GRAND TRAIN TOUR OF SWITZERLAND

Exceptional Experience

• Journey of discovery through the land of superlatives covers 1,600 kilometres
  Pass through 4 language regions, over 5 Alpine passes and along 22 lakes. 44 Top attractions, 11 of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and two biospheres reserves.

• GoldenPass Line: Lucerne - Montreux
  The modern Premium panoramic train Lucerne-Interlaken Express of the Zentralbahn first takes passengers over the 1,008 metres high Brünig pass to Meiringen and on to Brienz and Interlaken. After changing to one of the comfortable BLS trains, the journey continues along Lake Thunersee and through the scenic Simmental Valley with its many traditional farmhouses to Zweisimmen. From here, it is the GoldenPass Panoramic train that dominates the third and last stage of the journey. The Premium panoramic train continues towards Gstaad, favourite playground for the rich and famous. Then the train makes an electrifying descent towards Montreux, passing through vineyards and country estates to finally arrive at shimmering Lake Geneva.

• GoldenPass Line: Montreux - Zermatt
  From the shores of lovely Lake Geneva, it is a short distance to Martigny – gateway to the Great St. Bernhard and Forclaz passes. The town looks back on some 2,000 years of history. Through the Rhone Valley the journey continues to Brig with its historic Stockalper Palace. The “Alpine town 2008” is located at the foot of the Simplon pass and is an ideal point of departure for many attractive excursions. The train continues through the Nikolaital, the deepest-incised Swiss valley, and finally approaches Zermatt with the famous Matterhorn – the most photographed mountain in the world.

• Glacier Express: Zermatt - St. Moritz 
  Zermatt is the departure and destination point of one of the most famous trains in the world. The Glacier Express attracts thousands of travellers every year. From the Matterhorn, the train heads first for the idyllic Goms region and then for the holiday resort of Andermatt at the foot of the 2,044-metre Oberalp pass, connecting the cantons of Uri and Grisons. On the other side, highlights include Disentis with its beautiful Benedictine monastery, the Rhine Gorge, the Domleschg region with its many castles, and the Albula line of the Rhaetian Railway – a UNESCO World Heritage site

• Bernina Express: St. Moritz - Lugano
  Among many other things, the glamorous Alpine resort of St. Moritz is famous for the Bernina Express, which connects the cool north with the sunny south and takes travellers over the highest railway route of the Alps. The Albula and Bernina stretch between Thusis (Grisons) and Tirano (Italy) is a UNESCO World Heritage site and offers spectacular views of great scenic splendour. The route reaches its highest point at the Bernina Hospiz (2,253 metres a.s.l.). In summer, the trip can be extended with the Bernina Express Bus from Tirano to Lugano. The journey leads through the Valtellina Valley and along Lake Como with its picturesque fishing villages. During winter, visitors travel from St. Moritz to Lugano in the yellow PostBus of the Palm Express. This route takes travellers through the Engadine, over the Maloja pass down through the Val Bregaglia, along the shoreline of Lake Como (Italy), and back to Switzerland at Gandira located on Lake Lugano.

• Gotthard Panorama Express: Lugano - Lucerne
  The Gotthard Panorama Express combines the best of travel by boat and train. In the 1st class panorama coach of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), travellers first discover the ancient Gotthard route with its many myths and legends, as well as the rugged Reuss Valley. In Flüelen, passengers board a historic paddle steamer, enjoying the cruise on Lake Lucerne while passing by legendary landmarks such as Tell's Chapel, the Rütli Meadow and the Schiller Stone. Shortly before reaching the city of Lucerne, fantastic views of familiar summits such as Rigi, Bürgenstock, Titlis and Pilatus unfold.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Itinerary:

Day 1: ARRIVAL SWITZERLAND  (-/-/-)

After your arrival in Zurich you will take the train into the city to your hotel. As a «metropolis of experiences» by the water, with a magnificent view of the snowcapped Alps on the horizon, Zurich offers a unique mixture of attractions.

Overnight in Zurich.

Day 2: ZURICH - INTERLAKEN (GoldenPass Line Lucerne - Interlaken)  (B/-/-)

Today you travel to Lucerne. When boarding the Luzern–Interlaken Express, you are about to go on an unforgettable journey right into the heart of Switzerland. This 2-hour ride will take you along the shores of crystal-clear lakes, past romantic waterfalls and over the magnificient Brunig mountain pass. After a short journey, your arrive in Interlaken. The city liets in the Bernese Oberland on an alluvial plains, between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. The vacation destination is overlooked over by the three mighty mountains, Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau.

Overnight in Interlaken.

Day 3: INTERLAKEN - MONTREUX (Jungfraujoch and GoldenPass Line Interlaken - Montreux) (B/-/-)

Excursion to the Jungfrajoch, which is the highest railway station in Europe at 3454m. Enjoy some breathtaking views of the Aletsch Glacier at 22 km, it is the longest glacier in the Alps and UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the early evening your journey on the GoldenPass Line continues. Along the shores of Lake Thun, you will reach the Simmen valley with Zweisimmen and Gstaad. Your journey takes you through the wild and romantic Pays d'Oex and Montbovon, and through a tunnel, before a panoramic view of Lake Geneva and Montreux opens in front of you.

Overnight in Montreux.

Day 4: MONTREUX - ZERMATT (B/-/-)

Journey from Montreux to Zermatt. For the rest of the day you can admire the famous Matterhorn from Zermatt village or take the opportunity to do a non-guided excursion to the Gornergrat.

Overnight in Zermatt.

Day 5: ZERMATT - ST. MORITZ (B/-/-)

In the morning, take the world-famous Glacier Express for a ride in the panorama carriage to St. Moritz. The train takes you on over the Oberalp pass (2033 m) and through the impressive Rhine gorge.

Overnight in St. Moritz.

Day 6: ST. MORITZ - LUGANO (Bernina Express) (B/-/-)

Board the Bernina Express at St. Moritz station and enjoy one of the most impressive scenic rail journeys Switzerland has to offer. Climbing over the spectacular Bernina pass to more than 2253 m, you pass snow-covered mountain peaks and glaciers then descend towards Poschiavo and Brusio. After travelling over spiral viaducts and through winding tunnels, you reach Tirano in Italy, which is the end of the Bernina line. Change to the Bernina Express Bus which will take you onwards to Lugano.

Overnight in Lugano.

Day 7: LUGANO - LUCERNE (Gotthard Panorama Express) (B/-/-)

With the Gotthard Panorama Express you will travel from the Mediterranean south to the traditional heart of Switzerland. The journey takes you along the spectacular Gotthard route – an unforgettable trip through an impressive countryside. You will travel by 1st class panorama carriage from Lugano to Flüelen. Passengers will be accompanied in the panorama railcar by a travel guide. Passengers will also be entertained with special effects and additional information on the region such as its sights, mythology and mystique. From Flüelen you will have a boat ride over lake Lucerne.

Overnight in Lucerne

Day 8: DEPART LUCERNE (B/-/-)

Check out from the hotel and continue on your individual return journey.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Package Includes:

• 7 x Overnight stay with breakfast and city tax in Zurich, Interlaken, Montreux, Zermatt, St. Moritz, Lugano, Lucerne
• 1 x Grand Train Tour Ticket including 8 transfers in 2nd class including up to 50% reductions on selected transport services (mountain railways, trains, buses and boats)
• 1 x Seat reservation for GoldenPass Line, Glacier & Bernina Express in 2nd class and Gotthard Panorama Express s in 1st class
• 1 x Excursion to Jungfraujoch (non-guided)
• 1 x Swiss Coupon Pass
• 1 x myTravel Stamp Booklet
• 1 x Certiicate Grand Train Tour of Switzerland

ENQUIRE