Great Rail Journeys
Classic Glacier Express: Brig to Chur
9 daysfrom $3,605
Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour
Classic Glacier Express at Christmas
This Swiss rail holiday at Christmas is a fantastic way to experience exciting escorted train journeys on the Glacier Express and Bernina Express.
Day by day
- Day 1railovernight: Basel
From London to seasonal Basel
Meet the Tour Manager and group at London St Pancras. Board the Eurostar to Paris in Plus class, enjoying a light meal at your seat. Change trains in Paris and continue to Basel, Switzerland's cultural capital near the borders of France and Germany, situated on the River Rhine. The Old Town boasts charming streets and a twin-spired Gothic minster. Enjoy the first dinner together this evening.
Meals: Eurostar Light Meal, Dinner
- Day 2railovernight: Brig
Arrival in Brig, nestled in Switzerland's Rhône Valley
Morning at leisure to explore Basel's attractive Old Town in its winter finery, including the striking red Rathaus in the Marktplatz. This afternoon, travel by rail deeper into Switzerland through snow-capped scenery to Brig, a charming valley town beside the Rhône at the northern edge of the Simplon tunnel. Check in to the family-run hotel near the station and enjoy a three-course dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 3railovernight: Brig
Admiring Matterhorn views from scenic Zermatt
A dramatic journey along the Matter Valley after breakfast, with steep cliffs and sugar-coated trees lining the route. Arrive at the car-free resort of Zermatt where the iconic Matterhorn comes into view. Free time to explore, options include riding the 125-year-old Gornergrat Mountain Railway to the summit or exploring the historic chalets of Hinterdorfstrasse. Return by rail to Brig in time for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 4railovernight: Brig
Free time in Brig or further afield
A day at leisure to explore Brig, including the impressive 17th-century Stockalper Palace with its three gilded onion-domed towers. Alternatively, use the Swiss Half Fare Card to travel to Montreux on Lake Geneva for the GoldenPass Line panoramic train to Gstaad or to visit Château de Chillon. Mountain options include the Aletsch Glacier by cable car or a trip to Domodossola through the Simplon tunnel.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 5railovernight: Chur
Experiencing the Glacier Express with lunch
Leave Brig after breakfast for a sensational journey on the iconic Glacier Express. Panoramic windows reveal snowy meadows, frozen streams and white mountaintops. Enjoy lunch served at your seat. After climbing through the nine-mile Furka Tunnel and ascending to the Oberalp Pass, pass through the 'Swiss Grand Canyon' to arrive in Chur, Switzerland's oldest town. Check in to a 360-year-old hotel and enjoy a welcome drink.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
- Day 6railovernight: Chur
Christmas Eve in Lucerne, the 'City of Lights'
Travel by rail to Lucerne after breakfast to explore this attractive town on the shores of Lake Lucerne. Twinkling festive displays illuminate the Old Town's cobbled streets. Visit Christmas market stalls on the lakefront, enjoy hot chocolate or glühwein, and see the famous 14th-century Kapellbrücke wooden bridge. Options include the Rigi mountain railway or a paddle steamer cruise using the Swiss Half Fare Card. Return to Chur for a special Christmas Eve dinner with wine and carols around the Christmas tree.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 7overnight: Chur
Christmas Day in historic Chur
Merry Christmas! A leisurely day to relax or explore Chur, a destination with a history dating back more than 5,000 years. Wander the colourful Old Town, visit the idyllic Martinsplatz with its arcaded 15th-century Town Hall, the 800-year-old Cathedral of the Assumption and the Bishop's Palace. Enjoy a three-course Christmas dinner with wine at the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 8railovernight: Chur
Boxing Day on the beautiful Bernina Express
Board the panoramic carriages of the Bernina Express after breakfast. The UNESCO-listed Albula Line twists through ancient castles, frosted forests and snow-bound plateaus, climbing to an altitude of 7,392 feet. Skirt Lago Bianco and descend to Poschiavo, a pretty town of pastel-coloured buildings in an Italian-speaking region. Explore the town and its Piazza Comunale before returning to Chur via a short stop in St Moritz. Dinner at the hotel this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 9rail
Homeward bound
After breakfast, leave Chur by train through snow-covered mountains and glistening lakeshores to Basel. Continue to Paris and board the Eurostar in Plus class, enjoying a light meal at your seat before arriving back at London St Pancras.
Meals: Breakfast, Eurostar Light Meal
Included
- Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
- 8 nights' 4-star hotel accommodation
- Eurostar Plus class travel (London St Pancras to Paris and return)
- First and Standard Class rail travel throughout
- All rail and coach travel throughout the tour
- Eurostar light meals (outbound and return)
- Breakfast each day
- 1 lunch (on the Glacier Express)
- 6 dinners
- Group luggage transfers between hotels from Brig to Chur
- Swiss Half Fare Card (50% discounted fares on free days for rail, boat and most mountain railways)
- All guided tours and excursions
Not included
- Cancellation and travel insurance
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