How much does it cost?

From £1,199 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $1,620 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is train travel included?

Yes. The package includes Standard Class rail travel with seat reservations on the Eurostar from London to Paris, TGV Lyria from Paris to Basel, regional service through the Gotthard Alpine Route to Lugano, and TGV from Zurich to Dijon.

Is this trip escorted or independent?

It is independent. Tailor Made Rail provides easy-to-follow travel documentation and comprehensive directions to hotels, but you arrange your own activities and sightseeing.

Tailor Made Rail · Tailor-made independent rail holiday

Lake Lugano by Rail

London to Lake Lugano by train, four nights on the shore.

Tailor Made Rail's Lake Lugano by Rail is a seven-day independent journey from London to the Italian-speaking shores of Lake Lugano in Switzerland's Ticino region. You travel by Eurostar to Paris, then high-speed TGV to Basel for an overnight stay, before heading south through the dramatic alpine Gotthard route and the Gotthard Base Tunnel to Paradiso, your lakeside base for four leisurely days. The itinerary gives you freedom to explore on your own: take mountain views from Monte Bré, visit the villages of Morcote and Gandria by boat, or simply wander the lakefront promenade and local squares. After Lake Lugano, you return north by train to a final night in Dijon before heading home. The package includes all Standard Class rail travel with seat reservations, six nights in handpicked hotels with breakfast, and detailed travel documentation to guide you between trains and hotels.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has held at £1,199 every time.

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

All hotels are listed as 'or similar', meaning your final accommodation may differ from those named.
Single supplements apply if you travel alone; the package pricing is for two people sharing a double or twin room.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Hotel Gaia (or similar), Basel
London to Basel
Catch a Eurostar service from London St Pancras to Paris and connect onto the high-speed TGV Lyria service to Basel, arriving in the early evening.
Day 2overnight: Admiral Hotel (or similar), Paradiso, Lugano
Basel to Lugano
Free morning in Basel, then head back to the station for the journey along the Gotthard Alpine Route to Lugano, via Lake Lucerne and the Gotthard Base Tunnel. A short regional service takes you around the lake to Paradiso.
Day 3overnight: Admiral Hotel (or similar), Paradiso, Lugano
Lake Lugano
Enjoy Lake Lugano, with views from Monte Bré or San Salvatore, or a boat to the villages of Morecote and Gandria.
Day 4overnight: Admiral Hotel (or similar), Paradiso, Lugano
Lake Lugano
Further day at leisure on Lake Lugano, with the lakefront promenade and local piazzas.
Day 5overnight: Admiral Hotel (or similar), Paradiso, Lugano
Lake Lugano
Final full day exploring Lake Lugano and the wider Ticino region.
Day 6railovernight: Oceania le Jura (or similar), Dijon
Lugano to Dijon
Return to the station after breakfast and catch a train north to Zurich, then switch to a high-speed TGV service across the French border to Dijon.
Day 7
Dijon to London
Leisurely morning in Dijon before the return journey via Paris to the UK.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 2Travel along the Gotthard Alpine Route via Lake Lucerne and the Gotthard Base Tunnel to reach Lugano, then take a short regional service around the lake to Paradiso.
Day 3Explore Lake Lugano from your Paradiso base, with optional mountain views from Monte Bré or San Salvatore, or a boat trip to the villages of Morcote and Gandria.

Included

Standard Class rail travel with seat reservations
6 nights' handpicked hotel accommodation with breakfast
Comprehensive directions to your hotels
Easy-to-follow travel documentation
Despatch of tickets by email, post or collection from our London office

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £1,199 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $1,620 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is train travel included?: Yes. The package includes Standard Class rail travel with seat reservations on the Eurostar from London to Paris, TGV Lyria from Paris to Basel, regional service through the Gotthard Alpine Route to Lugano, and TGV from Zurich to Dijon.
Is this trip escorted or independent?: It is independent. Tailor Made Rail provides easy-to-follow travel documentation and comprehensive directions to hotels, but you arrange your own activities and sightseeing.