How much does it cost?

From £3,349 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $4,524 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is this tour escorted or independent?

Great Rail Journeys provides a UK Tour Manager from start to finish. The tour is escorted but includes free time in each destination to explore independently.

What hotels are included?

Four four-star hotels: Hotel Victoria in Basel (1 night), Grand Hotel Giessbach in Giessbach (2 nights), Hotel Pilatus Kulm on Pilatus mountain near Lucerne (2 nights), and Hotel Boma in Strasbourg (1 night). Group luggage transfers between hotels are included.

What meals are included?

Breakfast every day, one lunch (on the Glacier Express), seven dinners, and light meals on Eurostar. Cancellation and travel insurance are not included.

When does the tour depart?

Four departures run in December 2026, January 2027, February 2027, and March 2027.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

First-Class Mountaintops of Switzerland in Winter

Nine-day Swiss alpine winter journey in First Class with mountaintop hotels

Great Rail Journeys' nine-day First Class Swiss alpine winter tour departs from London St Pancras via Eurostar and returns from Strasbourg, with a dedicated UK Tour Manager accompanying the group throughout. The itinerary combines three nights in valley-floor hotels with stays at two celebrated mountaintop properties accessed by cable car. From Day 4, the Glacier Express carries travellers in First Class panoramic carriages from Spiez to Chur with lunch served at your seat, while Day 5 takes the UNESCO-listed Bernina Express across the Alps to Italy, passing the Palü Glacier and the Brusio corkscrew viaduct. Free time in Interlaken, Grindelwald, Lucerne and Strasbourg allows exploration of Old Towns and lakeside promenades. All First Class rail travel, four-star accommodation, most meals, cable car transfers and a Swiss Half Fare Card for independent travel on free days are included. This tour suits repeat rail travellers, couples seeking romantic mountain views, and guests who value comfort with structure.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has fallen £150 since 4 Jul, to £3,349.

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 significant: from GBP 4,099 compared to from GBP 3,499 per person (a 17% premium rather than a typical 50% markup), so solo travellers should confirm pricing.
Day 8 has a note in the evidence indicating the overnight location varies by departure date (some stay in Basel instead of Strasbourg); confirm your specific itinerary before booking.
The tour maximum group size is 30, which is larger than some escorted operators; confirm group size expectations if you prefer smaller groups.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Basel
A wintry welcome to Switzerland
Meet the Tour Manager at London St Pancras, board Eurostar Plus with a light meal to Paris, then continue by train through Jura and Alsace to Basel for the first group dinner.
Day 2railovernight: Giessbach
Arrival at our spectacular Giessbach hotel
Train to Interlaken with free time between lakes Thun and Brienz, then coach to the hillside Grandhotel Giessbach on Lake Brienz, often with a frozen waterfall in winter.
Day 3railovernight: Giessbach
Free time in picturesque Grindelwald
Coach to Interlaken then train through the Lauterbrunnen Valley to the alpine village of Grindelwald beneath the Eiger, with free time and an optional cable car up Grindelwald First, returning to Giessbach for dinner.
Day 4railovernight: Chur
First Class to Chur on the Glacier Express
Train to Spiez to board the Glacier Express in First Class panoramic carriages with a two-course lunch, travelling on to Chur for a two-night stay.
Day 5railovernight: Chur
The Bernina Express: Crossing the Alps in elegance
First Class Bernina Express over the Alps past the Palü Glacier and the Brusio Viaduct to Tirano, Italy, with free time before returning to Switzerland by local First Class train.
Day 6railovernight: Pilatus Kulm
Lake views on the journey to our mountaintop hotel
First Class rail via several lakes to Lucerne, with time in the Old Town at the Kapellbrücke, then a cable car up to the mountaintop Hotel Pilatus Kulm for a two-night stay.
Day 7overnight: Pilatus Kulm
A snow-capped sunrise over the 'City of Lights'
A free day to enjoy the mountaintop views, or use the complimentary cable car return ticket and Swiss Half Fare Card to explore Lucerne or cruise to Vitznau.
Day 8railovernight: Strasbourg
From Lucerne to the Alsace city of Strasbourg
Descend the mountain and take a late-morning First Class train from Lucerne to Strasbourg, with time to explore Notre Dame Cathedral, Place Kléber and La Petite France before a final group dinner.
Day 9rail
Homeward bound
Train from Strasbourg to Paris through Lorraine and the Champagne region, then Eurostar Plus with a light meal back to London St Pancras.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 4Ride the Glacier Express in First Class panoramic carriages from Spiez to Chur, with a two-course lunch served at your seat.
Day 5Travel the UNESCO-listed Bernina Express from Chur across the Alps to Italy, passing the Palü Glacier and spiraling around the Brusio corkscrew viaduct.
Day 6Ascend by cable car to the Pilatus Kulm hotel at mountaintop height, with views across the mountains of central Switzerland.
Day 7Optional sunrise viewing from the mountaintop hotel; use the complimentary cable car ticket to return to Lucerne or explore via Swiss Half Fare Card.

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 and coach travel throughout the tour
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 cable car from Pilatus Kulm hotel
All guided tours and excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance

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Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £3,349 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $4,524 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is this tour escorted or independent?: Great Rail Journeys provides a UK Tour Manager from start to finish. The tour is escorted but includes free time in each destination to explore independently.
What hotels are included?: Four four-star hotels: Hotel Victoria in Basel (1 night), Grand Hotel Giessbach in Giessbach (2 nights), Hotel Pilatus Kulm on Pilatus mountain near Lucerne (2 nights), and Hotel Boma in Strasbourg (1 night). Group luggage transfers between hotels are included.
What meals are included?: Breakfast every day, one lunch (on the Glacier Express), seven dinners, and light meals on Eurostar. Cancellation and travel insurance are not included.
When does the tour depart?: Four departures run in December 2026, January 2027, February 2027, and March 2027.