Search

No longer offered

Vacations By Rail has withdrawn this trip from sale. We keep the page for reference and comparison. The same itinerary is still sold by another operator, listed under Also sold by below.

Vacations By Rail · Escorted tour

GoldenPass, Mont Blanc & Jungfrau Express

Eight-day escorted rail tour through Swiss Alps and Lake Geneva region

Illustration of GoldenPass, Mont Blanc & Jungfrau Express

Vacations By Rail's eight-day escorted tour departs from Geneva and concludes in Zurich, traveling through Switzerland and into the French Alps. The Tour Manager accompanies the group throughout, arranging hotels, meals, and transfers to allow for a leisurely pace. The first three nights are at a lakefront hotel in Montreux, where guests explore Chateau de Chillon, sail on Lake Geneva, and board the Mont Blanc Express across the Alps to Chamonix. The next four nights are spent in Interlaken, a mountain resort town where the itinerary includes the GoldenPass Express panoramic train through the Bernese Highlands, an ascent to Jungfraujoch (the continent's highest train station) via the Eiger Express and Jungfrau Express with views of the Aletsch Glacier, and a vintage boat cruise the length of Lake Thun. Day 6 is free to pursue optional mountain railways at half price with the included Swiss Half Fare Card. Breakfast and five dinners are provided, along with all rail, cable car, and boat travel. This tour suits couples, repeat rail travelers, and those who prefer guided group travel with arranged logistics.

What to know before you look closer

  • Flights to Geneva and airport transfers are not included in the from-price; these must be arranged separately
  • On specific May departures (4th and 18th), the Montreux hotel is replaced with the five-star Lausanne Palace in Lausanne; hotel availability depends on departure date
  • On certain April and October departures, Day 2's Lake Geneva cruise is replaced with a cog railway to Rochers-de-Naye; confirm your specific itinerary before booking

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Montreux

    Arriving in beautiful Lake Geneva

    Arrive at Geneva airport and board a train (about an hour) to Montreux. Check in to the lakefront hotel for three nights. Meet the Tour Manager and group for the first dinner. Note: on the 4th and 18th May departures, stay at the 5-Star Lausanne Palace hotel in Lausanne instead of Montreux.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Montreux

    Chateau de Chillon and a Lake Geneva cruise

    Free morning in Montreux, then a trolleybus to Veytaux for a guided tour of Chateau de Chillon, followed by a Belle Epoque paddle cruiser trip across Lake Geneva to St-Gingolph and back. Dinner independent. Note: on the 13th & 20th April and 12th & 19th October departures, the cruise is replaced with a cog railway journey to Rochers-de-Naye before the Chateau de Chillon tour.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Montreux

    Mont Blanc Express across the Alps to the French resort of Chamonix

    From Martigny, board the Mont Blanc Express into France, arriving in Chamonix with free time to explore, optionally taking the cogwheel railway up to the Mer de Glace glacier, before returning to Montreux for dinner.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Interlaken

    The GoldenPass Express from Montreux to Interlaken

    Board the panoramic GoldenPass Express through the Swiss Highlands and the resort of Gstaad, arriving in Interlaken with a free afternoon before dinner at the hotel.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Interlaken

    To the 'Top of Europe' via the Eiger Express and Jungfrau Express

    Train to Grindelwald, then the Eiger Express gondola to Eigergletscher station, then the Jungfrau Express to Jungfraujoch, the continent's highest train station, with views of the Aletsch Glacier from the Sphinx Observatory. Return via Kleine Scheidegg and Lauterbrunnen to Interlaken.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Interlaken

    Exploring the Bernese Oberland at leisure

    A free day, with optional excursions using the Swiss Half Fare Card such as the Harderbahn to Harder Kulm, the Schilthorn cableway to Piz Gloria, or the steam-hauled Brienz-Rothorn Railway.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Interlaken

    Explore Thun and cruise the length of the lake

    Train to Thun to explore its 12th-century castle and medieval center, then a vintage lake boat cruise the length of Lake Thun back to Interlaken, passing Spiez Castle.

  8. Day 8rail

    Tour conclusion

    Walk to Interlaken station after breakfast to board a train to Zurich, where the vacation concludes.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 3Mont Blanc Express climbs from Martigny, Switzerland into the French Alps and Chamonix, with optional access to the Mer de Glace glacier by cogwheel railway
  • Day 4The GoldenPass Express panoramic train departs Montreux and crosses through Gstaad and the Bernese Oberland to Interlaken
  • Day 5Eiger Express gondola and Jungfrau Express ascend to Jungfraujoch, the continent's highest train station, with views of the Aletsch Glacier from the Sphinx Observatory
  • Day 7Vintage lake boat cruise travels the full length of Lake Thun from Thun to Interlaken, passing Spiez Castle

Included

  • Expertise of a Tour Manager from start to finish
  • 7 nights' 4 & 5-Star hotel accommodation
  • First and Standard Class rail options available
  • All rail and coach travel throughout your tour
  • 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 but can be arranged
  • Flights and Airport transfers not included

Also sold by

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

Questions travellers ask

Is all train travel included in the price?
Yes. Vacations By Rail includes all rail travel throughout the tour in First or Standard Class, along with cable cars, boat cruises, and coach transfers. Flights to Geneva are not included.
Which trains are featured?
The tour travels on the GoldenPass Express (Montreux to Interlaken via Gstaad in panoramic carriages), the Mont Blanc Express (Martigny to Chamonix), and the Jungfrau Express to Jungfraujoch. Day 5 also includes the Eiger Express gondola.
What is included in the price?
Included are seven nights in four- and five-star hotels, a Tour Manager from start to finish, breakfast daily, five dinners, all rail and coach travel, group luggage transfers, a Swiss Half Fare Card for 50% discounts on optional mountain railways, and all guided tours and excursions.
How many free days are there?
Day 2 has a free morning in Montreux after the Chateau de Chillon tour. Day 6 is a full free day in Interlaken with optional excursions such as the Harderbahn to Harder Kulm, the Schilthorn cableway, or the Brienz-Rothorn Railway, all discounted with the Swiss Half Fare Card.
Is travel insurance included?
No. Cancellation and travel insurance are not included but can be arranged separately.
What is the activity level?
Mobility Rating 2: expect city walking tours, stairs, and luggage handling. Optional mountain cableways and cog railways are available but not required.

Similar journeys