How much does it cost?

From £1,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $2,700 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is this an escorted or independent tour?

It is fully escorted. Great Rail Journeys provides a UK Tour Manager for the entire eight days, plus guided tours and excursions throughout.

What is included in the hotel stay?

Seven nights in 3-star hotels: five nights at the family-run Hotel Albula & Julier in Tiefencastel (riverside location), one night near Strasbourg station, and one near Basel station. Breakfast and dinner are included each day, plus a drinks package (beer, wine, soft drinks from 7pm to 9pm with dinner) in Tiefencastel.

What activities are available on free days?

On Days 5 and 6, guests receive a Swiss Half Fare Card for 50% discounted rail, boat, and mountain-railway fares. Day 5 is a free day to explore via Filisur, Bergün, the Zügen Gorge, Davos, or Klosters. Day 6 includes free time in Arosa with a picnic lunch and optional visits to Chur's historic centre and museums.

When does this tour run?

The evidence confirms winter departures; a February 13 departure to Colmar is mentioned, indicating the tour runs in winter months, typically December through March, though specific 2024 or 2025 dates are not listed.

What is not included?

Cancellation and travel insurance are not included. Optional extras available separately include Eurostar Plus Class upgrade, London hotel pre/post tour, and UK rail connections.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

GRJ All Inclusive Glacier Express in Winter

Eight-day Swiss alpine rail tour from London featuring the Glacier Express

Great Rail Journeys runs this eight-day escorted winter tour from London to Zermatt via the Swiss Alps, combining high-speed international rail with some of Europe's most celebrated mountain railway lines. After traveling Eurostar and TGV through Paris to Strasbourg, the group settles into a family-run riverside hotel in Tiefencastel for five nights, using it as a base to explore the Albula Line to St Moritz, the Bernina Express across to Italy, and the Arosa Line from historic Chur. The signature Glacier Express carries guests through snowbound alpine valleys and the Swiss Grand Canyon before the journey home. All breakfasts and dinners are included, along with a drinks package, picnic lunches on free days, a Swiss Half Fare Card for independent exploration, and the expertise of a UK Tour Manager throughout. This tour suits repeat rail travellers seeking multiple UNESCO-listed routes, couples looking for a five-night base, and food-and-wine enthusiasts who value generous included meal service.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has fallen £200 since 4 Jul, to £1,999.

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. 3 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 group is capped at 40 people, not a small group size.
Five nights are based at one hotel with free days; the pace is set by coach and rail transfers on scheduled days.
Only breakfast and lunch on free days (Day 5 and Day 6) come as picnic lunches; other meals are at the hotel or included restaurants.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Strasbourg
London to Strasbourg in Alsace
We meet the Tour Manager at London St Pancras, board the Eurostar to Paris, then switch to the TGV to Strasbourg, checking in near the station before our first dinner together. Note: the 13th February departure overnights in Colmar instead.
Day 2overnight: Tiefencastel
Arrival at your hotel in scenic Switzerland
After a free morning in Strasbourg, we transfer to the station for the journey to Switzerland via Basel and Chur, arriving in Tiefencastel for a five-night stay at a family-run riverside hotel.
Day 3overnight: Tiefencastel
Along the UNESCO-listed Albula Line to St Moritz
We travel the Albula Line to St Moritz, Switzerland's original winter wonderland, with free time to explore its lake, shopping streets and the Diavolezza cable car, before returning to Tiefencastel for dinner.
Day 4railovernight: Tiefencastel
Crossing the Alps to Italy on the Bernina Express
We board the UNESCO-listed Bernina Express, crossing the Landwasser Viaduct and Brusio spiral viaduct into Italy to Tirano, with free time before returning to Tiefencastel by local train for dinner.
Day 5railovernight: Tiefencastel
Alpine scenery or upmarket resorts on a free day
A free day to explore the region, including Filisur, Bergün's Albula Railway Museum, or Davos and Klosters, using the Swiss Half Fare Card.
Day 6overnight: Tiefencastel
Ascending the Arosa Line from historic Chur
We travel to Chur then continue on the Arosa Line, crossing the Langwieser Viaduct to the lakeside resort of Arosa, with free time to explore Chur before returning to Tiefencastel for dinner.
Day 7railovernight: Basel
The incredible Glacier Express and on to Basel
We board the Glacier Express from Tiefencastel, delving into the 'Swiss Grand Canyon' and over the Oberalp Pass to Brig, then change trains for an overnight stay in Basel.
Day 8rail
Homeward bound
We travel from Basel on the TGV to Paris, then transfer to the Eurostar back to London St Pancras.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 3Travel the UNESCO-listed Albula Line from Tiefencastel to St Moritz, crossing deep ravines and scenic viaducts in winter conditions.
Day 4Board the Bernina Express, crossing the Landwasser Viaduct, passing frozen waterfalls, and viewing the Palü Glacier and the spiral viaduct at Brusio.
Day 6Ride the Arosa Line from Chur, climbing over 3,000 feet in 16 miles and crossing the Langwieser Viaduct to the lakeside village of Arosa.
Day 7Board the Glacier Express at Tiefencastel, traveling through snowbound landscapes and the Swiss Grand Canyon to Brig in panoramic carriages.

Included

Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
7 nights' 3-Star hotel accommodation
Eurostar Standard Class rail travel
All rail and coach travel throughout your tour
Breakfast and dinner each day, 5 picnic lunches
Drinks package of beer, wine and soft drinks between 7pm and 9pm with dinner in Tiefencastel
Group luggage transfers between hotels from Tiefencastel to Basel
Swiss Half Fare Card, permitting 50% discounted fares on free days for rail, boat and most mountain railway journeys
All guided tours and excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £1,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $2,700 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is this an escorted or independent tour?: It is fully escorted. Great Rail Journeys provides a UK Tour Manager for the entire eight days, plus guided tours and excursions throughout.
What is included in the hotel stay?: Seven nights in 3-star hotels: five nights at the family-run Hotel Albula & Julier in Tiefencastel (riverside location), one night near Strasbourg station, and one near Basel station. Breakfast and dinner are included each day, plus a drinks package (beer, wine, soft drinks from 7pm to 9pm with dinner) in Tiefencastel.
What activities are available on free days?: On Days 5 and 6, guests receive a Swiss Half Fare Card for 50% discounted rail, boat, and mountain-railway fares. Day 5 is a free day to explore via Filisur, Bergün, the Zügen Gorge, Davos, or Klosters. Day 6 includes free time in Arosa with a picnic lunch and optional visits to Chur's historic centre and museums.
When does this tour run?: The evidence confirms winter departures; a February 13 departure to Colmar is mentioned, indicating the tour runs in winter months, typically December through March, though specific 2024 or 2025 dates are not listed.
What is not included?: Cancellation and travel insurance are not included. Optional extras available separately include Eurostar Plus Class upgrade, London hotel pre/post tour, and UK rail connections.