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Tailor Made Rail · Independent rail holiday

Bernese Oberland and Beyond

Ten-day Swiss rail loop from London through Colmar, Bern, and Wengen

Illustration of Bernese Oberland and Beyond

Tailor Made Rail's Bernese Oberland and Beyond is a 10-day independent rail holiday that stitches together four countries and five cities via Eurostar, high-speed trains, and Swiss regional rail. You depart London on Eurostar, connect via Paris to the French medieval town of Colmar, then travel by train into Switzerland, stopping two nights in Bern, the capital set above a glacial river with museums and the historic bear park. The heart of the trip is four nights in Wengen, a car-free mountain village in the Bernese Oberland, where your included 8-day Swiss Travel Pass covers journeys on local trains, the Jungfrau Mountain Railway, and mountain cableways. You conclude with two nights in lakeside Lucerne, where the pass grants access to Mount Rigi or the Stanserhorn. Accommodation is in handpicked 3-star hotels with breakfast; Standard Class rail reservations are pre-booked. This itinerary suits independent explorers who want the structure of an escorted itinerary's logistics but the freedom to spend days on their own in each base.

What to know before you look closer

  • All hotels are listed as 'or similar'; your final accommodations depend on availability and tier selected at booking.
  • The from-price covers the package; the Eurostar and TGV fares to and from Paris are bookable through Tailor Made Rail but invoiced separately.
  • No day-by-day itinerary for the outbound or return Eurostar/TGV legs beyond London-Paris-Colmar and Lucerne-Paris-London; confirm exact train times and station details with the operator.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Colmar

    London to Colmar

    Pick up the Eurostar from London to Paris and connect onto the TGV service direct to Colmar from the Gare de l'Est. Enjoy an evening exploring the narrow winding streets and canals of Colmar's Old Town.

  2. Day 2overnight: Bern

    Colmar to Bern

    A regional service to Basel on the Swiss border, continuing to national capital Bern for a 2-night stay. Bern is beautifully situated above a bend in the glacial Aare River, with a pretty Old Town and a wealth of museums.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Bern

    Bern & Murten day trip

    A free day in Bern, including the historic bear park and the Rosengarten. A suggested half-hour rail trip to the pretty lakeside town of Murten, with its covered arcades and medieval city walls, using your Swiss Travel Pass.

  4. Day 4overnight: Wengen

    Bern to Wengen

    Travel into the Bernese Oberland, with changes in Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen, climbing up to Wengen for a 4-night stay. Look out for views over the Lauterbrunnen Valley.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Wengen

    Wengen

    A free day to enjoy the Bernese Oberland with your Swiss Travel Pass, including the Jungfrau Mountain Railway (50% discount) or the Schilthorn cableways.

  6. Day 6overnight: Wengen

    Wengen

    Choose from numerous walking routes from Wengen, or take a local dairy farm visit with cheese and schnapps tasting if requested.

  7. Day 7overnight: Wengen

    Wengen

    A further free day to explore the Bernese Oberland from your base in Wengen.

  8. Day 8railovernight: Lucerne

    Wengen to Lucerne

    Head back to Interlaken and catch the Luzern-Interlaken Express, a panoramic service through scenic countryside to the lakeside city of Lucerne, for a 2-night stay.

  9. Day 9railovernight: Lucerne

    Lucerne and Stanserhorn day trip

    Discover Lucerne's Old Town, historic wooden bridges and lakefront promenade. With the Swiss Travel Pass, take a train to Vitznau for Mount Rigi's mountain railway, or head to Stans for the funicular and cablecar up to the Stanserhorn.

  10. Day 10rail

    Lucerne to London

    Head back to the station for a train from Lucerne to Basel, then board a high-speed TGV service to Paris, arriving mid-afternoon to connect with your homeward Eurostar from Gare du Nord.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1Eurostar departs London for Paris, then a direct TGV service carries you to Colmar, where you explore the medieval Old Town's winding streets and canals.
  • Day 2Regional trains climb from Basel into Switzerland and Bern, perched above the glacial Aare River; the 2-night stay allows a suggested half-hour rail trip to the lakeside medieval town of Murten.
  • Day 4Regional service climbs through Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen into the Bernese Oberland, with views over the Lauterbrunnen Valley as you ascend to car-free Wengen.
  • Day 8The Luzern-Interlaken Express, a panoramic train, carries you through scenic countryside from Interlaken down to lakeside Lucerne.
  • Day 9Your Swiss Travel Pass grants access to Mount Rigi's mountain railway or the funicular and cablecar up Stanserhorn from Lucerne.

Included

  • Standard Class rail travel with seat reservations
  • 9 nights' handpicked hotel accommodation with breakfast
  • 8-day Swiss Travel Pass
  • Day trip to Murten from Bern
  • Day trip to the Stanserhorn or Mount Rigi from Lucerne
  • Comprehensive directions to your hotels
  • Easy-to-follow travel documentation

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. The package includes Standard Class rail travel with seat reservations on Eurostar, TGV services between London, Paris, Colmar, and Basel, regional trains within Switzerland, the Luzern-Interlaken Express, and a Jungfrau Mountain Railway ride at 50% discount. An 8-day Swiss Travel Pass covers most travel in Switzerland and mountain railways.
Is this tour escorted or independent?
Independent. Tailor Made Rail provides hotel reservations, comprehensive directions, travel documentation, and pre-booked rail seats, but you travel at your own pace with free days in Bern, Wengen, and Lucerne.
How many nights are in Wengen and what can I do there?
Four nights. The itinerary lists numerous walking routes, optional visits to a local dairy farm with cheese and schnapps tasting (on request), and access to the Jungfrau Mountain Railway and Schilthorn cableways via your Swiss Travel Pass.
What is included in the package?
Standard Class rail travel with seat reservations, 9 nights' hotel accommodation with breakfast, an 8-day Swiss Travel Pass, day trips to Murten and Stanserhorn or Mount Rigi, comprehensive directions, and travel documentation.
When does this trip run?
The pack does not list departure dates or seasons. Contact Tailor Made Rail to confirm available departures.
How much walking is involved?
The trip includes city exploration in Colmar, Bern, and Lucerne and optional guided walking routes from Wengen; specific daily distances are not detailed. Contact the operator for detailed activity levels.

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