How much does it cost?

From £1,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $2,700 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is this trip escorted?

Yes. Great Rail Journeys provides an experienced Tour Manager and Cruise Director team throughout the eight days.

MS Amadeus Amara, a five-star river cruise vessel. You sleep onboard every night of the cruise.

What meals and drinks are included?

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included daily. A drinks package accompanies dinner every night, including a spectacular gala dinner.

Which excursions are included?

Included excursions are the Amsterdam canal boat cruise, Cologne city tour with beer tasting, Drachenfels Cog Railway, and guided Heidelberg tour including castle visit. In Rüdesheim and Strasbourg, you choose between two options each (wine tasting or museum in Rüdesheim; city tour or Black Forest excursion in Strasbourg).

When does the trip run?

Three departures are scheduled: May 2027, June 2027 and July 2027.

Great Rail Journeys · River cruise

The Romantic Rhine: Amsterdam to Basel - Fly

River cruise through four countries from Amsterdam to Basel aboard luxury ship

Great Rail Journeys operates this eight-day escorted river cruise aboard the five-star MS Amadeus Amara, flying you from London Heathrow to Amsterdam and returning from Basel. The ship carries you through four countries, the Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland, with seven nights onboard and included meals and drinks at every turn. Days follow a leisurely rhythm: sail through the morning, arrive for lunch and an afternoon excursion, return for dinner. Day 3 takes you to Cologne for a guided city tour and German beer tasting beside the Gothic cathedral. Day 4 includes the Drachenfels Cog Railway, ascending the mountain past a fairytale castle to sweeping Rhine Valley views. Day 5 drifts through the romantic Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage site lined with vineyards and hilltop castles, arriving in Rüdesheim where you choose between wine tasting and a mechanical music museum. Day 6 visits Heidelberg's ruined red sandstone castle and Old Town. Day 7 offers a choice between the Black Forest and a Strasbourg city tour. This suits luxury-seekers and couples who value all-inclusive comfort, guided structure and historic European scenery without the need to arrange transport or meals.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has fallen £500 since 4 Jul, to £1,999.

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. 3 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

The single supplement starts at GBP 3,699 (USD 4,932), substantially above half the double price, making solo travel significantly more expensive.
The optional excursion to Volendam and Edam on Day 2 is not included in the base price.
No current departures are listed beyond May to July 2027.

Day by day

Day 1overnight: MS Amadeus Amara (Amsterdam)
Flight to Amsterdam and boarding our luxurious ship
Meet the Tour Manager at London Heathrow for a flight to Amsterdam Schiphol. Transfer to the ship, greeted with a welcome cocktail, then settle in before the first dinner together, accompanied by a traditional Dutch sea shanty choir.
Day 2overnight: MS Amadeus Amara (sailing the Lower Rhine)
Amsterdam canal boat cruise and optional trip to Volendam
Breakfast onboard, then a sightseeing canal boat cruise of Amsterdam, or an optional excursion to the cheese towns of Volendam and Edam. Begin the first cruise of the holiday, sailing through the Lower Rhine with dinner onboard.
Day 3overnight: MS Amadeus Amara (Cologne)
Exploring the historic city of Cologne
Sail toward Cologne, arriving around lunchtime, then take a guided tour of its squares, Romanesque townhouses and the UNESCO-listed cathedral, followed by a local beer tasting. Return to the ship for dinner while moored overnight in Cologne.
Day 4railovernight: MS Amadeus Amara (sailing toward Koblenz)
Riding the scenic Drachenfelsbahn
Sail south past Bonn to Königswinter for a trip on the Drachenfels Cog Railway, passing Drachenburg Castle en route to panoramic views over the Rhine-Westphalia region. Depart in the evening, sailing toward Koblenz with dinner onboard, passing the world's highest cold-water geyser near Andernach.
Day 5overnight: MS Amadeus Amara (Rüdesheim)
Through the magical Rhine Gorge to Rüdesheim
Free time to explore Koblenz, including the Deutsches Eck and Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. Sail through the UNESCO-listed Rhine Gorge past vineyards, hilltop castles and the Lorelei Rock, then dock in Rüdesheim for a choice of wine tasting or a visit to Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet, with free time to explore the Drosselgasse after dinner.
Day 6overnight: MS Amadeus Amara (sailing upstream)
Along the Upper Rhine to Heidelberg and Speyer
Arrive in Mannheim after breakfast and travel by coach to Heidelberg for a guided tour including the ruined red sandstone castle. Sail on to Speyer in the afternoon to explore its Old Town and 11th-century UNESCO-listed cathedral, before returning to the ship for dinner and an overnight sail upstream.
Day 7overnight: MS Amadeus Amara (sailing toward Switzerland)
Reaching Strasbourg and optional Black Forest excursion
Sail into Strasbourg after breakfast for a choice of excursions: a trip into the Black Forest, or a city tour of Strasbourg including its cathedral and La Petite France district. Return to the ship for lunch and begin the final cruise toward Switzerland.
Day 8
Homeward bound
Disembark after breakfast and transfer to Basel airport for the flight back to London Heathrow.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 3Guided tour of Cologne Cathedral, the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe, begun in 1248, followed by a local beer tasting.
Day 4Ride the Drachenfels Cog Railway from Königswinter past Drachenburg Castle to the mountain summit for panoramic views across the Rhine Valley.
Day 5Drift through the romantic Rhine Gorge UNESCO World Heritage site, hearing the legend of the Lorelei Rock, before docking in Rüdesheim.
Day 6Guided tour of Heidelberg's Old Town, riverfront and the magnificent ruined red sandstone castle.

Included

Escorted throughout your tour by an experienced Tour Manager/Cruise Director team
7-night cruise onboard MS Amadeus Amara
Five-star service onboard
Complimentary onboard Wi-Fi
Flights from London Heathrow to Amsterdam, Basel to London Heathrow
Regional departures available
Breakfast, lunch and dinner each day including a spectacular gala dinner
Drinks package with dinner every night of your cruise
Superb excursions included

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £1,999 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $2,700 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is this trip escorted?: Yes. Great Rail Journeys provides an experienced Tour Manager and Cruise Director team throughout the eight days.
What ship is used?: MS Amadeus Amara, a five-star river cruise vessel. You sleep onboard every night of the cruise.
What meals and drinks are included?: Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included daily. A drinks package accompanies dinner every night, including a spectacular gala dinner.
Which excursions are included?: Included excursions are the Amsterdam canal boat cruise, Cologne city tour with beer tasting, Drachenfels Cog Railway, and guided Heidelberg tour including castle visit. In Rüdesheim and Strasbourg, you choose between two options each (wine tasting or museum in Rüdesheim; city tour or Black Forest excursion in Strasbourg).
When does the trip run?: Three departures are scheduled: May 2027, June 2027 and July 2027.