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Tailor Made Rail · Tailor-made independent rail holiday

Lake Orta by Rail

Eight-day independent rail journey from London to Lake Orta and Paris

Illustration of Lake Orta by Rail

Tailor Made Rail offers an eight-day independent rail holiday from London to Lake Orta in northern Italy, returning via Paris. This journey combines high-speed rail with regional trains and five unhurried nights based in Pettenasco, a medieval village on Italy's smallest lake. You travel by Eurostar from St Pancras to Paris, then by TGV through the French Alps and across Switzerland via Basel, passing through the dramatic Lötschberg and Simplon Tunnels before entering Italy. Days three through six are yours to spend at leisure exploring Lake Orta, the harbourside village of Orta San Giulio, the island of San Giulio, and the village of Omegna. On day seven you retrace your route northward, travelling via Lausanne and the Upper Rhône Valley back to Paris for one final night before the Eurostar home. Accommodation is in handpicked three-star hotels with breakfast included. This package suits independent travellers who want a self-guided rail experience with substantial time in one location, couples seeking an unhurried pace, and repeat rail travellers familiar with navigating European train networks.

What to know before you look closer

  • Single supplements apply; the from-price is based on two people sharing a room.
  • Hotels marked 'or similar' may be substituted; confirm your exact properties with Tailor Made Rail.
  • Standard Class rail travel is included; First Class upgrades are available from £150 per person and cost extra.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Hotel Gaia (or similar), Basel

    London to Basel

    Board a Eurostar at St Pancras bound for Paris, connect at the Gare de Lyon and catch a high-speed TGV service to Switzerland, arriving in time for dinner in Basel.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Hotel Giardinetto, Pettenasco

    Basel to Pettenasco

    Catch a train through the Swiss Alps via Bern and Lake Spiez, through the Lötschberg and Simplon Tunnels into Italy, disembarking at Domodossola for a regional train to Pettenasco on Lake Orta.

  3. Day 3overnight: Hotel Giardinetto, Pettenasco

    Lake Orta

    Explore Italy's smallest lake, with the medieval village of Pettenasco, the harbourside village of Orta San Giulio and the island of San Giulio.

  4. Day 4overnight: Hotel Giardinetto, Pettenasco

    Lake Orta

    Further day at leisure around Lake Orta.

  5. Day 5overnight: Hotel Giardinetto, Pettenasco

    Lake Orta

    Further day at leisure around Lake Orta, including a visit to Omegna at the northernmost tip.

  6. Day 6overnight: Hotel Giardinetto, Pettenasco

    Lake Orta

    Final full day exploring Lake Orta.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Observatoire Luxembourg (or similar), Paris

    Pettenasco to Paris

    Early start on a regional train back to Domodossola, a quick connection to Lausanne along the Upper Rhône Valley and Lake Geneva, then a French TGV service to Paris.

  8. Day 8rail

    Paris to London

    Morning stroll in Paris before heading to Gare du Nord for the Eurostar back to St Pancras.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Train journey through the Swiss Alps via Bern and Lake Spiez, then through the Lötschberg and Simplon Tunnels into Italy.
  • Day 3Explore Pettenasco, the medieval village and harbourside village of Orta San Giulio, and the island of San Giulio on Lake Orta.
  • Day 5Visit Omegna at the northernmost tip of Lake Orta during your day at leisure.

Included

  • Standard Class rail travel with seat reservations
  • 7 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

Which trains are included?
Eurostar from London to Paris, TGV high-speed trains from Paris to Basel and Lausanne to Paris, and regional trains through the Swiss Alps and into Italy. All in Standard Class with seat reservations.
Is this an escorted or independent tour?
This is an independent rail holiday. Tailor Made Rail provides comprehensive directions to hotels, easy-to-follow travel documentation, and ticket despatch, but you travel and explore on your own schedule.
What is included in the price?
Standard Class rail travel with seat reservations, seven nights in handpicked hotels with breakfast, comprehensive directions, travel documentation, and ticket despatch.
How many nights do I spend on Lake Orta?
Five nights in Pettenasco at Hotel Giardinetto. You arrive on day two and depart on day seven.
When does this tour run?
Low season pricing (November to March) starts from £1,149 per person. High season pricing (April to October) starts from £1,299 per person.

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