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Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Grand Rail Tour of Switzerland

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

Illustration of Grand Rail Tour of Switzerland

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.

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

  1. 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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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

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 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

Questions travellers ask

Is all train travel included in the price?
Yes. The package includes Eurostar Plus class to and from Paris, First and Standard Class rail travel throughout Switzerland on the Bernina Express, Glacier Express, GoldenPass Express, Lucerne-Interlaken Express, and Jungfrau Railway, plus cable car and cogwheel train to Jungfraujoch and a Lake Geneva cruise.
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 five trains are featured?
The Eurostar, Bernina Express, Glacier Express, GoldenPass Express, Lucerne-Interlaken Express, and the Jungfrau Railway (which includes a cable car and cogwheel train).
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.

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