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Ffestiniog Travel · Escorted tour

Swiss Mountains & Lakes

14-day escorted rail tour of Swiss Alps, mountain railways and lakes

Illustration of Swiss Mountains & Lakes

Ffestiniog Travel's Swiss Mountains and Lakes is a 14-day escorted tour that loops through Switzerland's most celebrated peaks and lakes, starting in Cologne and ending on Mount Pilatus. The tour is built around nine specialist mountain railways including Europe's oldest rack railway on Mount Rigi and the world's steepest rack railway on Mount Pilatus, each engineered to climb angles that defy gravity. You travel with a tour leader from London and stay in good quality hotels, with a 15-day First Class Swiss Travel Pass included for unlimited regional rail journeys. The rhythm alternates between mountain days (cogwheel rides to summits, funicular ascents, views of the Matterhorn from the Gornergrat) and water days (four paddle steamer cruises on Lake Geneva, Lake Brienz, Lake Thunersee, and Lake Lucerne). Five nights in Interlaken provide a base for day excursions into the Jungfrau region, while single or brief stays in Cologne, Lausanne, Lucerne, and Brussels allow exploration of the cities en route. This tour suits repeat rail travellers and photographers seeking Alpine scenery and engineering heritage, as well as couples preferring guided comfort and set itineraries.

What to know before you look closer

  • Only one departure is currently listed (September 2026) and it is marked sold out; confirm availability with Ffestiniog Travel before booking.
  • The from-price covers the tour package and includes rail travel in Standard Class plus a First Class Swiss Travel Pass; a GBP 200 deposit is required.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Cologne

    London to Cologne

    A mid-morning departure by Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels then onwards to Cologne where we have an overnight stay.

  2. Day 2overnight: Lausanne

    To Lausanne

    We continue to Lausanne via Basle and Bern, travelling in First Class from Basle onwards using our unlimited travel pass. The afternoon is free to explore, including Chateau Saint-Maire and the Cathedral.

  3. Day 3overnight: Lausanne

    Mountain Railways

    We head to Agile to ride mountain railways up to Leysin and Les Diablerets, then to Bex in the afternoon to climb to the high mountain pass of Col-de-Bretaye (about 1500m).

  4. Day 4railovernight: Lausanne

    Les Pléades & Blonay-Chamby

    A journey to Puidoux to ride the ‘Train des Vignes’ through the vineyards to Vevey, then the Vevey to Les Pléades line (1348m), visiting the Blonay-Chamby Museum Railway. Return via paddle steamer on Lake Geneva.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Interlaken

    Golden Panoramic Express

    We head to Montreaux and change onto the Golden Panoramic Express to Interlaken for a 5-night stay, with an afternoon excursion on the funicular up to Harder Kulm.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Interlaken

    Brienzer Rothorn & Lake Brienz

    A short journey to Brienz to ride the Brienz Rothorn Bahn, an oil-fired steam cogwheel railway to just below the peak (2,224m), then a lake cruise across Lake Brienz back to Interlaken.

  7. Day 7overnight: Interlaken

    Jungfrau Region

    Exploring the Jungfrau region’s mountain railways and funiculars, visiting Murren and Allmendhubel, returning via Kleine Scheidegg and Grindelwald.

  8. Day 8railovernight: Interlaken

    Zermatt & Gornergrat

    A day trip to Zermatt, taking the funicular railway up the Gornergrat (3100m) with views of the Matterhorn.

  9. Day 9railovernight: Interlaken

    Schynige Platte & Lake Thunersee

    We travel to Wilderswil for a return journey on the Schynige Platte Railway (1420m) then a paddle steamer trip on Lake Thunersee.

  10. Day 10overnight: Lucerne

    Lucerne

    A journey over the scenic Brünig line takes us to Lucerne for a 3-night stay. The afternoon is free to explore.

  11. Day 11railovernight: Lucerne

    Mount Rigi and Stoosbahn

    A paddle steamer trip on Lake Lucerne to Vitznau, then the summit of Mount Rigi on Europe’s oldest rack railway, followed by the world’s steepest funicular railway.

  12. Day 12railovernight: Lucerne

    Stanserhorn & Mount Pilatus

    Rail to Stans, funicular to the summit of the Stanserhorn, then the world’s first CabriO cable car, before the summit of Mount Pilatus on the world’s steepest rack railway, returning via cable car and trolleybus.

  13. Day 13overnight: Brussels

    To Brussels

    We leave Lucerne and make our way to Brussels via Basle and Frankfurt, arriving at dinner time for a 1-night stay.

  14. Day 14rail

    Homeward Bound

    After breakfast we head to the station to take a mid-morning Eurostar service back to London.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 4Day 4: ride the Train des Vignes through vineyards to Vevey, then ascend to Les Pléades on the Vevey-Les Pléades line, visit the Blonay-Chamby Museum Railway, and return by paddle steamer across Lake Geneva.
  • Day 6Day 6: travel to Brienz to ride the oil-fired Brienz Rothorn Bahn, a steam cogwheel railway to 2,224 metres, then cruise across Lake Brienz back to Interlaken.
  • Day 8Day 8: day trip to Zermatt with a funicular railway ascent of the Gornergrat (3,100m) for views of the Matterhorn.
  • Day 11Day 11: paddle steamer on Lake Lucerne to Vitznau, then ascend Mount Rigi on Europe's oldest rack railway, followed by the world's steepest funicular.
  • Day 12Day 12: rail to Stans, funicular to Stanserhorn summit, then Mount Pilatus on the world's steepest rack railway via the first CabriO cable car, returning by cable car and trolleybus.

Included

  • Rail travel to and from Switzerland in Standard Class
  • 15 day First Class Swiss Travel Pass
  • Excursions as listed
  • Accommodation in good quality hotels on a bed and breakfast basis
  • All local taxes/fees
  • Services of a tour leader from London and throughout the tour

Questions travellers ask

Which trains are included?
A 15-day First Class Swiss Travel Pass for unlimited regional rail travel in Switzerland, plus nine named excursions: the Golden Panoramic Express, Brienz Rothorn Bahn (steam cogwheel), Gornergrat Bahn, Schynige Platte Railway, Rigi Bahn (Europe's oldest rack railway), Mount Pilatus railway (world's steepest rack railway), Blonay-Chamby Museum Railway, and funicular railways at Stanserhorn and other locations.
Is this an escorted tour?
Yes. Ffestiniog Travel provides a tour leader from London at the start and throughout the entire 14-day journey.
What accommodation is included?
Good quality hotels on a bed and breakfast basis: City Class am Dom (Cologne, 1 night), Hotel Continental (Lausanne, 1 night), Hotel Carlton Europe (Interlaken, 5 nights), Hotel Waldstaetterhof (Lucerne, 3 nights), and Ibis Brussels Centre Gare du Midi (Brussels, 1 night).
What other activities are included?
Four paddle steamer journeys on Swiss lakes (Lake Geneva, Lake Brienz, Lake Thunersee, Lake Lucerne), multiple mountain railway excursions, and a funicular trip to Harder Kulm. The afternoon of Day 2 in Lausanne and the afternoon of Day 10 in Lucerne are free to explore.
How much walking is there?
The itinerary involves city walking in Cologne, Lausanne, Interlaken, Lucerne, and Brussels, plus multiple journeys on mountain railways, funiculars, and cogwheel trains to high altitudes (up to 3,100m). This is a Level 2 activity with moderate physical demands.

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