Great Rail Journeys
Classic Glacier Express: Brig to Chur
9 daysfrom $3,605
Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour
Grand Rail Tour of Switzerland
Experience five iconic rail journeys on this ultimate grand tour, showcasing the wonders of Switzerland from four panoramic trains and a trip to the 'Top of Europe'.
Day by day
- Day 1railovernight: Strasbourg
To Strasbourg for an overnight stay
Meet the Tour Manager and group at London St Pancras and board the Eurostar Plus class to Paris, enjoying a light meal en route. Continue east to Strasbourg for one night. Check in to a central four-star hotel and enjoy the first dinner together. Strasbourg's historic Alsatian centre features grand squares, narrow waterways and a Gothic cathedral dating from the 13th century.
Meals: Eurostar Light Meal, Dinner
- Day 2railovernight: Chur
Touring ancient Zürich
Leave Strasbourg after breakfast and travel by train to Zürich. Enjoy a guided walking tour of the Old Town, including the famous Bahnhofstrasse, Lindenhof park and the Romanesque Grossmünster church. Continue by train to Chur, Switzerland's oldest city, arriving in the late afternoon. Check in to the central hotel for two nights and sit down to dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 3railovernight: Chur
Riding the iconic Bernina Express
Board the world-renowned Bernina Express from Chur, travelling south through the Engadine Valley on its UNESCO World Heritage route. Cross the curved Landwasser Viaduct, spiral through tunnels, pass Ospizio Bernina summit station (7,300 ft) and pause to view the Palü Glacier at Alp Grüm before arriving in Poschiavo. Free time to explore Poschiavo before returning to Chur by regional rail. Dinner independently.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 4railovernight: Zermatt
To Zermatt on the Glacier Express
Board the Glacier Express from Chur to Zermatt. Travel through the Rhine Gorge ('Swiss Grand Canyon'), enjoy a two-course lunch in panoramic carriages, climb to Andermatt, pass through the nine-mile Furka Tunnel and zigzag up the Matter Valley past wildflower meadows and waterfalls as the Matterhorn comes into view. Check in to the hotel in car-free Zermatt. Evening at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
- Day 5railovernight: Zermatt
A free day in alpine Zermatt
A full day at leisure in Zermatt. Options include riding the Gornergrat Mountain Railway (Swiss Half Fare Card applicable) to the Alps' second largest glacier, taking a cable car past Schwarzsee, visiting the Matterhorn Museum, strolling through streets lined with traditional wooden chalets, or relaxing in a café with views of the Matterhorn.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 6railovernight: Lake Geneva area (Montreux)
Visiting Château du Chillon and Lake Geneva cruise
Depart Zermatt by train to Lake Geneva. Free time for lunch. Enjoy a guided tour of Château de Chillon, one of Europe's best-preserved medieval castles, perched on the shores of Lake Geneva. Embark on a leisurely cruise across the glacial waters of Lake Geneva, the largest alpine lake in Europe. Transfer to the next hotel in time for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 7railovernight: Interlaken
Taking the GoldenPass to Interlaken
Free morning to enjoy a leisurely breakfast and explore the lakefront. After lunch at leisure, board the GoldenPass Express at Montreux train station. The route winds through forests and rolling mountain landscapes, passing storybook villages and alpine meadows, through Gstaad and down towards Lake Thun. Arrive in Interlaken and check in to the central hotel. Free afternoon before dinner together.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 8railovernight: Interlaken
Journeying to the 'Top of Europe'
Travel from Interlaken to Grindelwald by train, then take a cable car to the Eiger Glacier, rising above dense forest and meadowed valleys. Board a cogwheel train through a tunnel carved through the Eiger to reach Jungfraujoch (11,330 ft), Europe's highest railway station and a UNESCO-listed site. Enjoy awe-inspiring views from the Sphinx viewing platform and views of the Aletsch Glacier. Return to Interlaken in the afternoon. Dinner independently.
Meals: Breakfast
- Day 9railovernight: Basel
Exploring lakeside Lucerne
Depart Interlaken on the Lucerne-Interlaken Express, hugging the shore of Lake Brienz, passing through the Brünig Pass (3,307 ft) and descending past lakes Lungern and Sarnen to Lucerne. Enjoy a guided walking tour of Lucerne including the Kapellbrücke covered bridge and the cobbled Old Town. Continue by train to Basel for the final night. Check in to the hotel next to the train station and enjoy the last dinner together.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
- Day 10rail
Homeward bound
After breakfast, board a train to Paris and join the Eurostar Plus class service back to London St Pancras, enjoying a light meal on the final leg. On arrival in London, the holiday draws to a close.
Meals: Breakfast, Eurostar Light Meal
Included
- Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
- 9 nights' 4-star hotel accommodation
- Eurostar Plus class travel (London St Pancras to Paris and return)
- First and Standard Class rail travel throughout
- All rail, cruise and coach travel throughout the tour
- Eurostar light meals (outbound and return)
- Breakfast each day
- 1 lunch (on the Glacier Express)
- 5 dinners
- Group luggage transfers from Chur to Basel
- Swiss Half Fare Card (50% discounted fares on free days for rail, boat and most mountain railways)
- All guided tours and excursions
Not included
- Cancellation and travel insurance
