“For context, we live in New Zealand and booked to do this trip in March 2020, but Covid got in the way. We thought that was it, we'd never get to go. We were given a credit by Vacations By Rail (VBR) as many other companies did. Then, for global, cost and personal reasons, we could not do this trip until this year. Now I have to say, VBR went above and beyond to keep the dream alive. Their team (Hilary, Charles, Gabrielle and others) were very supportive and got us on tour in March 2024 and it was just fantastic. The itinerary was very well planned, presented and easy to follow. It gave us time and options along the way. The 15-day SwissPass, SBB (Swiss Rail) and their SBB App were the magic that unlocked so many things to do. We used it heaps in Zurich and the surrounding regions where we had 6 days. We used it to visit museums, take Lake Cruises, Trains, Buses and Trams everywhere all included. A free tour of Chillon castle in Montreux (great to do, get the audio guide) etc... The hotels were great. Zurich, Old Town, Hotel Wellenberg great location and staff, Zermatt Alpenhof, brilliant, was the best we stayed in. Great hotel, luxury, location and restaurant (ask them to pick you up from the station, good to know). Same at the Crystal in St Moritz, give them a call. Interlaken Royal St George was pure luxury. Beautiful place. And many more. All an excellent experience. As you can see we really enjoyed this trip and have nothing but praise for how VBR looked after us for four years and then with their excellent tour, meticulous planning and great choices of destinations and hotels. And all by email and a few calls from Chicago 13,000kms away. Thanks again. We couldn't ask for more and will remember this one for quite a long time. Chris & Helen Some things we learnt along the way; - Switzerland shops and supermarkets are shut on Sundays except for small grocery stores, cafes, pubs and restaurants etc - If you are travelling in March/April just think about the impact Easter may have on your travels and day. Otherwise, great time of the year to travel. Not too many tourists and skiers. Not weather extremes either - Ask the hotels about pickups from stations. - Check the local attractions in and around Zurich. Some great places to see - The Zurich Tourism office in Zurich's Hauptbahnhof is very good and well worth a visit for ideas and savings, oh and free WiFi as is SBB - Have some change as they charge for the public bathrooms, 2CHF. Many have PayWave.

“Our experience with Highlights of Switzerland and Italy by Rail was excellent! The trip was well-organized, the accommodations met or exceeded our expectations, and we thoroughly enjoyed the excursions and small group tours. A special thanks to the staff of Vacations by Rail staff, including Derek Espinosa, Gwen Freeman, Chrissy Brown, and Jeffrey for their support in making this a memorable experience for us.

“Great trip, trains were great and scenery spectacular.

“Our experience on the Cuisine & Culture tour gave us the best vacation we've had. Communication, documentation and responses before the trip were always prompt. Transfers and escorts were timely and invaluable since we had minimal knowledge of the language and transportation customs. The guides were high quality, friendly and very accommodating. Hotels in Rome and Florence were wonderful. However, the hotel in Venice was not quite as good. In all the combination of tours and unplanned down time that Cuisine & Culture scheduled was just right. I would highly recommend the Superior package for first time travelers to Italy.

“The travel arrangements were great. All airport/train station to and from the Hotels were spot on. Private tour guides were first rate.

“It is a trip of a lifetime when done in winter. Everything that we were looking for visually. Made some new friends and a bunch of memories.

“All the appointments were kept on time. The hotel room in Seville had a bad smell, they could not move us to another room until the following day. Tours were good.

“Our trip went off perfectly and our guides were fabulous. It exceeded our expectations.

“The tour is amazing, great timing. We certainly can't say we saw the Almalfi Coast.