Swiss Rail Spectacular

Day 1: Basel

For guests arriving at Basel Airport, you will be met and transferred to the GAIA hotel in the city centre. For arrivals into Zurich, transfers to the hotel ion Basel will be under your own arrangements.

Tonight we enjoy a dinner in a local restaurant in Basel for all guests.

Overnight at the GAIA Hotel, Basel
Meal Arrangements: D

Day 2: Basel to St. Moritz

This morning we join the Prestige Continental Express private train in Basel SBB Station.

Once on board we will have lunch as we depart for the Swiss city of Landquart, where we change to the narrow gauge Rhaetian Railway (RhB) and the Glacier & Bernina Pullman Express for the journey up to the exclusive alpine resort of St. Moritz.

Our travels will take us through the Albula Pass between Filisur and St. Moritz, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today our three-coach train will be hauled by the historic 108-year-old RhB electric locomotive Nr 353.

Overnight in Badrutt’s Palace
Meal Arrangements: B, L, D

Day 3: St. Moritz to Tirano

Today we travel along Switzerland’s famous Bernina Line to Tirano, Italy. From St. Moritz we travel in the Glacier & Bernina Pullman Express cars hauled by a unique and historic Bernina ‘Crocodil’ electric locomotive Nr 182, built 1928.

During the final 17km of the journey we will cross the incredible spiral stone viaduct at Brusio. Once in Tirano, Italy we spend time enjoying the Valtellina Valley and visit the Triacco Winery where we will have lunch, before retracing our steps by bus back to St. Moritz.

Tonight we will enjoy a traditional Swiss dinner near to the Morteratsch Glacier.

Overnight in Badrutt’s Palace
Meal Arrangements: B, L, D

Day 4: St. Moritz to Adnermatt

This morning we depart St. Moritz for Andermatt on the Glacier & Bernina Pullman Express. Once again, we will enjoy the hospitality of the RhB’s historic Pullman train but today hauled by RhB ‘Crocodil’ Nr 414 or 415, built 1929.

Our travels will take us by train through the Rheinschlucht Gorge, very close to the source of the Rhine River and across the Oberalp Pass to Andermatt, our stepping-stone for the Furka Pass.

After checking-in to the exclusive five-star Chedi Andermatt hotel our guests can either take advantage of the hotel’s extensive Spa & Wellness facilities or take an option to travel by bus along the Gotthard Pass to visit the huge Sasso Da Pigna Fortress that guarded it from 1943 onwards. Closed in 1998 it re-opened as the Gotthard Museum Sasso in 2012.

Overnight at Andermatt, Hotel Chedi
Meal Arrangements: B, L, D

Day 5: Furka Mountain Pass

Today we cross one of the most beautiful mountain passes in the world, the Furka Pass. The Dampfbahn Furka-Bergstrecke (Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway) is a largely volunteer operated heritage railway which operates a partially rack and pinion operated line across the Furka Pass which peaks at 2,160 metres (7,086 feet) above sea level.

The Furka Dampfbahn has been gradually brought back into service using original equipment and is now restored to its former glory. The 100-year-old steam locomotive will take us 740m (2,405ft) to the summit. We then descend under the Rhône glacier to Gletsch for lunch at the Hotel Castle Blitzingen, Niederwald. Mid-afternoon we join the modern Glacier Express (First Class) to Zermatt, home of the Matterhorn.

Overnight in Zermatt, Hotel Zermatterhof
Meal Arrangements: B, L, D

Day 6: Gornergrat & The Matterhorn

This afternoon we take an exciting journey on the Gornergrat Railway on the Glacier Pullman Express attached to a Rack electric train. We travel to a height of 3,135 metres (10,285 feet) for the most incredible view of the Matterhorn. The Gornergrat is located between the Gornergletscher and Findelgletscher and offers a view of more than twenty peaks over 4,000 metres (13,123 feet).

A raclette dinner will be taken at the Al Bosco Restaurant, Riffelalp Resort, at 2,222m (7,290 ft) before returning to Zermatt.

Overnight in Zermatt, Hotel Zermatterhof
Meal Arrangements: B, D

Day 7: Bern & Interlaken

We start the day descending from Zermatt on the panoramic cars of the regular Glacier Express before re-joining the steam-hauled Prestige Continental Express in Brig. From Brig we take lunch during our journey over the Lötschberg Pass before arriving into Bern. Here we enjoy a three hour tour of the city, including one hour by historic steam tram.

Overnight in Interlaken: Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel and Spa
Meal Arrangements: B, L, D

Day 8: Interlaken – Reichenbach Falls

Interlaken will act as our base for the next few days as we visit the magical Jungfrau alpine region of Switzerland as we stay for 5 nights at the Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel and Spa.

Today we will join a private steam train on the Ballenberg Dampfbahn to Meiringen and Innertkirchen. From here there is the choice to walk 2km through the spectacular Aareschlucht Gorge, followed by taking the funicular to Reichenbach Falls, made famous by Arthur Conan Doyle as the spot where he killed off both Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty, before a visit to the Sherlock Holmes Museum in Meiringen. From here we will re-join our steam train which will return to Interlaken.

A second group has a more leisurely day by going straight from Innertkirchen to Reichenbach Falls by funicular, followed by a visit the Sherlock Holmes Museum with some free time in Meiringen before returning to Interlaken.

Overnight in Interlaken, Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel and Spa
Meal Arrangements: B

Day 9: Interlaken – Schynige Platte

Today offers a morning at leisure where you can enjoy the superb spa facilities of the hotel or wander around the quaint side streets of Interlaken with time for souvenir shopping.

Mid-afternoon we will depart by bus to Wilderswil before transferring to a special steam charter train on the picturesque Schynige Platte Bahn Rack Railway where we will visit the Botanical Alpine Garden.

Overnight in Interlaken, Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel and Spa
Meal Arrangements: B

Day 10: Interlaken – Jungfraujoch

Today a fantastic day of touring awaits as we depart Interlaken by regular train for Grindelwald before transferring to the spectacularly modern Eiger Express tri-cable gondola which ascends to the Eigergletscher Station, situated at an elevation of 2,328 metres (7,673 feet) in just 15 minutes.

From here we transfer to the ‘Jungfraubahn’ and its distinctive red and yellow carriages which takes us the final leg of the journey to the summit of Jungfraujoch, known as the Top of Europe sitting at a height of 3,454 metres (11,332 feet) above sea level making this the highest railway station in Europe. There will be time upon reaching the top of the mountain, weather permitting, to visit the Glacier Plateau viewpoint, Sphinx Observation Deck and Ice Palace.

We take the Jungfraubahn back down to Kleine Scheidegg for a late lunch before returning down the mountain to Grindelwald.

Overnight in Interlaken, Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel and Spa
Meal Arrangements: B, L, D

Day 11: Brienz

This morning we enjoy a journey on the nostalgic Brienzer Rothorn Steam Rack Railway. The traditional Swiss chalet lakeside town of Brienz has been known for centuries for its wood carving, as well as the starting point for the Brienzer Rothorn Bahn. Built in 1892, it is the fourth highest railway in Switzerland that reaches a height of 2,244 metres (7,360 feet) in just 7.6kms offering panoramic views as our steam train and panoramic cars chug their way up the mountainside through lush alpine meadows and forests with turquoise Lake Brienz glistening below.

Following lunch by the lake we take a cruise from Brienz returning to Interlaken on the 1914 paddle steamer SS Lötschberg.

Overnight in Interlaken, Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel and Spa
Meal Arrangements: B, L, D

Day 12: Gotthard Pass to Lake Como

Today we depart on the Prestige Continental Express from Interlaken over the spectacular Gotthard Pass with its many spiral loops, bridges and tunnels over into Chiasso, located close to the Italian border. From here we make the short transfer to Lake Como in Italy where we will enjoy a boat cruise this afternoon before having enjoying dinner this evening.

Overnight n Lake Como, Hilton Lake Como Hotel
Meal Arrangements: B, L, D

Day 13: Pilatus Kulm

This morning we depart Chiasso on the Prestige Continental Express for Lucerne, changing to a narrow gauge train for the short journey to Alpnachstad.

From here we travel on the Pilatus Bahn, which is the steepest rack railway in the world, with a maximum gradient of 48% and takes 30 minutes to the peak at Pilatus Kulm passing alpine meadows and striking rock formations on its route.

We will return down the mountain and enjoy our farewell gala dinner in the opulent Prestige Continental Express dining cars as we make our way back to Zurich Flughafen Station. From the train we will walk to the hotel, which is connected to the Airport Terminal.

Note: Guests wishing to continue to Basel can do so and accommodation will be in the GAIA Hotel near to Basel SBB station.

Overnight in Zurich, Radisson Blu Hotel, Zurich Airport or in Basel at the GAIA Hotel at the SBB station.
Meal Arrangements: B, L, D

Day 14: Zurich

After breakfast, free time until departing flights from the adjacent airport terminal or train connections from the railway station beneath the terminal.

Meal Arrangements: B