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Switzerland Travel Centre · Viaggio in treno

Grand Train Tour of Switzerland – Dai ghiacciai alle palme

Four-day Swiss rail loop from Lucerna to St. Moritz on two panoramic trains

Illustration of Grand Train Tour of Switzerland – Dai ghiacciai alle palme

Switzerland Travel Centre's Grand Train Tour of Switzerland spans four days and three nights, carrying you from Lucerna through two contrasting Swiss landscapes. Day one brings you to Lucerna by public transport. On day two, a historic paddle steamer carries you across Lake Uri to Flüelen, where you board the Gotthard Panorama Express in first-class panoramic carriages for a five-and-a-half-hour ascent through alpine passes to Lugano, where the climate turns Mediterranean. Day three takes you by coach to Tirano and then aboard the Bernina Express, a UNESCO-listed Rhaetic Railway line, climbing back into the Alps to St. Moritz in eight hours. Day four is your return by public transport. This itinerary suits first-time rail travellers and photographers seeking celebrated mountain routes, as well as repeat rail travellers exploring Switzerland's major scenic lines. The journey emphasizes the contrast between Ticino's warm sun and the cool heights of St. Moritz.

What to know before you look closer

  • The from-price is in Swiss francs (CHF 760); confirm current exchange rates and availability with Switzerland Travel Centre before booking.
  • Day four is a return journey by public transport; the itinerary does not describe specific departure times or connections.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Lucerna

    Trasferimento a Lucerna

    Raggiungi Lucerna con i mezzi pubblici. Goditi il viaggio e cogli l'occasione per scoprire la città all'arrivo.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Lugano

    Viaggio sul Gotthard Panorama Express

    Attraversi il Lago dei Quattro Cantoni con lo storico piroscafo su ruote fino a Flüelen. Poi prosegui verso Lugano nella carrozza panoramica di 1a classe del Gotthard Panorama Express. Durata del viaggio: ca. 5h 30min.

  3. Day 3railovernight: St. Moritz

    Viaggio sul Bernina Express

    Raggiungi Tirano a bordo del Bernina Express bus attraverso le Alpi italiane. In seguito, il trenino Bernina Express ti porterà a St. Moritz in una carrozza panoramica. Durata del viaggio: ca. 8h.

  4. Day 4

    Rientro da St. Moritz

    Da St. Moritz inizi il rientro con i mezzi pubblici. In alternativa, puoi prolungare il tuo soggiorno.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Day 2: paddle steamer crosses Lake Uri, then the Gotthard Panorama Express climbs toward the Alps in first-class panoramic carriages over five and a half hours to Lugano.
  • Day 3Day 3: the Bernina Express ascends through the UNESCO Rhaetic Railway to St. Moritz, passing from Italian valleys to alpine terrain in eight hours.

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. The package includes the Gotthard Panorama Express in first class and the Bernina Express, plus a lake steamer and coach transfers.
How many nights and which cities?
Three nights: one in Lucerna, one in Lugano, one in St. Moritz.
What trains are featured?
The Gotthard Panorama Express from Lucerna to Lugano in first-class panoramic carriages, and the Bernina Express from Tirano to St. Moritz along the UNESCO Rhaetic Railway.
Is this an escorted tour?
No. Day one and day four involve independent travel by public transport; days two and three are train journeys on scheduled services.
What is the duration and route?
Four days starting in Lucerna, ending in St. Moritz. The route crosses Lake Uri by steamer, then follows the Gotthard pass corridor and Bernina line through the Alps.

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