Specialist rail tour operator Ffestiniog Travel is steaming ahead with plans to get travellers back on the touring train by offering 43 escorted tours over the next 15 months! It is hoped they will inspire a renewed sense of wanderlust among those keen to explore the world by train. 

Says Maria Cook, General Manager: “It has been a very challenging 15 months due to the COVID pandemic, but we remain optimistic that our new escorted tour programme will run and appeal to existing and new customers.  Many of our travellers, disappointed by ongoing tour cancellations, have rolled their bookings over to our 2022 departures.  Our swift response to fully refunding customers when tours were cancelled has given them the confidence to book with us again.

 “We are limiting numbers on each tour to a maximum of just 29 travellers, but it is worth emphasising that an average Ffestiniog Travel escorted tour size is usually around 16 passengers.  We therefore encourage people to book early to avoid disappointment.  In the event of us cancelling tours due to resurgence in COVID, customers will be fully reimbursed swiftly as per our refund policy.  If a tour proves to be popular and becomes over-subscribed we will endeavour to arrange another departure

 “As a small independent tour operator we can be flexible and adjust to an ever changing landscape.  Smaller tour numbers also allow a level of flexibility within the holiday - our tour leaders are experienced and will adapt to each group of travellers according to its needs, including helping travellers make the best of any free time.  On a Ffestiniog Travel escorted tour you can enjoy a private holiday within the security of a group!”

Re-runs of cancelled debut tours include:

Kyrgyzstan – a Small & Traditional tour which explores this remote, mountainous country to discover its rural way of life, history and magnificent scenery. With two departures 7 July and 19 July 2022, this11-day tour costs from £2,615pp and includes flights, all rail and private coach travel, accommodation, all meals, excursions and the services of a tour leader and local guide.

Magical Morocco – fly direct to Marrakech and travel northwards by rail with stays in Rabat, Fes and Tangier. Enjoy a mixture of guided medina sightseeing, leisure time and optional rail trips. Experience the modern high-speed service on the return journey to Marrakech before a direct flight back to the UK. This 14-day tour departs on 3 November 2022  and costs from £2,095pp including flights, all rail travel in first class, B&B hotel accommodation, all excursions and services of a tour leader and local guides.

Jordan – A chance to experience two private steam charters on the remaining sections of the Hejaz Railway and explore Jordan's long history and ancients cities and landmarks including Petra, Jerash and Madaba.  Departing 31 October 2022 this tours costs from £2,945pp and includes return flights, all excursions, rail travel, B & B accommodation an services of a tours leader and local English speaking guide.

Trams & Trains of Italy  - a re-run of a much anticipated tour. We tour Italy's key cities by train and tram. Milan and Turin both have large tram networks which we cover in detail and we also pay a visit to Rome and Naples to sample their smaller, but interesting routes. Departing 22 April 2022 this 14-day tour costs from £2,790pp and includes an InterRail Pass for unlimited travel, excursions, B&B hotel accommodation and services of a tour leader throughout.

Wines of Southern Romania  - another Small & Traditional tour that visits the historic cities of Timişoara, Sibiu and Braşov and explores the Danube Gorge and Olt Valley. Take a Danube river cruise, hire an elderly Swiss railcar on the surviving rural tramway from Sibiu to Raşinari and enjoy 5 wine tastings in wineries or with local families. Departing 14 June 2022 this 12-day tours costs from £2,670pp and includes flights, all rail travel, excursions, B&B hotel and guest house accommodation, some meals and services of a tour leader and professional Romanian guide.

Northern Ireland - this tour begins in Belfast and spends 6 days exploring the railways of Northern Ireland. As well as railways large and small there are visits to the Giants Causeway and a Whiskey distillery tour with time to enjoy Belfast and Derry/Londonderry. Departing 29 June 2022 the cost is from £805pp and includes all rail travel, excursions, B&B hotel accommodation and services of a tour leader throughout.

New Tours for 2022

Rambling in Romania  - this Small & Traditional tour offers a combination of rides on steam forestry railways and a spot of rambling (not too strenuous) in scenic Maramureş and Bucovina. Stay in family run “homestays” (ensuite) and experience a rural, quieter pace of life. Departing 23 May 2022 this 10-day tour costs from £2,180pp and includes flights, all rail travel, private coach transport, B&B accommodation in hotels and quality guest houses, some meals, all excursions services of a tour leader and local professional Romanian Guide.

Transylvania Traverse - another new Small & Traditional tour. Transylvania covers a swathe of central Romania, steeped in a history dating back to Roman times and set in a stunning landscape of rolling hills, high mountains and impenetrable forests. We travel from west to east by train and road, visiting many historic villages and cities. Departing 11 October 2022  this 11-day tours costs from £2,550pp and includes flights, rail travel and private coach transport, B&B accommodation in hotels and quality guest houses , some meals, all excursions and services of a tour leader and local professional Romanian guide

Repeats of popular rail holidays include several visits to Scotland, Wales, Switzerland together with Germany, France, Portugal and Austria in Europe and further afield there are planned tours to Taiwan, Canada, United States and Jordan.

Maria Cook added; “With almost 50 years' experience in creating rail holidays for people with a passion for travel and trains, we really understand what our clients want. In an industry that's increasingly fixated on economies of scale and moving large numbers of holidaymakers from A to B as cost-effectively as possible, we remain refreshingly down to earth and focused on the content and quality of our arrangements rather than the volume. Ffestiniog Travel is a small company with a boutique approach to creating holidays, backed up by an ATOL licence and financial protection guarantees that give clients complete reassurance when booking their holiday with us.”

For further information, or to request a copy of the new 2022 brochure, contact Ffestiniog Travel at pr@ffestiniogtravel.co.uk call 01766 512400 or visit the website at www.ffestiniogtravel.com

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Note to Editors: Ffestiniog Travel is owned by a Charitable Trust and profits go to support the world-famous Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways.