Planet Rail · Tailor-made rail holiday

Lake Maggiore & Locarno by First Class Rail

Lake Maggiore & Locarno by First Class Rail, a rail journey with Planet Rail

Travel to the stunning shores of Lake Maggiore by first-class rail, where Italian elegance meets breathtaking alpine scenery.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Montreux (Grand Hotel Suisse Majestic)

    By rail to Switzerland

    Begin at the wonderfully restored London St Pancras station and board the Eurostar service, with a complimentary light meal and beverages in Standard Premier Class as you travel to Paris at speeds of nearly 300km/h. A private taxi transfer meets you at the Gare du Nord and takes you across central Paris to the connecting TGV Lyria service at the Gare de Lyon. Change trains at Lausanne for the next stage through Switzerland, alongside Lake Geneva, to the lakeside town of Montreux. The Grand Hotel Suisse Majestic (4 star superior), opposite the train station, is your hotel for the next two nights.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Montreux (Grand Hotel Suisse Majestic)

    Montreux and the surrounding area

    A full day in the cosmopolitan resort of Montreux, best explored on foot from your hotel along the lakeside promenade of cypresses, magnolias and palm trees. Options include a visit to the Château de Chillon, one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Europe, the cogwheel train up Rochers-de-Naye for panoramic views from 2,042m, the Golden Panoramic Express towards Interlaken, the mountain train to 'Glacier 3000' via Aigle and Les Diablerets, or a steamboat cruise on Lake Geneva.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Locarno (Hotel Belvedere)

    Montreux to Locarno via the Simplon Pass and the Centovalli Railway

    Some time to enjoy Montreux before returning to the station for the scenic rail journey along the Simplon Pass to Domodossola. Board the narrow gauge Centovalli Railway for an unforgettable journey across viaducts and bridges through a hundred valleys, arriving in Locarno on the northern shore of Lake Maggiore, Italy's second largest lake. Your hotel for the next 4 nights is the Hotel Belvedere (4 star superior).

  4. Day 4railovernight: Locarno (Hotel Belvedere)

    Lake Maggiore and Stresa (supplements apply)

    Head south by ferry (payable locally) to the Italian resort of Stresa. Visit Lake Maggiore's islands, including Isola Bella and the Borromeo Palace with its Italian gardens, on a lake cruise (payable locally), then rejoin the ferry back to Locarno. Alternatively, take the westbound Centovalli Railway journey to Stresa via Domodossola, or relax at the hotel's indoor and outdoor pools.

  5. Day 5overnight: Locarno (Hotel Belvedere)

    Locarno, Ascona, Bellinzona and Lugano with your Ticino Ticket

    Explore Locarno's mix of Swiss and Italian cultures, or the lakeside town of Ascona further along Lake Maggiore. Use your Ticino Ticket to travel free on public transport throughout the canton of Ticino, perhaps to Bellinzona to stroll the old town, visit the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, or the UNESCO World Heritage Fortress of Bellinzona.

  6. Day 6overnight: Locarno (Hotel Belvedere)

    Locarno, Ascona, Bellinzona and Lugano with your Ticino Ticket

    Make your way to Lugano with its sunny, Mediterranean feel: the historic city centre, the Piazza della Riforma, the surrounding mountains such as Monte Brè or Monte San Salvatore, or a Lake Lugano cruise to Gandria or Morcote. Visit the Hermann Hesse museum in nearby Montagnola, where the German-Swiss poet and writer created some of his most memorable works.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Turin (Grand Hotel Sitea)

    Lake Maggiore to Turin

    After breakfast, make your way to Locarno station and join the regional service to Milan, where you change onto the Eurostar Italia service directly to Turin. On arrival at Porta Nuova station, make your way to the Grand Hotel Sitea (5 star) for your overnight stay. Discover Turin, setting of the classic British film The Italian Job: the Mole Antonelliana, the Palatine Towers, Turin Cathedral, the Palazzo Reale, the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy, and the Botanical Gardens of Turin University. Choose from a wide selection of restaurants for dinner.

  8. Day 8rail

    Turin to London - Homeward bound

    After a leisurely breakfast, make your own way by taxi or public transport (payable locally) to Turin Porta Susa station to join the TGV for the first-class journey back to Paris, travelling north-west through the Alps past Mont Blanc. At the Gare de Lyon a taxi driver takes you across Paris to the Gare du Nord for the final Eurostar service, with a light meal and hot drink included, arriving back into London St Pancras International.

Included

  • First Class rail travel throughout
  • 2 nights in a double room at the Grand Hotel Suisse Majestic (4 star superior) in Montreux
  • 4 nights in a comfort chic lake view room at the Hotel Belvedere (4 star superior) in Locarno
  • 1 night in a double room at the Grand Hotel Sitea (5 star) in Turin
  • Ticino Ticket for free public transport (buses and trains) throughout the canton of Ticino during the Locarno stay

Not included

  • Day 4 ferry and lake cruise to Stresa and the Borromean Islands (payable locally)
  • Entry to Isola Bella / Borromeo Palace (payable locally)
  • Taxi or public transport to Turin Porta Susa station on Day 8 (payable locally)

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