How much does it cost?

From £2,499 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $3,376 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Which trains are included?

Eurostar Plus from London to Paris, First Class TGV from Paris to Lausanne and Basel to Paris, Mont Blanc Express to Chamonix, GoldenPass Express to Interlaken, Eiger Express gondola, and Jungfrau Express to Jungfraujoch are all included.

Is this tour escorted?

Yes, a UK Tour Manager accompanies the group throughout all eight days.

What meals and accommodation are included?

Seven nights in four-star hotels: three nights at Royal Plaza Montreux and Spa and four nights at Hotel Metropole Interlaken. Breakfast is included every day, five dinners at the hotels are included, and Eurostar light meals are served on the outbound and return journey.

What is not included?

Lunch is not included except on Day 1. Dinner on Day 2 is independent. The Swiss Half Fare Card is included but applies only to self-guided travel on free days. Travel insurance and cancellation insurance are not included.

Yes. Days include train station walks, a guided tour of Château de Chillon, exploration of Montreux and Interlaken, and a walk through medieval Thun. Mountain gondola and railway rides involve minimal walking at altitude.

Great Rail Journeys offers eight departures between October 2026 and October 2027 in April, May, June, July, August, September, and October.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Classic GoldenPass Express & Top of Europe

Eight-day Alpine rail loop from London through French Alps and Swiss peaks

Great Rail Journeys operates this eight-day escorted tour from London to Basel, combining famous Alpine trains and mountain railways with stays in lakefront and mountain towns. After crossing the Channel on Eurostar Plus, you spend three nights at the Royal Plaza Montreux and Spa on Lake Geneva, including a guided tour of Château de Chillon and a Belle Époque paddle cruiser. Day 3 takes you across the Alps on the Mont Blanc Express, clinging to mountainsides above gorges with views of Mont Blanc before returning to Montreux. The GoldenPass Express carries you from Montreux through vineyards and alpine meadows to Interlaken, where you spend four nights at Hotel Metropole. From there, the Eiger Express gondola and Jungfrau Express climb to Jungfraujoch, Europe's highest railway station, and you cruise Lake Thun aboard a vintage boat. A UK Tour Manager oversees the journey, luggage transfers between hotels are arranged, and breakfast is served every day along with five dinners at the hotels. The Swiss Half Fare Card allows discounted self-guided exploration on the free day.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has risen £200 since 4 Jul, to £2,499.

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 from GBP 2,699 is GBP 400 more than half the double-occupancy price, a significant upcharge.
Day 2's Lake Geneva cruise is replaced by a cog railway journey on early April and mid-October departures; confirm your departure date.
Day 6 is completely free with no included meals or guided activities, though the Swiss Half Fare Card enables self-guided rail and boat exploration.
Maximum group size is 30 travellers; confirm current departures and availability before booking.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Montreux
London to Lake Geneva
We meet the Tour Manager at London St Pancras and board the Eurostar in Plus class to Paris, then the First Class TGV to Lausanne, and a short train transfer to Montreux, our base for three nights.
Meals: Eurostar Light Meal, Dinner
Day 2overnight: Montreux
Château de Chillon and a Lake Geneva cruise
A trolleybus to Veytaux for a guided tour of Château de Chillon, followed by a Belle Époque paddle cruiser trip across Lake Geneva to St-Gingolph and back.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3railovernight: Montreux
Mont Blanc Express across the Alps to the French resort of Chamonix
From Martigny, we join the Mont Blanc Express into France, arriving in Chamonix with free time to explore beneath Mont Blanc, before returning to Montreux for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4railovernight: Interlaken
The GoldenPass Express from Montreux to Interlaken
We board the panoramic GoldenPass Express through the Swiss Highlands and Gstaad to Interlaken, our base for four nights.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5railovernight: Interlaken
To the 'Top of Europe' via the Eiger Express and Jungfrau Express
A train to Grindelwald, then the Eiger Express gondola to Eigergletscher, and the Jungfrau Railway to Jungfraujoch, Europe's highest train station, with views of the Aletsch Glacier.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6railovernight: Interlaken
Exploring the Bernese Oberland at leisure
A free day in Interlaken, with options including the Harderbahn to Harder Kulm, the Schilthorn cableway to Piz Gloria, or the Brienz-Rothorn Railway, using the Swiss Half Fare Card.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7railovernight: Interlaken
Explore Thun and cruise the length of the lake
A train to Thun to explore its 12th-century castle, followed by a vintage lake boat cruise the length of Lake Thun back to Interlaken, passing Spiez Castle.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8rail
Homeward bound
We board the train to Basel via Spiez, then the First Class TGV to Paris, joining the Eurostar in Plus class back to London St Pancras.
Meals: Breakfast, Eurostar Light Meal

The moments this trip is built around

Day 1Eurostar Plus from London St Pancras to Paris, then First Class TGV to Lausanne, arriving at the Royal Plaza Montreux lakefront hotel.
Day 3Day 3: Mont Blanc Express from Martigny clings to mountainsides above gorges crossing into France, with views of snow-covered peaks and arrival in Chamonix.
Day 4Day 4: GoldenPass Express panoramic train winds through vineyards, Swiss Highlands, alpine meadows, and Gstaad before descending to Interlaken.
Day 5Day 5: Eiger Express gondola ascends to Eigergletscher with views of the Eiger's north face, then Jungfrau Express continues to Jungfraujoch and the Aletsch Glacier.
Day 7Day 7: Vintage lake boat cruise along the full length of Lake Thun from medieval Thun to Interlaken, passing Spiez Castle.

Included

Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
7 nights’ 4-Star hotel accommodation
Eurostar Plus, First & Standard Class rail travel - all rail, cruise and coach travel throughout your tour
Eurostar Light Meals; breakfast each day, 5 dinners
Group luggage transfers between all hotels
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 is not included in the price of the tour

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £2,499 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $3,376 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Which trains are included?: Eurostar Plus from London to Paris, First Class TGV from Paris to Lausanne and Basel to Paris, Mont Blanc Express to Chamonix, GoldenPass Express to Interlaken, Eiger Express gondola, and Jungfrau Express to Jungfraujoch are all included.
Is this tour escorted?: Yes, a UK Tour Manager accompanies the group throughout all eight days.
What meals and accommodation are included?: Seven nights in four-star hotels: three nights at Royal Plaza Montreux and Spa and four nights at Hotel Metropole Interlaken. Breakfast is included every day, five dinners at the hotels are included, and Eurostar light meals are served on the outbound and return journey.
What is not included?: Lunch is not included except on Day 1. Dinner on Day 2 is independent. The Swiss Half Fare Card is included but applies only to self-guided travel on free days. Travel insurance and cancellation insurance are not included.
Is walking involved?: Yes. Days include train station walks, a guided tour of Château de Chillon, exploration of Montreux and Interlaken, and a walk through medieval Thun. Mountain gondola and railway rides involve minimal walking at altitude.
When does it run?: Great Rail Journeys offers eight departures between October 2026 and October 2027 in April, May, June, July, August, September, and October.