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railtour suisse · Individual rail tour

Grand Train Tour of Switzerland «Stunning Waters»

Three-day Swiss rail trip on the Voralpen Express to the Rhine Falls

Illustration of Grand Train Tour of Switzerland «Stunning Waters»

railtour suisse runs this three-day, two-night independent rail holiday from Lucerne to Schaffhausen in Switzerland, with train travel included from your home station on a Half Fare Travelcard basis. Day one begins with arrival in Lucerne, where the itinerary calls for a stroll across the Chapel Bridge and through the old town to the Lion Monument. Day two is built around the Voralpen Express, which passes the Mythen mountains and the Rothenthurm moor plateau before crossing the 99-metre-high Sitter viaduct, the highest railway viaduct in Switzerland, on its way to St. Gallen, home to a UNESCO World Heritage Convent. From there the route continues to Schaffhausen for the overnight stop. Day three is dedicated to the Rhine Falls, Switzerland's largest waterfall, reached by a short train ride from Schaffhausen to Neuhausen, before an individual return journey; railtour suisse notes the trip can also run in reverse. The package suits independent travellers who want a short, scenic rail journey through lakes, mountains and a UNESCO town without a guide.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has held at CHF 359 every time.

CHF 399CHF 3594 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. 2 of 5 points are 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.

What to know before you look closer

  • The included train journey to and from your home station in Switzerland is priced on a Half Fare Travelcard basis, so check with railtour suisse how this affects your fare if you do not hold that card.
  • The optional boat trip from Stein am Rhein to Schaffhausen on day 2 only runs from May to September, and the evidence does not give its cost, so confirm current pricing with railtour suisse if you want to add it.
  • The evidence's description of day 2 cuts off mid-sentence after mentioning that optional boat trip, so confirm the exact onward connection to Schaffhausen directly with railtour suisse.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Lucerne

    Arrival in Lucerne

    Train journey to Lucerne, the city in the heart of Switzerland. Stroll across the world-famous Chapel Bridge, through the winding streets of the old town and visit the Lion Monument. Overnight in Lucerne.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Schaffhausen

    Lucerne – Voralpen Express – St. Gallen – Stein am Rhein – Schaffhausen (5h50)

    Breakfast at the hotel. Rail journey with the Voralpen-Express. Starting from the shores of Lake Lucerne the train takes you past the Mythen mountains and the glorious Rothenthurm moor plateau as it heads to Rapperswil. The train traverses the 99 metre high Sitter viaduct and the rolling landscape of «Toggenburg». After a little over two hours you reach Eastern Switzerland's urban centre of St. Gallen whose Convent is a UNESCO world heritage site. After reaching St. Gallen, onward journey to Schaffhausen (May to September, optional boat trip from Stein am Rhein to Schaffhausen). Overnight in Schaffhausen.

  3. Day 3rail

    Rhine Falls and return journey

    Breakfast at the hotel. Today you visit the Rhine Falls which is the largest waterfall of Switzerland and among the 3 largest waterfalls of Europe. From Schaffhausen it is only 7 minutes train ride to Neuhausen where the Rhine Fall is situated. After the trip to the Rhine Fall, individual return journey. This tour can also be booked in the opposite direction.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1Arrival in Lucerne includes a stroll across the Chapel Bridge and through the old town's winding streets to the Lion Monument.
  • Day 2The Voralpen Express passes the Mythen mountains and the Rothenthurm moor plateau, then crosses the 99-metre-high Sitter viaduct, the highest railway viaduct in Switzerland, on the way to St. Gallen.
  • Day 3A 7-minute train ride from Schaffhausen to Neuhausen for a visit to the Rhine Falls, the largest waterfall in Switzerland and among the three largest in Europe.

Included

  • Train journey in 2nd class from/to domicile, Half Fare Travelcard basis
  • 1 night in Lucerne, 3*-hotel, standard double room with breakfast
  • 1 night in Schaffhausen, 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 359 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $440 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. Second class train travel from your home station in Switzerland is included, on a Half Fare Travelcard basis, covering the Voralpen Express and the connecting regional trains.
Which trains are used?
The Voralpen Express from Lucerne via Rapperswil to St. Gallen, a regional train from St. Gallen via Stein am Rhein to Schaffhausen, and a regional train from Schaffhausen to Neuhausen for the Rhine Falls.
What hotels are included?
One night in a 3-star hotel in Lucerne and one night in a 3-star hotel in Schaffhausen, both standard double rooms with breakfast.
Is this a guided tour or independent travel?
It is an independent rail holiday. Day 3 is described as an individual return journey, and the tour can be booked in the opposite direction.
Is there a boat trip?
An optional boat trip from Stein am Rhein to Schaffhausen is available on day 2, but only from May to September.

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