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Vacations By Rail · Independent rail vacation

Grand Train Tour of Switzerland in Winter

Swiss rail loop from Zurich through six cities on five named trains

Illustration of Grand Train Tour of Switzerland in Winter

Vacations By Rail offers a 11-day independent rail journey through Switzerland from Zurich to St. Moritz, with stops in Lucerne, Interlaken, Montreux, and Zermatt. You travel on your own following a detailed itinerary, using a 15-day Swiss Travel Pass that covers unlimited public trains, buses, and boats. The trip opens in Zurich before a train to Lucerne, where you take a cogwheel railway up Mount Rigi and cruise Lake Lucerne. You then ride the GoldenPass Panoramic over the Brünig Pass to Interlaken, ascend to the Schilthorn summit by aerial cableway, and continue to Montreux and Zermatt. The Glacier Express carries you from Zermatt through the Rhone valley and over the Oberalp Pass to St. Moritz. On your second day there, the narrow-gauge Bernina Express descends to Tirano, Italy, crossing circular viaducts. The package includes 10 nights in moderate or superior hotels and breakfast each day, with lunch on the Bernina Express day. This trip suits first-time rail travellers drawn to Switzerland's mountain scenery and independent explorers who prefer self-directed journeys over guided tours.

What to know before you look closer

  • The package includes a 15-day Swiss Travel Pass but does not include international flights or airport transfers from Zurich
  • Hotel tiers differ by city: guests select moderate or superior properties at each stop, affecting the final accommodation standard and price
  • Only breakfast is included most days; lunch and dinner are at your own cost except for the meal aboard the Bernina Express on Day 9
  • The trip is winter-themed, though the evidence does not specify snow cover or winter-specific closures; confirm seasonal conditions with Vacations By Rail before booking

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Lucerne

    Zürich / Lucerne

    Arrive in Zürich and travel by train to Lucerne; check in with the remainder of the day at leisure.

    Meals: Breakfast

  2. Day 2railovernight: Lucerne

    Mount Rigi Excursion

    Lake Lucerne boat cruise, then the Mt. Rigi cogwheel railway from Vitznau to Rigi Kulm for a 360-degree panorama; return via Arth-Goldau by train to Lucerne.

    Meals: Breakfast

  3. Day 3railovernight: Interlaken

    GoldenPass Panoramic to Interlaken

    Train over the Brünig Pass and past Lake Brienz to Interlaken, between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz.

    Meals: Breakfast

  4. Day 4overnight: Interlaken

    Excursion to Schilthorn

    Aerial cableway from Stechelberg in the Lauterbrunnen valley to the Schilthorn summit (2970m) for a 360-degree panorama, including the Bond World 007 exhibition.

    Meals: Breakfast

  5. Day 5railovernight: Montreux

    GoldenPass Line to Montreux

    Train along Lake Thun to the Simmen valley, Gstaad, and the Pays d'Enhaut, arriving in Montreux.

    Meals: Breakfast

  6. Day 6railovernight: Zermatt

    Montreux / Zermatt

    Train from Montreux to Zermatt or Brig; free time on arrival at the foot of the Matterhorn.

    Meals: Breakfast

  7. Day 7railovernight: Zermatt

    Gornergrat Excursion

    Unguided mountain excursion aboard a cogwheel train up to the Gornergrat for views of the Matterhorn.

    Meals: Breakfast

  8. Day 8railovernight: St. Moritz

    Glacier Express to St. Moritz

    Panorama-carriage Glacier Express along the Rhone valley, over the Oberalp Pass and through the Rhine Gorge to St. Moritz.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

  9. Day 9railovernight: St. Moritz

    Bernina Express

    Narrow-gauge Bernina Express over circular viaducts and through tunnels to Tirano, Italy, with lunch, then return to St. Moritz by regional train.

    Meals: Breakfast

  10. Day 10railovernight: Zürich

    St. Moritz / Zürich

    Train from St. Moritz to Zürich.

    Meals: Breakfast

  11. Day 11

    Departure

    Final breakfast before the trip concludes.

    Meals: Breakfast

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Mount Rigi cogwheel railway ascent from Vitznau to Rigi Kulm for a 360-degree panorama, followed by a Lake Lucerne boat cruise
  • Day 4Aerial cableway from Lauterbrunnen valley to the Schilthorn summit at 2970 meters, with views and the Bond World 007 exhibition
  • Day 8Glacier Express in a panorama carriage travels the Rhone valley, over the Oberalp Pass, and through the Rhine Gorge to St. Moritz
  • Day 9Bernina Express narrow-gauge train crosses circular viaducts and tunnels from St. Moritz to Tirano, Italy, with lunch included

Included

  • Hotel accommodations for 10 nights
  • 11 meals
  • 15-day Swiss Travel Pass, permitting unlimited travel on public trains, buses and boats

Not included

  • Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour but can be arranged
  • Flights and Airport transfers not included

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included in the price?
Yes. The package includes a 15-day Swiss Travel Pass, which permits unlimited travel on public trains, buses, and boats throughout Switzerland.
Are these tours guided or independent?
Vacations By Rail describes this as an independent rail vacation. You travel on your own following a detailed itinerary; there is no tour guide accompanying you. Excursions to Mount Rigi, Schilthorn, and Gornergrat are unguided but accessible from your hotel bases.
Which trains are included?
The itinerary features the GoldenPass Panoramic, Mt. Rigi cogwheel railway, Glacier Express, Bernina Express, and Gornergrat railway. Regional trains connect the main cities.
What is the accommodation standard?
Hotels are offered in two tiers at each stop: moderate and superior. Examples include Hotel De la Paix or Ameron Hotel Flora Luzern in Lucerne, Hotel Crystal or Hotel Bellevue in Interlaken, and Hotel Reine Victoria or Unique Hotel Eden in St. Moritz.
What meals are provided?
Breakfast is provided every day (11 meals total). Lunch is included on Day 9 aboard the Bernina Express. All other lunches and dinners are at your own expense.
How much walking or physical activity is involved?
Days involve standard station walking and luggage handling. Excursions use cogwheel railways and an aerial cableway, with the Schilthorn summit at 2970 meters. A review notes the hotels are conveniently close to train stations.

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