12-Day Swiss Alps Grand Rail Tour
Our Signature Rail and Trail Tour—12 Days/11 Nights
Our 12-day Swiss Alps Grand Rail Tour is the ultimate alpine experience. The very best of Switzerland, seen from 11 of the world’s most famous trains—including the Glacier Express, the Gornergrat cogwheel train, the Furka steam train and the Goldenpass line.
Small group size, two-night stays in 3 and 4-stars hotels and luggage service make the Swiss Alps Grand Rail Tour the ideal way to experience all that Switzerland has to offer. Leave the details to us so you can relax and enjoy the journey of a lifetime!
If your vacation time is short, Echo Trails also offers 3 day, 5 day, or 8 day Swiss Alps Rails & Trails tours. Click here for more information
Make your 12-day Swiss Alps Rail Tour even more memorable by adding one or both of our rail tour extras—a Pre-Tour Meet-and-Greet at Zurich airport and the Post-Tour Taste of Italy experience!
Experience the majesty of the Swiss Alps from some of the world’s most legendary trains during your 12-day Swiss Alps Grand rail tour. From the iconic Matterhorn to the fury of Trummelbach Falls, the Swiss Alps Grand Rail Tour delivers the total Switzerland experience. Enjoy gentle hikes, bike trails and gondola rides. The tour also delivers cultural highlights including the 9th Century Abbey Library in St. Gallen and the Mediterranean flair of Locarno.
Arrive early and acclimate!
For more peace of mind, add the Pre-Tour Airport Meet-and-Greet option when booking the 12-Day or 3-Day rail tour. Click here for more details....
Old Town, Lucerne
Day 2 is a delightful introduction to the Swiss transportation experience in Switzerland, a travel system of interlocking parts, all of which are perfectly synchronized.
In the morning we will visit Mt. Pilatus, it's the mountain you see from Lucerne. In getting to the top, you will experience different modes of transportation such as; local bus, gondola, cable car and cogwheel rail, still the steepest (48% grade) cogwheel train in the world.
In the afternoon in addition to visiting a mountain, "Aschwanden", cheese-dairy farm & hearing first-hand how cheese is made, you will see where Switzerland was founded, "Rüetli" in 1291 and enjoy the magnificent Swiss Alps scenery. In returning to Lucerne you will travel via funicular and enjoy dinner in the first-class section on one of Lake Lucerne's historic Lake Steamers.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Continental Park Hotel (or comparable lodging)
Transport: Mt. Pilatus Rail, local bus and Lake Steamer
Descending Mt. Pilatus on the world's steepest cogwheel railway
We depart on the Voralpen Express, traveling through the rolling landscapes of Eastern Switzerland to St Gallen where well visit the Abbey Library–one of the oldest libraries in the world. Built in the 9th Century A. D., the library maintains priceless manuscript collections from the Carolingian and Ottonian period. In the afternoon, we'll continue on to Chur, where we'll transfer to the legendary Glacier Express route bound for St. Moritz. Sites along the way include the spectacular Landwasser limestone railway viaduct, a World Heritage Site on the Albula Railway.
Once in St. Moritz, we will take the legendary Muottas Muragl Funicular where we have dinner on top of the mountain overlooking the Engadin valley, between the towns of Samedan, St. Moritz and Pontresina.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Hauser Hotel (or comparable lodging)
Transport: Volparen Express, Glacier Express
Glacier Express crossing the Landwasser Viaduct, Albula Railway
Our group boards the Bernina Express to travel across the highest railway in the Alps, a route the offer spectavular views of mountain peaks, glaciers and waterfalls. These are the Alps at their most impressive. In the afternoon, after we have visited the 9,700ft Diavolezza summit and return to St. Moritz, there is an opportunity to do a 1 ½ hr leisurely walk through the forest on the public path from Pontresina to St. Moritz. The rest of the day there is time to stroll around St. Moritz and explore on your own.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Hauser Hotel (or comparable lodging)
Transport: Bernina Express
Corvatsch
Day 5 provides another opportunity to take the Glacier Express route, universally acclaimed as one of the world’s great railway journeys. You'll cross the Albula line and Landwasser Viaduct a second time, but from the South. The train continues along the Rhine Gorge (Switzerland’s ‘Grand Canyon’) and up to the Oberalp Pass (2033 meters/6000 feet). Enjoy a rarity, a hot meal at your seat, as the train climbs over 1000 meters from Disentis to Oberalp, before arriving at Andermatt in the early afternoon.
In the afternoon, the group will take a 2-hour ride in the Furka Cogwheel Steam Train, a historic rail transport fully restored to its original condition. The second highest rail crossing in Europe—after the Bernina—the Furka train offers unparalleled views of the Rhone and Mutt glaciers.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Crown Hotel (or comparable lodging)
Transport: Glacier Express, Furka Cogwheel Steam Train
Furka Steam Railway
In the morning, we'll ride up to the Gotthard Pass summit to get a sense of Switzerland’s defence system during World War II. A Swiss military historian will be on hand when we visit the formerly top-secret Elsasso Gothardo military bunker built to protect Switzerland’s southern flank from invading forces. If you tire of military relics, there are plenty of trails and beautiful mountain scenery to explore.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Chedi Hotel (or comparable lodging)
Swiss Artillery Fort Furggels near the village of St. Magrethenberg
Saying goodbye to Andermatt, we'll travel through the Furka Tunnel connecting the German-speaking region of Switzerland to the Swiss Canton of Valais where both Swiss German and French is spoken. The peculiarity of the Swiss German spoken in Valais is that is one of the most difficult to understand.
The Furka Base Tunnel is a Swiss railway base tunnel on the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn's Furka–Oberalp line, an east-west railway connecting the cantons of Valais and Uri.
We'll arrive in picturesque Zermatt early enough for a relaxed amble around town, with views of the Matterhorn around every corner. Even after a little shopping, there’s plenty of time left to enjoy wellness services at our hotel.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Resort La Ginabelle (or comparable lodging)
Approaching the Matterhorn
Experience breathtaking views of Mt. Matterhorn and the Alps in an excursion that combines a cogwheel train ride with an easy-to-moderate day hike
You'll ride Europe’s second highest railway and the highest open-air railway on the continent—the Gornergrat cogwheel train climbing up to the 10,134 feet (3089 meters) offering incredible views of the Matterhorn along the way.
The group walks up to the 360-degree platform area providing a panoramic view of 29 alpine peaks higher than 13,123 feet (4000 meters)–including the world-famous Matterhorn.
Our 1-2 hour guided hike travels along sign-posted trails of an alpine nature reserve feature awe-inspiring views of the Matterhorn mirrored in pristine alpine lakes.
Along the way, you'll learn about the origins of Zermatt and the people of the canton of Valais (French) or Wallis (German).
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Resort La Ginabelle (or comparable lodging)
The Gornergrat Cogwheel Rail Train
Travel through the French speaking Canton of Valais – known as the fruit basket of Switzerland offering delightful views of terraced vineyards and fruit trees. We arrive in Montreux and change trains to the Goldenpass Line. We travel in either either a Classic train car or the Panorama Car with big panorama windows.
What's new on the Goldenpass Line it now runs on a variable gauge bogie allowing the train to switch from a metric track (1) to standard track (1m435). This 100% Swiss technological means we no longer have to change trains in Zweisimmen as we stay on the same train from Montreux to Interlaken that saves time and increases our comfort level since we don’t have to change trains anymore.
In Interlaken we stop for an immersive Chocolate Workshop. You will learn all about the origin of chocolate making as well as how to identify and understand the different tastes of chocolate.
The professional Chocolatiers will show you how to create your own masterpiece chocolate bar all the while enjoying a pleasurable and fun experience.
We continue on the GoldenPass Line through the Préalps of the canton of Fribourg and through the beautiful Simmental Valley known for the sturdy brown and white cows and the world famous resort town of Gstaad, home to many Hollywood stars.
View Alpine valleys and rolling hills, green pastures and grazing cows, wooden chalets and picturesque villages as we journey to the Jungfrau region – one of Switzerland’s oldest and most popular resorts in the UNESCO World Heritage Jungfrau region.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Alpina, Grindelwald (or comparable lodging)
Goldenpass Rail Line
Day 10 is a memorable one, starting with a train ride to the top of the Jungfraujoch, a complex built between the Mönch and Jungfrau mountains—the perfect venue for viewing Europe’s largest Aletsch glacier. Mountains, snow, and ice as far as one can see. Sit in a deck chair, go tubing or simply walk on the glacier and become one with nature. The afternoon finds the group on a train to Lauterbrunnen where we transfer to a postal bus on its way to Trümmelbach Falls, a series of ten glacier-fed waterfalls within the mountain, made accessible by a tunnel-funicular—a complex of lifts, galleries, tunnels, paths and platforms constructed in 1913. The falls carry melt water from the glaciers—up to 20,000 liters of water per second, rushing over 20,000 tons of boulders. The mountain shudders and thunders unceasingly—a stage for nature's majesty.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Alpina, Grindelwald (or comparable lodging)
Observatory and restaurant at Jungraujoch
In the morning we board the local public Grindelwald Bus for a scenic ride over the Grosse Scheidegg pass where we see the 12,000ft Wetterhorn mountain peak written up by British climbers in 1856 that ushered in the so-called golden age of alpinism, the exploration of the Alps by British mountaineers.
We ride past alpine meadows and chalets to reach the Schwarzwaldalp. We change buses with time to visit the old Schwarzwaldalp sawmill.
Then we continue past the Reichenbach falls that was the fictional location for where Sherlock Holmes, fights to the death with Professor Moriarty, at the end of "The Final Problem", first published in 1893.
Once in Meiringen, we transfer to the Zentral Railway and travel over the Brünig Pass to Lucerne where we connect to the train to Zurich.
In Zürich we will have lunch at a local restaurant in the heart of town. Afterwards there is time for your Guide to provide a walk-through in the old parts of Zürich. Towards evening we head to the Zürich main station and take the train to our Zürich airport hotel and check you in.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodations: Radison Blu (or comparable lodging)
Transport: Grindelwald Bus, Zentral Railway
Departure to home or your next destination.
POST-TOUR TOUCH OF ITALY
Not ready to go home? The Post-Tour option extends your rail tour with 3 days of Italian flair, both in the Swiss canton of Ticino and the Lake Como-Bellagio-Lugano region of Italy. Click here for details....
Add to the memories by selecting the Post-Tour option when booking a 12-Day or 3-Day rail tour.
RATES
Rates
Adult Standard: US $8,923 per person, based on 2 people in a double bedded room
Adult Standard: US $578 single supplement
10% Deposit secures the booking – balance due 90 days before the departure date
INCLUDED
Includes
NOT INCLUDED
Not included
CANCELLATION POLICY
· Cancellations made before 90 days prior to departure are subject to a $200.- per person cancellation fee.
· Cancellations made 45 to 89 days prior to departure are subject to $1,000.- per person cancellation fee
· Cancellations made within 44 days prior to departure are subject to a 100% non-refundable cancellation fee.
Swiss hotel and transportation suppliers require pre-payments and have strict non-cancellation policies.Transportation vouchers and rail passes are bearer documents and cannot be refunded if lost or stolen.
No refunds on any unused portions of the trip.
CURRENCY EXCHANGE
The US$ / Swiss Franc currency exchange rates have been relatively stable over the years. Our current pricing is based on the 2021 US$1:00 /CHF.090 exchange rate at the time.
However, should the currency exchange rate change more than 2% at time of the final payment, we reserve the right to add the net difference to your final amount.
FITNESS LEVEL
Reasonable Fitness Required
A reasonable fitness is required and expect to walk a minimum of 10,000+ steps during the day that ad up to 3 to 4 total miles for the day.
We make 3 to 4 transportation connections each day with some that require considerable steps in a short period of time. This means you will be walking up and down train platform stairs or ramps to make the train connection platform changes. These train connection times can range from 7 to 15 minutes and are usually close to another, so a regular walk pace is all that’s needed. However sometimes our reserved seats are on the end of a long train and sometimes we only know where our reserved seats are when the train arrives so then we need to walk briskly to enter the respective car.
In the many years of making train connections with all kinds of people’s fitness levels, everyone has always made the train connections. Also at our train station destinations we walk to our nearby local hotel that averages between 10 to 15 minutes each way. However in St. Moritz & in Zermatt the hotel has a van or electric cart available for the transfers.
We do have couples where one person is a bit slower than the group. In these instances, we expect the partner to be responsible for handling the person’s transportation to keep up with the itinerary & the group. Our guides will do their best to provide options on getting to places however it is everyone’s responsibility to keep up with the group.
Although this is a rail tour, a reasonable walking fitness is required to fully enjoy the splendor. For further elaboration please contact our USA information office for additional questions you may have.
BOOKING A TOUR
Click on the “Book Now” button on this tour page
1. On the right hand side, select the Date you wish to take the tour in the Date Box
2. Input the number of participants
3. Go To the Tour Box and click on BOOK button – the payment form will open
4. Review the final price – make sure it is correct
5. Read our Cancellation Policy – check the Terms & Conditions Box
6. Pay with either a PayPal account or debit/credit card
Once the payment has been processed, a written confirmation will be sent to your email address
Videos: Rail Trip & Glacier Express
Testimonials
2023 SWISS ALPS RAIL TOUR DATES
June 26 – July 7 – Full
July 10 – July 21 – Full
July 24 – August 4 – Full
August 7 – August 18 – Full
August 21 – September 1 – Full
September 4 – September 15 – Full
September 18 – September 29 – Full
NOTE: All rail tours are fully booked for 2023. Please view our 2024 Schedule to plan for next year
2024 SWISS ALPS RAIL TOUR DATES
June 10 – June 21
June 24 – July 5
July 8 to 19
July 22 to Aug 02
Aug 05 to 16
Aug 19 to 30
Sept 2 to 13
Sept 9 to 20
Sept 16 to 27
NOTE: All rail tours are limited to 16 people. Book your rail tour now to guarantee your seats
2025 SWISS ALPS RAIL TOUR DATES
June 16 – June 27
June 23 – July 4
July 7 to 18
July 21 to Aug 01
Aug 04 to 15
Aug 18 to 29
Sept 1 to 12
Sept 8 to 19
Sept 15 to 26
NOTE: All rail tours are limited to 18 people. Book your rail tour now to guarantee your seats
Explanation how to determine your Arrival & Departure dates
This June 27, 2022 to July 8, 2022 tour example helps to explain how you determine your Arrival & Departure dates for a 12-Day Swiss Alps Grand Tour with an official start date of June 27, 2022. In addition to the main tour, the example includes a Pre-Tour Meet-and-Greet option. (Selection of this option requires you to leave for Switzerland two days before the main tour’s scheduled start date of June 27.)
June 25, 2022: Depart from the USA.
June 26, 2022: Arrive at Zurich airport, meet guide at the airport and travel by rail to Lucerne, one day before the main tour starts.
June 27, 2022: Main tour starts with a 1:00 PM gathering at your hotel in Lucerne
July 8, 2022: Depart for the USA after an overnight stay at Radison Blu near Zürich airport (breakfast included). After breakfast, you’re on your own until your flight departs.
RAIL TOUR PACKING LIST
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