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Interlaken and the Jungfrau Express at New Year

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You are viewing the 2025 itinerary. Select your departure year
20252026
6 days From $2,945 $2,745 per person
4.4 stars(7 reviews)
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Celebrate New Year with a trip to the "Top of Europe" on the Jungfrau Express while based in Interlaken, perfectly located between lakes and mountains 

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

Mobility Rating 2

2025 Tour code: LNN26

About the tour

See in the New Year on this seasonal vacation in the beautiful Bernese Oberland, staying in the picturesque town of Interlaken, surrounded by panoramic views, sparkling lakes and snow-capped peaks.     

Enjoy a day trip to charming Lucerne and ascend Grindelwald First Mountain on a spectacular New Year's Eve excursion, looking out across the valley and visiting the traditional alpine village of Grindelwald before a gala dinner at our hotel. Then, start your New Year with a breathtaking ride on the Jungfrau Railway to the highest train station in Europe.

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Unforgettable Experiences

Travel to the “Top of Europe” on New Year’s Day
Travel to the “Top of Europe” on New Year’s Day
 On a trip to Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe, experience magnificent views of the snow-frosted Mönch and Eiger peaks and the gleaming Aletsch Glacier, which stretches as far as the eye can see. 
Discover beautiful Lucerne, the “City of Lights”
Discover beautiful Lucerne, the “City of Lights”
Bask in picture-book winter wonderland scenes on a spectacular journey from Interlaken, crossing the Brünig Pass to the lakeside city of Lucerne, known as the "City of Lights" and famed for its covered wooden bridge.  
Admire the idyllic setting of Grindelwald
Admire the idyllic setting of Grindelwald
Explore the village of Grindelwald, one of Europe’s oldest mountain resorts, beneath the imposing north face of the Eiger, and ride to the summit of Grindelwald First Mountain by cable car. 
Explore the Swiss resort of Interlaken
Explore the Swiss resort of Interlaken
 Stay for five nights in the resort town of Interlaken, nestled in the heart of the Bernese Oberland, between sparkling Lakes Thun and Brienz, surrounded by three of Switzerland’s most iconic mountains. 

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 -  Welcome to Interlaken

Your Swiss rail vacation begins today as you arrive in Switzerland's booming financial center, Zürich. Here, you can use your included open train ticket to board the train to Interlaken at your leisure. Since you are unescorted today, you are free to follow your own timeline, perhaps sightseeing in Zürich before settling into your seat and soaking in your first looks at the beauty of Switzerland in the wintertime as you travel toward Interlaken.

This pristine resort town is nestled between Lakes Thun and Brienz, watched over by the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau Mountains. As you arrive in this picturesque setting, make your way to our modern hotel to check in for a five-night stay. With beautiful views of the Bernese Oberland and a fantastic location within Interlaken, our hotel puts numerous adventures within reach during our seasonal trip. Take a moment to find your room and freshen up before joining the group for our first dinner together in the hotel's restaurant. Overnight Interlaken.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 2 - Across the Brünig Pass to Lucerne, the “City of Lights” 

 A spellbinding train journey awaits today aboard the Luzern-Interlaken Express - one of Switzerland's five panoramic train routes - to Lucerne. Entering stunning alpine scenery, we travel along the banks of Lake Brienz to Meiringen in the shadow of the famous Reichenbach Falls. From here, we climb the Brünig Pass through magical winter scenery to an elevation of 3,287 feet before descending past lakes to Lucerne.  

  On arrival, there is time at leisure to wander Lucerne's old town, where an illuminated tree stands nearly 50 feet high, casting a golden glow across the main square. Lucerne's cobbled streets embody tradition, culture and well-preserved medieval architecture, and there are plenty of attractions, from ornate churches to frescoed historic houses and the 14th-century covered Kapellbrücke.

This lakeside city is a wonderful place to explore and find somewhere to eat at one of the many cozy cafés and restaurants. This evening, we retrace our journey to our hotel in Interlaken, where you are free to dine independently. Interlaken's restaurants offer a variety of cuisine, from hearty traditional dishes to a range of international fare. Overnight Interlaken.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 3 -  New Year’s Eve in Grindelwald  

 On the final day of the year, we make our way by rail to the character-filled alpine village of Grindelwald, blanketed in snow and nestled at the foot of the magnificent Eiger. Enjoy some free time to soak up the scenery of attractive wooden chalets and quaint town squares with its backdrop of dramatic mountains. You could also find lunch locally, enjoying Switzerland's flavors or a familiar favorite.

Afterward, we take a cable car journey to the summit of the Grindelwald First Mountain. Appreciate grand panoramas of the valley below as you climb and look across at the mighty Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau Mountains. As we descend, we return to Interlaken, where we sit down to celebrate the approaching New Year with a gala dinner at our hotel this evening. Overnight Interlaken.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4 -  New Year’s Day at the “Top of Europe”   

 On New Year's Day, we enjoy the highlight of our Swiss vacation: an excursion to the summit of the Jungfrau on the celebrated Jungfrau Railway. First, we join the Bernese Oberland Railway to Lauterbrunnen, where the Wengernalp Railway takes us to Kleine Scheidegg. Due to the steep route, the views are outstanding, with sights including the White Lütschine River Valley and Staubbach Falls, often frozen in winter.    

The Jungfrau Railway itself begins at Kleine Scheidegg and runs the remaining six miles to just below the summit of the Jungfrau Mountain. After a viewing stop along the way, making the most of the fantastic panoramas, we emerge from the tunnel at Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe. With plenty of free time here, you can admire the endless expanse of the Aletsch Glacier from the Sphinx Observatory or maybe head to the Lindt store for an insight into the history and making of Swiss chocolate. After this memorable experience, we head back to our hotel for a New Year's Day dinner. Overnight Interlaken.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5 -  At leisure in Interlaken 

 Today is a free day, giving you a chance to explore Interlaken or possibly venture further out to nearby alpine destinations. Locally, you could take a boat ride across one of the lakes before warming up at a cozy café. Alternatively, you could wrap up warmly and head out on one of the many nature trails that start in the town. Interlaken's history can be traced to a monastery built here in the 12th century, while the surrounding landscapes provide a gateway to the Bernese Oberland. This region is home to over 45 scenic mountain railways and aerial gondolas that you are free to discover using your Swiss Travel Card for 50% off fares.   

This evening, we gather at our hotel and sit down to a farewell dinner, toasting this incredible Swiss adventure. Overnight Interlaken.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6 -  Homeward bound

This sensational winter vacation has taken us through jaw-dropping alpine scenery on renowned Swiss railways. From our base in Interlaken, we have explored the unique village of Grindelwald and charming lakeside Lucerne, the "City of Lights," and climbed to the "Top of Europe" aboard the incredible Jungfrau Railway.

Your time in Switzerland comes to a close after breakfast this morning. With an open rail ticket, you can transfer independently by rail to Zürich, where you are free to continue your journey home.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Please note

We want to make sure any holiday you book is right for you. One of the excursions on this tour is at high altitude. If you have any medical conditions or concerns, we recommend you seek medical advice and talk to us.

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.

Hotel

Hotel Metropole, Interlaken

Hotel Metropole, Interlaken

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Trains

Eurostar
Jungfrau Railway
Bernese Oberland Railway in Winter
Jungfrau Railway in Winter
Jungfraujoch

Reviews

4.4 stars4.4 / 5 · 7 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (4)
  2. 4 stars
    (2)
  3. 3 stars
    (1)
  4. 2 stars
    (0)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

Denise Dillinger

5 stars

Submitted 9/Jan

This trip was beautiful, fun and well organized. Paul, our guide, was excellent. Please note: you are responsible for your luggage for the entire trip, so pack light. :)

from Vacations By Rail
Greetings Denise - Thank you so much for the review and for sharing your photos! It looks and sounds like you had a great time! Hopefully the New Year will inspire new travel plans and we hope to tour with you again soon.
1 comment

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Denise Dillinger
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Eileen Ranalli

5 stars

Submitted 7/Jan

I think you should offer the option to upgrade on all train transportation. Due to having luggage you need to upgrade on return trip too cramped in coach

from Vacations By Rail
Hi Eileen - Thank you for sharing your feedback - we were delighted to read that you enjoyed the tour! Your comments on upgrades have been taken to heart, as we are always reevaluating our itineraries to ensure they are more manageable and enjoyable for our guests. Thank you for bringing this to our attention - we hope to travel with you again soon!
1 comment

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Robert Taylor

5 stars

Submitted 6/Jan

I think our tour was well organized and the information provided was accurate and helpful. Paul did a great job keeping in the guidelines and helping us thru the days journeys and activities. He was upbeat and quite enjoyable through the whole time and made the more unpleasant activities almost tolerable (i.e. hauling luggage on and off the trains). All in all it was a great experience.

from Vacations By Rail
Hi Robert - Thank you for providing such a positive review! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour and hope to travel with you again soon!
1 comment

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Edward Gurry

5 stars

Submitted 6/Jan

Well planned. Great tour guide and group of people were diverse! We thoroughly enjoyed the trip.

from Vacations By Rail
Hi Edward - thank you so much for the review! I've shared your kind words with all the departments involved who had a hand in arranging this tour and it really made our day. We hope to help plan your next rail vacation with you! Nice photo galley as well!
1 comment

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Edward Gurry
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Joan Broderick

4 stars

Submitted 10/Jan

The quality of the hotel in Interlaken was borderline. The hotel manager was wonderful but issues of sub par rooms were unavoidable. We tried to upgrade to a newer, renovated room at our personal cost but apparently nothing was available. The cigarettes smell was especially off putting.

from Vacations By Rail
Hi Joan - Thank you for sharing your feedback. We're disappointed to hear that the experience did not live up to your expectations. We really appreciate your candor in bringing this to our attention. We would love to hear more about your tour to learn how we can improve. Please drop us a line at XXX@XXX. or call our Chicago office at 877-929-7245. Our office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 am CST to 7:00 pm CST. and Saturdays from 9:00 am CST to 3:00 pm CST.
1 comment

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John S

4 stars

Submitted 6/Jan

Excellent experience, but recommend you provide an option to upgrade to train travel 1st class. In addition to the up tiered experience, Less crowded and less stressful given all the luggage that must be handled.

from Vacations By Rail
Hi John - We're glad to hear that you had an excellent experience! Thank you very much for the constructive feedback!
1 comment

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