Search

railtour suisse · Escorted rail journey

Grand Train Tour of Switzerland «Alpine Rivieras»

Illustration of Grand Train Tour of Switzerland «Alpine Rivieras»

railtour suisse runs this 5-day escorted rail tour across Switzerland and into northern Italy, with an experienced, multilingual tour guide accompanying the whole trip in German, French or English. Starting in Interlaken, the route uses five named panoramic trains, the Lucerne-Interlaken Express, the GoldenPass Express, a regional train to Zermatt, the Centovalli railway into Locarno, and finally the Gotthard Panorama Express back toward Lucerne, finishing with a boat crossing on Lake Lucerne. Each night is spent in a different town, Interlaken, Montreux, Zermatt and Locarno, in a 3-star hotel with breakfast, so the pace moves quickly from one place to the next. On day 3 in Zermatt, travellers can add an optional excursion to the Gornergrat or the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise for panoramic Alpine views. This suits travellers who want the reassurance of a guide throughout while riding several of Switzerland's best-known scenic trains in a single short trip, rather than planning each connection themselves.

Price history

Across 4 checks, this price has held at CHF 834 every time.

CHF 8344 Jul12 Sep

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. 1 of 4 point is 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.

One reading is held out of the price above and this history: an unconfirmed large change. We only price on the operator's package from-price, read from its own page.

What to know before you look closer

  • No departure dates or best-month guidance are given for this tour; confirm scheduling and seasonal availability with railtour suisse before booking.
  • The Gornergrat cogwheel excursion and the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car on day 3 are both optional extras at an additional fee, not included in the base price.
  • Every night of the trip is in a different town, Interlaken, Montreux, Zermatt and Locarno, so expect to pack and change hotels each day.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Interlaken

    arrival in Interlaken

    Train journey via Lucerne – Brünig with the Lucerne-Interlaken Express to Interlaken, the gateway to the three mighty mountains of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Overnight in Interlaken.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Montreux

    GoldenPass Express (3h15)

    Breakfast at the hotel. Today you travel from Interlaken to Montreux with the GoldenPass Express. You will pass through alpine forests, see bubbling mountain springs and picturesque mountain villages. Overnight in Montreux.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Zermatt

    Montreux – Zermatt (2h40)

    Breakfast at the hotel. Today you take a regional train to Zermatt, the marvellous and famous car-free alpine resort at the foot of the majestic Matterhorn. Time for an optional excursion by cogwheel railway up to the Gornergrat where you will have a superb panoramic view of the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc and other snow-capped peaks rising to above 4'000 m. Or experience the peak of sporting adventures in the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. At an airy 3'883 m you will find Europe's highest cableway and summit station. For a little fee you may take the Crystal Ride cabins from Trockener Steg to the summit, an unbeatable experience. Overnight in Zermatt.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Locarno

    Zermatt – Locarno (4h15)

    Breakfast at the hotel. Today you travel from Zermatt to Domodossola (Italy), then change to the famous Centovalli railway. This panoramic journey to Locarno takes you through the Valle Vigezzo and the marvellous landscape of the Centovalli valley with its deep gorges, countless bridges, waterfalls, chestnut forests and vineyards. Arrival in Locarno, the film and music city on the shores of Lake Maggiore. Overnight in Locarno.

  5. Day 5rail

    Gotthard Panorama Express (5h30) and return journey

    Breakfast at the hotel and train journey to Bellinzona. Your unique travel experience starts with the Gotthard Panorama Express on the old Gotthard route to Flüelen. The double hairpin bend at Wassen is famous because the view of the church of Wassen is possible three times. In Flüelen the boat is already waiting for the onward journey with a boat trip on Lake Uri and Lucerne to Lucerne. You can see the Tell's Chapel on the right side of the lake. This is where William Tell is said to have saved himself from the bailiff Gessler by jumping out of the boat. The Rütli lies on the western shore of Lake Uri. According to legend, the alliance of the three original cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden, the famous Rütli Oath, was signed on the Rütli. Individual return journey. This tour can also be booked in the opposite direction.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2The GoldenPass Express carries travellers from Interlaken to Montreux, 'passing alpine forests, bubbling mountain springs and picturesque mountain villages'.
  • Day 3An optional cogwheel railway trip from Zermatt reaches the Gornergrat, with 'panoramic views of the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc and other snow-capped peaks above 4,000m'.
  • Day 4The Centovalli railway crosses from Domodossola to Locarno 'through the Valle Vigezzo and the Centovalli valley, with deep gorges, countless bridges, waterfalls, chestnut forests and vineyards'.
  • Day 5The Gotthard Panorama Express passes 'the famous double hairpin bend at Wassen, where the church of Wassen is visible three times', before a boat continues across Lake Uri and Lake Lucerne.

Included

  • Train journey in 2nd class from/to domicile, Half Fare Travelcard basis
  • Seat reservation in the Luzern-Interlaken Express, the GoldenPass Express and the Gotthard Panorama Express
  • Supplement 1st class in the Gotthard Panorama Express (Bellinzona - Flüelen)
  • 1 night in Interlaken, 3*-hotel, standard double room with breakfast
  • 1 night in Montreux, 3*-hotel, standard double room with breakfast
  • 1 night in Zermatt, 3*-hotel, standard double room with breakfast
  • 1 night in Locarno, 3*-hotel, standard double room with breakfast

Also sold by

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

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?
From CHF 834 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $1,023 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is the train travel included?
Yes. The price includes train travel in 2nd class from/to your home station on a Half Fare Travelcard basis, with seat reservations on the Lucerne-Interlaken Express, GoldenPass Express and Gotthard Panorama Express, plus the 1st class supplement on the Gotthard Panorama Express.
Is it escorted or independent?
It's escorted. The tour includes an 'Experienced, multilingual tour guide (German, French or English) throughout'.
Which trains are used?
The Lucerne-Interlaken Express, the GoldenPass Express (Interlaken to Montreux), a regional train (Montreux to Zermatt), the Centovalli railway (Zermatt to Locarno via Domodossola), and the Gotthard Panorama Express (Bellinzona to Flüelen), followed by a boat to Lucerne.
What hotels are included?
One night each in a 3-star hotel in Interlaken, Montreux, Zermatt and Locarno, in a standard double room with breakfast.
What is not included?
The Gornergrat cogwheel railway excursion and the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car, including Crystal Ride cabins to the summit, are optional extras at extra cost on day 3.
Can the tour run in the opposite direction?
Yes. The operator's itinerary notes 'this tour can also be booked in the opposite direction.'

Similar journeys