Vacations By Rail · Escorted tour

First Class Mountaintops of Switzerland in Winter

First Class Mountaintops of Switzerland in Winter, a rail journey with Vacations By Rail

Stay in some of Switzerland's most spectacular four-star hotels and journey on the country's spellbinding mountain railways on this winter vacation of incredible experiences.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Basel

    A wintry welcome to Switzerland

    Meet the Tour Manager and group at London St Pancras to board the Eurostar in Plus Class, with a light meal at your seats, changing trains in Paris for Basel. First dinner together at the hotel.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Brienz

    Arrival at our spectacular Giessbach hotel

    Train to Interlaken with free time to explore, then coach to the hillside Grandhotel Giessbach overlooking Lake Brienz and the Giessbach waterfall, with a welcome drink and a three-course dinner.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Brienz

    Free time in picturesque Grindelwald

    Coach to Interlaken, then train through the Lauterbrunnen Valley to Grindelwald for free time, with an optional cable car up Grindelwald First mountain. Return to the hotel for dinner with the group.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Chur

    First Class to Chur on the Glacier Express

    Train to Spiez to board the Glacier Express in panoramic First Class carriages, with a two-course lunch served at your seat, arriving in Chur for a two-night stay with a free evening.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Chur

    The Bernina Express: Crossing the Alps in elegance

    First Class journey on the Bernina Express across the Alps to Tirano, Italy, via the summit at Ospizio Bernina, the Palu Glacier, and the Brusio spiral viaduct, with free time in Tirano before returning to Chur by local train in First Class for a three-course dinner.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Mount Pilatus

    Lake views on the journey to our mountaintop hotel

    First Class train past lakes to Lucerne, with time to explore the Old Town and the 14th-century Kapellbrucke, then a cable car ascent to the Pilatus Kulm hotel for a two-night stay and a three-course dinner.

  7. Day 7overnight: Mount Pilatus

    A snow-capped sunrise over the City of Lights

    Free day at the Pilatus Kulm, with a complimentary return cable car ticket to explore Lucerne or, using the Swiss Half Fare Card, cruise across Lake Lucerne to Vitznau. Three-course dinner back at the hotel.

  8. Day 8railovernight: Strasbourg

    From Lucerne to the Alsace city of Strasbourg

    Descend the mountain for a late-morning First Class train from Lucerne, arriving in Strasbourg in the mid-afternoon with time to explore the Old Town, Notre Dame Cathedral and La Petite France, followed by a final three-course dinner at a local restaurant. (On the March 2 departure, the group stays overnight in Colmar instead.)

  9. Day 9rail

    Traveling home

    After breakfast, leave Strasbourg for Paris via Lorraine and the Champagne region, changing to Eurostar Plus in Paris with a light meal at your seats, concluding at London St Pancras.

Included

  • Expertise of a 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 all hotels
  • Swiss Half Fare Card, permitting 50% discounted fares on free days for rail, boat and most mountain railway journeys
  • Daily return ticket on the cable car from the Pilatus Kulm hotel
  • All guided tours and excursions

Not included

  • Cancellation & Travel Insurance
  • Flights and Airport transfers

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