First Class Glacier Express, Zermatt & Matterhorn

Your First Class Swiss vacation begins today as your plane lands at Zürich's airport. Make your way to the airport's railway station and continue your journey independently by rail, traveling to the Engadine Valley city of St. Moritz.

Leaving the modern city behind, the train weaves past gleaming lakes and toward increasingly dramatic mountains and the historic town of Chur. The last leg takes you into the heart of the Swiss Alps, snaking across deep ravines and scenic viaducts, passing snow-capped peaks and rushing waterfalls, and eventually arriving in the lake-filled Engadine Valley.

On arrival, make your way to our central hotel for check-in, and then you may begin getting acquainted with the uninterrupted views provided by your location. Return to the hotel this evening to meet the Tour Manager and your travel group, and then, together, we sit down to enjoy our first dinner in Switzerland in the hotel's restaurant. Overnight St Moritz.

Please Note - For departures 18th May and 16th July we will stay at the Hotel Laudinella in St Moritz.

• Dinner

Regarded as the rail experts' best-kept secret, the Bernina Express crosses the Alps into Italy on a UNESCO-listed route. From our First Class panoramic carriages, the alpine scenery continuously impresses as we climb.

Reaching the summit at more than 7,300 feet above sea level, we pass the turquoise waters of Lago Bianco before enjoying a truly memorable moment: stepping off the train at Alp Grüm to admire jaw-dropping views of the Palü Glacier. The Bernina Express then twists down the mountains, spiraling around the corkscrew viaduct at Brusio to Italy.

Arrive in the charming Italian valley town of Tirano and enjoy free time to explore. You might like to wander the narrow, cobbled streets and character-filled piazzas or enjoy local delicacies in one of the town's trattorias.

We return to Switzerland on the local train, which provides an opportunity to roll down a window for spectacular photos of the scenery. Arriving back at our hotel, we enjoy a three-course dinner this evening. Overnight Engadine Valley.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Nestled amidst the mountains and lakes of the Engadine Valley, the resort town of St. Moritz lends itself to an abundance of possibilities during your free day.

Via Serlas is one of the world's most famous shopping streets and brims with options. The St. Moritz resort card provides free travel on the cable cars and funiculars surrounding the town, so you can be ferried up to the snow-capped peaks in minutes. For a more relaxing day, you could stroll around St. Moritz's serene lake and bask in uninterrupted mountain views.

Alternatively, you could use your complimentary Swiss Travel Card for a 50% discount on trains to explore further afield. The fashionable resorts of Davos or Klosters can be reached by scenic train in under two hours.

You dine independently this evening, which provides an excellent chance to sample authentic Swiss food such as fondue, raclette or pizzoccheri pasta. Overnight Engadine Valley.

• Breakfast

The Glacier Express is one of Europe's most iconic train journeys, and this incredible holiday follows its full route from St Moritz to Zermatt. 

Traveling at an average speed of 24 mph, the "slowest express train in the world" clings to mountain edges as we depart St. Moritz for Zermatt today. Boarding the train after breakfast, we take our seats as the Glacier Express follows the UNESCO-listed Albula Line before delving into the Rhine Gorge. Here, our panoramic First Class carriages provide front-row seats to the "Swiss Grand Canyon" as the river winds past limestone cliffs.

Enjoying a two-course lunch in our seats, we enjoy a constant presentation of breathtaking scenery while climbing to Andermatt and entering the nine-mile Furka Tunnel. Our journey reaches a dramatic conclusion as we zigzag up the Matter Valley, through alpine meadows and past waterfalls, before the Matterhorn comes into view on our approach to Zermatt.  

Accessible only by train, the sense of peace in this quintessential Swiss mountain resort is instantly apparent. A three-course dinner awaits at our chalet-style hotel, where we check in for three nights. Overnight Zermatt.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Waking up in Zermatt, we have breakfast before setting off on a heritage train ride. More than 125 years old, the Gornergrat Mountain Railway is Switzerland's original electric rack railway and first carried travelers the six miles up the mountain in August 1898. We trace their journey, climbing through picturesque valleys and forests to more than 10,000 feet above sea level.

The views from the top are jaw-dropping, with up to 29 mountaintops - including the Matterhorn's pyramidal peak - visible on a clear day. This famous mountain is an iconic symbol of Switzerland, and its striking shape inspired the design of Toblerone. 

Back amongst the low-pitched roofs of Zermatt's chalets, an expert guide reveals the stories and history of this charming resort on a guided tour. You are free to continue the day from leisure at this point, and because we dine independently tonight, you could further delve into Swiss cuisine in one of Zermatt's cozy restaurants. Overnight Zermatt.

• Breakfast

The imposing Matterhorn dominates the skyline around Zermatt, and after breakfast, we travel by gondola to the highest cable car station in Europe for a memorable experience. At a height of more than 12,700 feet, the alpine wonderland of the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise provides monumental views of the famous peak. The experience is further enhanced as a lift lowers us nearly 50 feet inside the glacier to the ice palace - the highest of its kind in the world - where we view sculptures crafted from the perpetual ice surrounding us, adding a decorative touch to a surreal landscape.

Returning to ground level in Zermatt, a leisurely afternoon provides a chance to explore the plateau, perhaps enjoying Matterhorn views from Schwarzsee lake or relaxing in our hotel's outdoor jacuzzi or on the terrace. Strolling Zermatt's streets, you could wander between the historic wooden chalets of Hinterdorfstrasse. With geranium-filled balconies and buildings dating from the 1700s, this cobbled street showcases traditional alpine architecture.

This evening, we gather back at our hotel for a three-course dinner. Overnight Zermatt.

• Breakfast, Dinner

A journey of mountain railways, glacial plateaus, serene lakes and charming towns, this vacation has provided many perspectives from which to soak up Switzerland's magnificent scenery. From our bases in the resorts of St. Moritz and Zermatt, we have enjoyed trips on the Bernina Express, the Glacier Express and the Gornergrat Mountain Railway, basking in breathtaking vistas throughout each rail route. 

Revel in this scenery once more as you depart Zermatt after breakfast this morning, traveling independently to Zürich by rail. Wind down the gorgeous Matter Valley to Visp and pass the glistening waters of Lake Thun. The quaint lakeside town of Spiez, with its 10th-century castle, comes into view before arriving in Zürich, where your adventure concludes.

• Breakfast