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Planet Rail · Tailor-made rail holiday

Glacier Express and Scenic Switzerland in winter

Eight-day First Class rail loop from London through Swiss Alps and Rhine Gorge

Illustration of Glacier Express and Scenic Switzerland in winter

Planet Rail's eight-day independent rail holiday combines three of Switzerland's most celebrated train routes: the Glacier Express, the Bernina Express, and the high-speed Eurostar from London. The journey departs London St Pancras, crosses to Paris by Eurostar, then climbs to the Swiss Alps via the TGV. You spend three nights in Montreux on the shore of Lake Geneva, three in Chur in Switzerland's oldest city, one in Cologne beside the Gothic cathedral, and return to London. First Class travel throughout includes lunch on the Glacier Express and seat reservations on both the Glacier and Bernina Express. Days offer a mix of train spectacle, free exploration, and optional excursions (such as the Jungfrau Railway to Europe's highest station or day trips to Lucerne and Lake Constance). The pace is measured: two or three nights per hotel, with no guided tours, letting you set your own rhythm. Accommodation is four-star throughout, with breakfast daily. This trip suits independent rail travellers seeking prestige trains, winter alpine scenery, and the freedom to shape their own days.

What to know before you look closer

  • The Jungfrau Railway and Golden Panoramic Express on Day 3 are optional and cost from an additional £325 per person; without them you remain in Montreux.
  • Château de Chillon, the Rochers-de-Naye rack railway, and restaurant car dinner on optional excursions are payable locally, not included in the from-price.
  • Day 6 in Chur is entirely free; optional side trips by rail to Lucerne, Lake Constance, or Arosa must be booked separately.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Montreux

    By rail to Switzerland

    From London St Pancras International take the Eurostar to Paris, then a private taxi across Paris for the high-speed TGV through France into Switzerland, along Lake Geneva to Montreux. Three nights at the Grand Hotel Suisse Majestic (4 star superior), directly opposite the station.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Montreux

    Château de Chillon and free time

    A free day in Montreux: perhaps the rack railway up Rochers-de-Naye for panoramic views and the 'Marmot Paradise', or the trolley bus to the historic Château de Chillon at the foot of Lake Geneva.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Montreux

    Golden Panoramic to Interlaken & Jungfrau Railway to the 'Top of Europe' (supplements apply)

    Optional excursion (from an additional £325 per person): regional trains south to Visp then up into the Bernese Oberland to Spiez and Interlaken, the spectacular Jungfrau Railway to the highest railway station in Europe at 11,333ft, a descent via Grindelwald, and the Golden Panoramic Express back to Montreux past Château d'Oex and Gstaad, with the option of dinner in the restaurant car (payable locally).

  4. Day 4railovernight: Chur

    The Glacier Express

    Travel south-east to join the Glacier Express, at its most dramatic in winter, climbing the Rhône Valley past frosted peaks and snow-bedecked hamlets, spiralling over the Oberalp Pass at 2,044m, with your included on-board lunch served at your First Class seat, before descending into the Rhine valley to Switzerland's oldest city, Chur. Three nights at the family-run Romantik Hotel Stern (4 star) in the old town.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Chur

    The Bernina Express

    Board the Bernina Express in Chur for awe-inspiring views from your First Class panorama car, across bridges and viaducts, through switch-back tunnels, looping down into the Engadine Valley and climbing to 2,328m at the Bernina Pass without rack-and-pinion, before descending to the Italian-speaking town of Poschiavo. Time to wander before the spectacular return journey to Chur.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Chur

    A free day to relax or explore

    A full day for historic Chur, from its 12th century cathedral to its cobbled streets, or optional trips by First Class rail to Lucerne, to Lake Constance and the Pre-Alpine Express with a stop at UNESCO-listed St. Gallen, or by mountain railway up the Schanfigg valley to Arosa.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Cologne

    Switzerland to Germany by First Class train

    Head north from Chur into Germany by EuroCity train, via Basel and along the scenic Rhine Gorge to Cologne. Overnight at the 4 star Hotel Mondial am Dom, directly opposite the station and near the Gothic cathedral.

  8. Day 8rail

    Cologne to London by ICE and Eurostar - Homeward bound

    Walk the short distance to Cologne Hauptbahnhof for the high-speed ICE to Brussels, then join the Eurostar to London St Pancras, with a meal and drinks served at your Standard Premier seat.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 4The Glacier Express climbs the Rhône Valley in winter and spirals over the Oberalp Pass at 2,044 metres, with lunch served at your First Class seat.
  • Day 5The Bernina Express crosses the Bernina Pass at 2,328 metres from your First Class panorama car, descending via switch-back tunnels and viaducts to Poschiavo.
  • Day 7The EuroCity train from Chur travels along the scenic Rhine Gorge before arriving in Cologne, where the Hotel Mondial am Dom sits directly opposite the Gothic cathedral.

Included

  • First Class rail travel (Standard Premier service on Eurostar)
  • 7 nights' hotel accommodation with breakfast each day, including 3 nights in a double room at the Grand Hotel Suisse Majestic in Montreux, 3 nights in a double room at the Romantik Hotel Stern in Chur, and an overnight stay in a double room at the Hotel Mondial am Dom in Cologne
  • Seat reservations on the Glacier Express and Bernina Express
  • Lunch on the Glacier Express train
  • Private taxi transfer across Paris

Questions travellers ask

Is all the train travel included?
Yes, First Class rail travel is included from London to Brussels: Eurostar, TGV, Glacier Express, Bernina Express, EuroCity, and ICE. The optional Jungfrau Railway and Golden Panoramic Express on Day 3 cost from £325 extra per person.
Is this trip escorted or independent?
It is independent and self-guided. Planet Rail arranges the itinerary and books your trains and hotels, but you travel without a tour guide.
What is included in the price from £1,895?
First Class rail from London to Brussels, 7 nights' hotel accommodation with breakfast, seat reservations on the Glacier Express and Bernina Express, lunch on the Glacier Express, and a private taxi transfer across Paris.
What is not included?
Attractions such as Château de Chillon, the Jungfrau Railway, and optional excursions from Chur are payable locally or cost extra. Dinner in the restaurant car of optional trains is also payable locally.
How much walking is required?
Most travel is by train and seated. Free time in Montreux and Chur allows self-directed exploration on foot; optional outings such as the trolley to Château de Chillon or a walk to Rochers-de-Naye are your choice.

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