Tramways and historic cities of Poland

An all new tour to the historic cities and delightful tramways of Poland, exploring fascinating networks on privately chartered heritage vehicles from the early and mid 20th century, including depot visits, photo stops and ‘rare track’ not available in regular service.

• Staying in the elegant and vibrant cities of Poznan and Warsaw, you will also make excursions to Wroclaw, Lodz and Lublin, exploring the tramways, trolleybuses and cultural highlights of these destinations.
• You will enjoy sightseeing of the historic city centres and each tram network with privately chartered vintage vehicles, giving you exclusive and behind-the-scenes access to depots and museums, photos stops at scenic locations and travel over those unusual parts of the network that are not covered in regular service, including rare curves or unusual lines. Additionally you will also have free time in each city for photography or individual travel on the rest of the tram network using complimentary rover tickets.
• Aside from 1920s trams and convenient point-to-point Intercity train travel, enjoy the narrow gauge trains at the Maltanka Park Railway in Poznan, classic trolleybuses in Lublin, as well as visits and complimentary admission to the large railway museum in Warsaw, the WWII Warsaw Uprising Museum and Warsaw’s Royal Palace and Gardens.
• An ideal tour for tramway enthusiasts and connoisseurs of vintage transport, with the opportunity to see the best of Poland at the same time.
  

Monday 4th August
Arrive in Poznan
You fly non-stop from London Luton to Poznan in Western Poland. On arrival you transfer to your centrally located hotel, where you will be given a complimentary public transport ticket for use on the extensive tram network. In the evening a welcome dinner will be served at the hotel. (D)

Tuesday 5th August
Maltanka Park Railway and Heritage trams in Poznan
In the morning you first visit the 3.8km long Park Railway at Maltanka. The line is located in the east of the city and conveniently reached by tram. You will have a private charter train hauled by the resident steam stalwart, a green Borsig locomotive from 1925 or a heritage diesel railcar from 1932, depending on the timely overhaul completion of the steam locomotive. In the early afternoon you then have a private sightseeing tour of Poznan by vintage green tramway, seeing the best parts of the network, covering ‘rare track’, and also visiting the heritage depot. In the evening there’s time to enjoy more of the city, perhaps having dinner at one of the excellent brew houses on the colourful main square Rynek with its medieval landmarks and tall spire city hall. (B)

Wednesday 6th August
Vintage tramways and landmarks of Wroclaw
After breakfast you take a direct PKP Intercity train in First Class from Poznan to Wroclaw. The journey takes 90 mins and you arrive at the most beautiful large railway station in Poland, the elegant Neo Gothic Wrocław Główny terminal from 1904. You have a private tram tour of Wroclaw on a classic 1929 Linke Hofmann standard car, locally built in the city in 1929, when it was still known as Breslau and a part of Germany. Your tramway tour will take you through the heart of the Old Town and past the beautiful river islands, which are framed by the cathedral. Passing over numerous of the landmark bridges across the River Odra, you will see the very best of Wroclaw. A depot visit, photo stops and travel over tram track not used by regular lines, are some of the highlights. Lunch is also included today and you will then have time to explore the city and the network, with a complimentary local ticket. You return to Poznan in the evening and have dinner at the hotel. (B L D)

Thursday 7th August
Trams and Museums Poznan and on to Warsaw
This morning you have free time to explore Poznan, its historic sites and its tram network. A complimentary visit to the Polish National Museum in Poznan is also included. This gallery is housed in a palace dating from 1904 and features a collection of classic and modernist paintings, ranging from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century, including such masters as Claude Monet. In the afternoon you then take a direct PKP Intercity train to Warsaw, where you check into your hotel near Warszawa Centralna station and have dinner there. You will also be given a complimentary public transport rover ticket for easy access in the city throughout the rest of your stay. This will allow you to use all trams, buses and the metro. (B D)

Friday 8th August
Vintage tramways in Lodz
After breakfast you make the 70 minute train trip to Lodz in Central Poland. This is a remarkable city from the Industrial Revolution, famous for its many preserved and beautifully restored red brick textile mills from the 19th century. Lodz therefore was always known as the ‘Manchester of Poland’ and you will see its countless mills and museums by tramway. Lodz is one of Poland’s ‘best kept secrets’, partly due to its long pedestrianised city centre along vibrant Piotrkowska Street. Your vintage tram from the day is a remarkable Polish-built Sanok car from 1929, the only one currently in preservation and operational. You will travel over the most interesting parts of the network on your private charter, including the rarely used loop at Piotrkowska Centrum, before having lunch at the large Manufaktura textile mill complex. In the afternoon you have free time for further tram travel, photography or city exploration, before returning to Warsaw in the early evening on a direct Intercity service. (B L)

Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th August
Vintage trams and top museums in Warsaw
This weekend is dedicated to the fascinating Polish capital city. You start on Saturday with a visit to the national railway museum at Ochota, with its large collection of preserved steam, diesel and electric locomotives, including a unique armoured train from World War II. Then you continue to the nearby Warsaw Uprising museum, one of the best WWII museums in Continental Europe, which narrates the epic yet often overlooked Warsaw Uprising against Germany in August 1944. On Sunday morning you start the day with a visit to the Royal Palace and Gardens in the heart of Warsaw’s rebuilt Old Town, on the banks of the River Vistula. The rest of the weekend you are free to explore the city by tram and metro. As a special attraction, on each summer weekend the Warsaw tourist tram lines are in public service using a large number of vintage vehicles. On each evening there is a dinner buffet back at the hotel. (B D)

Monday 11th August
History and trolley buses in Lublin
Today you visit the castle city of Lublin, southeast of Warsaw. Aside from a historic railway station, ornate old town with spacious squares, it also boasts one of just three trolleybus networks in all of Poland. You ride and photograph the delightful trolleys, see the city in comfort and style, thus enjoying another ‘best kept secret’ off the tourist trail. You return to Warsaw in the evening for a farewell dinner at the hotel. (B L D)

Tuesday 12th August
Warsaw at leisure and return to London
In the morning you still have some free time to spend in Warsaw, before taking an afternoon direct flight back to London. (B)