How much does it cost?

From £3,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $5,402 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is this an escorted or independent tour?

It is fully escorted. A UK Tour Manager accompanies the group from London St Pancras through to the return to London, and all guided tours, excursions, and transfers are arranged.

What hotels and how many nights?

Nine nights in four-star hotels: one in Strasbourg, two in Chur, two in Zermatt, one on Lake Geneva (Montreux area), two in Interlaken, and one in Basel. Group luggage transfers are arranged from Chur to Basel.

When does the tour depart?

Great Rail Journeys offers four departures in 2027: April, June, July, and September.

What is the physical difficulty level?

Mostly walking and stairs in cities on Days 2 and 9. Day 8 involves a cable car to Eiger Glacier and a cogwheel train ascending through the Eiger to 11,330 feet; Day 5 offers optional mountain railway and cable car rides.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Grand Rail Tour of Switzerland

Ten-day Swiss rail circle: London to Basel via five panoramic trains

Great Rail Journeys' Grand Rail Tour of Switzerland is a ten-day escorted journey from London to Basel, staying nine nights in four-star hotels across six Swiss and French cities. A UK Tour Manager leads the group throughout. The trip centres on five renowned trains: the Eurostar links London and Paris in Plus class; the Bernina Express crosses the UNESCO-listed route from Chur to Poschiavo, passing the Palü Glacier at 7,300 feet; the Glacier Express climbs through the Rhine Gorge and nine-mile Furka Tunnel to Zermatt; the GoldenPass Express winds from Montreux to Interlaken; and the Lucerne-Interlaken Express descends from alpine pass to lakeside town. Day 8 ascends to Jungfraujoch at 11,330 feet by cable car and cogwheel train through the Eiger, where the Aletsch Glacier spreads below the Sphinx viewing platform. Guided walking tours visit Zürich's Old Town and Romanesque Grossmünster, and Lucerne's Kapellbrücke covered bridge and medieval streets. Day 5 is free in car-free Zermatt beneath the Matterhorn; Day 6 includes a guided tour of Château de Chillon and a cruise across Lake Geneva. Breakfast is provided daily, plus one Glacier Express lunch and five dinners. All rail, cable car, and cruise travel is included.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has fallen £200 since 4 Jul, to £3,999.

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 maximum group size is 30 persons, so this is not an intimate tour.
Meals are limited: only breakfast daily, one lunch on the Glacier Express, and five dinners; many meals and drinks are at your own expense.
The single supplement from GBP 4,999 is substantially higher than half the double occupancy price, adding significantly to solo traveller costs.
Day 5 in Zermatt and the morning of Day 7 are free time; optional activities like the Gornergrat Mountain Railway and cable cars require separate payment despite the Swiss Half Fare Card discount.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Strasbourg
To Strasbourg for an overnight stay
Meeting the Tour Manager and group at London St Pancras, we board the Eurostar to Paris in Plus class with a light meal at our seats, continuing east to Strasbourg for one night. After checking in to our central four-star hotel, we enjoy our first dinner together.
Meals: Eurostar light meal, Dinner
Day 2railovernight: Chur
Touring ancient Zürich
We travel to Zürich for a walking tour of the Old Town, including Bahnhofstrasse, Lindenhof park and the Grossmünster church, before boarding a train to the alpine city of Chur, Switzerland's oldest city, where we check in for two nights.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3railovernight: Chur
Riding the iconic Bernina Express
A UNESCO-listed journey on the Bernina Express from Chur, crossing the Landwasser Viaduct and climbing to the summit at Ospizio Bernina, pausing to view the Palü Glacier at Alp Grüm before descending to Poschiavo, with free time to explore before returning to Chur on a regional service. Dine independently this evening.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4railovernight: Zermatt
To Zermatt on the Glacier Express
The Glacier Express from Chur to Zermatt, delving into the Rhine Gorge with a two-course lunch at our seats, climbing to Andermatt and through the Furka Tunnel, before the Matterhorn comes into view. The evening is at leisure to explore Zermatt and find dinner locally.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 5railovernight: Zermatt
A free day in alpine Zermatt
A free day to explore car-free Zermatt independently, with options including the Gornergrat Mountain Railway, a cable car past Schwarzsee, or the Matterhorn Museum.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6overnight: Montreux
Visiting Château de Chillon and Lake Geneva cruise
We travel to Lake Geneva with free time for lunch, then tour the medieval Château de Chillon with a guide, followed by a leisurely cruise across Lake Geneva, the largest alpine lake in Europe. We transfer to our next hotel in time for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7railovernight: Interlaken
Taking the GoldenPass to Interlaken
A free morning before we head to Montreux station to board the GoldenPass Express, winding through the Swiss Highlands to Gstaad and down towards Lake Thun, arriving in Interlaken, set between lakes Thun and Brienz, for a free afternoon and dinner together.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8railovernight: Interlaken
Journeying to the 'Top of Europe'
A journey to Jungfraujoch, Europe's highest train station, travelling from Interlaken to Grindelwald, then by cable car to the Eiger Glacier and cogwheel train through a tunnel cut through the Eiger, with views from the Sphinx viewing platform of the Aletsch Glacier. Dine independently this evening.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 9railovernight: Basel
Exploring lakeside Lucerne
The panoramic Lucerne-Interlaken Express from Interlaken, hugging the shore of Lake Brienz and crossing the Brünig Pass, to Lucerne for a walking tour taking in the Kapellbrücke and the Old Town. We then board a train to Basel, our base for the night, and enjoy our final dinner together.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10rail
Homeward bound
After breakfast, we board a train to Paris where we join the Eurostar in Plus class, enjoying a light meal on the final leg home, arriving at London St Pancras.
Meals: Breakfast, Eurostar light meal

The moments this trip is built around

Day 3The Bernina Express crosses the UNESCO World Heritage Landwasser Viaduct, passes the Palü Glacier at Alp Grüm, and climbs to 7,300 feet through tunnels in the Engadine Valley.
Day 4The Glacier Express travels through the Rhine Gorge, climbs through the nine-mile Furka Tunnel, and zigzags up the Matter Valley as the Matterhorn comes into view.
Day 6Guided tour of Château de Chillon on the shores of Lake Geneva, followed by a leisurely cruise across the glacial waters of the largest alpine lake in Europe.
Day 8Ascend to Jungfraujoch at 11,330 feet, Europe's highest railway station, by cable car to Eiger Glacier and cogwheel train through the Eiger, with views of the Aletsch Glacier from the Sphinx platform.
Day 9The Lucerne-Interlaken Express hugs the shore of Lake Brienz, passes through the Brünig Pass at 3,307 feet, then descends past Lakes Lungern and Sarnen to Lucerne.

Included

Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
9 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, 1 lunch, 5 dinners
Group luggage transfers from Strasbourg to Basel
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

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £3,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $5,402 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is this an escorted or independent tour?: It is fully escorted. A UK Tour Manager accompanies the group from London St Pancras through to the return to London, and all guided tours, excursions, and transfers are arranged.
What hotels and how many nights?: Nine nights in four-star hotels: one in Strasbourg, two in Chur, two in Zermatt, one on Lake Geneva (Montreux area), two in Interlaken, and one in Basel. Group luggage transfers are arranged from Chur to Basel.
When does the tour depart?: Great Rail Journeys offers four departures in 2027: April, June, July, and September.
What is the physical difficulty level?: Mostly walking and stairs in cities on Days 2 and 9. Day 8 involves a cable car to Eiger Glacier and a cogwheel train ascending through the Eiger to 11,330 feet; Day 5 offers optional mountain railway and cable car rides.