How much does it cost?

From £2,935 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $3,965 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is this trip escorted or independent?

This is an independent tour. You make your own way from hotel to station each day and navigate the itinerary self-guided; however, Great Rail Journeys provides hotel accommodation and pre-arranged rail bookings.

Which trains are featured?

The Bernina Express (UNESCO World Heritage route, St Moritz to Tirano in Panoramic Class), the Glacier Express (St Moritz to Zermatt in Excellence Class), and the Gornergrat Mountain Railway (Zermatt to Gornergrat). Day 1 uses standard trains from Zurich to Chur to St Moritz.

What hotels are included?

Two nights in St Moritz (choice of Hotel Schweizerhof 4-star or Kempinski Hotel 5-star) and two nights in Zermatt (choice of Parkhotel Beau-Site 4-star or Hotel Mont Cervin Palace). All on bed and breakfast basis.

What is not included?

Cancellation and travel insurance are not included. Optional excursions in Zermatt (Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Gornergrat, Alpine Crossing, hiking guides) and meals beyond breakfast are extra.

Great Rail Journeys · Luxury independent tour

Glacier Express Excellence Class, Bernina Express & St Moritz

Swiss alpine rail via Glacier and Bernina Express, St Moritz and Zermatt

Great Rail Journeys operates this five-day independent Swiss mountain rail circuit departing London and returning to London or Paris. You spend two nights in St Moritz and two nights in Zermatt, with stays in handpicked 4- or 5-star hotels on a bed and breakfast basis. The journey highlights two of Europe's most celebrated mountain trains: the Bernina Express, a UNESCO World Heritage railway in operation since 1910 that climbs to the Bernina Pass and crosses deep ravines and waterfalls, and the Glacier Express in Excellence Class, which includes guaranteed window seats, a five-course menu with paired wines for each course, and a dedicated concierge as it travels through snow-capped peaks. Day 4 is unguided, allowing you to explore the car-free village of Zermatt freely, with optional excursions to the Gornergrat Mountain Railway and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. Return transport offers a choice of flight (Zurich) or rail via Eurostar from Paris. The trip suits repeat rail travellers, luxury-seekers, and photographers drawn to alpine scenery and two famous trains.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has risen £150 since 4 Jul, to £2,935.

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. 3 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

Hotel choice (4-star or 5-star) depends on availability and your selection; confirm your preferred property and tier when booking
Day 4 is unguided; activities and excursions in Zermatt are optional and bookable separately
The return journey offers flight or train alternatives (Eurostar via Basel and Paris), but flight is the default option included

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: St Moritz
Getting to St Moritz
Your journey begins with your choice of outbound travel: a morning flight from London to Zurich, then train via Chur to St Moritz (regional flights available); or a leisurely two-day rail journey via Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Nord, changing to Paris Gare de Lyon for Basel, an overnight stay in Basel, then on by train to Chur and St Moritz (upgrades to First Class available). On arrival you transfer to your chosen hotel, either 4-star or 5-star, on a Bed & Breakfast basis.
Day 2railovernight: St Moritz
The Bernina Express
Experience a world-famous train journey aboard the Bernina Express, in operation since 1910 and awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. Travelling in panoramic carriages, you ascend the Bernina Pass, reaching the summit at more than 7,300 feet, passing the turquoise waters of Lago Bianco and the Palü Glacier at Alp Grüm, before descending towards Poschiavo and crossing into Italy via the corkscrew viaduct at Brusio. The journey ends in Tirano before the return to St Moritz for a second night.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3railovernight: Zermatt
The Glacier Express
Board the Glacier Express for a breathtaking journey through the alpine landscape in Excellence Class, with guaranteed window seats, a five-course menu with pairing wines for each course, and a dedicated concierge. The journey climbs to the winter ski resort of Andermatt and onward to the journey's highest point, before descending along the Rhone Valley, passing green meadows and turquoise river gorges, arriving in the car-free town of Zermatt in the early evening. Please note: no Glacier Express trains run between 13th October and 7th December.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4railovernight: Zermatt
Zermatt
Enjoy a free day in the charming, car-free village of Zermatt with breathtaking views of the Matterhorn. Travel by rail on the Gornergrat railway, or by cable car to the higher mountains, walk around the village centre, or take one of the numerous hiking trails nearby. Alternatively, choose from optional excursions bookable at a supplement.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5rail
Getting to London
Your tour comes to its close today with a choice of return travel: a train journey from Zermatt to Zurich airport for your flight back to the UK; or by rail from Zermatt to Visp, then Basel, on to Paris Gare de Lyon, and from Paris Nord back to London St Pancras via the Eurostar (upgrades to First Class available).
Meals: Breakfast

The moments this trip is built around

Day 2Bernina Express ascends to Bernina Pass at more than 7,300 feet, passing the turquoise waters of Lago Bianco
Day 3Glacier Express Excellence Class climbs through the mountains to Andermatt and beyond, with guaranteed window seats and five-course wine-paired menu
Day 4Free day in Zermatt with optional Gornergrat Mountain Railway or Matterhorn Glacier Paradise excursion

Included

4 nights hotel accommodation (Bed and Breakfast)
First Class Rail in Switzerland
Excellence Class Carriage on the Glacier Express
Panoramic carriage journeys on the Glacier & Bernina Express
Return Flights between London and Zurich

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance

Also sold by

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Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £2,935 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $3,965 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is this trip escorted or independent?: This is an independent tour. You make your own way from hotel to station each day and navigate the itinerary self-guided; however, Great Rail Journeys provides hotel accommodation and pre-arranged rail bookings.
Which trains are featured?: The Bernina Express (UNESCO World Heritage route, St Moritz to Tirano in Panoramic Class), the Glacier Express (St Moritz to Zermatt in Excellence Class), and the Gornergrat Mountain Railway (Zermatt to Gornergrat). Day 1 uses standard trains from Zurich to Chur to St Moritz.
What hotels are included?: Two nights in St Moritz (choice of Hotel Schweizerhof 4-star or Kempinski Hotel 5-star) and two nights in Zermatt (choice of Parkhotel Beau-Site 4-star or Hotel Mont Cervin Palace). All on bed and breakfast basis.
What is not included?: Cancellation and travel insurance are not included. Optional excursions in Zermatt (Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Gornergrat, Alpine Crossing, hiking guides) and meals beyond breakfast are extra.