Most of these grand tours are about 10 days’ long and you can either fly into Switzerland and return by air or you can travel by train from London. An alternative is to fly one way and to go by train the other. You can extend the stay in any of the places. You can travel on any date of your choice. Each tour has a focus: perhaps lakes, perhaps mountains, perhaps a more romantic feel and a grand, grand tour that encompasses several regions.
The Grand Heart of Switzerland Mountains Rail Tour
Focusing on Switzerland’s prominent cities and the mountains that stand above them, this tour takes you from Zurich, down past Lucerne and Rigi, Queen of the Mountains, through the stunning valleys of the Saanenland, to Montreux opposite the French Alps, Zermatt beneath the Matterhorn, Lugano beside Monte Tamaro, and through the northern Italian valleys, to St Moritz beside the Suvretta Mountain. This eleven night tour captures many of Switzerland’s most memorable and sublime vistas.
The Grand Lakes of Switzerland Rail Tour
From Geneva through to Zurich, trace the pattern of lakes that divide Switzerland into its 26 cantons and mark some of its most important cities on this eleven night tour. Begin with Lake Geneva, lined with the historic and renowned towns of Geneva, Lausanne, and Montreux, before moving on, via Lake Thun, Lake Brienz, and Interlaken, to Lake Lucerne, home to the legend of Wilhelm Tell. Journey further south into Ticino past Lake Maggiore to Lake Lugano, before heading on to the smaller, quainter lakes surrounding St Moritz. This tour ends with crisp and picturesque Lake Zurich.
The Grand Romantic Swiss Rail Tour
This eight-night touring holiday has been carefully built around our own experience of Switzerland’s most romantic sights, including, of course, the Centovalli Express, recognised as one of the most romantic rail journeys in Europe. Begin and end in Geneva; travel through Lausanne and the Lavaux Vineyards, Zermatt and the breath-taking Matterhorn, Domodossola and Locarno on the Centovalli Express, Mediterranean Ticino and Lake Lucerne on the Wilhelm Tell Express, and finally peaceful and idyllic Gstaad in the Saanenland.
The Grand, Grand Switzerland Rail Tour
Perhaps the finest of all our Swiss rail tours, the Grand, Grand Switzerland Rail Tour takes you into each corner of this diverse and beautiful country over the course of fifteen nights. Journey from lakeside Lausanne, to Zermatt and St Moritz via the thrilling Glacier Express, to Lugano on the border with Italy, to historic and cultural Lucerne on one of Switzerland’s most exceptional lakes, to Grindelwald tucked away in the Bernese Oberland, to Gstaad on the Alpine meadows, and to Montreux, home of the fairy-tale Chillon Castle.
Where you stay in Switzerland
With our grand rail tours of Switzerland, you stay in hotels in several regions and parts of the country. There are options with each tour to stay in 5-, 4- or 3-star hotels and to mix the style and category of the hotels. All the luxury hotels that are featured by Expressions Holidays have been selected to provide high standards of comfort, service and cuisine. Our hotels are renowned for their charm and character, quality of surroundings and service whilst providing rest and relaxation amid an atmosphere of luxury and style.
How you travel to Switzerland
Our rail holidays in Switzerland can start with a flight to Zurich or Geneva and then you can take the train from there or you can travel by train all the way from London. The train journey to Switzerland starts with the Eurostar from London St Pancras, Ebbsfleet or Ashford International to Paris Gare du Nord. There you change to the Gare de Lyon for a fast TGV-Lyria service to Switzerland. With an early start from London you can reach many destinations in Switzerland comfortably the same day. If you prefer, you can overnight in Paris and then continue your journey after a day or two. Eurostar offers almost hourly departures every day, with an average journey time from London St Pancras to Paris of 2 hours and 18 minutes. Not all trains stop at Ebbsfleet and Ashford stations in Kent, but parking is plentiful at both stations. The Eurostar trains are split into Standard Class, Standard Premier and Business Premier. Standard Premier customers are served a light cold meal and enjoy a more spacious environment than Standard Class, while Business Premier customers receive a hot meal and unlimited beverages as well as lounge access. TGV-Lyria trains are high-speed trains that run between Paris and Switzerland, reaching Zurich in about 4 hours, Lausanne in 3 hours 40 minutes and Geneva in just over 3 hours. There is a choice between Standard Class and First Class.
Best service I have had from a travel company. Itinerary put together was exactly right, all connections worked properly and loved the different types of hotel.Mr I, April 2017
Our grand rail tours of Switzerland include
● Suggested rail touring itineraries● Iconic, scenic train journeys included
● Accommodation in personally-selected 4-or 5-star hotels
● Possibility to adapt any of the itineraries
Included in all our holidays
● Concierge service● Handcrafted helpful hints and local information provided with all our holidays
● Personal service by your sales consultant who looks after all aspects of your holiday
● Full financial protection with our ATOL (3076) for all holidays including a flight and our ABTOT for all non-air holidays
