Grand Train Tour of Switzerland in Winter

Chris M

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.

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JULIE GUTSCHENRITTER JUSTICE

Fabulous Trip. I was really worried about using the train system because I am not used to it. But everything worked out great. The train system was very easy to use and to move from city to city. The cities we stayed in were fabulous (Zermatt was my favorite). The scenic train rides were all fabulous (my favorite was the Excellence Class on the Glacier Express, yes the upgrade is worth it). We did not upgrade the hotels, but the hotels we stayed at were perfect for us (the Matterhorn Hotel in Zermatt and the Swiss Chalet in Interlaken were my favorite). But the prize of the trip were the excellent views from the top of the mountains.

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NANCY JO JOHNSON

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip! The hotels were located conveniently close to the train stations, the SBB train schedule was easy to follow, and the scenery was beautiful. We would highly recommend this trip!

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DEBORAH FRINK

I would highly recommend this trip to anyone interested in train travel through Switzerland. The trains were immaculate, comfortable, and always on time to the minute. We did the independent tour and the itinerary supplied by VBR worked very well for us. The hotels were great, all conveniently located within walking distance from the train stations. Words fall short in describing the stunning scenery and the beauty of this country. Upgrading to first class was well worth it, as we always had a seat in a spacious car. Having the Swiss Travel Pass was great, on and off each train with no need to buy a ticket and it also got us several scenic boat trips, bus rides and free admission into some museums. The only negative I can think of was with the Hotel St. Gottard in Zurich. Our room had a broken shower head and the staff at the front desk was very unfriendly. They did end up getting us a new room but it took quite a bit of discussion and we had to prove to them the shower was indeed broken before they would move us.

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DENYS and THELMA WEBSTER

We did our Grand Tour of Switzerland in December. Getting around Switzerland by train was easier than we had expected, and all of the rail and hotel bookings went seamlessly. The scenery was simply fantastic. Thank you to Vacations by Rail who arranged and customised the trip to our specific requirements, inluding securing hard to get tickets in Excellence Class on the Glacier Express. Our only suggestion is that it would have been better if Vacations by Rail could have provided our final ticket documentation a little earlier than just a few days prior tio our departure.

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JAMES JOSEPH PASELA

A wonderful experience. Would do it again. Thank you.

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