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By
Rail: Luther and Bavaria
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Travel
in regular trains and local public transport |
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Perfect
for small groups |
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The Rail
system in Germany and Europe offers new possibilities for extraordinary
itineraries. Railroad enthusiasts may be excited by visiting the
workshop of narrow gauge Railways or travelling with a steam engine.
Other groups just enjoy the relaxing travel in Europe's high speed
trains which allow travels between the European metropolises while
walking around in the train and chatting with fellow travellers.
Day 1 - Arrival
Berlin
Upon our arrival at Berlin airport, the Tour Director will greet
our group at the airport. We take public transport into the city.
After check in at our centrally located hotel we take a first orientation
tour with bus, street cars, and underground to explore the main
sights. Get some first impressions of the German capital at Brandenburg
Gate, the Reichstag parliament, and Potsdamer Platz. After this
long travel day we'll enjoy the Welcome dinner in the hotel.
Day 2 - Museum
Day in Berlin - Model Railroad
Following the breakfast buffet we take the S-Bahn commuter train
to the S-Bahn museum. The development of that train system in the
late 19th century was one of the main decisions which made the entire
city grow and develop its current strength. Later we head to the
German Museum of Technology to visit the Rail Transport Exhibition.
The presentation of Germany's railway history starts with the steam
engine "Beuth", moving on to the first ever electric railway
(invented by Werner Siemens), express locomotives of various classes,
rubble trains and railcars, and ends with diesel engines and the
precursors of the ICE high-speed train. Among many other artefacts
40 original vehicles on 34 tracks can be seen. In the later afternoon
we enjoy a visit in the LOXX Miniature World, with the World's largest
digital model railroad in 1:87 scales.
Day 3 - Wittenberg
We leave Berlin and take the Regional Express train to Wittenberg.
A day in the cradle of the Reformation is waiting for us. After
we left our bags in the hotel close to the train station a local
guide will take us on an orientation tour. We see the door where
Martin Luther posted the 95 thesis, visit the Castle church, and
the Town church with its marvellous Cranach Altar.
After a lunch break we'll have plenty of time to visit the Lutherhaus
museum, the 2013 brandnew opened Melanchthon Museum, or to just
enjoy strolling the streets and getting some "Reformation atmosphere"
in the town where Martin Luther and his fellows lived, taught, and
preached. The Wittenberg Main Station currently is under reconstruction
and will be turned into a model "green self supplying"
station. We will check out the construction site to learn more about
the details.
Dinner on our own in one of the many restaurants around the Market
square.
Day 4 - Leipzig
- Erfurt
We catch our first ICE InterCityExpress high speed train from Wittenberg
to Leipzig. Switching trains in Leipzig central station, we lock
our bags and take the chance of getting a glimpse of the city. Johann
Sebastian Bach served as cantor at St Thomas Church, writing one
of his cantatas every Sunday. In the 1989 revolution in East Germany
millions met in Leipzig, marching the city's ring road with candles
and protesting against the regime.
On to Erfurt in the afternoon. Here Luther took the decisive step
to turn to theology and the monastic life when he was caught in
a violent thunderstorm nearby and took a vow to become a monk. We'll
join a local guide for a walking city tour including St. Mary's
Cathedral where Luther was ordained as a priest, the Augustinian
Monastery where Luther lived as a monk and the Medieval Kramer Bridge
on which 33 dwellings are built.
Day 5 - Day
trip Wartburg and Eisenach
It's just about half an hour from Erfurt to Eisenach. We take the
local bus from Eisenach train station up hill to the magnificent
Wartburg Castle, where Luther took refuge while he translated the
New Testament into the German language. Eisenach also is the birthplace
of Johann Sebastian Bach. Back into town we visit the museum in
Bach's birth house and listen to an introduction into Bach's work
with a demonstration of historic instruments. We stroll the streets
of Eisenach back to the train station to catch the next train back
to Erfurt.
Day 6 - Nordhausen
and Harzquerbahn
We need to catch the 8 o'clock Regional Express to Nordhausen. After
a quick luggage drop off at our hotel we start with one of the highlight
experiences of our trip: A day on the narrow-gauge Harzquerbahn!
A steam train takes us from Nordhausen (184 m / 440 ft) to Drei
Annen Hohne where we switch trains up to the Brocken mountain (1,125
m / 3,690 ft), crossing through small streets, magnificent bridges,
and dark forests. After a little lunch break on the peak (on own
account) we make our way back downhill into Nordhausen.
Dinner and overnight in Nordhausen.
Day 7 - ICE
high speed to Nuremberg
The contrast could not be bigger: After the old timey steam travel
experiences yesterday we travel on high speed tracks today. A regional
train takes us from Nordhausen to Goettingen where we catch the
InterCityExpress ICE. The high speed tracks via Kassel and Fulda
shoot us through tunnels and over bridges straight to Nuremberg
- with a scheduled speed of up to 280 kmh/ 175 mph!
After check in at our hotel we join a local guide for a tour of
the city and the impressive Castle.
Day 8 - Nuremberg
DB Museum - Munich
Nuremberg is the home of the Deutsche Bahn museum. It has the largest
collection of heritage railway vehicles in Germany with are around
30 superb examples from the collection on display. We will see many
artefacts from a replica of the first locomotive ever to run in
Germany - the "Adler" - to the saloon coach of the Bavarian
"Swan King" Ludwig II and the great names in the history
of steam locomotion. And of course the museum talks about the development
of modern railroad systems in Germany as well.
Later in the afternoon we get on board an ICE again and speed into
Munich. Dinner will be in a typical Bavarian beer garden restaurant
today in the capital of Bavaria.
Days 9, 10, 11, 12, 13… - Day excursions from Munich
Choose from a variety of train excursions from Munich:
Daytrip A: Munich
city tour (walking and local transport) and Dachau Concentration
Camp Memorial
Daytrip B: Train into Salzburg, tour of Salzburg, train back to
Munich in the evening.
Daytrip C: Train to Augsburg to see Reformation history sites with
Fugger Palaces and Luther places, back to Munich in the afternoon.
Daytrip D: Train to Oberammergau, visit Oberammergau, bus to Linderhof
Palace, bus and train back to Munich in the evening.
Daytrip E: Train to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Cog railroad and glacier
train to Zugspitze peak (2,926 m / 9,717 ft). Cable car and cog
railroad down again. Back to Munich in the evening.
Day X - Home
We take the S-Bahn commuter train to Munich airport for our homebound
flight
Also
see another variant:
>>
Railroads in LutherCountry, from Berlin to Prague (pdf)
This itinerary
is a sample, based on tours we planned for groups. But no two Terra
Lu tours are the same. Our proposal for you might be different,
depending on time of travel and availability of services.
Please
contact us to discuss all details and to get a customized quote
for your group!
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