First-Class Glacier Express, Zermatt & Matterhorn

Your Swiss holiday begins today as you meet the Tour Manager and your fellow travellers at London St Pancras. Travelling in Eurostar Plus class, we enjoy a light meal at our seats on our way to Paris. In the French capital, we continue via Strasbourg to Basel by First Class rail.

Basel sits on the Rhine river, where France, Germany and Switzerland converge. Known for its rich cultural heritage, the city has world-class museums and a beautiful Old Town. On arrival, we take a short walk to our central hotel, and you have a bit of time to relax or get acclimatised after checking in for the night. This evening, we reconvene at the hotel for our first dinner together.

• Eurostar light meal
• Dinner

After breakfast at our hotel, we return to Basel station to take our First Class train seats to Chur. This captivating route takes us past lakes towards increasingly dramatic mountains. From Chur, the last leg of our journey into the heart of the Swiss Alps sees us snake across deep ravines and scenic viaducts, past snow-capped peaks and rushing waterfalls before arriving in St Moritz.

St Moritz has long been beloved as a year-round holiday destination with its glamorous atmosphere, upmarket boutiques and incredible natural surroundings. Using this resort town as a base for three nights puts much of Switzerland's beauty at our fingertips. We check in to our central hotel, which boasts uninterrupted views of Lake St Moritz, and after taking time to get settled in our new location, we enjoy a three-course dinner in the on-site restaurant.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Regarded as the rail experts' best-kept secret, the Bernina Express crosses the Alps into Italy on a UNESCO-listed route. From our First Class panoramic carriages, the alpine scenery continuously impresses as we wind ever higher.

Reaching the summit at more than 7,300 feet above sea level, we pass the turquoise waters of Lago Bianco before enjoying a truly memorable moment. Stepping off the train at Alp Grüm, we admire jaw-dropping views of the Palü Glacier. The stunning route then twists down the mountains, spiralling round the corkscrew viaduct at Brusio to Italy.

Arriving in Tirano, free time allows you to explore the narrow, cobbled streets and characterful piazzas of this charming Italian valley town or enjoy local delicacies in one of the town's trattorias. We return to Switzerland on the local train, which provides an opportunity to roll down a window for spectacular photos. Arriving back in St Moritz, we enjoy a three-course dinner at our hotel this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Nestled amidst the mountains and lakes of the Engadine Valley, the resort of St Moritz lends itself to an abundance of possibilities during your free day today.

Right outside our central hotel, Via Serlas is one of the world's most famous shopping streets and brims with options. The St Moritz resort card provides free travel on the cable cars and funiculars surrounding the town so you can be ferried up to the snow-capped peaks in minutes. For a more relaxing day, St Moritz's serene lake can be enjoyed on a gentle stroll or from our hotel's terrace, along with uninterrupted mountain views. Alternatively, you could use your complimentary Swiss Half Fare Card for a 50% discount on trains to explore further afield. The fashionable resorts of Davos or Klosters have been popular with British royals, and these stylish towns can be reached by scenic rail in under two hours.

You dine independently this evening, and while St Moritz boasts a wide array of cuisines, you could sample authentic local food such as fondue, raclette or pizzoccheri pasta.

• Breakfast

The Glacier Express is one of Europe's most iconic train journeys, and this incredible holiday follows its full route from St Moritz to Zermatt.

Travelling at an average speed of 24mph, the 'slowest express train in the world' clings to mountain edges on the UNESCO-listed Albula Line before delving into the Rhine Gorge. Here, our panoramic First Class carriages provide front-row seats to the 'Swiss Grand Canyon' as the emerald river winds its way past limestone cliffs. Enjoying a two-course lunch in our seats, we enjoy a constant presentation of breathtaking scenery while climbing to Andermatt and entering the nine-mile Furka Tunnel. Our journey reaches a dramatic conclusion as we zigzag up the Matter Valley, through alpine wildflower meadows and past waterfalls, before the Matterhorn looms into view on our approach to Zermatt.

Accessible only by train, the sense of peace in this quintessential Swiss mountain resort is instantly apparent. A warm welcome and three-course dinner awaits at our chalet-style spa hotel, where we check in for three nights.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Waking up in Zermatt, we have breakfast before setting off on a heritage train ride. More than 125 years old, the charming Gornergrat Mountain Railway is Switzerland's original electric rack railway and first carried travellers the six miles up the mountain in August 1898. We trace their journey, climbing over picturesque valleys and through lush alpine forests to an altitude of more than 10,000 feet above sea level.

The views from the top are jaw-dropping, with up to 29 mountaintops visible on a clear day. We have time to soak up these vistas, including the best view of the Matterhorn's pyramidal peak. This famous mountain is an iconic symbol of Switzerland, and its striking shape also provided the inspiration for the design of Toblerone.

Back amongst the low-pitched roofs of Zermatt's timbered chalets, an expert guide reveals that this charming alpine resort has several surprising connections to the UK, including the intriguing story of English mountaineer Edward Whymper. We dine independently tonight, and you could further delve into Swiss cuisine in one of Zermatt's cosy restaurants.

• Breakfast

The imposing Matterhorn dominates the skyline around Zermatt, and after breakfast, we travel by gondola to the highest cable car station in Europe for a memorable experience. At a height of more than 12,700 feet, the alpine wonderland of the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise provides monumental views of the famous peak, covered in snow all year round. The experience is further enhanced as a lift lowers us nearly 50 feet inside the glacier to the ice palace - the highest of its kind in the world - where we are greeted by sculptures crafted from the perpetual ice that surrounds us, adding a decorative touch to a surreal landscape.

A leisurely afternoon provides the opportunity to explore the plateau and enjoy Matterhorn views from Schwarzsee or relax in our hotel's outdoor jacuzzi or on the terrace. Strolling along Zermatt's streets, you could wander between the historic wooden chalets of Hinterdorfstrasse. With geranium-filled balconies and buildings dating from the 1700s, this cobbled street showcases traditional alpine architecture. This evening, we gather back at our hotel for a three-course dinner.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We leave Zermatt after breakfast, travelling by rail to the French city of Strasbourg. First, we wind down the Matter Valley to Visp, admiring the stunning scenery. Our journey continues to Strasbourg via Basel, passing the waters of Lake Thun and the quaint lakeside town of Spiez with its 10th-century castle.

With its grand architecture, including the quaint half-timbered riverside houses of La Petite France, the historic city of Strasbourg is well worth exploring from our central hotel. A blend of German and French architectural influences typical of the Alsace graces Place Kléber, the city's main square, while the incredible Gothic cathedral dates from the 13th century. Featuring a façade of ornately carved portals, the cathedral is topped by a piercing, octagonal tower. This evening, we gather at a local restaurant for our final dinner.

• Breakfast, Dinner

A journey of mountain railways, glacial plateaus, serene lakes and charming towns, this holiday has provided many perspectives from which to soak up Switzerland's magnificent scenery. From our bases in the resorts of St Moritz and Zermatt, we have enjoyed trips on the Bernina Express, the Glacier Express and the Gornergrat Mountain Railway, basking in breathtaking vistas throughout each rail route.

Departing Strasbourg after breakfast, we travel by First Class rail to Paris. Dashing through the verdant French countryside, we pass the vines of the Champagne region before arriving in Paris. Here, we board Eurostar Plus, enjoying a light meal as we journey back to the UK, where our First Class adventure concludes.

• Breakfast
• Eurostar light meal