geneva to Lausanne, and change there for the fast run north to Bern, where we board the Bernese steam tramway for a ride over parts of the city tram system. In the afternoon we travel by train from Bern to Pré-Petitjean, switching en route to a 1913 electric railcar on the meter gauge Chemins de fer du Jura. Overnight in Pre-Petitjean at the Auberge de la Gare.







DAY 11 TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 28: : (B-L-D) A fantastic day of steam today on the CFJ with tank Mallets. Our special will include a diner. Many great photo opportunities, including street running behind steam in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Overnight Pre-Petitjean. Auberge de la Gare.









DAY 12 WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 29: (B-D) A fun day of train riding takes us first to the beautiful city of Basel where we will have several hours for tram rides. Then it is on across Switzerland via Zurich to Chur, and then by meter gauge to Samedan. Hotel Terminus.






Above photo of the Terminus Hotel in Samedan


DAY 13 THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 30: (B-L) Our adventure takes us into Italy to Tirano over the spectacular Bernina Railway (7,391 ft above sea level). Overnight Sameden. Hotel Terminus.





DAY 14 FRIDAY OCTOBER 1: (B-D) Transfer Samedan - Chur and St. Gallen to the Appenzellerbahnen. Overnight in Herisau at the Hotel Herisau. (farewell dinner)

DAY 15 SATURDAY OCTOBER 2: (B) Independent transfers via fast train from Herisau to the Zurich airport. Trains take 1 hour to make this trip and they depart from Herisau every 30 minutes starting at 5:37AM.

OPTIONAL PLANS If you wish to stay one or two additional days (or longer) in Switzerland you may do so at additional cost. Your 15-day Swiss Pass will still be good for travel all day today (Oct 2), so we recommend taking the Voralpen Express to Luzern, visiting the Swiss Transport Museum, and overnighting there, or continuing on to Zurich/Zurich Airport.


PRICES                           PRICES ARE PER PERSON

DOUBLE ROOM OCCUPANCY............................$3998
SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT...........................$1098
DEPOSIT TO HOLD SPACE WHEN TOUR IS A SURE-GO.....$1500
FINAL PAYMENT DUE JUNE 18, 2010
TOUR INCLUDES

*26 MEALS
*28 TRAIN RIDES
*ALL ROAD TRANSFERS
*AMERICAN AND SWISS GUIDES
*14 NIGHTS LODGING IN TOURIST CLASS HOTELS
*ALL ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS LAST LIST PER THE ITINERARY

TOUR BOOKING CONDITIONS

TOUR PRICE: All tour prices are corrected to November 1, 2010 and are subject to change without notice, at any time. All prices based on double room occupancy. We reserve the right to change tour prices if necessary.

PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE: Personal items, meals not listed in the itinerary, laundry, phone calls, excess baggage charges, rental cars, side tours, insurance, passport fees including visas, vaccinations, gratuities, medical costs, tips to train or motor coach staff, extra tour costs due to unanticipated changes in the itinerary for reasons beyond our control, including weather, travel conditions, or cancellations, government intervention, sickness, political disputes, and failure of transportation or other causes beyond our control.

TRAVEL AND HEALTH DOCUMENTS: A valid passport is required for our international tours. In some cases a visa is also needed. Consult your health professional for the recommended immunizations and documents. Trains and Travel International , here on referred to as TTI, assumes no other responsibility if a client is refused entry into a country. Cost and cancellation fees will be paid by the client in the event they do not have valid documents.

CHANGE OF ITINERARY: We reserve the right to substitute, alter or modify the tour if any unexpected and unforeseen conditions beyond our control preventing the completion of such. Conditions can include weather, train schedules, equipment, motive power, revision of train consist, train delays, labor strikes, political disputes, derailments, closure of a rail line, break down of railroad or motive power equipment, railroads not honoring contracts and bus equipment problems. We will always endeavor, in each case, to provide substitutes, if any changes take place. TTI is not responsible for canceled trains, delays, hotel rooms, route changes or missed connections, for any reason whatsoever. We will not give refunds if such conditions or cancellations take place.

TRAVEL INSURANCE: Travel Insurance is mandatory for all tours. This insurance will cover and give the tour members many benefits and protection. Benefits include baggage, accident, life, trip cancellation, sickness, bankruptcy, strike, weather conditions, employer termination or layoff effecting you or a person sharing the room with you, terrorist incident in your departure city or city of destination, jury duty, you are subpoenaed, hijacked, or quarantined, your residence or traveling companion residence is rendered uninhabitable, emergency military duty, traffic accident, single supplement upgrade when your traveling companion cancels their trip, trip interruption, trip delay, missed connections, itinerary change, emergency medical benefits, medical evacuation, baggage delay and loss, pre-existing medical conditions if enrollment is within 21 days of your invoice date, burglary of you or your companion before departure, felonious assault of you or your traveling companion before departure, 24 hour hotline emergency assistance, emergency cash transfer and more. We will supply you with a travel insurance brochure with rates and application when we mail you the invoice after trip deposit is received. Travel insurance protects your vacation investments and is a very good investment for your travel and vacation money. US law allows us to offer this insurance to all persons Worldwide. We will accept a "refusal of travel insurance wavier" if you do not wish to purchase any travel insurance. FOR CUBA: Because of the nature of these tours travel insurance is MANDATORY for everyone. We have a special American travel insurance company that will insure all folks going to Cuba on legal US approved tours. This insurance information will be sent to you upon receiving your booking.

RESPONSIBILITY AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: Accepting your payment represents an agreement that you understand all the conditions, to be a member of our tours. TTI gives notice that they are acting agents for the owners, contractors and suppliers, providing the transportation and all related travel services and assume no responsibility for injury, sickness, damage, loss, additional expenses accidental delay or irregularities which may be caused through willful or negligent acts or omissions on the part of the companies providing or engage in transportation, accommodations or services related to the accomplishment of the tour. Nor do we assume responsibility for natural disasters, social or political upheaval, acts of terrorism or acts of nature. TTI reserves the right to substitute hotels, tour leaders, equipment, motive power, trains, onboard accommodations, routes and to alter the itinerary when deemed necessary without notice. The right is also reserved to cancel any trip or train prior to departure for any reason . TTI is not responsible for expenses incurred by tour members in preparing for the tour, including non-refundable airline tickets, visa fees, planning, phone calls, or any other expenses. TTI reserves the right to decline to accept, or ask to leave a tour, any person whose actions impede the daily operations of a tour, welfare or enjoyment of other tour members. TTI cannot give any refunds for any unused services. The terms contained herein shall serve as a waiver of liability to TTI. Assumption of risk on behalf of the client, their heirs, executor, administrators, successors, and assigns for any and all known persons injuries

RESERVATIONS: A deposit is due in our office within 14 days after you make your bookings. Full payment is due 90 days before departure. You will receive an invoice, reservation form and current tour bulletins with your confirmation and travel insurance forms. No notice for final payment will be sent to you. It is your responsible to make the final payment on-time.

CANCELLATIONS: TTI does not accept cancellations on the phone. Cancellations must be received by postal mail, email or fax before any refunds will be considered. Allow enough time if sending your written notice by US mail postal system. When a written cancellation is received in the Trains and Travel office this will be the effective date of the cancellation. Please take note that it can take up to 60 days to to process some refunds. Cancellation refund rules: 100 days prior to the start of any tour you will receive a full refund less a $100 per person administration fee. 99 to 61 days before the departure of any tour there will be a 80% cancellation penalty based on the full cost of the tour. Cancellations received 60 or less days before the start of any tour will not receive any refund. GW Travel Ltd has their own cancellation rules and these will apply. If booking on GW Travel Ltd ask for cancellation rules.

PRE-DEPARTURE TOUR BULLETINS: Tour bulletins will be sent to clients that have booked on tours operated by TTI. Bulletins include travel info related to the tour. Final documents will be sent out about two to three weeks before a tour begins. We offer tours operated by other companies and they may or may not send out tour bulletins and updates and most send out final documents only one to two weeks prior to the start of their tours.

PAYMENTS: Payments can be made with personal check drawn on a U.S. Dollar account, money order for U.S. Dollars, bank wire transfer, or credit card. We accept Visa, Master Card, Discover or American Express. Final payment for all tours is due 90 days prior to departure. If final payment has not been received 7 days after the due date, a late fee of $50 per week will apply.

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: All prices are based on double room occupancy. We will try and match you with a roommate if one is available. If not, you may be charged the single room supplement listed for the tour you are booked on. Single rooms may not be available in some remote locations and on some trains.

TOUR REFUNDS: If for any reason tour members amend or delete any arrangements during travel, and leave the tour on their own, we cannot give any refunds on unused portions of the tour. If buses and trains are cancelled by the carrier or there is a labor strike or they go out of business, we cannot be held responsible and we cannot give refunds. Travel insurance will protect you for any of these reasons. If TTI needs to cancel any tour everyone will receive a full refund. Please take note that in some cases refunds can take up to 60 days to process.

PARTIAL TOURS: We will allow passengers to join or leave a tour at certain points. It will all depend on the tour and the conditions. Give us a call and we will try and work up a custom option for you.

MILEAGE COLLECTORS: Mileage collectors please take note that TTI does not cater just to mileage collectors. We cater to all folks that enjoy trains and Rail journeys. We give strong warning that itinerary and route changes do happen and this is totally beyond our control when it does. If the only reason that you would want to book a tour is to collect the rare mileage, you need to understand that possible route changes do happen.



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Last modified: Thursday, 12-Jan-2012 08:20:19 PST