Grand Train Tour of Switzerland 8 Days

Experience breathtaking views of the Matterhorn and the Alps in an excursion that combines a cogwheel train ride with an easy to moderate day hike. You’ll ride on Europe’s second-highest railway and the highest open-air railway on the continent, the Gornergrat cogwheel train, climbing up to 10,134 feet (3089 meters) and offering incredible views of the Matterhorn along the way.

Our group will walk 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 will take you along sign-posted trails of an alpine nature reserve, featuring 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 and dinner.

Accommodation: Resort La Ginabelle (or comparable lodging).

Today we will travel through the lush green cantons of Fribourg and Bern with one of the world’s most picturesque Swiss railways, the GoldenPass Line.

After leaving Zermatt we will travel through the canton of Valais famed as one of the most important vine-growing regions in Switzerland. After arriving in Montreux, the capital of the Swiss Riviera, we will change trains to the Goldenpass Line connecting Montreux with Interlaken.

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.

In Interlaken we will stop for an immersive chocolate workshop with a professional chocolatier. Here you will learn all about the Swiss impact on the chocolate industry, the art of chocolate making and how to attest the quality of chocolate. At the end you will create your own unique chocolate bar you can bring home.

From there we will continue our journey with one last connection to Grindelwald in the Jungfrau region, where we will arrive in the early evening.

Meals included: Breakfast and dinner.

Accommodation: Hotel Alpina (or comparable accommodation).

Today our journey begins with an ascent from Grindelwald Terminal to Eiger Glacier with an ultra-modern panoramic Eiger Express gondola. Here we will be able to admire Eiger Glacier covering the hills of the famous “Ork” mountain.

Here we will board the famous Jungfraubahn, an electric cogwheel railway opened in 1912 connecting Kleine Scheidegg and Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe.

Jungfraujoch, a mountain pass nestled between the Mönch and Jungfrau mountains, offers unparalleled views of Europe’s largest glacier: the Aletsch Glacier. The Jungfraujoch station offers endless list of activities: from visiting ice palace, to climbing up the Sphinx tower, and learning about the origin of the Jungfrau Railway. 

In the afternoon, we descend from Jungfrau to Kleine Scheidegg where we will board a train to Lauterbrunnen. Here we will transfer to a postal bus en route to the mesmerizing Trümmelbach Falls. This natural wonder consists of ten glacier-fed waterfalls concealed within the mountain, accessible via a tunnel-funicular complex built in 1913. These falls cascade with the force of up to 20,000 liters of glacier meltwater per second, crashing over 20,000 tons of boulders, creating a continuous spectacle that resonates with the sheer magnificence of nature.

Meals included: Breakfast and dinner.

Accommodation: Hotel Alpina (or comparable accommodation).

Today we are going to leave Grindelwald and head to Lugano. In the morning we will board the Postal Bus in Grindelwald for a scenic ride over the Grosse Scheidegg. We will ride past alpine meadows and chalets to reach the Schwarzwaldalp. Here we will change buses with time to visit the old Schwarzwaldalp sawmill. 

Continuing our journey, we pass by the renowned Reichenbach Falls, famously featured in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Final Problem” as the dramatic setting for the climactic showdown between Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty.

Once in Meiringen, we transfer to the Zentral Railway and travel over the Brünig Pass to Lucerne where we connect to the train and proceed to ride through the World’s longest Gotthard Base Tunnel and reach the Italian speaking region of Ticino in Lugano in the afternoon.

In Lugano, we take the funicular, first built in 1886, renovated in 2016  down to the main city center by the lake and then we walk to our nearby hotel. 

For dinner, we take a Lake Lugano boat cruise and travel across the lake to a local authentic restaurant “Grotto”, where we enjoy the local cuisine of this Italian speaking region of Ticino.

Meals included: Breakfast and dinner.

Accommodation: Hotel International Au Lac (or comparable accommodation).

Today we will discover one of the most fascinating Italian lakes, Lake Como. We will travel with a local Italian bus from Lugano to Menaggio – then board the Lake Como boat to Bellagio.

We will visit the most beautiful town on the lake: Bellagio. We’ll stroll on the cobbled sun-soaked streets that lead us down to the glistening blue lake surrounded by Alps. We see some of the most famous and beautiful villas that line the sunny upper shores of Lake Como with its microclimates and the amazing gardens that touch the lake.

Today lunch is included in a typical Italian lunch in Bellagio, then we continue by boat to Como. We will be cruising surrounded by mountains, sparkling water and villas, while relaxing in peaceful atmospheres on the beautiful lake of 146 square kilometers, and 400 meters deep (1,300ft). One of the deepest and certainly most beautiful lakes in Europe. With a shore length of 160 km, there’s a lot to see. Lake of Como has the shape of an inverted Y and comprises many beautiful villages and villas to see. For the past five hundred years everyone from Bellini the composer, to Winston Churchill have enjoyed residence in the beautiful villas of Como.
In Como, we take a walk-through the town, exploring suggestive shops and admiring the beautiful Duomo di Como (Como’s Cathedral).

We’ll get back in Lugano with a short train ride.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch. Dinner on your own.

Accommodation: Hotel International Au Lac (or comparable accommodation).

Today we depart the Italian part of Switzerland heading North over & through the original Gotthard Tunnel. This was built in 1882. It connected the North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea together on one line for the first time, facilitating the movement of goods and people between Northern & Southern Europe. 

We will have 3 different views of the Wassen church, which has become world-famous thanks to the ingenious railway system and its many helical tunnels.

In Fluelen, we  board a steamboat and glide over Lake Lucerne, past mystical bays and picturesque landscapes, all while savouring culinary delicacies. We will pass countless locations steeped in Swiss history – most notably the Rütli meadow, where Switzerland was founded in 1291, as well as the Schiller Stone and Tell’s Chapel.

In Lucerne we’ll take a train to Zurich. 

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch. Dinner on your own. 

Accommodation: Zürich Hyatt Place (or comparable accommodation).

Today is departure day. 

We wish you a safe onward journey to your next destination.

Meals included: Breakfast.