How much does it cost?

From £4,299 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $5,807 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Who operates this trip and how is it escorted?

Great Rail Journeys operates this tour as an escorted journey with an experienced Tour Manager and Cruise Director team throughout. You travel with the group on all trains and the river cruise, with guidance on excursions and daily activities.

What accommodation is included?

Three nights in 4-star hotels (one in Chur, two in Zermatt) and seven nights onboard the MS Amadeus Cara river cruise ship, including breakfast daily, seven lunches, and nine dinners. Complimentary luggage service transports one case per cabin from home to the ship and back.

What meals and drinks are included?

Breakfast each day, seven lunches, and nine dinners are included. Onboard the cruise, a drinks package is complimentary with dinner every night. A Master of Wine delivers a talk and tasting on Alsace, Rhine and Moselle wines. Wine tastings are included in Bernkastel-Kues.

When does this tour run?

Great Rail Journeys offers departures in September 2026, August 2027, September 2027, and October 2027. Confirm availability with the operator.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted Tour & River Cruise

Glacier Express and the Timeless Moselle & Rhine

Glacier Express and Rhine-Moselle river cruise from London to Cologne

Great Rail Journeys combines two of Europe's most celebrated experiences in this 11-day journey from London to Cologne. The trip begins with Eurostar Plus to Paris and First Class rail through the Alps, culminating in a full day aboard the Glacier Express, one of the world's most renowned mountain trains. Travellers spend two nights in Zermatt beneath the Matterhorn, including a journey on the Gornergrat Mountain Railway to its 10,135-foot summit. The second half is a seven-night cruise aboard the MS Amadeus Cara, where the Rhine and Moselle rivers reveal vineyards, medieval towns, and ancient castles including the Lorelei Rock and the fairytale Drachenburg. Throughout, Great Rail Journeys provides a Tour Manager and Cruise Director, guided excursions to Cochem, Bernkastel-Kues, and your choice of Trier or Luxembourg, wine tastings by a Master of Wine, and meals daily. The pace is leisurely, balancing the intensity of alpine rail travel with the contemplative rhythm of river cruising through wine country.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has fallen £200 since 4 Jul, to £4,299.

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. 2 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 6,299 compared to GBP 4,499 for the double rate; confirm current availability as only four departures are listed.
Several days offer a choice of excursions (Colmar or Strasbourg on Day 5; wine tasting or Siegfried's Cabinet on Day 6; Trier or Luxembourg on Day 9); final activities depend on your selections.
Day 3 and Day 11 include independent dining or free time; not all meals are guided group affairs.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Chur
Arrival in Chur
We meet at London St Pancras for the Eurostar to Paris in Eurostar Plus seats with a light meal, then continue by rail via Zurich to Chur, where we check in and enjoy dinner.
Day 2railovernight: Zermatt
The iconic Glacier Express to Zermatt
We board the Glacier Express in First Class, spiralling up the mountains with lunch onboard, arriving in the car-free resort of Zermatt for a two-night stay.
Day 3railovernight: Zermatt
The beautiful Gornergrat Mountain Railway
We board the Gornergrat Mountain Railway, climbing via Riffelalp station to the summit for views over 29 Alpine peaks including the Matterhorn, before touring Zermatt with an expert guide.
Day 4railovernight: Strasbourg (onboard)
To Strasbourg where we board our ship
We travel by First Class rail via Visp and Basel to Strasbourg, transferring to our privately chartered ship for a welcome cocktail and first dinner onboard, mooring overnight in Strasbourg.
Day 5overnight: Onboard, sailing
Alsatian charm in Colmar and Strasbourg
We choose between an excursion to the fairytale town of Colmar or a guided tour of Strasbourg's Notre Dame cathedral and La Petite France district, before setting sail toward Rüdesheim.
Day 6overnight: Koblenz (onboard)
From Rüdesheim through the Rhine Gorge to Koblenz
In Rüdesheim we choose a wine tasting or a visit to Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet, then sail through the Rhine Gorge, hearing the legend of the Lorelei Rock, arriving in Koblenz to dock on the Moselle promenade.
Day 7overnight: Onboard, sailing
Cochem – the heart of the Moselle wine trade
We cruise the Rhine and Moselle to Cochem, beneath Cochem Castle, for a guided tour of its pastel-coloured alleys and time to explore independently.
Day 8overnight: Bernkastel-Kues (onboard)
A tour and wine tasting in Bernkastel-Kues
We moor at Bernkastel-Kues for a guided tour of its half-timbered Old Town and Market Square, including an included wine tasting of the local Bernkasteler Doctor speciality.
Day 9overnight: Onboard, sailing
The ancient city of Trier or fairytale Luxembourg
We choose between a guided tour of Trier's Roman ruins, including the Porta Nigra and St Peter's Cathedral, or an excursion to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, before a gala dinner and sailing towards Koblenz.
Day 10railovernight: Cologne (onboard)
The Drachenfelsbahn and cultural Cologne
We dock at Königswinter for the Drachenfels Cog Railway past Drachenfels castle, then continue cruising to Cologne to admire its Gothic cathedral and Old Town.
Day 11rail
Homeward bound
After breakfast we disembark and say goodbye to our crew, making our way to the railway station to catch our train to London.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 2Day 2: board the Glacier Express in First Class panoramic carriages, crossing viaducts and tunnels through mountain ranges to arrive in car-free Zermatt beneath the Matterhorn.
Day 3Day 3: ascend the Gornergrat Mountain Railway through curved tunnels to the summit at 10,135 feet with views over 29 Alpine peaks including the Matterhorn.
Day 6Day 6: sail through the Rhine Gorge past vineyards, castles and the legendary Lorelei Rock.
Day 7Day 7: explore Cochem with its Reichsburg castle perched on a hillside overlooking rolling vineyards and wooden chalets.
Day 10Day 10: ride the Drachenfels Cog Railway through forests past the fairytale Drachenburg castle with views across the Rhine.

Included

Escorted throughout your tour by our experienced Tour Manager/Cruise Director team
3 nights' 4-Star hotel accommodation
7-night cruise onboard MS Amadeus Cara
Five-star service onboard
Complimentary onboard Wi-Fi
Eurostar Plus First & Standard Class rail travel
All rail and coach travel throughout your tour
Eurostar Light Meals
Breakfast each day, 7 lunches, 9 dinners
Drinks package with dinner every night of your cruise
Complimentary luggage service from your home to the ship and back (one case per cabin)
Swiss Half Fare Card, permitting 50% discounted fares on free days for rail, boat and most mountain railway journeys
A superb choice of excursions

Not included

Tips/gratuities are not included in the price of the cruise
Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour

Also sold by

The same itinerary is listed on more than one site. Prices and inclusions can differ; compare before booking.

Vacations By Railfrom $4,195

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £4,299 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $5,807 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Who operates this trip and how is it escorted?: Great Rail Journeys operates this tour as an escorted journey with an experienced Tour Manager and Cruise Director team throughout. You travel with the group on all trains and the river cruise, with guidance on excursions and daily activities.
What accommodation is included?: Three nights in 4-star hotels (one in Chur, two in Zermatt) and seven nights onboard the MS Amadeus Cara river cruise ship, including breakfast daily, seven lunches, and nine dinners. Complimentary luggage service transports one case per cabin from home to the ship and back.
What meals and drinks are included?: Breakfast each day, seven lunches, and nine dinners are included. Onboard the cruise, a drinks package is complimentary with dinner every night. A Master of Wine delivers a talk and tasting on Alsace, Rhine and Moselle wines. Wine tastings are included in Bernkastel-Kues.
When does this tour run?: Great Rail Journeys offers departures in September 2026, August 2027, September 2027, and October 2027. Confirm availability with the operator.