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Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Treasures of Lake Geneva & GoldenPass Express

Nine-day Lake Geneva and Swiss Alps rail tour from London via Eurostar and TGV

Illustration of Treasures of Lake Geneva & GoldenPass Express

Great Rail Journeys operates this nine-day escorted tour departing London and ending in Interlaken, combining First Class rail with two lakeside bases on Lake Geneva. Day 1 takes you by Eurostar Plus and TGV through Paris to Lausanne; Day 2 includes a guided tour of the Old Town's cobblestone streets and the Olympic Museum. You settle into Vevey for six nights starting Day 3, with excursions that include a wine tasting in the UNESCO Lavaux vineyards, a visit to the medieval Château de Chillon and a lake cruise, a cheese and chocolate tasting in Gruyères, and a cogwheel railway ascent of Rochers-de-Naye to an alpine summit. Day 8 features the GoldenPass Express panoramic train from Montreux to Interlaken, winding through vineyards and Swiss mountain terrain. A UK Tour Manager guides the group throughout, handling most logistics, and five dinners are shared at the hotel. This tour suits repeat rail travellers seeking First Class journeys, couples looking for unhurried time in one base, and food-and-wine enthusiasts keen on tastings and regional cooking.

What to know before you look closer

  • The single supplement from GBP 4,249 is 29% above half the double-occupancy price, a significant premium for solo travellers.
  • Day 5 is entirely free with no guided programme; Day 6 includes only breakfast and lunch (fondue tasting), leaving dinner independent.
  • Day 8 requires self-directed rail travel from Interlaken back to Vevey in the afternoon; the itinerary does not detail the return service.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Lausanne

    London to Lausanne

    Meet the Tour Manager and group at London St Pancras and board the Eurostar to Paris in Plus class seats with a light meal. Change trains in Paris and continue via TGV through the French countryside to Lausanne, Switzerland's fourth-largest city on the shores of Lake Geneva. Transfer to the hotel in the heart of Lausanne and enjoy dinner together at the hotel restaurant.

    Meals: Eurostar Light Meal, Dinner

  2. Day 2overnight: Lausanne

    Sightseeing in charming Lausanne

    After breakfast, explore Lausanne on a sightseeing tour with a local guide. Visit the Old Town with its steep cobblestone streets, the Gothic cathedral and 15th-century St-Maire Castle in the Cité District, and Place de la Palud with the City Hall and Justice Fountain. After free time for lunch, visit the Olympic Museum set in a beautiful lakeside park. Evening at leisure to dine independently.

    Meals: Breakfast

  3. Day 3railovernight: Vevey

    Visiting the Lavaux Vineyards en route to Vevey

    Board the train to Rivaz to visit the Lavaux vineyards, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape. Walk to Lavaux Vinorama for a talk and wine tasting. After free time to explore the vineyards, continue by train to Vevey, the former home of Charlie Chaplin on Lake Geneva's northern shore. Check in to the hotel and enjoy dinner together.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  4. Day 4overnight: Vevey

    Exploring Montreux and Château de Chillon

    Visit the resort town of Montreux, the 'Pearl of Lake Geneva', on a city tour following in the footsteps of Freddie Mercury, including Mountain Studios inside the Montreux Casino. Continue to Château de Chillon, one of Switzerland's best-preserved medieval castles set on a rocky outcrop at the edge of Lake Geneva. Explore its halls, courtyards and vaulted cellars. Enjoy a scenic cruise across Lake Geneva back to Vevey. Dinner together at the hotel restaurant.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  5. Day 5railovernight: Vevey

    Exploring Lake Geneva at leisure

    Full free day to explore at your own pace. The Swiss Half Fare Card offers 50% discounted fares on rail, boat and most mountain railways. Options include Chaplin's World near Vevey, a scenic journey to Geneva, or crossing the lake to the French spa town of Évian-les-Bains. Return to the hotel this evening.

    Meals: Breakfast

  6. Day 6overnight: Vevey

    Cheese and chocolate in medieval Gruyères

    Journey by coach to the medieval hilltop village of Gruyères. Explore the Château de Gruyères museum at leisure. Enjoy a fondue tasting lunch made with melted Gruyère cheese and white wine. Continue to Broc to visit the Maison Cailler Museum, Switzerland's oldest chocolate factory, with chocolate tastings. Coach back to Vevey; evening at leisure to dine independently.

    Meals: Breakfast

  7. Day 7railovernight: Vevey

    A journey on the Rochers-de-Naye train

    Travel by rail to Montreux and board the Rochers-de-Naye cogwheel railway for a spectacular ascent through fields, villages and forests to the high alpine summit with breathtaking views across Lake Geneva and the Alps. Return to Montreux for a free afternoon, then make your own way back to Vevey by rail. Dinner together at the hotel.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  8. Day 8railovernight: Vevey

    The GoldenPass Express to Interlaken

    Board the panoramic GoldenPass Express at Montreux station for an iconic rail journey to Interlaken, winding through terraced vineyards, forests, the Swiss Highlands and the upmarket mountain resort of Gstaad, before gliding down towards Lake Thun. Enjoy free time in Interlaken, nestled between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. Rail back to Vevey for the final dinner of the holiday.

    Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

  9. Day 9rail

    Homeward bound

    Leave the hotel after breakfast and head to the station. Travel via Lausanne to Paris, then continue to London St Pancras by Eurostar with a light meal.

    Meals: Breakfast, Eurostar Light Meal

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 3Board the train to Rivaz and walk to the UNESCO-listed Lavaux Vinorama for a wine tasting among the vineyard terraces overlooking Lake Geneva.
  • Day 4Visit Château de Chillon, a medieval castle set on a rocky outcrop at the lake's edge, then sail across Lake Geneva back to Vevey.
  • Day 7Ride the Rochers-de-Naye cogwheel railway from Montreux up through fields, villages and forests to an alpine summit with views across Lake Geneva and the Alps.
  • Day 8Board the GoldenPass Express panoramic train at Montreux for the journey to Interlaken, passing through terraced vineyards, forests, Gstaad, and down to Lake Thun.

Included

  • Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
  • 8 nights' 4-star hotel accommodation
  • Eurostar Plus class travel with light meals
  • First Class rail travel throughout
  • All rail, cruise and coach travel throughout the tour
  • Breakfast each day
  • 5 dinners
  • Swiss Half Fare Card (50% discounted fares on free days for rail, boat and most mountain railways)
  • All guided tours and excursions
  • Lavaux vineyard talk and wine tasting
  • Château de Chillon entry
  • Lake Geneva cruise
  • Château de Gruyères museum visit
  • Fondue tasting lunch in Gruyères
  • Maison Cailler chocolate factory visit and tasting
  • Rochers-de-Naye cogwheel railway journey
  • GoldenPass Express journey from Montreux to Interlaken
  • Lausanne sightseeing tour with local guide
  • Olympic Museum visit in Lausanne
  • Montreux city tour

Not included

  • Cancellation & Travel Insurance

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Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included in the price?
Yes. All rail, coach, and cruise travel is included: Eurostar Plus class London to Paris, TGV First Class Paris to Lausanne, regional First Class rail, the GoldenPass Express, Rochers-de-Naye cogwheel railway, and a Lake Geneva cruise.
Is this an escorted or independent tour?
Escorted. A UK Tour Manager leads the group from London departure through the final return to London. Most sightseeing is guided, and dinners on five evenings are taken together at the hotel.
Which hotels are used?
Hotel de la Paix in Lausanne (one night) and Astra Hotel in Vevey (six nights), both 4-star properties.
What meals are included?
Breakfast daily, five dinners at the hotel, a light meal on both Eurostar journeys, a wine tasting in Lavaux, a fondue lunch in Gruyères, and a chocolate tasting at Maison Cailler. Other lunches and dinners are independent.
When does the tour depart?
Great Rail Journeys offers departures in April, May, June, September, and October 2027.
What physical ability is required?
The tour involves walking tours of Lausanne's cobblestone streets, exploration of castle halls and courtyards, and village walking. The Rochers-de-Naye cogwheel railway ascends an alpine summit but the train does the climbing; you walk at the top.

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