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Vacations By Rail · Escorted small group tour

First-Class Top of Europe ft. Zurich & Interlaken

Alpine rail journey through Switzerland's Bernese Oberland from Zurich to Jungfraujoch

Illustration of First-Class Top of Europe ft. Zurich & Interlaken

Vacations By Rail's First-Class Top of Europe is a 9-day escorted tour based in two five-star Swiss hotels: the Zurich Marriott Hotel (or Hotel Schweizerhof Zurich) for two nights, then the Grand Hotel Beau Rivage in Interlaken for six nights. The tour begins with a guided exploration of Zurich's Old Town, museums, and the Lindt Chocolate Museum, then shifts to the Bernese Oberland's alpine heights. From a stable base in Interlaken, small groups of no more than 25 ride the Jungfrau Express to Jungfraujoch (Europe's highest train station and a UNESCO World Heritage site), ascend by the world's steepest cable car to the Schilthorn, travel in restored 19th-century carriages on the Schynige Platte cog railway, and board a steam-hauled mountain train to Brienz-Rothorn's summit. A Tour Manager leads all excursions, and a Swiss Half Fare Card permits discounted travel on free days. The pace is relaxed, with two or six consecutive nights in each location, and activities centre on scenic rail lines, cable cars, and lake cruises.

What to know before you look closer

  • Mobility Rating 4 is the operator's own assessment; this trip involves significant daily walking, cable car rides, and mountain summits at high altitude. Confirm your fitness level with Vacations By Rail before booking.
  • The highest-priced accommodation option is the Grand Hotel Beau Rivage in Interlaken; confirm which five-star hotel you will stay in when booking, as hotels are listed as 'or similar'.
  • Flights and airport transfers are not included; rail to Zurich Airport on the final morning is included.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Zurich

    Arriving in Zurich

    Make your own way to a central Zurich hotel for a two-night stay, with free time to explore, followed by a group welcome dinner with the Tour Manager.

  2. Day 2overnight: Zurich

    Old Town sightseeing & Lindt Chocolate Museum

    Guided walking tour of Zurich's Old Town including the Opera House, the National Museum, Bahnhofstrasse, the Grossmunster and Fraumunster churches, then a coach transfer to the Lindt Chocolate Museum with a tasting.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Interlaken

    By rail to Interlaken in the heart of the Alps

    Free morning in Zurich, then First Class rail to Interlaken, checking into a five-star hotel beside the Aare River for a six-night stay, with the option to ride the Harderbahn funicular to Harder Kulm.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Interlaken

    Panoramic views from Grindelwald First

    First Class rail to Grindelwald, then a cable car (sky gondola) to the summit of Grindelwald First mountain for views of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau, with a hotel-provided picnic lunch at the summit.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Interlaken

    Riding the cable car to the summit of the Schilthorn

    Train to Murren, then the steepest cable car in the world to the summit of the Schilthorn for 360-degree views of about 200 peaks, including the revolving Piz Gloria restaurant from the James Bond film 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service', with a stop near the Trummelbach Falls on the return.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Interlaken

    A trip to the 'Top of Europe' on the Jungfrau Railway

    Journey to Jungfraujoch, Europe's highest train station and a UNESCO World Heritage site, via Kleine Scheidegg and a cogwheel tunnel through the Eiger, with views from the Sphinx viewing platform over the Aletsch Glacier and a private tour of the Ice Palace and Ice Bar (drink included).

  7. Day 7railovernight: Interlaken

    Schynige Platte Railway & the Alpine Botanical Garden

    Short rail journey to Wilderswil, then an open-coach cog railway in restored 19th-century carriages up to Schynige Platte, with free time at the summit to explore the Alpine Botanical Garden (around 800 alpine plant species) and a picnic lunch.

  8. Day 8railovernight: Interlaken

    Brienz-Rothorn Mountain Railway & lake cruise

    Steam-hauled cog railway ascent of the Brienzer Rothorn Mountain above Lake Brienz, with free time at the summit, followed by a scenic lake cruise back to Interlaken.

  9. Day 9rail

    Traveling home

    After breakfast, a First Class train journey to Zurich Airport concludes the vacation.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Guided walking tour of Zurich's Old Town, including the Grossmünster and Fraumünster churches, Bahnhofstrasse, and the National Museum, followed by a visit to the Lindt Chocolate Museum with a tasting.
  • Day 4Cable car to Grindelwald First for views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, with a hotel-provided picnic lunch at the summit.
  • Day 5Ride the world's steepest cable car to the Schilthorn summit, with 360-degree views of approximately 200 peaks and a stop at the revolving Piz Gloria restaurant from the James Bond film 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'.
  • Day 6Journey on the Jungfrau Railway through a cogwheel tunnel in the Eiger to Jungfraujoch, Europe's highest train station and a UNESCO World Heritage site, with a private tour of the Ice Palace and Ice Bar.
  • Day 8Steam-hauled ascent of the Brienz-Rothorn Mountain Railway to over 7,000 feet, followed by a scenic lake cruise back to Interlaken.

Included

  • Expertise of a Tour Manager from start to finish
  • 8 nights' 5-star hotel accommodation
  • First Class rail travel where possible
  • All rail, cruise and coach travel throughout the tour
  • Breakfast each day, 5 picnic lunches, 7 dinners
  • Small Group - max group size of 25
  • 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
  • Flights and Airport transfers

Questions travellers ask

Is all train travel included in the price?
Yes. First Class rail travel where possible, cable cars, lake cruise, and all mountain railways are included. The Swiss Half Fare Card (included) permits 50 percent discounted fares on free days for rail, boat, and most mountain railway journeys.
Is this tour escorted?
Yes. Vacations By Rail provides a Tour Manager with expertise throughout the tour. All guided tours and excursions are included.
Which trains are featured?
The Jungfrau Railway (Jungfrau Express) from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch through the Eiger, the Schynige Platte Railway in restored 19th-century carriages, and the Brienz-Rothorn Mountain Railway, a steam-hauled cog railway opened in 1892.
What accommodation is included?
Two nights in a five-star hotel in Zurich (Zurich Marriott Hotel or Hotel Schweizerhof Zurich) and six nights in the Grand Hotel Beau Rivage (a five-star Belle Epoque hotel) in Interlaken.
What meals are included?
Breakfast each day, five picnic lunches (at mountain summits and scenic locations), and seven dinners.
How physically demanding is this trip?
The operator rates this as Mobility 4. The itinerary involves daily guided walks in towns and at high-altitude sites, cable car rides to mountain summits, and ascending mountains over 7,000 feet by rail and on foot.

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