Magical Journeys of Switzerland
- 6
- £1,549
- Switzerland
- Take the train to Switzerland with a night in Strasbourg en route
- Glacier Express: The World’s Slowest Express Train!
- Bernina Express: Cross the famous Landwasser Viaduct on your way for lunch in Italy
- Jungfraujoch: Europe’s highest station
- Decide when you would like to travel
- Adapt the route to suit your plans
- Upgrade hotels and rail journeys
- Add extra nights, destinations and/or tours
- Standard Class rail travel with seat reservations
- 5 nights’ handpicked hotel accommodation with breakfast
- Comprehensive directions to your hotels
- Easy-to-follow travel documentation
- Despatch of tickets by email, post or collection from our London office
PLEASE NOTE: The Glacier Express does not run between mid-October and early December. Between these dates, you can still make the journey of the Glacier Express using public trains.
Suggested Itinerary
Catch a morning Eurostar from London St Pancras to to Paris and make the easy connection to the Gare de l’Est for your onward journey to Strasbourg. Speed through the eastern corner of France and, on arrival in Strasbourg, check in for an overnight stay at the BW Hotel des Vosges (or similar), within easy walking distance of the main station.
There’s plenty of time to settle in at your hotel before heading out to explore this fascinating city, with its half-timbered Old Town and Gothic cathedral surrounded by cobbled streets full of shops and cafés.
Check out of your hotel after breakfast this morning and return to the station to board a regional service bound for the Swiss border at Basel. Here, change onto a Swiss train which will take you all the way to the pretty Alpine town of Chur (pictured).
You’ll arrive in the late afternoon and check in at the ABC Swiss Quality Hotel (or similar) for a 2-night stay. Chur is Switzerland’s oldest town and easily explored on foot. There are plenty of options for eating out here in the car-free old town, along with tempting boutiques and a 13th century cathedral.
Enjoy the first of your iconic rail journeys as you board the Bernina Express towards Tirano. A truly magical four-hour journey through snow-topped mountains and glaciers, the train climbs to more than 7,392 feet and crosses an impressive 196 bridges before descending into Italy.
Have a quick lunch and wander about in Tirano, then board the train back to Chur for an evening at leisure in the town’s historic centre.
Board the world-famous Glacier Express – the world’s slowest express train – from Chur to Brig and take in some of Switzerland’s most dramatic scenery. Pass through stunning valleys and gorges, cross an extraordinary 291 bridges, and hold your breath over the Oberalp Pass, a 6,670 foot high mountain pass connecting the cantons of Graubünden and Uri.
Once arrived in Brig, take a train to Spiez over the impressive Lötschberg Pass, followed by a train to Grindelwald where you will spend the next two days. Check in at the Sunstar Grindelwald Hotel (or similar) for a 2-night stay.
Take the century-old cogwheel Jungfrau Mountain Railway up to Jungfraujoch, the highest station in Europe, perched on a mountain top at 11,322 feet. We recommend catching the ultra-modern Eiger Express cableway from Grindelwald Terminal station up to the Eiger Glacier and then returning by cogwheel railway. Gaze out across snow-capped peaks and the huge Aletsch glacier before returning down the mountain for your final night in Grindelwald.
Why not extend your stay and experience some of the other delights of the Bernese Oberland? You can take a cable car up to First on the high slopes of the Schwarzhorn directly from the centre of Grindelwald for breathtaking mountain views or head over to the stunning Lauterbrunnen Valley for a day trip on the Schilthorn. Please ask us for details.
Head back to Grindelwald’s main station this morning and board a Swiss domestic service via Interlaken to Basel on the border with Germany and France. From here, a high-speed TGV Lyria will whisk you back to Paris, where you can catch the Eurostar back to London.
Typical hotels on this itinerary
Strasbourg
Conveniently located on the Place de la Gare, opposite Strasbourg’s main station, the Hotel des Vosges offers comfortable, modern accommodation in a refurbished Art Deco building. Bedrooms are furnished in a relaxed, classic style with en suite bathrooms, free Wi-Fi access and coffee & tea making facilities. The hotel also offers a cocktail bar and a well-equipped gym.
Chur
This 4-star hotel is located just 400 yards from the railway station and offers a sauna and a steam room on site. With a pleasant bar/lounge, you’ll find the perfect place to have a drink. Guests are also welcome to make use of the free high-speed Wi-Fi available throughout the property.
Grindelwald
The Sunstar Hotel & Spa Grindelwald occupies a central location in the village, across the road from the First cable car station, with stunning views of the Eiger and Wetterhorn. The spacious bedrooms are furnished in a traditional style with superior rooms boasting balconies overlooking the mountains. The wellness area is equipped with an indoor swimming pool, sauna, Roman baths and massage showers. You can also enjoy a wide range of dishes in the hotel’s restaurant or relax with a drink in the lobby bar with its open fireplace.
Upgrade your accommodation
St Moritz
Situated in the heart of St Moritz, the majestic Kulm Hotel offers stunning views over Lake St. Moritz. Facilities include an extensive spa and wellness area and a gourmet restaurant. One of the finest hotels in Switzerland, the Kulm is an ideal retreat for your stay in St Moritz.
Interlaken
A 7-minute walk from Interlaken West train station, this luxury 19th-century hotel is elegantly furnished in traditional style. Rooms come complete with free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs, and facilities include two restaurants, a piano bar, spa, indoor pool and fitness centre.
