July 11-23, 2002
Tour from $2899.00
Join popular Rail Travel Center escort Bill Watson on a unique new tour of Sweden and Finland. These beautiful Scandinavian countries lie on the rugged north coast of the Baltic Sea. Their topography features a myriad of lakes and waterways dotting a pristine countryside often far from paved roads and modern life. On this program we explore using 125 mph X2000 trains; historic steam trains; and a series of steamboat, overnight ferry and river cruises. Extensive scenic and historic sightseeing and many special meals are included. Each participant has the use of a Scanrail Pass to cover all included rail travel and to allow for independent exploration on unstructured days.
For centuries Sweden was not only the strongest of the Nordic countries but also a world power ruling a substantial empire. Our tour reveals this heritage as we visit great fortresses, noble castles, elegant estates and grand cathedrals reflecting her regal past. Our tour follows the ancient Kings Road, which connected the Swedish strongholds of Oslo (Norway was united with Sweden from 1814 to 1905), Gothenburg, Stockholm, Turku, and Helsinki with the Russian capital at St. Petersburg.
One of the key Swedish dependencies was Finland. The beautiful Finnish ports of Turku and Porvoo were centers of government and trade. They offer exceptional architectural treasures of the Swedish Imperial period. In the early 19th century, Russia succeeded Sweden as Finland's master. We explore the Czarist era with an unusual visit to the Imperial Fishing Lodge at Kotka. At the end of World War I, Finland gained independence, which it fiercely defended in the Second World War. Helsinki's extraordinary 20th century architecture reflects its growth as capital of the newly independent Finnish Republic. Our program provides an in-depth view of these lovely historic lands.
We begin in the handsome city of Gothenburg, Sweden with a two-night stay. Located on the shores of the Baltic Sea, Gothenburg is a handsome town with a fascinating network of canals we explore by diminutive "Paddenboat". The city also offers an extensive tramway (trolley car) system. Participants will have a Gothenburg card which permits unlimited rides on the trams and free or discounted admissions to museums and cultural sights. From Gothenburg we speed through the rolling hills and sparkling lakes northeast to Stockholm on a fast 125 mph X2000 train of the Swedish State Railway.
Our Stockholm visit lasts three nights. The tour includes a Three Day Stockholm Card, providing unlimited use of trams, commuter trains and buses, and free or discounted museum admissions. We have an all-day cruise on a true lake steamer to Mariefred to see ancient Gripsholms Castle and ride the restored steam-powered narrow-gauge railway. We also visit the fascinating Skansen Folkloric Village and board the 350 year-old war-ship "Wasa". In addition, we sail overnight through the Stockholm Archipelago to Turku, Finland on a grand ferry of the Viking Line, using outside cabins with private shower bath and enjoying dinner and breakfast on-board.
Turku was the Finnish capital for several hundred years when Finland was a province of the Swedish Empire. Its grand old center guards a sheltered harbor marked by lovely offshore islands. We tour the city and enjoy a luncheon cruise on the historic ocean-going true steamboat "SS Ukkopekka". A comfortable broad-gauge Finnish State Railway train takes us northeast into the lakes and fast-flowing rivers of the Finnish interior for a two-night stay in Tampere. Here we have an all-day "Finnish Silverline" lake cruise on the true steam-powered "SS Tarjanne".
From Tampere the tour continues by fast train to Helsinki, the handsome contemporary Finnish capital, for a final three-night stay. Our program includes the museum railway to the ancient port of Porvoo with a return voyage along the island-studded Baltic coast on the historic ship "MS J.L. Runeberg". We explore Helsinki using a Three Day Helsinki Card, which again offers unlimited use of the trams and free or discounted museum admissions. Our travels include a trip on the unusual Circular Tram Line and an interesting full-day trip by local train and coach into the countryside to visit the Imperial Fishing Lodge of the Russian Czars at Kotka.
Complete details follow. ALL ABOARD!
Your Itinerary
Day 1:
OPTIONAL PRE-TOUR GOTA CANAL CRUISE
Monday, July 8-Thursday, July 11
In the 1830s, Sweden completed the extraordinary Gota Canal through the interior lakes and rivers from Stockholm to Gothenburg. The 190 kilometer (approximately 115 mile) waterway was built to provide a secure route to transport troops between the two great cities of the kingdom, protected from off-shore naval attacks. The canal quickly proved far more valuable for commerce, opening the Swedish interior to development much as the pioneer Erie Canal did for upstate New York and the Midwest. For over a century the Gota Canal Steamboat Company has provided scheduled passenger service through the canal. Our pretour option offers a three-night/four-day voyage on the 1912 canal vessel "M/V Wilhelm Tham" from Stockholm to Gothenburg.
The vessel will pause at tiny hamlets far from modern commerce. Two of the several dozen canal locks still are hand-operated. The boat travels at a speed of no more than 5 knots, so passengers can disembark and walk along the towpath to photograph the ship as it steams to the next lock. Passage fare includes all meals and six included shore excursions. Cabins are small, clean, and plain with shared shower facilities on each deck, although hot and cold running water is provided in each cabin. Beds in all staterooms are in an upper/lower berth configuration. These are historic vessels, and furnishings reflect Victorian/Edwardian styles with beautiful wood paneling throughout. Cabins are similar to railway sleeper compartments. The food is superb.
A summary of the itinerary follows: Day One, cruise the Stockholm Archipelago to Sodertalje and visit 14th century Trosa. Day Two, sail through the "flight" of locks at Berg and visit 13th century Soderkoping, the forest of Borensberg, and the Canal Museum at Motala. Day Three, cross Lake Vattern, explore Karlsborg Fortress, traverse the manual lock at Tatorp, and descend the eight-lock flight to Stotorp. Day Four, cross Lake Vanern, visit Trollhatten, the Medieval Craft Museum at Lodose, and arrive in Gothenburg to join the tour.
Gota Canal Cruise Fares
C Category Cabin $ 985.00 per person, double occupancy
(Main Deck) $1425.00 single occupancy
B Category Cabin $1325.00 per person, double occupancy
(Shelter Deck) $1875.00 single occupancy
A Category Cabin $1625.00 per person, double occupancy
(Bridge Deck) $2295.00 single occupancy
Day One, Thursday, July 11 (D)
Arrive Gothenburg; Welcome Dinner. The tour begins with independent arrivals into Gothenburg. Accommodations are included for two nights at the fine contemporary Scandic Hotel Europa directly adjacent to the main railway station. Our first scheduled activity is this evening's Welcome Dinner.
(D)
Day 2:
Day Two, Friday, July 12 (B)
Tour Gothenburg by tram and "Paddenboat". Gothenburg is a city cut by a maze of canals, reflecting its ancient links with the Netherlands. We cruise the canals on a diminutive "Paddenboat", a special low-profile vessel that darts under the low canal bridges. Later, using our Gothenburg Cards, we enjoy free use of the extensive tramway (light-rail/trolley car) system and free or discounted museum and park admissions. Admission is included to the superb Liseberg Amusement Park, the "Tivoli Gardens" of Sweden.
(B) (D)
Day 3:
Day Three, Saturday, July 13 (B,D)
125 mph X2000 train to Stockholm; Stockholm City Tour. A fast 125mph X2000 tilt-train whisks us north to Sweden's beautiful capital city, Stockholm, for a four-night stay at the Four Star SAS Royal Viking Hotel located at the main train station. This afternoon we tour Stockholm by coach and harbor boat on the "Stockholm in a Nutshell" tour.
(B) (D)
Day 4:
Day Four, Sunday, July 14 (B)
Steamboat cruise to Mariefred; narrow gauge steam train trip; Gripsholms Castle. We sail on the historic true steam-powered lake steamer "SS Gripsholms" through the interior lakes and canals to the pretty medieval village of Mariefred, where we tour ancient Gripsholms Castle and ride the narrow-gauge steam railway. Participants can return to Stockholm in early evening on the steamboat or on a fast train back to our hotel.
(B)
Day 5:
Day Five, Monday, July 15 (B)
Visit Skansen Folkloric Village; "Wasa" ship. Using our Three Day Stockholm Cards, which provide unlimited use of the subway, buses and local trains, we explore Skansen Folkloric Village. Here rural Sweden is re-created as it might have been a hundred years ago. On an island hilltop we explore restored houses, barns, stores, and mills assembled from all over the country. The grounds offer beautiful vistas of the city, harbor, and the Stockholm Islands. Later we visit the 350 year-old "Wasa" ship. In 1628, this was the flagship of the Swedish Navy; but she sank in a freak storm on her maiden voyage. The "Wasa" was recovered three centuries later from Stockholm harbor in a state of nearly perfect preservation. Not only can we view the ship, but we will see the clothes and personal belongings of her crew.
(B)
Day 6:
Day Six, Tuesday, July 16 (B,D)
Unstructured day in Stockholm; overnight ferry to Finland. We enjoy a free day to explore Stockholm using our Stockholm Cards, which provide free admission to over 70 sites and museums including the famous Nordic Museum of Scandinavian History, the Skoklester Palace, the Tramway Museum, the royal apartments and gardens of the Royal Palace, and many others. Early this evening we transfer to the pier for the overnight Viking Line ferry crossing to Turku, Finland. The long days/white nights of Scandinavia will give us lovely twilight/dawn light for much of the voyage. As we enjoy a delicious included dinner we sail through the Thousand Islands of the Stockholm Archipelago. Accommodations are in outside cabins with private shower bath.
(B) (D)
Day 7:
Day Seven, Wednesday, July 17 (B,L)
Tour Turku, Finland; steamboat dinner cruise. We make an early morning arrival at Turku, Finland after an included breakfast buffet on the ferry. For hundreds of years Turku was the capital of Finland while it was a province of the Swedish Empire. We tour the Old Town, see the sheltered harbor and beautiful cathedral, and explore the powerful Castle on a morning tour. A delicious luncheon is included while sailing past the lacy villas of the Ruisalo Islands on the true steam-powered ocean-going vessel "SS Ukkopekka". The afternoon is free to explore using our Two Day Turku Cards, which provide free local bus transportation and free or discounted admission to museums and historic sites including the Archaeology, History and Art Museum (Aboa Vetus/Ars Nova); the Handicrafts Museum; the Maritime Museum; and the Sibelius Museum. Accommodations are included at the contemporary Four Star Scandic Marina Palace Hotel.
(B) (L)
Day 8:
Day Eight, Thursday, July 18 (B,D)
Free time in Turku; train to Tampere. We enjoy a relaxing morning in Turku, using our Turku Cards for further independent exploration. This afternoon we transfer to the station for the train trip to Tampere. The Finnish Railways use broad-gauge track with five feet between the rails, so they are unusually comfortable and spacious. The ride takes us past rich farmlands and into the interior of vast forests, countless lakes and fast-flowing rivers. In the late afternoon we arrive in Tampere, a proud provincial capital located between Lakes Nasijarvi and Pyhajarvi. Our home for two nights is the comfortable Scandic Hotel Tampere adjacent to the railway station.
(B) (D)
Day 9:
Day Nine, Friday, July 19 (B)
All-day "Finnish Silverline" steamboat lake cruise. The authentic steam-powered lakeboat "SS Tarjanne" takes us on a full-day voyage to remote ports on Lake Nasijarvi. Then the "Poets Way" itinerary takes us north by coach to Virrat to board the 1898 steamboat for the cruise back to Tampere. The silent beauty of this vast lake inspired the Finnish national poet J.L. Runeberg and the great composer Jan Sibelius.
(B)
Day 10:
Day Ten, Saturday, July 20 (B,D)
Fast train to Helsinki; museum train to Porvoo; Baltic Sea cruise back to Helsinki. A fast Inter-city train takes us south to Helsinki, where we change onto the museum train to the ancient Baltic port of Porvoo. Porvoo's remarkable collection of medieval and Swedish Empire buildings make it a potential candidate for World Heritage Site status. We enjoy free time this afternoon to shop, explore the maze of narrow streets and tour the beautiful 14th century cathedral. Here Czar Alexander I pledged to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the Finns when he proclaimed the Russian-dominated Grand Duchy of Finland in 1809. Despite Finland's bitter 20th century wars with the Soviet Union, a 1909 statue of the Czar still stands here to commemorate this Russian declaration of Finnish (semi) autonomy. This afternoon we sail the Baltic back to Helsinki on the historic coastal vessel "MS J.L. Runeberg", enjoying a light dinner on-board. Our home for three nights is the landmark Cumulus Hotel Seurahuone adjacent to the Helsinki main railway station.
(B) (D)
Day 11:
Day Eleven, Sunday, July 21 (B,L)
Local train/coach tour to Imperial Fishing Lodge of the Czars. We take a local train east, leaving the fast "Kings Road" main line to St. Petersburg for the rural branch to Kotka. Here we tour the Imperial Fishing Lodge of the Russian Czars at Langinkoski Rapids. This modest home is preserved exactly as it was when the outbreak of World War I ended the Czar's visits. Surprisingly the home is both modest and rustic, with an almost Adirondack-chalet ambiance.
(B) (L)
Day 12:
Day Twelve, Monday, July 22 (B,D)
Tour Helsinki; Farewell Dinner. We explore Helsinki riding the unique tram-line that forms a complete circle through the city. Later there is free time to use our Helsinki Cards to visit the museums and historical sites and marvel at the city's beautiful location overlooking the Baltic. Fifty museums and sites are at no cost using our Helsinki cards, including the city art and history museums, the Finnish National Museum (art/history), and the university botanical gardens. Our Farewell Dinner is this evening at the hotel.
(B) (D)
Day 13:
Day Thirteen, Tuesday, July 23 (B)
Tour ends with independent departures today.
OPTIONAL POST-TOUR VISA-FREE CRUISE TO ST. PETERSBURG
Tuesday, July 23-Friday, July 26
Finnish-owned Kristina Cruises operates the comfortable Baltic Sea liner M/V Kristina Regina on a unique voyage round-trip from Helsinki, Finland to St. Petersburg, Russia. Passengers taking the shore tours offered by the line are not required to have a Russian entry visa on this program. The Kristina Regina is a lovely 1960s vessel with comfortable cabins, an English speaking Finnish crew, single seating dining, and a wonderful old-world nautical ambiance.
The cruise begins with an overnight voyage to St. Petersburg, where the ship serves as your floating hotel for one-night/two-days before an overnight return to Helsinki. A basic half-day tour of St. Petersburg is included for all passengers, as are all meals. Optional excursions are available to see the Hermitage, Peter the Great's palaces at Petrodvorets, a Folkloric Show, or the ballet. Optional excursion costs range from $40-50 per person and must be booked on-board. By obtaining a Russian visa, it is possible to go ashore on your own and explore independently. All cabins are air-conditioned with private shower/baths. Many cabins offer twin lowers. In certain categories, upper/lower berth accommodations are offered at a slightly lower rate than noted below. Please add a booking/exchange fee of $25 per person to the prices noted below.
Cabin Category Per Person, double occupancy Single Occupancy
E Inside $499.00 $519.00
D Inside $599.00 $699.00
C Outside $649.00 $769.00
B Outside $699.00 $859.00
A Outside $799.00 $969.00
Kristina Class $899.00 N/A
Baltic Class $939.00 N/A
Mini-Suite $999.00 N/A
(B)
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
TOUR PRICES include all coach and cruise fares, hotels, admission to the attractions listed above, meals noted as included, escort services, transfers from Gothenburg departure to Helsinki arrival, luggage handling at all hotels, city cards, and outside cabins on the ferry from Stockholm to Turku. Please note that checked baggage is not provided on Scandinavian trains. You must handle your own luggage on/off of intercity trains, although the escort will provide help as needed. Scanrail Passes are an additional cost at the rates noted below.
$2899.00 per person, double occupancy
$3399.00 single occupancy
Scanrail Passes
Each participant must purchase a Scanrail Pass at the rates listed below.
$202.00 per person for a pass covering 5 Days of travel in a two-month period.
$182.00 per person for the same pass for passengers age 60 and over.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
Finland
Russia
Sweden
Outdoor: Water Drifter
Boating and Sailing
Archeology/History
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