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 train travel included?

Yes. The price includes Eurostar Plus class, First Class rail throughout Switzerland, the Glacier Express, Bernina Express, steam mountain railway, funicular, and boat travel.

Is this an escorted tour?

Yes. A UK Tour Manager accompanies the group from London through to return, handling logistics and guided tours. Day 7 in Lucerne is unguided.

Which trains are featured?

Eurostar (London to Paris and return), TGV (Paris to Basel), Glacier Express (Brig to Engadine Valley), Bernina Express (St Moritz to Tirano), Brienz-Rothorn Mountain Railway (steam), Mount Pilatus cogwheel railway, and a lake ferry.

What hotels are included?

Four-star properties: Grand Hotel Giessbach (2 nights, Lake Brienz), Hotel Steffani (2 nights, St Moritz), Hotel Pilatus Kulm (2 nights, mountaintop), Sorrell Hotel Tamina (Bad Ragaz), plus four-star hotels in Basel and Strasbourg (1 night each).

When does the tour run?

Six departures in 2026 and 2027: October 2026, April 2027, May 2027, August 2027, September 2027, and October 2027.

What meals and activities are included?

Breakfast daily, one lunch, seven dinners, Eurostar light meals, all rail and coach travel, ferry, all guided tours and excursions, and a Swiss Half Fare Card for 50% discounts on free days.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

First-Class Mountaintops of Switzerland

Nine-day escorted rail tour through Swiss Alps and mountaintop hotels

Great Rail Journeys operates this nine-day escorted tour departing London, crossing the English Channel by Eurostar Plus, and arriving in Switzerland via Paris and Basel. The route follows the country's most celebrated rail lines: the Glacier Express from Brig through Alpine passes to the Engadine Valley, the Bernina Express ascending beyond 7,300 feet to the Italian border, and heritage steam and cogwheel railways up mountain slopes. Accommodation is in four-star mountaintop hotels, including the Grandhotel Giessbach accessible only by boat and funicular on the shores of Lake Brienz, and the Pilatus Kulm at nearly 7,000 feet, reached by Europe's steepest cogwheel railway. Days blend guided touring with free time in Lucerne and Strasbourg. A UK Tour Manager directs the journey, meals are provided daily, and First Class rail travel throughout means passengers experience Switzerland's panoramic mountain scenery from premium carriages. The tour suits repeat rail travellers, couples seeking elegance, and those who value guided comfort with built-in luggage transfers and logistics handled.

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

The single supplement is GBP 1,350 (USD 1,807), more than half the per-person from-price, reflecting limited twin availability in premium mountain hotels.
Day 7 is unguided; independent exploration is optional but encouraged with complimentary Pilatusbahn return tickets available.
Maximum group size is 30 passengers, which is larger than some specialist rail operators.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Basel
London to Basel in First Class
Eurostar Plus class from London St Pancras to Paris with a light meal, then a direct First Class train through Jura and Alsace to Basel, checking in near the station for the first group dinner.
Day 2railovernight: Giessbach
A lake cruise to our spectacular Giessbach hotel
Rail to Interlaken then a boat cruise across Lake Brienz, followed by the Giessbach funicular railway up to the Belle Époque Grandhotel Giessbach.
Day 3railovernight: Giessbach
A steam-hauled heritage railway up the Rothorn mountain
Board the steam-hauled Brienz-Rothorn Mountain Railway from Brienz up to over 7,000ft, then return to Brienz to explore before dinner back at the hotel.
Day 4railovernight: St Moritz
Experiencing the iconic Glacier Express in First Class
Train to Brig to board the Glacier Express in First Class panoramic carriages with a two-course lunch, travelling via the Albula Line and Landwasser Viaduct to the Engadine Valley (St Moritz).
Day 5railovernight: St Moritz
The Bernina Express: Crossing the Alps in elegance
First Class Bernina Express over the Bernina Pass past Lago Bianco and the Palü Glacier, spiralling round the Brusio viaduct to Tirano, Italy, with free time before returning to Switzerland by local train.
Day 6railovernight: Pilatus Kulm
Lake views on the journey to our mountaintop hotel
First Class rail via Chur to Lucerne with time in the Old Town, then ascend Europe's steepest cogwheel railway to the mountaintop Hotel Pilatus Kulm for a two-night stay.
Day 7railovernight: Pilatus Kulm
Sunrise over the 'City of Lights'
A free day to enjoy the mountaintop views, or use the complimentary Pilatusbahn return ticket and Swiss Half Fare Card to explore Lucerne or take a boat to Vitznau for the Rigi Mountain Railway.
Day 8railovernight: Strasbourg
From Lucerne to the Alsace city of Strasbourg
Descend by funicular and take a late-morning First Class train from Lucerne to Strasbourg, with time to explore the Notre Dame Cathedral, Place Kléber and La Petite France before a local restaurant dinner.
Day 9rail
Homeward bound
Morning train from Strasbourg to Paris past the Champagne vineyards, then Eurostar Plus class with a light meal back to London St Pancras.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 2Boat cruise across the turquoise waters of Lake Brienz, passing picture-book villages and green mountain slopes, arriving at the Grandhotel Giessbach by funicular.
Day 4The Glacier Express departs Brig in First Class panoramic carriages, traversing mountain passes and the Swiss Grand Canyon with the emerald Rhine winding past limestone cliffs.
Day 5The Bernina Express climbs to over 7,300 feet, crossing the Bernina Pass and passing the turquoise Lago Bianco and the Brusio Viaduct en route to Tirano, Italy.
Day 7Early morning at Pilatus Kulm, the mountaintop hotel at nearly 7,000 feet accessed by Europe's steepest cogwheel railway, offers a view of sunrise over surrounding peaks.

Included

Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
8 nights' 4-Star hotel accommodation
Eurostar Plus First Class rail travel; all rail, ferry and coach travel throughout the tour where available
Eurostar light meals
Breakfast each day, 1 lunch, 7 dinners
Group luggage transfers between hotels from Basel to Pilatus Kulm
Swiss Half Fare Card (50% discounted fares on free days for rail, boat and most mountain railways)
Daily return ticket on the Pilatusbahn from Pilatus Kulm hotel to Alpnachstad
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 train travel included?: Yes. The price includes Eurostar Plus class, First Class rail throughout Switzerland, the Glacier Express, Bernina Express, steam mountain railway, funicular, and boat travel.
Is this an escorted tour?: Yes. A UK Tour Manager accompanies the group from London through to return, handling logistics and guided tours. Day 7 in Lucerne is unguided.
Which trains are featured?: Eurostar (London to Paris and return), TGV (Paris to Basel), Glacier Express (Brig to Engadine Valley), Bernina Express (St Moritz to Tirano), Brienz-Rothorn Mountain Railway (steam), Mount Pilatus cogwheel railway, and a lake ferry.
What hotels are included?: Four-star properties: Grand Hotel Giessbach (2 nights, Lake Brienz), Hotel Steffani (2 nights, St Moritz), Hotel Pilatus Kulm (2 nights, mountaintop), Sorrell Hotel Tamina (Bad Ragaz), plus four-star hotels in Basel and Strasbourg (1 night each).
When does the tour run?: Six departures in 2026 and 2027: October 2026, April 2027, May 2027, August 2027, September 2027, and October 2027.
What meals and activities are included?: Breakfast daily, one lunch, seven dinners, Eurostar light meals, all rail and coach travel, ferry, all guided tours and excursions, and a Swiss Half Fare Card for 50% discounts on free days.