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Authentic Europe · Self-guided

London, Paris & Switzerland in a Nutshell

Self-guided rail trip from London and Paris to Switzerland's Top of Europe

Illustration of London, Paris & Switzerland in a Nutshell

Authentic Europe operates this 12-day, 11-night self-guided rail trip from London to the Swiss Alps, using the Eurostar to reach Paris and a further train on to Zurich before the route continues to Lucerne and Interlaken. Three nights each in London and Paris give time to explore both capitals, with optional day tours available to the Cotswolds, Stonehenge, and Oxford from London, and to Normandy, Champagne, and the Loire from Paris. In Switzerland, the trip includes the Interlaken Express, a panoramic train route near Lucerne and Interlaken, and a day trip on the Jungfrau Railway up to Jungfraujoch, marketed as the Top of Europe. Because the trip is self-guided, there is no tour escort; Authentic Europe instead supplies electronic travel documents and 24/7 emergency phone support. This suits independent travelers who want to combine city time in London and Paris with a named sequence of Swiss mountain trains, rather than a single point-to-point journey.

What to know before you look closer

  • Tourist taxes are not included in the price and must be paid locally.
  • Optional day tours to the Cotswolds, Stonehenge, and Oxford (day 3), and to Normandy, Champagne, and the Loire (day 6), are extra-cost add-ons, not included in the base package.
  • The evidence pack does not list current departure dates; confirm scheduling directly with Authentic Europe.

Day by day

  1. Day 1

    Arrival in London

  2. Day 2

    Day at leisure in London

  3. Day 3

    Optional day tours (Cotswolds, Stonehenge, Oxford...)

  4. Day 4rail

    Eurostar train from London to Paris

  5. Day 5

    Day at leisure in Paris

  6. Day 6

    Optional day tours (Normandy, Champagne, Loire...)

  7. Day 7rail

    Train from Paris to Zurich

  8. Day 8

    Visit Zurich and travel to Lucerne

  9. Day 9

    Day at leisure in Lucerne

  10. Day 10rail

    Panoramic train ride on the Interlaken Express

  11. Day 11rail

    Daytrip to Jungfraujoch on the Jungfrau Railway

  12. Day 12

    Final day, return and depart from Zurich

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 4The Eurostar carries travelers from London to Paris.
  • Day 10The Interlaken Express runs a panoramic route near Lucerne and Interlaken.
  • Day 11The Jungfrau Railway climbs to Jungfraujoch, marketed as the Top of Europe.

Included

  • 11 nights hotel accommodation in a standard room with private shower/WC, including breakfast. Tourist taxes are not included and must be paid locally.
  • Rail journeys as per itinerary
  • Excursion to Jungfraujoch - the Top of Europe
  • Electronic travel documentation, including a detailed travel itinerary and travel vouchers
  • 24/7 emergency phone service while travelling

Not included

  • Tourist taxes (paid locally)

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes, rail journeys are included as per the itinerary, including the Eurostar from London to Paris, a train from Paris to Zurich, the Interlaken Express, and the Jungfrau Railway excursion to Jungfraujoch.
Is this trip escorted or independent?
Self-guided; Authentic Europe provides electronic travel documents and a 24/7 emergency phone line rather than a tour escort.
Which trains are used?
The Eurostar, a Paris to Zurich train, the Interlaken Express (a panoramic route near Lucerne and Interlaken), and the Jungfrau Railway to Jungfraujoch.
What hotels are included?
11 nights in standard hotel rooms with private shower or WC and breakfast; tourist taxes are paid locally and not included.
What optional extras can I add?
Optional day tours from London (Cotswolds, Stonehenge, Oxford) and from Paris (Normandy, Champagne, Loire), plus extra nights at any stop.
How much does this trip cost?
Authentic Europe prices this trip from EUR 2,590 per person.

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