For anyone taking a rail holiday to Switzerland, a journey on one of the Swiss iconic trains on a scenic route is an absolute must. You travel in panoramic coaches or in historic carriages along routes that display and reflect the sheer dramatic beauty and variety of the Swiss landscape, covering routes through the glaciers at the heart of Switzerland, from the Italian-speaking Ticino south of the Alps to Lake Geneva, from the mountains of the Bernese Oberland to Lake Lucerne. These journeys connect with the main rail lines and points in Switzerland, so can be incorporated very easily into almost all rail holidays to Switzerland.
Iconic rail journeys of Switzerland
Expressions Holidays has incorporated these iconic rail journeys of Switzerland into are holidays of 4 or 5 nights with the focus being a journey on one of these scenic trains and routes: The Glacier Express, the Bernina Express, the GoldenPass Line, the Gotthard Express and the Centovalli Express. Each one of these iconic rail holidays starts with either flying into Zurich or Geneva as appropriate or taking the train from the UK to Switzerland, then having a total of 4 or 5 nights in Switzerland but including one of these rail journeys on one day. You return home either by train all the way or by air from Zurich or Geneva, depending on your itinerary. An alternative is to fly one way and to go by train the other. You can travel on any date of your choice and you can extend the stay in any of the places included.
Grand tours of Switzerland by train
Expressions Holidays offers grand tours of Switzerland by train for individuals (you don’t join a group on a set departure date). These rail holidays incorporate several of the iconic rail journeys of Switzerland and combine regions and stays in Swiss cities too. 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.
Single centre hotel holidays by train in Switzerland
Expressions Holidays offers you single centre holidays in Switzerland. These can be by train all the way from the UK and back by train or you can fly into the airport in Switzerland nearest to your hotel stay and take the train from there. Another option is to fly one way and go by train the other. The single centre holidays include a long stay at one hotel, chosen for its suitability for a long stay and with its location offering numerous possibilities for excursions. We have chosen a mixture of cosy and charming, elegant and luxurious hotels in these regions of Switzerland, ideally suited to long stays. These holidays include seven nights in your single-centre hotel, but you can add extra nights both there and at other places at the beginning and/or end of the holiday. Or combine two regions for a two- or more-centre holiday.
Where you stay in Switzerland
In Switzerland we offer a range of luxury hotels in several regions and parts of the country. Most of our rail holidays in Switzerland can be taken with a stay in 5-, 4- or 3-star hotels. This way you can ring the changes and stay in different types of hotels, depending on the importance of the stay. Expressions Holidays offers rail holidays and scenic train journeys across Switzerland. We feature the main cities of Zurich, Geneva and Bern, the lake areas of Geneva and Lucerne, the mountain regions of Zermatt in the Valais, the Bernese Oberland, the Saanenland, the Grisons and the Engadine and the Italian-speaking region of the Ticino and Lake Lugano. Any combination of these regions is possible and indeed in our grand rail touring holidays of Switzerland you will stay in many of the regions. 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.
Our rail holidays to Switzerland include
● Travel arrangements with trains as required● Sample touring itineraries to book as they are or adapt
● Flexible durations
● Iconic, scenic train journeys
● Single-centre rail holidays
● Accommodation in personally-selected 4-or 5-star hotels
● Additional travel arrangements such as flights, transfers, car-hire to combine with rail travel
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
