Standard Timings Model - Coach Tours Only

Our preferred route for crossing the Channel is via the Tunnel and the Ferry will only be utilised when Euro Tunnel are unable to accommodate us. The other bonus is the saving in actual time – usually around 90 minutes in each direction. Because we expect to continue using the Tunnel, we now have one time ‘model’ which will be applied to all coach tours. Any variations in the draft times should not be too wide and will be circulated in the Information Pamphlet for each tour.

Berkeley Heath A38 – Applegates Coaches –  Outward 1000 Return 2325
Bristol Parkway – Outward 1035 Return 2255
Swindon – Railway Station – Outward 1125 Return 2205
Reading – Calcot (Sainsburys) (off Junc 12 M4)  – Outward 1210 Return 2120
Bracknell – Bus Station  – Outward 1240
Bracknell – Railway Station – Return 2050
Clacket Lane Services – M25 (45-minute Break)  – Outward 1350 Return 1855
Ashford – International Station –  Outward 1535 Return 1745
Cheriton – High Street (Holiday Inn or Tesco)  – Outward 1605 Return 1715

Dover Eastern Docks (Ferry Only) – Outward 1620 Return 1650

Please note: This timetable is a base ‘Model’ and may be subject to alteration due to changes in Shuttle times, or on the rare occasions we must use the Ferry from Dover. The final timings will, as always, be published in the Tour Information Pamphlet.

Our Tours

Only with STARS International can you choose from such a wide variety of Day, Weekend and Holiday Tours, tailor-made for the committed railway enthusiast………

Three & Four Day, weekend, ‘Rapide’ Tours
Low cost, intensive tours in the areas surrounding important rail centres in France, Germany, Belgium, and Luxembourg. They feature free time for Station observations and one/two nights in good Hotels near the main stations.

Three to Five Day, and Extended Weekend Tours by Air, ‘The Flyers’
Quality time spent at a Super Rail Centre, including depot visits, and free time at main stations.

Holiday Tours, of three to nine day duration, in large executive coaches covering major depots, works, and stabling points in the chosen area, in the comfort of a modern executive touring coach.
Overnight stays are arranged at hotels close to, or at, main railway stations.

Holiday Tours by Rail
Tours usually of one week duration, travelling by service trains on Inter Rail Passes.

Combination Tours
Travelling by both coach or minibus, train and other public transport.

Trans-Atlantic Tours
To the United States of America. We have previously covered Chicago, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, California,and the Mid-West.
** Note – no Trans-Atlantic Tours will feature in this year’s programme. We will be reviewing the possibility of another soon.

Tour by Charter Train.
Every year we offer an extensive tour travelling by charter train starting and ending in The Czech Republic

Tours to Tram & Metro Systems
Including Depot visits, usually preceding or after a ‘main’ tour in or around that area or incorporated with a tour.

STARS Standards

You measure the success of an organisation such as STARS by asking “how popular are your tours, and how many people go with you? “Quite simply STARS carry MORE people into Europe than any other contemporary group offering similar services – a case of people voting with their feet.

Why are STARS so popular? – – – – There are key areas which set us apart from all others:

Hotels
Despite some quite high charges our hotels are usually more up-market. For example, we tend to book Inter City Hotels in Germany (attractive because they are situated on main railway stations), as well as Mercure, and Novotels elsewhere. We still use Ibis Hotels, but only the better, or more convenient, examples.

Coaches
Coaches for our long-distance tours are now provided by Applegates Coaches of Berkeley, Gloucestershire. They are ultra-modern vehicles with every aid to comfort, which allows the strain of overnight travel to be reduced. In addition, the coach crews are not only very professional but also pleasantly disposed to the passengers. Large executive coaches (usually 49 to 53 passenger seats, equipped with air conditioning, toilet & washroom, and carrying hot & cold drinks and snacks, will be used for all advertised large coach tours.

A mini coach or minibus may also be used for any long-distance coach tour failing to meet a viable loading.

Content and Duration of Tours
Every tour is worked out with precision to maximise the coverage of an area with planned visits and free time. Our tours are timed to last around 10 to 12 hours each day, and we aim to finish a day, whenever possible, by 6pm. We are not ‘dawn to dusk bashers’, but if you want to do more than the day’s itinerary, the free time is there for you to ‘do your own thing’.

Economy
We consider ourselves to be both economic and good value for money, given the quality of tours on offer. We could reduce costs by coming downmarket on both hotels and transport, but we would rather explain the costs of providing tours of high standards, than to apologise for anything less!

Success at Depots
We know of no other organisation that has anywhere near our success rate for Depot Visits. When ‘lock-down’ halted our tours in March 2020 only three tours had run but no refusals at any installation on any. Such success is no accident – it is as a result of dedicated officers working hard to achieve on behalf of the members.

Flow of Information through STARS Publications and Website
General information, usually supplied free to our membership, is increasing all the time. Tour reports are produced for every STARS International tour, and a quarterly Magazine carries news and members’ articles. STARS also produce unique reference books detailing stock listings of countries not adequately covered elsewhere. Quality books comprehensively listing the locos and stock of Poland and Czech Republic/Slovakia have been published. Recently, and in quick succession,three books in a new series (TULR) covering the Tram & Urban Light Rail Systems of 24 different European Countries, have also been published.

Camaraderie
One of the great elements of a STARS tour. Members, officers and drivers all sharing good humour, banter, and information as one. It is this element which is at the very heart of STARS, and the one, above all others, that has given rise to our success………. are you ready to join that success yet?