Dramatic mountain scenery and beautiful lakes provide the
setting for this magnificent tour, as we take the iconic Glacier
Express through the Swiss Alps, staying in glamorous St Moritz, and
Zermatt, where we enjoy breathtaking views of the Matterhorn.
Highlights
The Glacier Express
The Bernina Express
Tours of Zermatt and Stresa
Lake Maggiore
Cruise to Isola Pescatore
The Gornergrat Mountain Railway
What’s Included
First Class Rail Eurostar Standard Premier Eurostar Meals Heritage Rail Excursions
4* Hotel Accommodation Breakfast Every Day Selected Evening Meals
After meeting your Tour Manager, we board the Eurostar at our St
Pancras Departure Office, travelling to Brussels before continuing
on to Cologne in First Class, where we overnight.
Today we depart Cologne and travel to Basel , before we start
the scenic ascent through the Alps to St Moritz, set at 6,000 feet
amidst majestic mountain peaks. We travel through countless tunnels
and across numerous bridges, including the instantly recognisable
Landwasser Viaduct, an architectural treasure. The track clings to
the mountainside as we wind our way above deep ravines and past
rushing waterfalls.
Looping and spiralling through the rugged landscape of the
Engadine Valley, our ascent takes us through the Albula Tunnel then
down to the Upper Engadine valley. On arrival in St Moritz we walk
to the Hotel Schweizerhof for a three-night stay. Situated in the
centre of St Moritz, this beautifully appointed 4-Star hotel
benefits from a piano bar, spa and original Belle Epoque
surroundings. It is the perfect base for exploring this wonderful
region.
From St Moritz we join the historic narrow-gauge Bernina
Express, a railway journey on the superb Bernina Line which passes
mighty glaciers, rushing mountain streams and flower-filled Alpine
meadows. The railway line has been rewarded with UNESCO World
Heritage Status - due to the incredible civil engineering that was
required to create the line, as well as for the breathtaking
scenery through which it travels. The track clings to the
mountainside as we wind our way above deep ravines and past rushing
waterfalls.
Our ascent takes us over the Bernina Pass to an altitude of more
than 7,000ft. Enjoy breathtaking views of the snowcapped peaks and
turquoise glacial lakes as we travel to Tirano in Italy, traversing
the spiralling Brusio Viaduct en route. You have some free time in
Tirano before we return to St Moritz. Tirano is a delightful town,
one of the most northern in Italy, with various squares and streets
lined with cafés, shops and restaurants. Running through the town
is the River Adda, flowing down from the glacial waters of the
Alpine peaks
Please Note: For departure GZJ1804
Days 3 and 4 have swapped around.
Today you are free to explore St Moritz by cable car, free of
charge using your St Moritz Travel Card. Synonymous with glamour,
the prestigious resort of St Moritz also claims to be one of the
first towns in Europe to popularise winter sports. You may wish to
ascend the Diavolezza at 9,970 ft, which boasts stunning views over
the surrounding peaks. Alternatively explore the mountains further
afield with 50% fares using your Swiss Travel Card. Each village,
town and railway station has something to offer, whether it is an
insight into how the Alpine populations live amongst these glorious
surroundings, or a hidden gem in the shape of various mountain
walking trails.
Today we take the famous Glacier Express narrow-gauge train
along the iconic route from St Moritz to Zermatt, enjoying the
incredible views through the panoramic windows of our First Class
carriage. Our journey takes us through the classic landscapes which
have made Switzerland famous; from the jagged mountain peaks to the
flower-filled meadows below, and from the sprawling vineyards to
dense woodland dotted along the hillsides. The train benefits from
large panoramic windows, so every piece of the picture-postcard
surroundings is unmissable, including the beautiful Rhône Valley
and the Oberalp Pass - the highest point of the line at 6,670
feet.
On leaving St Moritz we descend towards the valley floor,
emerging from a rock tunnel to cross the famous Landwasser Viaduct
and into the upper Rhine Valley. A two-course lunch is served at
our seats during the journey, followed by tea and coffee - the
perfect accompaniment to our time on board 'the slowest express
train in the world', whilst you watch stunning scenery pass slowly
by.
The train climbs steadily and steeply up and over the Oberalp
Pass, the peak of the route, and spirals downwards past countless
villages, before crossing the spectacular gorge at Brig. From Brig
we ascend once more, as we wind left and right, passing small
hamlet communities, rushing mountain streams, and spectacular
waterfalls. The approach to Zermatt takes us across 42 bridges and
through 8 tunnels, before finally we reach the grandiose scenery of
this tranquil mountain town, nestled below the tilted peak of the
Matterhorn. Our base here for the next four nights is the fabulous
Parkhotel Beau Site.
Today we ascend via Gornergrat Mountain Railway, opened in 1898,
the highest open-air cogwheel railway in Europe. The train climbs
to the summit of the Gornergrat at 10,134 ft and offers spectacular
views of the Matterhorn; on a clear day at the top you can see 29
snow-capped peaks of more than 4000 metres. After some time at the
top to enjoy the scenery and views over the Gornergletscher, the
second largest glacier in the Alps, we descend and enjoy a guided
tour of beautiful Zermatt. The pretty town is a car-free zone, with
timbered buildings and an English church dating back to 1870, and
is known as a popular ski resort.
Today we travel by train to Domodossola in Italy, where we take
a coach to Stresa, on the shore of Lake Maggiore. On arrival, we
take a cruise across Lake Maggiore to the charming island of Isola
Pescatore, a wonderfully atmospheric rustic fishing village
boasting some fantastic restaurants and shops.
The island measures just 350 metres in length and is 100 metres
wide, and only has a population of around 50 people. Take some time
here to visit the beach or take a stroll along the main street
against the small piers and minute harbours which jut out into Lake
Maggiore. Of particular note is the pretty chapel of San Vittore.
We return to Zermatt for dinner this evening.
Today is free for you to explore Zermatt. Perhaps relax and take
advantage of the hotel's excellent pool and spa facilities, enjoy a
walk along one of the many marked trails or climb the Kleine
Matterhorn by regional cable car. Another option is to use your
First Class Swiss Travel Card to explore further afield.
The card allows 50% fares on most trains, buses and lake
steamers. Among the most popular options available to you is a
journey 'across a hundred valleys' on the Centovalli Railway, a
narrow-gauge line that winds over high bridges and past sleepy
villages to the town of Locarno, located on the shores of
delightful Lake Maggiore.
Today we begin our journey home. We travel via Visp to Basel,
then join the onward service to Colmar, where we spend the night.
On Day 10 we travel through France to Paris. Here
we connect with Eurostar to London.
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.
An escorted experience and all travel
arrangements
The services of a professional UK Tour Manager from start to
finish
Exclusive meeting point at our dedicated Departure Office in St
Pancras
First Class rail travel throughout (Standard Premier Class on
Eurostar journeys with a light meal and drinks)
Comfortable accommodation in your
destination
9 nights' hotel accommodation including 1 outbound overnight
stay in Cologne, 3 nights at the 4-Star Hotel Schweizerhof in St
Moritz, 4 nights at the 4-Star Parkhotel Beau-Site in Zermatt and 1
inbound overnight stay in Colmar
Delicious meals included
17 meals including 9 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 7 dinners,
including a farewell dinner in Zermatt
Exciting excursions and free time to
explore
Scenic journey on the Glacier Express
Scenic journey on the Bernina Express to Tirano
Guided tour of Zermatt and a visit to Stresa
Cruise to Isola Pescatore
Journey on board the Gornegrat Mountain Railway
Not Included
Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the
price of the tour but can be arranged.
What our customers think
94%
of travellers would recommend this tour
Tour Rating
based on 16 verified reviews
Mrs J Hayton
Organisation of holiday, communication from booking to end of holiday, choice of hotels, job done by the tour guide were all excellent. Unavoidable delays in journeys were very efficiently dealt with by the tour guide.
Mrs L Phillips
As you know our tour had a change to the 2nd, we had to use a coach as a section of rail was under repair. Non of the problems this caused I realise were within your control, but I do feel German Rails let you down. On the day the train from Cologne was 2 carriages short and all reservation were cancelled, we discovered on boarding. Beverley did a great job keep the group together. We all eventually got a seat, not first class but we all got to the coach.
It was a very long day arriving over 2hrs late in St Moritz. Most people were very pleased to have a free day the next day as the Bernini was postponed to day 4. It meant no early start after such a long day. We both still had a great and memorable visit to Switzerland and would not hesitate recommending GRJ.
Mrs J Shaw
Well organised, excellent rep
Despite rail inconveniences to and from Switzerland, we felt the holiday was a roaring success. The weather was beautiful, the scenery breathtaking, the. food good and the companionship within the group brilliant. Thanks to the competence of Mrs. Goring, tour manager, everything ran very smoothly.
Mr J Collins
The tour Manager Angie Eccles was superb. Hotels excellent. Travel well organised but several unfortunate frustrations and changes but these were resolved by Angie very calmly.
Mr A Kent
Well organised, good quality hotels.
Excellent hotels and tour manager. Too many people on this trip and some of the connections were far too tight - indeed we did actually miss one train. The bus replacement in Germany was poor.
The driver spoke on his phone whilst driving and the bus was not of the standard expected The windscreen was badly cracked and the bus not especially comfortable.
Mrs M Fieldhouse
First class hotels and outstanding train journeys, in spectacular scenery. Perfect.
Mr B Ford
The communication from and planning by Great Rail was way above what other companies provide and extremely helpful and informative. Ivan, the Tour Director, was one of the best we have experienced in all our travels. The trip itself was just fantastic.
