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Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Classic Glacier Express at Christmas

Nine-day Swiss Christmas rail tour from London via Glacier Express and Bernina Express

Illustration of Classic Glacier Express at Christmas

Great Rail Journeys operates this nine-day escorted Christmas holiday departing London in December 2026. You travel through France and Switzerland over eight nights, visiting Basel, Brig, Chur, and Lucerne, with two nights exploring the Matterhorn from Zermatt. The tour centres on two celebrated Alpine trains: the Glacier Express from Brig to Chur on Day 5, where lunch is served at your seat as panoramic windows frame snow-capped peaks and the Swiss Grand Canyon, and the Bernina Express on Day 8, which climbs the UNESCO-listed Albula Line through frosted forests and past the Palü Glacier to Poschiavo. A UK Tour Manager accompanies throughout, arranging guided tours in Basel's Old Town, Christmas markets in Lucerne, and leisure time to explore Chur's 5,000-year history. You stay in four-star hotels with six dinners included, plus a festive three-course Christmas dinner with wine. The tour suits repeat rail travellers seeking established train classics and couples drawn to Alpine scenery during the festive season, with guided comfort and ample meals woven through the days.

What to know before you look closer

  • Only one departure date is listed: December 2026. Confirm availability before finalising your travel dates.
  • The single supplement (£4,149) equals the double price, with no discounted rate noted for solo travellers.
  • Hotel accommodation in Brig and Chur is four-star; specific hotel names (Hotel Ambassador, Hotel Stern) may vary depending on group size and booking conditions.

Day by day

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 3Day 3: Travel through the Matter Valley to car-free Zermatt and view the Matterhorn; ride the 125-year-old Gornergrat Mountain Railway to the summit (optional) before returning to Brig.
  • Day 5Day 5: Board the Glacier Express after breakfast from Brig. Panoramic windows frame snowy meadows and white mountaintops as the train climbs through the Furka Tunnel and over the Oberalp Pass, passing through the Swiss Grand Canyon to Chur; lunch is served at your seat.
  • Day 6Day 6: Travel by rail to Lucerne on Christmas Eve and visit Christmas market stalls on the lakefront, viewing the 14th-century Kapellbrücke wooden bridge lit with festive displays.
  • Day 8Day 8: On Boxing Day, board the panoramic Bernina Express from Chur. The train climbs to 7,392 feet on the UNESCO-listed Albula Line through frosted forests and past Lago Bianco, descending to Poschiavo with its pastel-coloured Italian-speaking architecture.

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

Also sold by

The same itinerary is listed by more than one company. Prices and inclusions can differ; compare before booking.

Questions travellers ask

Is all train travel included in the price?
Yes. Great Rail Journeys includes Eurostar Plus class (London to Paris and return), First and Standard Class rail throughout Switzerland, the Glacier Express, the Bernina Express, and all coach transfers. The Swiss Half Fare Card for optional excursions on free days is also included.
Is this an escorted tour or independent?
Great Rail Journeys operates this as an escorted tour. A UK Tour Manager travels with the group from London St Pancras to the final arrival, and all guided tours and excursions are arranged.
Which specific trains are featured?
Eurostar (London to Paris), the Glacier Express (Brig to Chur), and the Bernina Express (Chur to Poschiavo via the Albula Line and St Moritz).
What meals are included?
Breakfast each day, Eurostar light meals on departure and return, one lunch on the Glacier Express, and six dinners. A three-course Christmas dinner with wine is included on Day 7.
How much time is spent in each town?
Brig: 3 nights (Days 2-4). Chur: 4 nights (Days 5-8). Basel: 1 night (Day 1). Day trips include Zermatt (Day 3) and Lucerne (Day 6).
What is not included?
Cancellation and travel insurance are not included. Optional extras (London hotel, UK rail connections, mountain railways, cable cars, and paddle steamer cruises) are offered separately.

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