How much does it cost?

From £3,499 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $4,726 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is this an escorted tour?

Yes. Great Rail Journeys provides an experienced Tour Manager and Cruise Director team throughout the 11 days.

What meals are included?

Breakfast and dinner daily on the rail portion (Days 1-3); breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily on the cruise (Days 4-10), including a gala dinner on Day 10. Breakfast on the final day (Day 11).

What is not included?

Cancellation and travel insurance, and tips or gratuities (at your discretion). Optional excursions and hotel upgrades are available at extra cost.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted Rail & River Cruise

Jungfrau Express & the Majestic Rhine

Swiss Alps rail to Jungfraujoch, then seven-night Rhine river cruise

Great Rail Journeys operates an 11-day escorted tour combining Swiss Alpine rail travel with a seven-night luxury cruise along the Rhine, departing from London. The journey begins with Eurostar and TGV rail to Basel, then continues by train through the Swiss Alps to Interlaken, where passengers spend two nights and ride the Jungfrau Express to Jungfraujoch, Europe's highest railway station, passing through the Eiger and visiting the Aletsch Glacier. From Basel, the tour transfers to MS Amadeus Amara for a downstream cruise through five countries. The ship stops at Strasbourg, Heidelberg, Rüdesheim, Koblenz, and Cologne, each with optional guided tours or independent exploration. Passengers sail through the UNESCO-listed Rhine Gorge past castles and vineyards, ride the Drachenfels Cog Railway to a mountain summit, and enjoy a guided tour of Cologne's 13th-century Gothic cathedral before the cruise ends with an Amsterdam canal sightseeing tour. The package includes all rail and cruise travel, four-star hotel accommodation in Switzerland, onboard five-star service, all meals with a drinks package, and most excursions.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has fallen £700 since 4 Jul, to £3,499.

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

Day 5 and Day 6 offer optional excursions (Black Forest, Heidelberg, or Speyer); your choice affects how you spend those afternoons.
Day 10 offers a choice between a canal sightseeing cruise of Amsterdam or an optional excursion to Volendam and Edam; the canal cruise is included.
Departures listed are May, June, and July 2027 only; confirm availability before booking.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Basel
By rail to Basel for an overnight stay
Meet the Tour Manager at London St Pancras and board the Eurostar to Paris, then continue by rail to Basel, checking into the overnight hotel before the first dinner with the group.
Day 2railovernight: Interlaken
To Interlaken by rail
Travel by rail from Basel to Interlaken, checking into the hotel for a two-night stay with time to explore the town at leisure before dinner.
Day 3railovernight: Interlaken
Riding the Jungfrau Railway to the 'Top of Europe'
Board the Jungfrau Express at Kleine Scheidegg for the journey to Jungfraujoch, with free time at the Sphinx Observatory and Ice Palace, then return to Interlaken via Grindelwald for dinner.
Day 4railovernight: MS Amadeus Amara (sailing to Strasbourg)
Boarding our luxurious ship in Basel
A free morning in Interlaken, then travel by train to Basel to board the MS Amadeus Amara, with a welcome drink and first dinner onboard as the ship sets sail overnight toward Strasbourg.
Day 5overnight: MS Amadeus Amara
Strasbourg and optional excursion into the Black Forest
Choose between an excursion into the Black Forest or a tour of Strasbourg's cathedral and La Petite France district, with free time to explore independently before returning to the ship for dinner.
Day 6overnight: MS Amadeus Amara (Rüdesheim)
Exploring Speyer or Heidelberg
Choose a guided tour of Heidelberg, including its ruined castle, or explore Speyer independently, then sail past Mainz and Wiesbaden to arrive in Rüdesheim for the evening.
Day 7railovernight: MS Amadeus Amara (Koblenz)
From Rüdesheim into the magical Rhine Gorge
A land train into Rüdesheim for a wine tasting or a visit to Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet, then sail through the UNESCO-listed Rhine Gorge past the Lorelei Rock, arriving in Koblenz with time to explore.
Day 8railovernight: MS Amadeus Amara (Cologne)
Riding the scenic Drachenfelsbahn and arrival in Cologne
Sail north from Koblenz, dock in Königswinter for the Drachenfels Cog Railway to the mountain summit, then continue by ship to Cologne for an overnight stay.
Day 9overnight: MS Amadeus Amara (sailing)
Exploring Cologne and onwards to the Netherlands
A guided tour of Cologne including its Gothic cathedral, then return to the ship for an overnight cruise towards the Netherlands.
Day 10overnight: MS Amadeus Amara (Amsterdam)
Exploring Amsterdam or Volendam
Arrive in Amsterdam for a canal sightseeing cruise, or take the optional excursion to Volendam and Edam, before a gala dinner onboard with a Dutch sea shanty choir.
Day 11rail
Homeward bound
Disembark after breakfast and travel to the railway station, heading to Brussels to board the Eurostar back to London St Pancras.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 3Ride the Jungfrau Express from Kleine Scheidegg through a tunnel in the Eiger to Jungfraujoch, Europe's highest railway station, with 360-degree views from the Sphinx Observatory and access to the Aletsch Glacier.
Day 7Cruise through the UNESCO-listed Rhine Gorge past vineyards, hilltop castles, and the legendary Lorelei Rock.
Day 8Ride the Drachenfels Cog Railway, Germany's oldest operational rack railway, past Drachenburg Castle to the summit with views across Rhine-Westphalia.
Day 9Tour Cologne's Gothic cathedral, northern Europe's largest, begun in 1248, with its ornate carvings and stained-glass windows.

Included

Tour Manager/Cruise Director team escorted throughout your tour
3 nights' 4-Star hotel accommodation
7-night cruise onboard MS Amadeus Amara
Five-star service onboard
Complimentary onboard Wi-Fi
Eurostar Standard Class rail travel
All rail and coach travel throughout your tour
Breakfast and dinner each day, 6 lunches including a spectacular gala dinner
Drinks package with dinner every night of your cruise
Complimentary luggage service from your home to the ship and back (one case per cabin)
Swiss Half Fare Card, permitting 50% discounted fares on free days for rail, boat and most mountain railway journeys
Superb excursions included

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour
Tips are not included in the price of the cruise, nor is a daily gratuity added to the bill

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £3,499 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $4,726 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is this an escorted tour?: Yes. Great Rail Journeys provides an experienced Tour Manager and Cruise Director team throughout the 11 days.
What meals are included?: Breakfast and dinner daily on the rail portion (Days 1-3); breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily on the cruise (Days 4-10), including a gala dinner on Day 10. Breakfast on the final day (Day 11).
What is not included?: Cancellation and travel insurance, and tips or gratuities (at your discretion). Optional excursions and hotel upgrades are available at extra cost.