How much does it cost?

From £3,499 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $4,726 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is all the train travel included?

Yes. The package includes Eurostar Plus class, First Class rail from Paris to Basel to Lucerne, the Lucerne-Interlaken Express in Panoramic class, the Mt Rigi Mountain Railway, Mt Stanserhorn funicular and cable car, the Gotthard Panorama Express in First Class from Flüelen to Lugano, and regional rail from Lugano to Milan and Milan back to Paris. You are charged from GBP 3,499 for the full package.

Is this an escorted tour or independent?

Escorted. Great Rail Journeys provides a Tour Manager from London to Milan. Guided tours run in Lucerne and Milan. Days 4 and 6 are free days where you choose activities with a Swiss Half Fare Card for discounted travel.

What hotels are included?

Great Rail Journeys books you into 4-star hotels: one night in Basel beside the Rhine River, five nights in Weggis (Hotel Rössli), and two nights in Milan. Hotel Rössli is named; the others are listed by location and rating.

When does the tour run?

Departures are confirmed for June 2027, September 2027, and October 2027.

What meals are included?

Seven breakfasts, five dinners, and light meals on the Eurostar Plus class services outbound and return. Days 4 and 6 you dine independently. Wine and drinks are not listed as included.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Classic Lake Lucerne & Gotthard Express

Swiss Alps rail journey from London through mountain railways to Milan.

Great Rail Journeys' 9-day Classic Lake Lucerne and Gotthard Express is an escorted rail tour departing London and ending in Milan, combining First Class European rail with Swiss mountain railways and a five-night base in the lakeside village of Weggis. The journey opens with Eurostar Plus from London to Paris, then First Class rail across the French-Swiss border to Basel and Lucerne, where you explore the medieval Old Town on a guided walking tour and embark on boat trips across Lake Lucerne. From Weggis, you ride Europe's oldest mountain railway to the summit of Mt Rigi on Day 3, and on Day 6 summit Mt Stanserhorn via a historic funicular and the world's only open-top double-decker cable car. The signature moment arrives on Day 7: the Gotthard Panorama Express, traveling in First Class from Flüelen through the Alps to Lugano with an onboard guide narrating the Gotthard Crest Tunnel and surrounding peaks.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has held at £3,499 every time.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 3 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

Single supplement is GBP 750 above half the double price (single from GBP 4,249 vs double from GBP 3,499), a significant premium.
Days 4 and 6 are largely unguided; the tour provides a Swiss Half Fare Card for 50% discounted fares but you choose and book your own activities.
Group size capped at 30, which is substantial for an escorted tour.
The itinerary ends Day 5 mid-sentence in the evidence pack; confirm final activities and return logistics with Great Rail Journeys before booking.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Basel
London to Basel for an overnight stay
Your holiday begins by meeting the Tour Manager at London St Pancras, ready to board the Eurostar to Paris. Travelling in Plus class, we enjoy a light meal at our seats, then change trains and continue by First Class rail to Basel. On arrival in this Swiss city, we check in to our hotel, then sit down to our first dinner together at the hotel.
Meals: Eurostar Light Meal, Dinner
Day 2railovernight: Weggis
Exploring Lucerne's picturesque Old Town
Enjoy a relaxed morning in Basel before we board a train to the beautiful lakeside town of Lucerne. Arriving in the early afternoon, we embark on a guided walking tour of the amazingly preserved Old Town, including the famous covered bridge, the Kapellbrücke. After our tour, we board a boat on Lake Lucerne to the nearby lakefront town of Weggis, our base for the next five nights.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3railovernight: Weggis
Riding the historic Mt Rigi Mountain Railway
After breakfast, we board a boat to Vitznau, then join Europe's first mountain railway for a scenic journey to the summit of Mt Rigi, the 'Queen of the Mountains', operating since 1871, with views across to Mt Pilatus. There's free time at the summit before descending to Weggis by cable car via Rigi Kaltbad. We reconvene at the hotel this evening for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4railovernight: Weggis
A free day to explore Central Switzerland
With your Swiss Half Fare Card providing 50% discounts on rail, boat and mountain railway journeys, you can discover Switzerland your own way after breakfast - from the steepest cogwheel railway in Europe up Mt Pilatus, to the Lauterbrunnen Valley via the Brünig Pass, or Bern, Switzerland's de facto capital.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5railovernight: Weggis
The Lucerne-Interlaken Express to Interlaken
After a leisurely breakfast, we set out by boat to Lucerne for a scenic journey on the panoramic Lucerne-Interlaken Express to pristine Interlaken, through the Brünig Pass at 3,307 feet with views of the Bernese Alps and the Giessbach waterfall. Your afternoon in Interlaken is free - take the funicular up Harder Kulm or cruise Lake Brienz. We return to Weggis in the late afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6railovernight: Weggis
Summiting breathtaking Mt Stanserhorn
We take a trip up Mt Stanserhorn, taking a train from Lucerne to Stans to board a historic wooden funicular dating to 1893, then the world's only open-top double-decker cable car. At the summit, there is free time to explore, find lunch at the revolving restaurant, or visit the marmot 'mini zoo'. We descend to Lucerne for a free afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7railovernight: Milan
Travelling south on the Gotthard Panorama Express
We embark on a unique journey on the Gotthard Panorama Express: first a boat to the southern tip of Lake Lucerne, then, docking in Flüelen, First Class seats with large picture windows for a panoramic journey through the Alps, passing Wassen Church and the Devil's Bridge, through the Gotthard Crest Tunnel to Italian-speaking Lugano. We board a regional service to Milan, checking in to our hotel before dinner at a local restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8overnight: Milan
Touring Milan, a treasure trove of arts and culture
We head out on a guided tour of Milan, taking in the Piazza del Duomo, Teatro alla Scala and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, with included entry to the Duomo. The afternoon is free - visit Sforza Castle, view Da Vinci's Last Supper (advance booking required), or browse the Quadrilatero della Moda. We reconvene for our final dinner together.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 9rail
Homeward bound
With an early start, we head to Milan train station to begin our journey home, travelling by First Class rail to Paris, from where we connect to the Eurostar service, served a light meal in Plus class seats before arriving at London St Pancras.
Meals: Breakfast, Eurostar Light Meal

The moments this trip is built around

Day 3Ride Europe's first mountain railway to the summit of Mt Rigi, the Queen of the Mountains, operating since 1871, with free time to enjoy panoramic vistas before descending by cable car.
Day 5Board the Lucerne-Interlaken Express, a panoramic train passing through the Brünig Pass at 3,307 feet with views of the Bernese Alps and Giessbach waterfall between glacial lakes Thun and Brienz.
Day 6Summit Mt Stanserhorn via the historic wooden funicular from 1893 and the world's only open-top double-decker cable car, with views of a 62-mile alpine chain and ten lakes from 6,227 feet.
Day 7Travel the Gotthard Panorama Express in First Class from Flüelen through the historic Gotthard Crest Tunnel to Lugano, with an onboard guide narrating views of Wassen Church and the Devil's Bridge.
Day 8Guided tour of Milan covering the Piazza del Duomo, Teatro alla Scala, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, and the Gothic Duomo di Milano with included entry.

Included

Tour Manager: Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
Accommodation: 8 nights' 4-Star hotel accommodation
Transportation: Eurostar Plus; First & Standard Class rail travel; all rail, cruise, ferry and coach travel throughout your tour
Food & Drink: Eurostar Light Meals; 7 breakfasts, 5 dinners
Luggage: Group luggage transfers between all hotels
Excursions & Entertainment: Swiss Half Fare Card, permitting 50% discounted fares on free days for rail, boat and most mountain railway journeys; all guided tours and excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance

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Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £3,499 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $4,726 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is all the train travel included?: Yes. The package includes Eurostar Plus class, First Class rail from Paris to Basel to Lucerne, the Lucerne-Interlaken Express in Panoramic class, the Mt Rigi Mountain Railway, Mt Stanserhorn funicular and cable car, the Gotthard Panorama Express in First Class from Flüelen to Lugano, and regional rail from Lugano to Milan and Milan back to Paris. You are charged from GBP 3,499 for the full package.
Is this an escorted tour or independent?: Escorted. Great Rail Journeys provides a Tour Manager from London to Milan. Guided tours run in Lucerne and Milan. Days 4 and 6 are free days where you choose activities with a Swiss Half Fare Card for discounted travel.
What hotels are included?: Great Rail Journeys books you into 4-star hotels: one night in Basel beside the Rhine River, five nights in Weggis (Hotel Rössli), and two nights in Milan. Hotel Rössli is named; the others are listed by location and rating.
When does the tour run?: Departures are confirmed for June 2027, September 2027, and October 2027.
What meals are included?: Seven breakfasts, five dinners, and light meals on the Eurostar Plus class services outbound and return. Days 4 and 6 you dine independently. Wine and drinks are not listed as included.