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GRJ All Inclusive Glacier Express at Christmas

 
4.4 stars(26 reviews)
Duration
8 days
From per person
Sold out
Tour code
26TFX
Mobility Rating 3

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Experience a magical, memorable Christmas on this GRJ All Inclusive festive holiday, based in the heart of the glorious Swiss Alps and featuring Switzerland's best-loved rail journeys

Discover the timeless enchantment of Switzerland at Christmas on this GRJ All Inclusive festive holiday, based in the scenic Abula Valley.

Experience spectacular rail journeys from a family-run hotel, including drinks with dinner each evening. Travel across the Swiss Alps, past glistening glaciers to Italy on the World Heritage route of the Bernina Express, then admire pristine peaks and picture-perfect snowscapes from the panoramic carriages of the iconic Glacier Express.

Soak up the festive ambience in the stylish mountain resort of St Moritz, discover the historic town of Chur and journey on the superb Arosa Line.

GRJ All Inclusive Icon 02GRJ All Inclusive tours are all about making your holiday hassle-free, so you can savour your experience. All your main meals are included, as well as selected drinks at your destination hotel.

More information

Enjoy More with a GRJ All Inclusive Holiday

  • On this GRJ All Inclusive tour, all meals in Tiefencastel are included. On excursion days a picnic lunch will be provided by the hotel.
  • Drinks include beer, wine, soft drinks, tea and coffee each evening with dinner in Tiefencastel.

Unforgettable Experiences

Celebrate Christmas Day aboard the Bernina Express
Celebrate Christmas Day aboard the Bernina Express
Experience a memorable Christmas Day journey through amazing scenery, from the snow-capped Swiss Alps to the Italian town of Tirano, on one of the world’s most revered trains, the wonderful Bernina Express.
Experience the incredible Glacier Express
Experience the incredible Glacier Express
Climb aboard the world-famous Glacier Express for the ultimate journey into Switzerland’s sublime winter scenery, passing breathtaking scenery as the train trundles through snowbound landscapes.
Spend Christmas Eve in glamorous St Moritz
Spend Christmas Eve in glamorous St Moritz
Enjoy a festive visit to the elegant resort of St Moritz, known for its refined ambience, nestled among the snow-capped alps and set beside a gleaming lake. At Christmas the town sparkles with winter lights and festive finery.
Admire the scenery on a beautiful train journey to a lakeside mountain town
Admire the scenery on a beautiful train journey to a lakeside mountain town
Travel by rail past snow-covered meadows, majestic forest and shimmering streams, admiring the pure perfection of Switzerland’s winter on the Arosa Line to the lakeside town of Arosa.

What’s included on the tour?

Itinerary

DAY1London to Mulhouse

Your festive holiday begins as you meet the Tour Manager at London St Pancras, before joining the Eurostar service to Paris. In the French capital we join the French rail network for an onwards journey to the picture-book city of Mulhouse in the Alsace, where we spend the night.

Twinkling lights adorn the grand Place de la Réunion where Mulhouse's colourful Christmas market is held, surrounded by attractive medieval buildings and pretty cobbled streets, setting the scene beautifully for a week-long winter holiday. We enjoy dinner at our hotel this evening.

*Please note: The order of this festive itinerary differs depending on the date of departure. For the second departure, we travel to Tiefencastel on Christmas Eve, then spend Christmas Day in St. Moritz. The Boxing Day excursion is the Bernina Express trip. Our advisors are on hand to explain the exact itinerary for each departure. Telephone 01904 734 359 or email for more information.

Includes
  • Dinner
  • Drinks between 7-9pm
DAY2Alsace to the Alps: Mulhouse to Tienfencastel

There is a leisurely morning in Mulhouse after breakfast so you may wish to explore this charming Alsace city. The square is the focus of the town and you may like to browse the Christmas market.

You can also find the Gothic revival Temple St-Étienne along with the pink and gold decorated town hall in this square. Constructed in 1553, this striking Renaissance building displays allegoric frescoes representing the vices and virtues. Later we continue our journey, travelling via Basel and Chur to the charming town of Tiefencastel. As we check in to our hotel, we receive a warm welcome from the family who has run the establishment for generations. There's time to relax, look around the scenic location and settle into our home from home before our first dinner with drinks. Each evening of our stay, we have a three-course dinner, with wine, beer and soft drinks included during dinner every night.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
  • Drinks between 7-9pm
DAY3Christmas Eve in sparkling St Moritz

Today is Christmas Eve, and we head to the luxurious resort town of St Moritz. Journeying through stunning alpine scenery on the UNESCO-listed Albula Line, the route twists and spirals as it clings to mountainsides and crosses rushing rivers before arriving in St Moritz, a lakeside town synonymous with glitz and glamour.

You have free time here to explore the charming winter wonderland at your own pace. Bedecked in its festive finery, sparkling Christmas light displays and enchanting decorations line the streets, which means simply strolling through the town is an experience in itself. With a picnic lunch provided by the hotel, you can spend time window-shopping at the designer boutiques and jewellers, or perhaps pause for a mulled wine or hot chocolate at one of the delightful cafés here.

We return to our hotel by rail at the end of the afternoon for a festive three-course Christmas Eve dinner with drinks.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Drinks between 7-9pm
DAY4Christmas Day on the Bernina Express

Today you can anticipate a Christmas Day to remember as you celebrate onboard the famous Bernina Express, travelling across the Italian border to Tirano. This remarkable railway line is more than 100 years old and has been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. It's widely recognised as one of the finest rail journeys in the world, and as we tunnel through snow-capped mountain ranges, cross spectacular canyons and valleys, and glide alongside frozen lakes, we see for ourselves what makes it so special.

On arrival in the Italian town of Tirano there's a little free time; a fantastic opportunity to discover the flavours of Italy at Christmas, at the most wonderful time of year. Tonight, back in Tiefencastel, we sit down to a special Christmas dinner with drinks - raising a glass to a wonderful day.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Drinks between 7-9pm
DAY5Tiefencastel at leisure on Boxing Day

Today is free to relax at the hotel or explore Tiefencastel, or indeed the rest of the region, further. At the confluence of the Albula and Julier rivers, the small village of Tiefencastel is surrounded by incredible scenery, while the church of St Stephen was expanded in 1650 by Capuchin monks and contains intricate wood carvings.

With a train station located on the spectacular routes of the Glacier Express and Bernina Express, there are many great rail journeys to take from here. The premier mountain resorts of Davos and Klosters, a favourite of the Royal family, are within easy reach. However you spend the day, dinner is served at our hotel this evening.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Drinks between 7-9pm
DAY6The Arosa Line and historic Chur

Today brings a journey on the delightful Arosa Line today, climbing to the charming lakeside town of Arosa. Take in the rocky, wintry scenery of the Graubünden canton enroute, winding through wild and dramatic landscapes before arriving in Arosa, where you're met with stunning vistas across the icy waters of Lake Obersee. After some free time, continue by train to Chur, Switzerland's oldest settlement with a history dating back over 5,000 years.

You have some time to explore this quintessentially Swiss town. You could head to the medieval Old Town, which has well-preserved walls and buildings and is entirely traffic-free, making it the ideal place to explore on foot. At this time of year, Christmas decorations adorn the buildings, adding an extra touch of magic.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  • Drinks between 7-9pm
DAY7The iconic Glacier Express

A highlight of our holiday awaits today, as we bid farewell to Tiefencastel and embark on an incredible journey on the world-renowned Glacier Express, travelling to Brig. Known affectionately as the 'world's slowest express train', the Glacier Express gently makes its way through the glorious scenery, affording you a front-row view of some of the best of Switzerland's natural beauty.

During the winter months, the striking vistas are transformed into a picture-postcard landscape of snowy meadows, frozen waterfalls and white mountaintops. On board, a handy audio guide narrates your journey, letting you know when a particularly scenic or interesting spot is coming up, so you don't miss a moment of the views. On arrival in Brig, you change trains and head to Basel for an overnight stay.

Shortly after checking in, we are served dinner at the hotel.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY8Homeward bound

This idyllic Christmas retreat was based in the glorious Albula Valley, a spectacular region of Switzerland with picture-perfect scenes of snow-capped mountains, shimmering lakes and fairytale towns. We've journeyed on iconic railways including the much-loved Bernina Express into Italy, the world-renowned Glacier Express and the scenic Albula Line.

We make our way to Basel train station after breakfast where we join the TGV train to Paris this morning. In the French capital, we transfer to the Eurostar service which returns us to London St Pancras where your festive holiday comes to an end.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Please note

Please note that while every departure of this tour will feature the same excursions, the order may differ from that shown above.

GRJ All Inclusive

Enjoy More with a GRJ All Inclusive Holiday

  • On this GRJ All Inclusive tour, all meals in Tiefencastel are included. On excursion days a picnic lunch will be provided by the hotel.
  • Drinks include beer, wine, soft drinks, tea and coffee each evening with dinner in Tiefencastel.
Discoveries collection

Our Discoveries range offers everything you need at a great price so you can travel with confidence. It provides comfortable, locally run accommodation*, standard rail or economy flights and expert-led group tours. You'll be in groups with an average of 30-35 travellers and a maximum of 40. *where available

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotel

Hotel Albula & Julier, Tiefencastel
Hotel Albula & Julier, Tiefencastel
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Trains

More information on the different trains that are used on this tour.

Bernina Express arriving in Tirano

The Bernina Express is dubbed the rail experts' best-kept secret. Connecting northern and southern Europe, the narrow-gauge railway offers a spectacular means of crossing the Alps. The breathtaking route runs through the ancient landscape of Switzerland's beautiful Graubünden region and beside spellbinding glaciers, providing a stunning connection to Lombardy in northern Italy.

Eurostar

The high-speed Eurostar trains link St Pancras International in London with Paris and Lille in France as well as Brussels in Belgium.

Glacier Express

Undoubtedly Switzerland's best-known train, the Glacier Express winds its way through some of Europe's most dramatic and beautiful scenery. Called 'the slowest express train in the world', the panoramic carriages allow us to soak up the spectacular views as we traverse incredible mountain passes, picturesque villages and valleys between the popular alpine resorts of St Moritz and Zermatt. Enroute, the train clings to the mountainsides on the Albula Line, zigzags and spirals its way round mountains and over bridges, and delves into the Rhine Valley - also known as the 'Swiss Grand Canyon'.

TGV

Introduced in 1981, France's TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) was the original European high-speed train. Linking Paris with Lyon, the new service revolutionised train travel and meant that travelling by air over medium and short distances was no longer seen as the best option, even for business travel.

Enhance your holiday

Upgrade to Plus Class on Eurostar

Your holiday begins the moment you meet your Tour Manager at St Pancras International and board the Eurostar train for mainland Europe. If you wish to get your holiday off to an extra special start, why not consider upgrading your on-board accommodation from Standard Class to Plus Class?

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As well as all the amenities enjoyed in Standard Class, Plus Class travellers benefit from extra spacious, comfortable seats, complimentary newspapers and magazines and a light snack with drinks served at your seat during the journey. Before 11am, the light snack comprises breakfast pastries, yoghurt, fruit juice and tea or coffee. After 11am there is a choice of 2 main dishes and a dessert, accompanied by soft drinks, wine or beer and tea or coffee.

Prices for an upgrade from £110pp each way. Please call us for more details.

Eurostar
London Hotels

Spending a night in London before your tour can make such a difference to the first day of your holiday - you can arrive in the capital in good time, relaxed and ready to join your Tour Manager the next morning. You may even want to take in a show on the West End or dine in one of London's famous restaurants. Perhaps on your return to London, you would like to break your journey with an overnight stay before continuing home.

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We can book a wide range of hotels in central London or, for our holidays beginning with a flight, at Heathrow, Gatwick, or Manchester Airport for the night before or after your holiday. If you require a quote for single occupancy at any of the hotels, please contact us on 01904 734 805.

London hotels
UK rail connections

Buying tickets for UK train services can be a tricky business - there are so many fares to choose from, each with different rules and restrictions. As you are connecting with an international departure, we strongly recommend that you book a fully flexible ticket to ensure that should the departure times for your holiday change, your rail ticket can allow for these changes.

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We can book fully-flexible UK rail tickets from your local station to join your holiday whether this be a European holiday from St Pancras or a UK holiday. The prices are competitive and tickets are not restricted to a particular train or time of day, and in most cases offer you a free choice of routes.

For an up to date quote from your local station, please ask one of our Tour Advisors.

UK train tickets
Door to door luggage service

Enjoy hassle-free travel to and from Switzerland with our return door-to-door luggage transfer service for only £249 per bag.

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The service includes one 20kg bag per person which will be collected from your home before you depart and will be ready and waiting for you at your first destination hotel in Switzerland. Your bag will also be delivered back to your home address on your return.

If your tour involves an overnight stay enroute, you'll need to travel with an overnight bag. If flying to or from your destination, you will take your own luggage with you on the flight.

Reviews

4.4 stars4.4 / 5 · 26 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (15)
  2. 4 stars
    (7)
  3. 3 stars
    (3)
  4. 2 stars
    (1)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

Denise Clifford

5 stars

Submitted 15/Jan

A great holiday led by a very friendly and helpful tour guide.

Collected by Trustpilot

Mary Walton

5 stars

Submitted 14/Jan

It was great.

Collected by Trustpilot

M J Durcan

5 stars

Submitted 11/Jan

A fantastic way to see some stunning snowy Swiss Scenery

Collected by Trustpilot

Trevor Hastings

5 stars

Submitted 10/Jan

Very well organised trip. We were really lucky with the weather

Collected by Trustpilot

J Forster

5 stars

Submitted 10/Jan

The Paul experience was absolutely brilliant

Collected by Trustpilot

Jennifer Binnie

5 stars

Submitted 6/Jan

Could not fault the experience. Extremely well organised. Les our tour guide was exceptional working round the clock to ensure our trip was memorable and stress free. Bernina,Glacier and Arosa excursions were outstanding and highly recommended. Hotels were comfortable and staffed by pleasant personnel. Would definitely recommend Great Rail Jouneys.

Collected by Trustpilot

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