Great Rail Journeys
First-Class Lake Iseo: Italy's Secret Lake
10 daysfrom $4,005
Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour
First-Class Swiss Mountains & Italian Lakes
First-Class escorted rail tour of Swiss lakes, mountains and Italy's Lake Como
Great Rail Journeys runs this 10-day escorted tour from London to Milan, traveling First Class by rail with a Tour Manager throughout. After the Eurostar to Paris and a First Class connection to Basel, the trip settles into a three-night stay at a lakefront hotel in Stansstad on Lake Lucerne, where day 3 rides the cogwheel Mount Rigi Mountain Railway, running since 1871, to the summit for views over central Switzerland. The Gotthard Panorama Express then crosses the Alps to Lugano for four nights, with excursions to Lake Maggiore's Borromean Islands, the Monte Generoso Mountain Railway, and a boat trip on Lake Como to the 12th-century Villa Balbianello. The tour ends with a guided walk through Milan's Piazza del Duomo before the First Class rail journey home. It suits travellers who want the ease of an escorted, First Class rail trip but also appreciate a free day and some independent time built into the schedule.
What to know before you look closer
- The final Milan hotel is one of two listed 4-star options, the NH Collection Milano Porta Nuova or Starhotels E.c.ho, so which one you get depends on availability.
- Day 4 is an entirely free day in which travellers plan their own excursions using a Swiss Half Fare Card, and on day 3 the return from Lucerne to Stansstad and dinner are made independently.
- Some days rely on coach rather than rail: the Lake Maggiore excursion returns to Lugano by coach on day 6, and Lake Como on day 8 is reached from and returned to Lugano by coach.
Day by day
- Day 1railovernight: Basel
London to Basel in First Class
Meet the Tour Manager at London St Pancras and board the Eurostar to Paris in Plus class, enjoying a light meal at your seat. Change trains in Paris and continue by First Class rail to Basel. Check in to the hotel beside the Rhine River. Dinner at a nearby restaurant.
Meals: Eurostar Light Meal, Dinner
- Day 2railovernight: Stansstad
To our hotel on the shores of Lake Lucerne
After breakfast, take the short walk to Basel station and board a First Class train to Lucerne, then continue to the lakeside village of Stansstad. Check in to the four-star lakefront hotel for a three-night stay. Time at leisure before dinner at the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 3railovernight: Stansstad
Panoramic views from the Rigi Mountain Railway
Walk to the pier and board a boat to Vitznau via Lucerne. Board Europe's first mountain railway (operating since 1871) for a scenic cogwheel journey to the summit of Mount Rigi. Free time at the summit before descending to Goldau and travelling by train to Lucerne. Free time to explore Lucerne's Old Town, Kapellbrücke and more. Return to Stansstad independently; dinner independently in Lucerne or at the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 4railovernight: Stansstad
Free day to explore central Switzerland
A free day with the Swiss Half Fare Card providing 50% discounts on rail, boat and mountain railway journeys. Options include Mount Pilatus via the steepest cogwheel railway in Europe, the Stanserhorn via funicular or CabriO aerial cableway, or Interlaken and the Lauterbrunnen Valley by train. Dinner independently.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 5railovernight: Lugano
Gotthard Panorama Express to Lugano
Board a boat across Lake Lucerne to Flüelen, passing Rütli meadow. Join the Gotthard Panorama Express in First Class for a panoramic journey through the Alps, passing Wassen Church and the Devil's Bridge, through the historic Gotthard Crest Tunnel to Lugano. Transfer to the lakefront hotel. Dinner at the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 6railovernight: Lugano
Exploring Lake Maggiore and the Borromean Islands
Travel by rail from Lugano to Locarno, then continue along the shore of Lake Maggiore to Stresa. Afternoon boat trip to the Borromean Islands, visiting Isola Bella (Borromeo Palace) and Isola dei Pescatori. Free time in Stresa before returning by coach to Lugano. Evening free to dine independently.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 7railovernight: Lugano
Monte Generoso Mountain Railway
Travel by train to Capolago and board the historic cogwheel Monte Generoso Mountain Railway, climbing more than 5,500 feet in 40 minutes. Enjoy breathtaking views of lakes Lugano and Como, the Alps, and on clear days Milan and the Matterhorn. Free time at the summit. Return to Lugano; rest of the day at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 8overnight: Lugano
Lake Como cruise to Bellagio and Tremezzo
Travel by coach into Italy to Lake Como. Sail across to Bellagio for free time to explore. Continue by boat to Villa Balbianello for a guided tour of the 12th-century villa and gardens. Cross the lake to Tremezzo for free time before returning by coach to Lugano. Dinner at the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 9railovernight: Milan
Guided tour of Milan
Travel by First Class train from Lugano to Milan, arriving just before lunchtime. Time to grab lunch before a guided tour of Milan including the Piazza del Duomo, the Gothic cathedral, and Teatro alla Scala opera house. Check in to the central hotel. Final dinner together at a local restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 10rail
Homeward bound
Early start from Milan train station, travelling by First Class rail to Paris, then connecting to the Eurostar service in Plus class with a light meal served en route. Arrive at London St Pancras.
Meals: Breakfast, Eurostar Light Meal
The moments this trip is built around
- Day 3The cogwheel Mount Rigi Mountain Railway, in operation since 1871, climbs to the summit of Mount Rigi for views over central Switzerland.
- Day 5The Gotthard Panorama Express runs through the Alps in First Class, passing Wassen Church, the Devil's Bridge and the historic Gotthard Crest Tunnel.
- Day 7The Monte Generoso Mountain Railway climbs more than 5,500 feet in 40 minutes, with views of Lake Lugano, Lake Como, the Alps and, on clear days, Milan and the Matterhorn.
- Day 8A guided tour of the 12th-century Villa Balbianello on Lake Como, reached by boat from Bellagio.
- Day 9A guided tour of Milan visits the Piazza del Duomo, the Gothic cathedral, and the Teatro alla Scala opera house.
Included
- Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
- 9 nights' 4-star hotel accommodation
- Eurostar Plus class travel (with light meals)
- First Class rail travel throughout
- All rail, cruise, ferry and coach travel throughout the tour
- Breakfast each day
- 5 dinners
- Group luggage transfers between all hotels
- 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 & Travel Insurance
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Questions travellers ask
- Is the train travel included?
- Yes. Great Rail Journeys includes Eurostar in Plus class, First Class rail throughout Switzerland and into Italy, the Gotthard Panorama Express, and the Mount Rigi and Monte Generoso mountain railways.
- Is this trip escorted or independent?
- It's an escorted tour with a UK Tour Manager throughout, though day 4 is a free day and the return from Lucerne to Stansstad on day 3 is made independently.
- Which trains are used?
- Eurostar (London to Paris), First Class rail across France, Switzerland and Italy, the Gotthard Panorama Express (Flüelen to Lugano), the Mount Rigi Mountain Railway and the Monte Generoso Mountain Railway.
- What hotels are used?
- A four-star hotel in Stansstad on Lake Lucerne for 3 nights, the four-star Bellevue au Lac in Lugano for 4 nights, and one of two four-star Milan hotels, the NH Collection Milano Porta Nuova or Starhotels E.c.ho, for the final night.
- When does it run?
- Departures are listed for September 2026 and April through September 2027.
- What is not included?
- The evidence lists only cancellation and travel insurance as excluded; rail travel, hotels, breakfast daily, 5 dinners and all guided tours and excursions are included.
