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Classic Glacier Express at New Year

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Toast to the coming year and grand new adventures while surrounded by breathtaking panoramas of the snow-capped Alps on this festive rail adventure through Switzerland.

Travel among a group of like-minded travelers led by a professional tour manager

Mobility Rating 2

2024 Tour code: GEN25

About the tour

Could there be a better way to celebrate the season than being surrounded by some of the world's most dramatic wintertime scenery? Beautiful Switzerland, where sugar-dusted trees border frozen lakes and jagged mountains cloaked in their winter white provide a breathtaking backdrop, plays host for this memorable trip. Spend time exploring resort towns and riding aboard some of the world's most scenic railways over nine adventure-filled days. Beginning in London, ride aboard the high-speed Eurostar train to Paris and change trains for the journey to Strasbourg, France. The holiday season's essence fills the air in this historic city, and you have ample time to explore its ancient architecture and expansive Christmas market. From France, settle into your seat on a local railway for your first taste of Swiss scenery.

Your stay in Switzerland is divided between two incredible cities: Brig and Chur. Explore Brig and its surrounding region to your heart's content during your leisure time and enjoy a day trip to car-free Zermatt. On New Year's Eve, board the legendary rails of the Glacier Express, and watch the changes in the scenery while traversing a winter wonderland filled with charming villages and breathtaking mountain peaks. Begin your new year in Chur, surrounded by medieval buildings and seasonal splendors. Using Chur as a home base, revel in a day to experience the sights of lakeside Lucerne, and ride aboard the acclaimed Bernina Express to Poschiavo deep in the southern tip of Switzerland - a place so close to Italy that their cultures overlap. The train also takes us to the grand resort town of St. Moritz before returning to Chur. From postcard-perfect landscapes to snowy cities preserved since the Middle Ages, there is no place quite like Switzerland in the winter.

Highlights

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - London and Strasbourg by Train

We meet at our Departure Office in London St Pancras, before boarding the Eurostar to Paris. We change trains and continue to Strasbourg for the night. Overnight Strasbourg. 

Includes
  • Dinner
  • Eurostar Meal
Day 2 – Strasbourg & Brig

Our day begins with free time to explore Strasbourg. Afterwards, we take the local railway for a wonderful journey over the imposing Kander Viaduct, through the old Lötschberg tunnel and past soaring mountain peaks to the town of Brig. A historic town in the Valais canton, Brig dates back to the Roman era. With free time in the afternoon, the cobblestones of the Stadtplatz are well worth visiting, capped by the remarkable Stockalper Palace - built in the 17th century by a prosperous silk merchant. Overnight Brig. 

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3 - Zermatt

We visit the charming, car-free resort of Zermatt, where we board a narrow-gauge train heading south through wintry vineyards and alongside the River Rhône to Visp. From here, we join the mountain track for our steep journey to Zermatt. The spectacular approach takes us through eight tunnels and across forty-two bridges as the Matterhorn comes into view. On arrival, you're free to spend your time as you choose. One option is to make the ascent to the summit of the Gornergrat by funicular railway. Running for just under six miles, the route travels to the mountain's peak where you can enjoy stunning views across to the Matterhorn. Alternatively, you could visit the town's fascinating climbing museum. Overnight Brig. 

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4 – Brig at Leisure

Today is at leisure in Brig. You could make the most of your Swiss Travel Card by taking the train along the Rhône Valley to Montreux, on the shores of Lake Geneva. Here, you can join either the GoldenPass Panoramic train to Gstaad or the Centovalli Railway for a journey across '100 valleys'. Overnight Brig. 

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 5 – New Year’s Eve on the Glacier Express

We leave Brig, traveling on the iconic Glacier Express to Chur, Switzerland's oldest town and our base for four nights. Switzerland's striking natural beauty is revealed on our journey, which is transformed into a picture-postcard landscape of snowy meadows, frozen streams, and white mountaintops. The Glacier Express passes icy forests and frozen rivers, all playing their part to create a jaw-dropping winter wonderland setting, as we marvel at the Alpine scenery from our panoramic windows. Unmissable views come as we travel over the Oberalp Pass, the highest point on the route, and make our way through the Rhine Gorge to Disentis. At our hotel in Chur, this evening we celebrate the coming of the New Year with a special gala dinner. Overnight Chur. 

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 – New Year’s Day in Chur

New Year's Day is free for you to explore Chur, a destination with a history dating back over 5,000 years. Its quaint Old Town boasts some well-preserved medieval buildings and is entirely traffic-free, making it the ideal place to explore on foot. It's here you'll find the city's 800-year-old Cathedral of Assumption, as well as the terracotta-fronted Bishop's Palace. After you've marveled at the historical landmarks and wintry mountain setting, back at the hotel we sit down to a traditional festive dinner with all the trimmings. Overnight Chur. 

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7 - Lucerne

We make our way by rail to Lucerne, situated on the shores of Lake Lucerne at the foot of the Swiss Alps and known for its cobbled streets and ornate churches. Your time here is free to explore, so why not enjoy a stroll through the town to see the famous Chapel Bridge, a 14th-century wooden bridge that separates Lucerne's Old and New Town? The Old Town is situated north of the River Reuss and has a rich history. Houses decorated with frescoes line the picturesque squares, with several half-timber structures and the remnants of the old town walls a reminder of just how old Lucerne is. The Jesuit church, dating from the 17th century, is regarded as Switzerland's first baroque building and the twin towers of the Hofkirche form an integral part of the townscape. Alternatively, travel on the Pilatus or Rigi mountain railways or enjoy a paddle steamer cruise across Lake Lucerne using your Swiss Travel card for 50% fare reductions. Overnight Chur. 

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 8 – The Bernina Express & St Moritz

We take the Bernina Express to Poschiavo, enjoying a seasonal journey over the Alps, admiring views of ancient castles and the magnificent, mountain-ringed Lake Bianco as we wind above deep ravines and past idyllic waterfalls, emerging from the Albula Tunnel and crossing the mighty Bernina Pass. After some free time in Poschiavo, we make our way back along the line to St Moritz, a resort town that epitomizes Swiss lakeside glamour, boasting an abundance of fascinating history, culture, and natural beauty. Here, you'll find gourmet restaurants galore and boutique shopping streets. At this time of year, St Moritz is transformed into a wonderland of frosted forests, frozen lakes and freshly fallen snow, the ideal setting to discover the Grand Town's age-old history or take a stroll through Staz Forest. Overnight Chur. 

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 9 – Return Home

Your Swiss rail tour ends this morning with breakfast after which you will return to Zurich Airport by rail. Your Tour Manager will provide your train ticket and hotel departure time details based on your return flight schedule.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Departure times

Departure times vary based on selected rail vacation. This information will be provided in your final documents. For more information please speak with your rail specialist.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular vacation with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotels

Hotel Ambassador, Brig

Hotel Ambassador, Brig

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Romantik Hotel Stern, Chur

Romantik Hotel Stern, Chur

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Trains

Bernina Express
Eurostar
The Glacier Express

Reviews

5.0 stars5.0 / 5 · 2 reviews

  1. 5 stars
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  5. 1 star
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Customer

5 stars

Submitted 10 Jan 2023

The food was good. Hotels were centrally located, clean with nicely decorated rooms. The hotel in Brig could have had a larger and better equipped bathroom, but all in all they were fine. Seating on the trains was excellent and Vacations by Rail and our tour leader handled problems such as strikes, etc. as they arose really well. Thanks for a good New Year.

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SHERRILL, RICHARD

5 stars

Submitted 10 Jan 2023

Delivered as promised and more. Great value.

Collected by Trustpilot

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