Switzerland Rail Tour

The Golden Pass Train line is one of the most picturesque train journeys in Switzerland; the ever-changing scenery truly reflects Switzerland’s diversity. Our 2 night stay invites you to enjoy some of the breathtaking countryside this wonderful country has to offer. You will spend your first night in Lucerne and your second night in Montreux. An unforgettable Swiss Experience!

Your Switzerland Rail Tour will include The Golden Pass train line which offers one of the most unforgettable train journeys in Switzerland; the ever-changing scenery truly reflects Switzerland’s diversity. From Lucerne the train passes picturesque villages on the lakes before climbing over the ‘Brunig Pass’ And down to ‘Interlaken Ost’.

Change here for the train to Zweisimmen which first follows the banks of Lake Thun before heading into the green Alpine pastures of the Simmental. Traditional villages, flowering meadows passed by before the train reaches Zweisimmen where passengers need to change to a different gauge train. On this part of the journey you will see alpine forests, villages perched on the mountainsides, vineyards of the Lake Geneva region and beautiful views of the Lake.

You will spend your first night in a 3* hotel in Lucerne and your second night in a 3* hotel in Montreux (option to upgrade to 4* at supplement)

Lucerne, the gateway to central Switzerland, sited on Lake Lucerne, is embedded within an impressive mountainous panorama. Thanks to its attractions, the beautiful lakeside setting and the nearby mountains of the Rigi, Pilatus and Stanserhorn, the town is a destination for many travellers on their journey through central Switzerland.

Complete with gable paintings, the covered, medieval Chapel Bridge forms the centrepiece of Lucerne’s townscape and is considered to be one of the oldest, covered wooden bridges in Europe.

Historic houses decorated with frescoes line the picturesque town squares as they do the ‘Weinmarkt’ square in the car-free old town. Lucerne is a city of town squares and churches. The figure of a dying lion which was hewn from the face of a rock in remembrance of the heroic death of Swiss guards killed during an attack on the Tuileries in 1792 is one of the best-known monuments in Switzerland. And with its 112-metre-long Bourbaki panorama, Lucerne possesses one of the world’s few maintained, mammoth circular paintings.

The futuristic Culture and Convention Centre (KKL), designed by leading French architect Jean Nouvel, is one the architectural highlights of the town.

Montreux – From the lake to the mountains and vineyards, Montreux Riviera offers a postcard landscape. It’s an authentic piece of paradise that has attracted many artists, writers and travellers in search of beauty, tranquillity and… inspiration.

It’s no surprise that Charlie Chaplin chose to spend his last 25 years on the hills of Vevey (close to Montreux), that Freddie Mercury immortalised Lake Geneva with the peaks of Le Grammont on the cover of the album “Made in Heaven”, that Igor Stravinski composed “The Rite of Spring” in Montreux, or that Prince declared his love for Lavaux in a song named after the famous terraced vineyard, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Montreux Riviera enjoys a microclimate that gives it a Mediterranean flair. The atmosphere is perfect for relaxing, going on walks, discovering new areas, and the climate is ideal for a rich terrain cultivated expertly by restaurateurs and winegrowers.

A few minutes from the shore up on the hills, forests interspersed with meadows invite walkers to roam the hiking trails, observe blossoming wild narcissus and admire a panorama that transforms with each season. The arrival of the first snowflakes signals the beginning of Alpine fun, on skis, snowshoes or simply on foot.

For less sporty visitors, Chaplin’s World and Chillon Castle are the top museum choices.