Swiss Mountain Highs

Our Swiss Mountain Highs tour is a truly unique, tailor-made train trip through the stunning mountain landscape of Switzerland.

Travelling from town to town by train is the way to see the best mountain and lake panoramas. The Swiss Alps, by their nature, are spectacular, but when you join the Glacier Express - the word’s slowest express train - you’re spoiled with unparalleled views of majestic Alpine landscape!

Highlights

• Journey by train through the spectacular Lauterbrunnen Valley
• Take the world-famous Jungfraujoch excursion
• Travel through the Swiss Alps on the well-known Glacier Express train
• Visit Lucerne, one of Switzerland’s finest cities
• Ride the incomparable William Tell Express to Locarno
• Journey along the picturesque Reuss River and through the Gotthard Tunnel

Sample Itinerary

Day 1
Depart Vienna, the Austrian capital with its majestic symphony of Rococo palaces, coffee houses and wine gardens, on the high speed Railjet service for Zurich in Switzerland.
Travel through some of Austria’s finest cities: Linz, Salzberg and Innsbruck, before crossing the small country of Liechtenstein - maybe you will catch a glimpse of its castle in Vaduz. You will also cross the Rhine.
Arrive in Zurich, with its focal point the Limmat River and its elegant low bridges.

Day 2
A local guide will meet you for a walking tour of one of the best preserved historic centres in Europe. Taking in the historical areas of Zurich including the city’s great cathedral, Grossmunster with its tall twin towers.
Depart Zurich for Lauterbrunnen. Change at Interlaken for the Rack Railway. Travel through the stunning Lauterbrunnen Valley - on either side of the broad valley, cliffs rise 300 meters until they reach forested slopes.
Travel from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen. Accommodation for 2 nights.

Day 3
A day for the world famous Jungfraujoch excursion - take a series of trains and cable cars and experience the unforgettable trip to the mountain village and peak, Jungfraujoch, known as the “Top of Europe”.

Day 4
Depart Wengen for Zermatt via Interlaken. Stunning scenery and spectacular views will take your breath away as you travel by rail through the heart of the Swiss Alps on the world-famous Glacier Express train.
Arrive at Zermatt and transfer to hotel for 2 nights. Zermatt is no longer a sleepy mountain hamlet but retains historic wooden buildings in the town centre and offers wonderful walking and excursions to take in views of the iconic Matterhorn.

Day 5
Day in Zermatt. The Matterhorn Museum - documents the history of mountaineering in the region; the small Anglican church here was built in the 19th century for English climbers scaling the neighbouring peaks; the town square is surrounded by historic houses, with a feature fountain and statues.
A series of lifts run to the summit of the Klein Matterhorn and a rack railway climbs to the Gornergrat from where there are breathtaking views of the Matterhorn and the Gornergletscher.

Day 6
Depart Zermatt for Lucerne, one of Switzerland’s finest cities. Accommodation at an Art Deco style hotel, standing above the Lake with superb views.
Walking tour of Lucerne.

Day 7
Depart on the Wilhelm Tell Express to Locarno. A pure joy of travel, the William Tell Express is unsurpassed. The first leg of your journey, the boat trip from Lucerne to Fluelen (located at the opposite end of the lake), takes a leisurely three hours. When you arrive in Fluelen, your air conditioned train with panoramic window will be waiting.
Once you hop on board, the route follows the Reuss River as it heads south, cutting its way through the mountains. The train goes by steep cliffs and deep ravines and then begins to climb up from the valley and plunges into the 15 kilometre-long Gotthard Tunnel.
Afternoon train from Locarno to Lucerne.

Day 8
A day to appreciate the city of Lucerne itself. Walking tour followed by visits to the famous Kultur und Kongress (Culture and Congress) centre - an architectural landmark and the home of the international Festival in August each year. It has one of the finest auditoriums in the world.
Take in the Kapellbrucke, the 14th century Chapel Bridge with the famous Wassertum (water tower), probably Lucerne’s most eye catching building, and visit Richard Wagner’s home, his “idyll in Tribschen”.

Day 9
Depart Lucerne for Zurich. One night's accommodation.

Day 10
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before departing for the airport.