Premium Glacier Express: Switzerland’s Alpine Icons

Your spectacular Swiss vacation begins today as your plane touches down at Zürich Airport and you make your own way from the airport to our centrally located hotel in Zürich by taxi or using the local railway. Upon checking in for two nights, the remainder of the day is at leisure to relax or explore this fascinating city.

Zürich is Switzerland's largest city and financial capital, with a stunning location on the northern edge of a beautiful lake that shares its name. Despite its modern surface, the city's history dates to the Romans, and there are many ancient attractions to uncover. Your Swiss Travel Pass includes entry to many of Zürich's museums, and you might like to visit the Kunsthaus, which displays major works of fine art, the Museum Haus Konstruktiv to see modern and Constructivist pieces, or Cabaret Voltaire is the spiritual home of Dadaism, an early 20th-century avant-garde movement.

Returning to the hotel this evening, meet the Tour Manager and your fellow travelers for a welcome dinner. Overnight Zürich.

• Dinner

Zürich is rich with well-preserved architecture and charming sights to uncover, and we do just that as we set out on a guided tour of Old Town after breakfast.

Traveling aboard a deluxe motorcoach, we set our sights upon picturesque alleys and historic buildings, including the iconic Grossmünster Church and the 13th-century Fraumünster Church, an icon of Zürich's skyline. Throughout the tour, our knowledgeable guide shares fascinating stories and insights into the region's unique past. After seeing Old Town's highlights, our coach continues to Lindt Home of Chocolate, where we can learn about the origins of Swiss chocolate, taste these beloved sweets and shop for souvenirs.

By motorcoach, we then travel to Schaffhausen, where there's time to explore and find lunch independently. Later, we embark on a guided cruise to the Rhine Falls, passing scenic riverbanks en route to Europe's largest waterfall, plunging 75 feet into the water below. After returning to Schaffhausen, we make our way back to Zürich, where the evening is yours to dine locally. Overnight Zürich.

• Breakfast

With our luggage transferred ahead, we set out after breakfast for a rail journey toward St. Moritz. After transferring to the station, we take our First Class seats on Switzerland's rail network, looking over the mosaic skyline and serene lakes as we make our way to Chur.

As the train arrives in Switzerland's oldest city, you have some free time to find lunch or scratch the surface of more than 5,000 years of history while sightseeing locally. Chur's Old Town is brimming with centuries of notable architecture, including the Cathedral of the Assumption, located approximately 15 minutes' walk from the station.

We regroup to board the mid-afternoon train and enjoy increasingly dramatic views as the mountains and lakes of the Graubünden region come into view. Our journey takes us along the Albula Line, and we can take in the picturesque scenery of monumental peaks as we peaks as we weave through the Engadin Valley to St. Moritz.

Upon arrival, we make our way to our hotel in this beloved alpine resort and then enjoy dinner together. Overnight St. Moritz.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Twist and turn along the highest rail route in the Alps today as we set out on our first iconic Swiss rail journey: the Bernina Express. Often called the rail expert's best-kept secret, this train follows the UNESCO-listed Rhaetian Railway from St. Moritz and presents another vantage point from which to admire the Alps.

Stepping aboard the Bernina Express, we take our First Class seats and begin our climb to an elevation of more than 7,300 feet, passing Lago Bianco and crossing the Bernina Pass. Marvel at views of the Palü Glacier at Alp Grüm, and then we wind down the mountains, spiraling through the corkscrew viaduct at Brusio toward the northern Italian town of Tirano.

With free time here, you could wander amongst the character-filled piazzas, find a local café for lunch, or visit the 16th-century Roman Catholic church. In the afternoon, we reboard the Bernina Express for an encore viewing of the scenery en route to St. Moritz, where the remainder of your day is at leisure to sightsee or have dinner in a traditional restaurant. Overnight St. Moritz.

• Breakfast

A highlight of our Swiss showcase lies ahead this morning as we make our way to St. Moritz's rail station for an unforgettable journey on the Glacier Express. Because we have a small group of travelers, we enjoy exclusive use of the Excellence Class train car for our scenic route to Zermatt. The Excellence Class car is lined with panoramic picture windows, and every seat is the best seat in the house, as all the chairs sit beside a window.

Witness the unfiltered beauty of the Alps as we depart St. Moritz and the "Swiss Grand Canyon." We enjoy a five-course lunch at our seats, with wine included, and the freedom to visit the private bar in the back of the car as we traverse the Oberalp Pass and cross the Furka Pass. The Glacier Express then passes through the steep Rhône Valley before the Matterhorn comes into view, and we arrive in the car-free resort of Zermatt.

Upon arrival, we transfer to our hotel with a free evening to explore the charming local restaurants. Overnight Zermatt.

• Breakfast, Lunch

More than 125 years old, the Gornergrat Mountain Railway is Switzerland's original eclectic cogwheel railway and the second-highest railway in Europe. Its course to the summit reveals some of the most remarkable views in the Zermatt region, and we get to experience it after breakfast.

After walking to the station, we take our seats for the six-mile climb to the summit at an altitude of more than 10,000 feet. The vistas from the top are spectacular, and on a clear day, up to 29 mountaintops are visible, with the pièce de résistance being the iconic Matterhorn, a symbol of Switzerland. There is time to admire these breathtaking vistas and explore the summit at your own pace. The highlight of our time at the summit comes as we reconvene for lunch, enjoying traditional cuisine while looking upon the Matterhorn.

Returning to Zermatt this afternoon, you are free to explore its traditional Walser homes and winding lanes independently. Dinner is on your own tonight, and Zermatt is a wonderful place to taste regional delicacies, such as fondue. Overnight Zermatt.

• Breakfast, Lunch

Switzerland's capital beckons this morning as we leave the mountains of Zermatt and begin our journey through the Swiss Alps to Zürich. Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and a complimentary luggage transfer before we make our way to the station to take our First Class seats on a local train and watch as Switzerland's impressive landscapes unfold.

Our route toward Zürich passes through the capital city of Bern, and stepping off our train here, we pause our journey for a guided tour of the capital with a twist. Joining a fully restored vintage tram, we weave through Bern's UNESCO-listed Old Town in search of centuries-old buildings and magnificent hidden treasures. Once we have discovered the medieval past of this fascinating city, we have some free time to find lunch locally.

Reconvening this afternoon, we travel onward by train to Zürich, skirting lakes and increasingly urban terrain before arriving this evening. After walking to our hotel to check in for the night, we head out to one of the traditional Guild House restaurants nearby for a farewell dinner. Overnight Zürich.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Switzerland is a country of unbelievable destinations and breathtaking views, and this luxurious round-trip journey from Zürich offered a memorable way to experience them both. Exploring the nation with a small group of no more than 20 travelers gave us access to five-star hotel accommodations, exclusive sightseeing experiences and top-notch train seats, including an exclusive charter of the Excellence Class train car on the Glacier Express.

Having stayed in Zürich, St. Moritz and Zermatt, your Swiss exploration comes to a close this morning. After having breakfast at the hotel, you are free to check out and begin your onward travel home.

• Breakfast