Rail Tours in Switzerland

Discover the fantastic railways of Switzerland. It should come as no surprise that we love railways and we know many of you do too! That's why our tours feature some of the most iconic railways and trains on the continent.

Travelling by train is indisputably the best way to enjoy Switzerland's scenery and cities and at Great Rail Journeys we do our utmost to provide escorted tours of Switzerland that highlight its best attractions and experiences whilst also representing unrivalled value for money.

Swiss cuisine is heavily influenced by the countries that surround it, taking inspiration from France in the meringues, Italy and polenta, and Germany in the wide variety of sausages. Some things, however, are purely Swiss, including the delicious melted cheese dish of fondue. This mouthwatering meal is a sauce made with cheese, wine, and garlic, and is served in a communal pot. Using long forks, diners can dip various pieces of bread or vegetables into the dish.

If you're not wanting to share the pot, but are still craving melted cheese, then a raclette is perfect. This wheel of cheese is cut into wedges, heated, and then scraped onto a plate, where it can be enjoyed with various meats, potatoes, and gherkins.

Cheese isn't the only famous dairy product to emerge from this country. Switzerland is one of the finest producers of luxury chocolate, and is the home of high quality brands such as Lindt and Nestlé.

You also travel to the 'top of Europe' on the Jungfrau Express, a line that climbs up to a height of over 11,000 feet, through the Eiger Mountain tunnel and up Jungfraujoch, where you find the summit station and the Ice Palace, looking out over the Aletsch Glacier, the longest ice stream in the Alps at 13.7 miles.

The glittering GoldenPass line travels 118 miles between Montreux and Lucerne. The light and spacious carriages and armchair-style seats mean you can travel in luxury, absorbing the view through the panoramic windows that look over spectacular lakes and pristine forests.

Like most European countries, the climate in Switzerland is fairly moderate, with not extreme temparatures. The summers are warm, with temperatures ranging between 65° F and 82° F, however there is always the chance for rain, so always bring along an umbrella or a light waterproof, and prepared for a sudden change in the weather.

Switzerland is synonymous with skiing and snow, so in the winter make sure that you have sturdy shoes and a warm coat. The temperatures are not extreme, and are usually between 28° F and 45° F, but the nights can be bitterly cold, so warm evening wear is a must.

Switzerland has four national languages: German, French Italian and Romansh. A few useful phrases to know are:

Hello - in French 'bonjour' (bon-zhaw), in German 'guten tag' (gooten tahg), and in Italian 'buongiorno' (bon-jor-no)

Goodbye - in French 'au revoir' (or rev-wa), in German 'auf wiedersehen' (owf vee-der-zehn), and in Italian 'arrivederci' (ah-ree-ver-der-chi)

Thank you - in French 'merci' (mercy), in German 'danke' (dan-kah), and in Italian 'grazie' (grat-zie)

Please - in French 's'il vous plaît' (sih vous play), in German, 'bitte' (bitter), and in Italian 'per favore' (per fa-vor-ay)

Switzerland's bill system usually includes a tip, so tipping isn't strictly necessary, however if you wish to leave something extra, rounding up the bill to the nearest 5 or 10 usually suffices. The currency in Switzerland is the Swiss Franc.