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Tailor Made Rail · Tailor-made independent rail holiday

Lake Como via the Bernina Express

Eight-day independent rail loop from London through Swiss Alps to Lake Como

Illustration of Lake Como via the Bernina Express

Tailor Made Rail operates this eight-day independent rail holiday connecting London to Freiburg im Breisgau through Switzerland and Italy. You depart London on mid-morning Eurostar, cross France by TGV, and arrive in the Swiss mountain town of Chur by evening. The following day brings the signature moment: the Bernina Express climbs south through the Alps past the Landwasser Viaduct into Italian-speaking Tirano, followed by a local train and boat journey down the full length of Lake Como. Four unhurried days follow in Como town, with boats available to visit millionaires' villas at Cernobbio, the villages of Menaggio and Bellagio, and surrounding lakeside towns. On day seven, you board a Swiss EuroCity train northward alongside Lake Lugano, cross the Gotthard Pass, and arrive in Freiburg im Breisgau at the edge of Germany's Black Forest. The return journey on day eight follows high-speed rail back to London. Seven nights in hand-picked hotels with breakfast, all standard-class rail travel with seat reservations, and detailed travel documentation are included.

What to know before you look closer

  • Hotels are noted 'or similar', meaning your final accommodation in each town depends on the tier and availability at the time of booking.
  • Single supplements apply for sole occupancy; the price is based on two people sharing a twin or double room.
  • Supplements may apply during peak periods, particularly at short notice.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: ABC Swiss Quality Hotel Chur (or similar)

    London to Chur

    Mid-morning Eurostar from London to Paris, transfer to the Gare de Lyon for a TGV Lyria service to Basel, then a Swiss domestic InterCity across northern Switzerland to Chur.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Barchetta Excelsior Hotel (or similar), Como

    Bernina Express and Lake Como

    Board the Bernina Express south via St Moritz into Italy, past the Landwasser Viaduct, terminating in Tirano. Join a local Italian train southwest towards Lake Como and connect at Colico with a boat down the length of the lake.

  3. Day 3overnight: Barchetta Excelsior Hotel (or similar), Como

    Lake Como

    Explore Lake Como, with boats to Cernobbio's millionaires' villas, the resorts of Moltrasio or Faggeto Lario, and the towns of Menaggio and Bellagio.

  4. Day 4overnight: Barchetta Excelsior Hotel (or similar), Como

    Lake Como

    Further day exploring the towns and villages around Lake Como.

  5. Day 5overnight: Barchetta Excelsior Hotel (or similar), Como

    Lake Como

    Further day exploring the towns and villages around Lake Como.

  6. Day 6overnight: Barchetta Excelsior Hotel (or similar), Como

    Lake Como

    Final full day at leisure around Lake Como.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Novotel Konzerthaus (or similar), Freiburg im Breisgau

    Como to Freiburg via the Gotthard Pass

    Board a Swiss EuroCity train north through the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, alongside Lake Lugano and up over the Gotthard Pass, then a German ICE train across the Rhine at Basel into Freiburg im Breisgau.

  8. Day 8rail

    Freiburg to London

    Leave Freiburg for Mannheim, then a high-speed TGV to Paris and a connecting Eurostar back to London St Pancras.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Board the Bernina Express south from Chur past the Landwasser Viaduct into Italy, then transfer to a local train and ferry boat down the length of Lake Como.
  • Day 3Explore Lake Como by boat to Cernobbio's millionaires' villas and the towns of Menaggio and Bellagio.
  • Day 7Travel by Swiss EuroCity train northward alongside Lake Lugano and over the Gotthard Pass into Freiburg im Breisgau at the edge of the Black Forest.

Included

  • All rail journeys, in standard class
  • Seat reservations where required
  • 7 nights' hand-picked hotel accommodation with breakfast
  • Easy-to-follow travel documentation
  • Despatch of tickets by email
  • Proactive rerouting in case of strikes or disruptions

Questions travellers ask

Is all the train travel included?
Yes, all rail journeys in standard class are included, plus seat reservations where required. Optional upgrades to First Class are available from £150 per person.
Is this trip escorted or independent?
This is an independent rail holiday. You receive easy-to-follow travel documentation and tickets by email, and Tailor Made Rail provides proactive rerouting if there are strikes or disruptions, but you travel at your own pace.
What is included in the price?
All rail journeys in standard class, seat reservations, seven nights of hand-picked hotel accommodation with breakfast, travel documentation, and ticket despatch.
How many nights are spent in Lake Como?
Five nights at the Barchetta Excelsior Hotel (or similar), allowing four full days to explore the towns and villages around the lake.
Can I customize this itinerary?
Yes. Tailor Made Rail offers optional extras including luggage transfers, route adaptations to suit your plans, and the ability to add extra nights, destinations, or tours.
When does this trip run?
Tailor Made Rail offers three price tiers: low season (November to March, from £1,199), shoulder season (April, July, August, from £1,649), and high season (May, June, September, October, from £1,849 per person).

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