All Aboard! Last Minute Rail Tours

“Everything worked smoothly and the company was very responsive to any questions we had prior to trip.

“Booking with VBR was easy. The only challenge was waiting for the confirmation of the services so we can book our flights and take advantage of deals. The hotel upgrade took a while to be confirmed. But overall, the VBR agents I dealt with were very helpful. We just came back from our Barcelona/Madrid/Seville trip and I have to say, everything went very well. The experience was fantastic and we had a wonderful time. The tour itinerary which included sightseeing, guided tours, river cruise, walking tours, cuisine tours (tapas tour and paella lunch) were so organized, timely and done by professional tour guides. I would like to make a special mention to the following tour guides who made our travel experience so much more enjoyable and meaningful: Juan Martin: Juan was our sightseeing tour guide in Madrid. He was very welcoming, friendly, thoughtful and respectful. We felt very comfortable and we trusted him right away. We learned a lot from him. He shared with us background and history of the historical sites in Madrid. He gave us excellent tips as to where to go, what to do and where to eat outside of our scheduled events. He even called the restaurant for us to make a reservation. He is such a gentleman. Top 3 things we really enjoyed: Royal Palace/Cathedral of Madrid, The Prado Museum and Puerta del Sol. We are grateful for Juan's insight and kindness. He sets the standard very highly. Great job Juan! Fernando Alonso Lopez: Fernando was our Tapas Tour Guide in Madrid. He was so much fun! Fernando was very happy to meet us and was friendly and welcoming. Before the tapas dinner, he took us on a walking tour to a few of the historical spots which we appreciated very much. Then he surprised us with a reserved table at San Miguel for our first tapas experience. That was such a treat! We felt very special. Our 2nd tapas restaurant was exceptional. There was a gentleman playing the piano and singing nostalgic songs. That made me very emotional inside and made the experience unforgettable. We had a great time. After dinner, Fernando showed us how to navigate back to our hotel. He took the time to walk us to the closest cross street to make sure we find our way back to the hotel and make it there safely. Well done Fernando! VBR - we would appreciate it if you convey these comments to the tour company Juan Martin and Fernando Lopez are affiliated with in Madrid. Thank you!

“what a trip, 17 days of bliss. planes, 3 trains and a 7 day cruse. everything went perfectly and surpassed all my expectations! Just WOW.

“This trip was absolutely beautiful and so much fun! From the very start we were assigned a contact person at Vacations by Rail who was with us all the way through our trip and once we got home. It was really nice to have a real person to communicate with who follows your whole experience. We booked this as our belated honeymoon. The tours were all wonderful and the tour guides were some of the nicest people we have ever met! The hotel accommodations were perfect from location to service to food. We appreciated the pace of the tours so that we could also take time to do our own excursions. Thank you Vacations by Rail! We will definitely be using your services again.

“We started to plan our own tour and found that this tour was nearly identical to what we were planning. I don't think we would have saved any money doing it ourselves. The hotels were all of good quality and the day tours didn't overlap each other. The local guides did an excellent job. The whole trip went without a glitch.

“Excellent experience. No question that my experience was enhanced by the group leader, Without her knowledge, her genuine caring attitude, her humor, and her patience, this trip would have been rated 3.5-4 stars. There's no question a leader can make or break one's experience on a tour such as this...and our group leader (Kate) falls into the "make it" category.

“This was our first guided tour in the US. It was tough finding a tour that hit all the major National Parks in Utah which is what I was looking for.We had a very experienced tour guide and novice bus driver. They worked well together and the guide was on top of reservations the entire time. She had time management down to a science and it helped that our other travelers were all very prompt. I was pleased with the amount of pre-programmed activities and time on our own. The hotels were very nice and convenient. I would tour with them again… might skip the initial train ride but overall I was satisfied with the trip.

“The trip was well planned. Our tour manager Mary was fun, knowledgeable, professional, efficient, and Awesome. Alex our bus driver, was also awesome. The scenery was mind blowing and the amount of free time vs tours/excursions was balanced. I would do another tour with Vacations by Rail!!

“Fabulous service, friendly efficient staff the best in food and presentation. It was not "In the Canadian Rockies for as much time as we expected. ...Definitely LOVED the Gold Lead package and nearly new train car!! All in all it was wonderful!