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railtour suisse · Escorted rail tour

Grand Train Tour of Switzerland «Alpine Rivieras»

Escorted 5-day Swiss train tour from Lucerne to Locarno with guide

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.

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.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Montreux

    GoldenPass Express (3h15)

    Travel from Interlaken to Montreux with the GoldenPass Express, passing alpine forests, bubbling mountain springs and picturesque mountain villages.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Zermatt

    Montreux – Zermatt (2h40)

    Regional train to Zermatt, the car-free alpine resort at the foot of the Matterhorn. Time for an optional excursion by cogwheel railway to the Gornergrat, with panoramic views of the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc and other snow-capped peaks above 4'000m, or to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, at 3'883m Europe's highest cableway and summit station (Crystal Ride cabins from Trockener Steg to the summit available for a fee).

  4. Day 4railovernight: Locarno

    Zermatt – Locarno (4h15)

    Travel from Zermatt to Domodossola (Italy), then change to the famous Centovalli railway. This panoramic journey to Locarno passes through the Valle Vigezzo and the Centovalli valley, with deep gorges, countless bridges, waterfalls, chestnut forests and vineyards. Arrival in Locarno, the film and music city on the shores of Lake Maggiore.

  5. Day 5rail

    Gotthard Panorama Express (5h30) and return journey

    Train journey to Bellinzona, then the Gotthard Panorama Express on the old Gotthard route to Flüelen, past the famous double hairpin bend at Wassen, where the church of Wassen is visible three times. In Flüelen, a boat continues the journey across Lake Uri and Lake Lucerne to Lucerne, passing Tell's Chapel and the Rütli meadow. 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 on the Luzern-Interlaken Express, the GoldenPass Express and the Gotthard Panorama Express
  • Supplement 1st class on 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 by more than one company. Prices and inclusions can differ; compare before booking.

Questions travellers ask

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.'

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