Swiss Mountain Rail Journeys: Alps, Glaciers and Lakes.

Ride Switzerland's world famous mountain trains:

• Bernina Express
• Glacier Express
• GoldenPass Panorama
• Jungfrau Express
• Brienzer Rothorn (steam in summer)

Detailed Tour Itinerary

Day 1, Saturday August 21st: 

You may join the tour either in London, at Zurich Airport or in Switzerland's oldest town, Chur. If you join in London, you will travel on the Eurostar under the English Channel and, in Paris, change to France's high speed TGV train bound for Switzerland. If commencing at Zurich Airport, there is a transfer to Chur. This is our home for 3 nights. Meet your Tour Leader and fellow travellers for Welcome Drinks and Dinner [D].

Day 2, Sunday August 22nd:  

Every day on the Great Trains of Europe Tours begins with a full buffet breakfast [B]. We commence our love affair with the great trains of Europe today on a rail journey to Switzerland's highest town Davos, famous from the nineteenth century as a “Wellness” centre, and now a very trendy ski resort in Winter [B]

Day 3, Monday August 23rd: 

Bernina Express One of the world's great rail journeys today on the Bernina Express across the Alps to Tirano in Italy. So stunning is the scenery that one section of the route has been classed a UNESCO World Heritage site. We retrace our steps home to Chur. [B]

Day 4, Tuesday August 24th: 

Our luggage is taken on ahead as we join the world's favourite little red Swiss mountain train, the Glacier Express. Enjoy breathtaking views from our panorama car as we cross the Alps. Dinner is in our lakefront hotel in the village of Spiez, our home for 3 nights. [B] [D]

Day 5, Wednesday August 25th: 

GoldenPass Panoramic Today the GoldenPass Panorama train takes us from the Bernese Oberland to Lake Geneva. We have time in Montreux for lunch on the lakefront esplanade or on a steamer on the lake. Home to Spiez. [B]

Day 6, Thursday August 26th: 

Jungfrau Express Our rail journeying reaches new heights today to the highest of them all - the Jungfraubahn - to the Jungfraujoch station at 11,333 feet! On the way down we visit the beautiful village of Grindelwald. [B]

Day 7, Friday August 27th: ^ Top ^

Our luggage is taken on ahead to Lucerne while we skirt the lake to Brienz where we ascend the Brienzer Rothorn (steam train on summer departures) for magni icent views to the Eiger. We arrive in lakeside Lucerne for some shopping time before dinner. [B]

Day 8, Saturday August 28th: 

Pilatus Trains and boats and cable car - to the top of Pilatus for unsurpassed views to Lake Lucerne below. [B]

Day 9, Sunday August 29th: 

Rigi Kulm Our inal day and one of the best saved till last. Using Europe's irst ever cog-wheel railway we climb to the top of the “Queen of the Mountains” for 360degree Alpine views. Home for our Farewell Dinner. [B] [D]

Day 10, Monday August 30th: 

The tour ends after breakfast. Transfer to the airport or take the TGV and Eurostar back to London. A Paris stopover can be arranged. [B]

Cost:

Option 1: $AUD 4,950 per person Twin Share. Join in Chur, leave in Lucerne

Or:

Option 2: $AUD 5,250 per person Twin Share. Join and leave at Zurich airport

Or:

Option 3: $AUD 6,000 per person Twin Share. Join and leave in London

Single Room supplement $AUD 800.

Enquire about Business or First Class airfare upgrades (Remember, if you don't fly First Class, your grandchildren will).

What's included?^ Top ^

All Great Trains of Europe Tours include:

• All stops 3 nights minimum
• Quality, centrally located hotels
• First Class travel on Europe's Great Trains
• Full luggage handling
• Escorted by Australian historian / tour guide
• Guided orientation / sightseeing tours in all cities

Swiss Mountain Rail Journeys tour, departing August 21st 2010 also includes:

• Return economy airfare - but NOT taxes - from your Australian international airport to Europe, with airport transfers if arriving and departing on group dates. Inquire about the cost of earlier departure or later return. Not included if you have opted for “land content only”.
• Twin share accommodation with buffet breakfast in centrally located First Class (European 4 star) hotels with private facilities and air-conditioning.
• Sightseeing / orientation tour of each overnight city. Restaurant dinner (3 courses plus wine or beer) on the first night in each new city or village, except Chur, where the included dinner is our farewell dinner on the last night.
• First Class rail travel in reserved seats on many of Europe's great trains, including the French TGV, the Thalys and the German ICE.
• Luggage handling from each overnight stop to the next.

The TOUR COST does NOT include:^ Top ^

• Hotel incidentals (eg. Mini-bars, telephone calls, laundry), airport and departure taxes, local transport in any city,
• optional excursions listed or meals other than breakfast and the one restaurant dinner in each city - the first night in each new city, except Vienna where it takes the form of a farewell dinner. On other nights, the Tour Leaders are available to accompany group members to local, authentic restaurants.

There are no Optional Excursions offered with this tour.

Note well: Booking Conditions « Tours index ^ Top ^