How much does it cost?

From £2,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $4,051 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is train travel included?

Yes. Eurostar (London to Amsterdam outbound, Lausanne to Paris to London return), the GoldenPass Express in panoramic class, the Drachenfels Cog Railway, and the scenic Basel-to-Interlaken rail route are all included, as is all coach travel.

Is this tour escorted?

Yes. Great Rail Journeys provides an experienced Tour Manager and Cruise Director team throughout the 10 days.

What is included for meals?

Breakfast and dinner every day, six lunches (five onboard ship, one on Day 8), and drinks with dinner throughout the cruise are included.

Which hotels are included?

A 4-star hotel in Interlaken for one night and a hotel in Montreux for one night. The ship MS Amadeus Amara provides accommodation for seven nights.

When does this tour depart?

Great Rail Journeys offers departures in May, June and July 2027.

Great Rail Journeys · Rail & River Cruise

GoldenPass & the Romantic Rhine

Great Rail Journeys' GoldenPass and the Romantic Rhine is a 10-day escorted journey that pairs a seven-night luxury river cruise with Swiss alpine rail travel. The tour begins at London St Pancras with Eurostar to Amsterdam, where you board the MS Amadeus Amara and sail along the Rhine through Germany and France, docking in Cologne, Rüdesheim, Heidelberg and Strasbourg. Each day includes a guided or optional excursion: ride the Drachenfels Cog Railway to a summit overlooking the Rhine Valley, explore Cologne's Gothic cathedral, taste Rüdesheim wines, or venture into the Black Forest. After disembarking in Basel, the journey continues by scenic train to Interlaken, set between two lakes with Bernese Oberland peaks visible, followed by the distinctive GoldenPass Express in panoramic carriages to Montreux on Lake Geneva. A tour manager oversees the entire itinerary, with breakfast and dinner included daily plus most lunches and evening drinks onboard. This trip suits couples seeking romance and history, repeat rail travellers drawn to different train experiences, and those who prefer guided comfort with built-in choice.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has fallen £400 since 4 Jul, to £2,999.

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

The single supplement price of GBP 4,899 is substantially higher than half the double price, reflecting premium accommodation and service costs
Day 6 and 7 offer a choice of excursions (Heidelberg or Speyer; Black Forest or Strasbourg city); your final choice depends on the operator's scheduling
Days 2 and 7 include optional excursions; if not selected, time is spent onboard or in free exploration

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Amsterdam (onboard MS Amadeus Amara)
Boarding our luxurious ship in Amsterdam
We meet at London St Pancras for the Eurostar to the Netherlands, where our Amadeus ship awaits on the River Rhine. After a coach transfer to the waterfront, we're greeted onboard with a welcome cocktail before our first dinner in the Panorama Restaurant, accompanied by a traditional Dutch Sea Shanty choir.
Meals: Dinner
Day 2overnight: Onboard MS Amadeus Amara
Touring Amsterdam or uncovering Volendam
A choice of excursions: a tour of Amsterdam with a canal boat cruise, or a visit to Volendam and Edam to uncover Dutch cheese heritage. We return to the ship for lunch as we begin sailing towards Cologne.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3overnight: Onboard MS Amadeus Amara (Cologne)
Exploring the historic streets of Cologne
Docking in Cologne, we take a guided tour of its squares, Romanesque townhouses and the UNESCO-listed cathedral, the largest in northern Europe, plus a tasting of local beer, with free time to explore before returning to the ship for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4railovernight: Onboard MS Amadeus Amara (Koblenz)
Riding the scenic Drachenfelsbahn
After a morning of sailing and lunch, we dock in Königswinter for a trip on the Drachenfels Cog Railway, passing Drachenburg Castle to views across the Rhine-Westphalia region. Back onboard, we continue past Andernach's cold-water geyser towards Koblenz, where we dock for the night.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5railovernight: Onboard MS Amadeus Amara (Rüdesheim)
Through the magical Rhine Gorge to Rüdesheim
Free time to explore Koblenz, including Deutsches Eck, before sailing through the Rhine Gorge, hearing the story of the Lorelei Rock. Docking in Rüdesheim, a land train takes us to the town centre for a choice of a wine tasting or a visit to Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6overnight: Onboard MS Amadeus Amara (sailing)
Discovering Heidelberg or Speyer
Docking near Mannheim, a choice of excursions: a coach journey to Heidelberg for a guided tour including the ruined castle, or staying onboard for a short cruise to Speyer to explore its UNESCO-listed cathedral. We return to the ship for dinner and a restful overnight sailing upstream.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7overnight: Onboard MS Amadeus Amara (Strasbourg, sailing)
Strasbourg's Black Forest or city tour
Sailing into Strasbourg, a choice of excursions: a trip into the Black Forest, or a city tour of Strasbourg visiting its cathedral and the La Petite France district. We return to the ship for lunch and begin our final cruise towards Switzerland.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8railovernight: Interlaken
Into the Bernese Oberland to Interlaken
After our last breakfast onboard, we disembark in Basel and take a coach and scenic rail route to Interlaken, set between Lake Brienz and Lake Thun with views of the Bernese Oberland. We check in to our hotel, with an afternoon at leisure before dinner with the group.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 9railovernight: Montreux
The GoldenPass Express to Montreux
We board the GoldenPass Express's panoramic carriages from Interlaken, passing Lake Thun at Spiez, climbing to Gstaad, and through the Pays-d'Enhaut Highlands to Montreux. We check in to our hotel on the shores of Lake Geneva, with time to explore the Old Town or Chillon Castle before our final dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10rail
Homeward bound
After breakfast, we travel to the railway station and via Lausanne to Paris, then take the Eurostar to London, where the holiday concludes on arrival this evening.
Meals: Breakfast

The moments this trip is built around

Day 1Board Eurostar at London St Pancras and transfer by coach to the Amadeus ship in Amsterdam, where a welcome cocktail and Dutch sea shanty choir mark arrival
Day 4Ride the historic Drachenfels Cog Railway from Königswinter to the summit overlooking the Rhine Valley and Drachenburg Castle
Day 5Sail through the Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage site, passing the legendary Lorelei Rock and vineyard-clad castle slopes toward Rüdesheim
Day 9Board the GoldenPass Express in panoramic carriages for a three-hour journey from Interlaken through Gstaad and pine forests to Montreux on Lake Geneva

Included

Escorted throughout your tour by our experienced Tour Manager/Cruise Director team
2 nights' 4-Star hotel accommodation
7-night cruise onboard MS Amadeus Amara
Five-Star service onboard
Complimentary onboard Wi-Fi
Standard Class rail travel
All rail and coach travel throughout your tour
Breakfast and dinner each day, 6 lunches
Drinks package with dinner every night of your cruise
Complimentary luggage service from your home to the ship and back (one case per cabin)
A superb choice of excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance

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Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £2,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $4,051 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is train travel included?: Yes. Eurostar (London to Amsterdam outbound, Lausanne to Paris to London return), the GoldenPass Express in panoramic class, the Drachenfels Cog Railway, and the scenic Basel-to-Interlaken rail route are all included, as is all coach travel.
Is this tour escorted?: Yes. Great Rail Journeys provides an experienced Tour Manager and Cruise Director team throughout the 10 days.
What is included for meals?: Breakfast and dinner every day, six lunches (five onboard ship, one on Day 8), and drinks with dinner throughout the cruise are included.
Which hotels are included?: A 4-star hotel in Interlaken for one night and a hotel in Montreux for one night. The ship MS Amadeus Amara provides accommodation for seven nights.
When does this tour depart?: Great Rail Journeys offers departures in May, June and July 2027.