£1619pp—1st-class Swiss Alps rail holiday, fr across Britain

On this independent rail journey, all you need to do is relax and gaze out the window. The headache of planning tickets and booking hotels is all done for you by the experts. This is the very best price we can find in the market for this kind of experience. 

This offer is £1597 per person. You'll pay approximately £21.20 in tourist taxes on arrival at the hotels, making the total £1618.20**.

What's included

• First-class rail trail from your nearest UK station
• Round-trip rail tickets, including the Eurostar from London St Pancras, and Panorama Class seating on the Bernina Express
• A travel wallet containing all your tickets, timetables, and hotel vouchers
• One night at Hotel des Vosges, Strasbourg
• Two nights at Admiral Hotel, Lugano
• Two nights at ABC Swiss Quality Hotel, Chur
• Two nights at Ambassador Hotel, Brig
• One night at Mercure Lyon La Part Dieu
• Standard rooms and breakfast throughout

When
Depart on Fridays in January, February, March, November, and December, 2026. Start the journey from any local station for no additional cost, as long as you can reach London St Pancras the same day to catch the Eurostar.

Departures from April–October are available from £1799 per person. 

For more information, see our partner's website.

Itinerary
Tailor Made Rail provides a suggested itinerary in each destination. The plan is flexible, and you're free to do your own thing at your own pace and savour the romance of slow travel. Just make sure to reach each hotel in time to check in for the evening.

• Day one... take the Eurostar to Medieval Strasbourg via Lille, and stay in a hotel opposite the train station.
• Day two... ride the Gotthard Pass on your way to Lake Lugano. This classic route tunnels through the mountains, allowing seamless travel through some of Europe's tallest peaks. There are spectacular views when the train emerges 1000 metres up near Wassen.
• Day three... no trains today. Enjoy a day at leisure in Paradiso, on the shores of Lake Lugano. 
• Day four... today is the highlight of the trip: a ride on the Bernina Express. Good Housekeeping says this 4-hour route is the most spectacular in Europe, chugging over 196 bridges through the glaciers of the Alps. 
• Day five... travel between the famous Alpine resorts of Chur and Brig. You'll ride the same route as the Glacier Express tourist train, but you'll travel on local commuter trains to keep the costs down. The scenery is exactly the same.
• Day six... spend the day in Brig, a historic, car-free old town. The itinerary includes an optional daytrip to Zermatt, home of the Matterhorn view made famous by Toblerone. It's around an hour on the train, each way.
• Day seven... wend your way from Brig to Geneva, with views of Lake Geneva from the train. Perhaps grab some cheese or chocolate to take home.
• Day eight... you're on the home stretch. Stay the night  in Lyon to break your journey through France. It's the country's gourmet capital and the perfect place to spend the evening. 
• Day nine... continue to Lille and catch the Eurostar, then return to any station in the UK.  

Other options

• Solo travellers can book the same experience from £2199.
• Add the Gornergrat Mountain Railway in Zermatt from an extra £89 per person
• Add extra nights in Strasbourg from £50 per person
• Add extra nights in Lyon from £70 per person

Transfers & baggage
Train transfers are included between destinations. Hotels have been planned to be close to train stations—you could walk or get taxis. You can bring as much luggage as you can carry.