At a glance
Duration: Full day (approx. 8 hours, 09:00–17:00)
Start: Eindhoven railway station
End: Arnhem railway station
Unit covered: Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (“Screaming Eagles”)
Group size: 1–8 persons (larger groups see Groups)
Language: English or Dutch
Accessibility: Primarily a driving tour with short walks at each stop. Some grass and unpaved paths. Comfortable shoes recommended.
Following Easy Company from Son to The Island
On 17 September 1944, the men of Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, jumped into the occupied Netherlands as part of Operation Market Garden. Over the weeks that followed, they fought their way from the drop zones near Son through Eindhoven, Nuenen, and the battles along Hell’s Highway, before being sent to The Island: the flat, exposed polder between the Rhine and the Waal where they spent weeks under constant fire.
Their story became one of the most widely known accounts of the Second World War through Stephen Ambrose’s book and the HBO series Band of Brothers. This tour takes you to the places where that story happened. You will stand on the drop zone, walk through the streets of Eindhoven, visit the fields outside Nuenen where Easy Company fought the battle depicted in Episode 5 (“Replacements”), and cross onto The Island where Dick Winters posed for his famous photograph at Schoonderlogt Farm.
This is not a tour about a television series. It is a tour about the real men and the real ground. I use the series as a reference point where it helps, but what you will get is the full, unfiltered history: what the show included, what it changed, and what it left out entirely. The locations speak for themselves.
This tour covers two distinct phases of the war. The morning follows Easy Company through Operation Market Garden in September 1944. The afternoon moves to The Island, where the 101st Airborne was deployed in October 1944 in conditions very different from the airborne assault. If your interest is specifically in the broader 101st Airborne story along Hell’s Highway (not limited to Easy Company), the Hell’s Highway tour goes deeper into that sector. If you want to see the full American picture across both the 101st and 82nd Airborne, the Americans at Market Garden tour covers both divisions in a single day.
Tour itinerary: Eindhoven to Arnhem
Morning: Operation Market Garden
Drop zone near Son
We begin where Easy Company began: at the drop zone near Son. Standing on the field where thousands of paratroopers came down on that Sunday afternoon, I will walk you through what those first minutes were like on the ground. The plan, the chaos, the scattered drops, and the race to reach objectives before the Germans could react.
Son bridge over the Wilhelmina Canal
The 506th PIR’s first objective was the road bridge at Son. The Germans blew it just as the paratroopers were closing in. We will talk about the attempt to capture it, the role Easy Company played, and the overnight rebuild by British engineers that got the advance moving again.
Eindhoven city centre
Easy Company was involved in securing the bridges across the Dommel river and the liberation of Eindhoven’s city centre. We visit the bridge sites and talk about what happened on the ground during those first hours of liberation, and what followed when the Luftwaffe bombed the city that night.
Nuenen: the battle from Episode 5
This is one of the most intense stops on the tour. At Nuenen, Easy Company and the rest of the 506th ran into a German battle group that turned what was supposed to be a quick advance into a day-long fight. This is the battle depicted in Episode 5 (“Replacements”) of Band of Brothers. We walk the ground where it happened and I will explain what the series got right, what it compressed, and what the real battle looked like for the men who were there.
Lunch break
We stop for lunch at a local restaurant in Nuenen, roughly halfway through the day. Lunch is not included in the tour price.
Veghel and the Koevering battle
After lunch we head north to Veghel, where the Germans managed to cut Hell’s Highway, the vital supply road to Arnhem. Easy Company was among the units thrown into the fight to reopen the road during the final days of Market Garden. This was desperate, unglamorous fighting with enormous consequences.
Uden: cut off
Our last Market Garden stop is Uden, where part of Easy Company was cut off during the first German attack on the road near Veghel on 22 September 1944. Dick Winters and others found themselves isolated north of the break in the corridor. We talk about what happened and how they got back.
Afternoon: The Island
After Market Garden stalled, the 101st Airborne was not withdrawn. Instead, the division was sent to The Island: the low-lying polder between the Lower Rhine and the Waal, east of Nijmegen. This was a different kind of war. No dramatic airborne assault, no racing columns. Just weeks of holding a static front line in flat, flooded terrain under constant German observation and fire. Band of Brothers covers this period, but the reality on The Island was grimmer and more drawn-out than the series could convey.
Schoonderlogt Farm
We visit the farm where Lieutenant Dick Winters had his well-known photograph taken. The farm still stands and the landscape around it is largely unchanged. Standing here, you get a real sense of the exposed, flat terrain the men had to operate in.
The Crossroads
This is the location of one of the most famous small-unit actions of the war. A handful of Easy Company soldiers took on two companies of German troops in a fierce engagement at a road junction. The series depicts this battle in detail, and standing at the actual crossroads with the terrain in front of you makes the tactical reality of the fight immediately clear.
Operation Pegasus
We end the tour content at the site of Operation Pegasus: the daring rescue of British paratroopers and other Allied soldiers who had been trapped north of the Rhine after the failed attempt to hold Arnhem bridge. Easy Company played a vital role in the rescue of these men, forming a perimeter so the men could be transported across the Rhine safely.
Practical information
Meeting point and transport
This tour starts at 09:00 at Eindhoven railway station and ends at approximately 17:00 at Arnhem railway station. I will pick you up at Eindhoven and drive you to all locations throughout the day. Transport is included in the tour price.
Getting to Eindhoven: if you are flying into the Netherlands, Eindhoven Airport is a short taxi or bus ride from the station. From Amsterdam, direct trains to Eindhoven run regularly (approximately 1.5 hours). You can plan your connection at ns.nl.
Getting back from Arnhem: direct trains from Arnhem to Amsterdam and other major Dutch cities run frequently. If you are staying near Eindhoven, the train from Arnhem to Eindhoven takes approximately one hour.
What to bring
Comfortable shoes for short walks (some grass and unpaved paths), weather-appropriate clothing (we will be outside at each stop for 10 to 20 minutes), and a camera. I bring the maps, photographs, and source material.
Not sure which tour to choose?
I offer several tours covering Operation Market Garden, each with a different focus:
This tour (Easy Company): A full day following Easy Company from Son through Market Garden and onto The Island. The right choice if Band of Brothers is your starting point and you want to see the real locations.
Hell’s Highway tour: A full day focused on the 101st Airborne sector from Son to Veghel. Goes deeper into the battles along the corridor, covering all units of the division, not just Easy Company.
Americans at Market Garden tour: Covers both the 101st and 82nd Airborne sectors in one full day, from Eindhoven to Nijmegen. The broadest American overview but with shorter stops.
Nijmegen, 82nd Airborne tour: A full day focused on the 82nd Airborne sector around Nijmegen and Groesbeek. Includes the landing zones, Groesbeek, and Devil’s Hill.
Market Garden Highlights tour: Covers the entire operation (American and British sectors) from Eindhoven to Arnhem in one day. The broadest overview but with shorter stops.
Not sure? Contact me and I will help you choose based on your interests and available time.
Pricing
We have a flat fee price for our tours:
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- Price for a full day private tour for 1 to 4 persons including transportation is €480.
- For 5-8 persons I have to charge €650 to cover the rent of a large minivan.
- Lunch and museum entrance is not included in the price.
- For a group of more than 8 persons please visit my Groups page
Frequently asked questions
Is this tour suitable for non-enthusiasts?
Yes. This tour works particularly well for mixed groups because the Band of Brothers connection gives everyone a shared frame of reference. I regularly take couples and families where one person is the history enthusiast and the others came along for the experience. The tour is built around human stories and the landscape, not military jargon. I adjust the level of detail to my audience.
Do I need to have watched Band of Brothers?
It helps, but it is not required. I will explain the history at every stop regardless. If you have seen the series, you will recognise locations and connect them to specific scenes and persons. If you have not, you will still get the full story of what happened here. The history does not depend on the show.
How physically demanding is the tour?
Not demanding. This is primarily a driving tour with short walks at each stop, typically 10 to 20 minutes of walking per location. Some sites are on grass or unpaved paths, so comfortable shoes are a good idea. If you have specific mobility concerns, let me know in advance and I will adjust the route.
Where does the tour start and end?
The tour starts at 09:00 at Eindhoven railway station and ends at approximately 17:00 at Arnhem railway station. Because the tour moves from south to north (Eindhoven to The Island near Arnhem), ending at Arnhem avoids doubling back. Direct trains run from Arnhem to Amsterdam, Eindhoven, and other major cities.
Can the itinerary be customised?
Absolutely. If there is a specific location, unit, or story you want to include, let me know when you book and I will adjust the route. I also offer fully bespoke tours for groups with specific interests. See the Groups page or contact me to discuss.
What is the difference between this tour and the Hell’s Highway tour?
The Easy Company tour follows one company’s story across two phases of the war: Market Garden (September 1944) and The Island (October 1944). The Hell’s Highway tour covers the entire 101st Airborne sector from Son to Veghel, going deeper into the battles along the corridor but covering all units, not just Easy Company. The Hell’s Highway tour also stays in the 101st sector and does not visit The Island. If your primary interest is Easy Company and Band of Brothers, this tour is the right choice. If you want the full 101st Airborne story along the corridor, choose Hell’s Highway.
Do you offer this tour in languages other than English?
This tour is available in English and Dutch.
What about lunch?
We take a lunch break at a local restaurant, roughly halfway through the day. Lunch is not included in the tour price. I will choose the restaurant based on availability on the day.
How far in advance should I book?
I am often fully booked during peak season (April to September), especially around commemoration dates in September. I would recommend booking as early as possible. You can check my availability in the date picker below, or contact me to book for 2027.
What if it rains?
The tour runs in all weather conditions. The Netherlands can be unpredictable, so bring a waterproof layer. Much of the tour is by car, so you will not be exposed for long stretches.
Please note that I am only available on the dates shown in the date picker. All other dates are already fully booked.
