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Switzerland

GoldenPass, Mont Blanc & Jungfrau Express

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8 days From $2,595 $2,295 per person
5.0 stars(3 reviews)
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Experience Switzerland’s newest panoramic train, traveling from the glitzy lakeside resort of Montreux to idyllic Interlaken in the Jungfrau region

Travel among a group of like-minded travelers led by a professional tour manager
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Ends July 16th: Save up to $300 per person on Escorted & up to $200 per person on Independent vacations in 2025.

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Mobility Rating 2

2025 Tour code: GPJ25

About the tour

From glittering Montreux to the mountainous surroundings of Interlaken, enjoy an effortless journey on a stunning, panoramic route.

Explore the fairytale Château de Chillon and savor a glamorous Lake Geneva cruise, before traversing the Swiss Highlands on the cutting-edge GoldenPass Express. From Interlaken, view the Eiger up close on the modern Eiger Express gondola then witness the incredible beauty of the Aletsch Glacier from the 'Top of Europe'.

This sensational Swiss vacation culminates in sailing the full length of crystal-clear Lake Thun on board a vintage boat.

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Unforgettable Experiences

Crossing the Swiss Highlands on the GoldenPass Express
Crossing the Swiss Highlands on the GoldenPass Express
Opened in December 2022, this route allows travelers to enjoy a beautiful journey in panoramic railroad cars direct from the chic lakeside resort of Montreux to idyllic Interlaken, nestled between lakes and mountains.
Visiting the ‘Top of Europe’ via the Eiger Express and Jungfrau Express
Visiting the ‘Top of Europe’ via the Eiger Express and Jungfrau Express
Savor excellent views of the north face of the Eiger from a state-of-the-art cable car and the Jungfrau Express train on the way to the ‘Top of Europe’ for views of the mighty Aletsch Glacier.
Riding the Mont Blanc Express to stylish Chamonix in France
Riding the Mont Blanc Express to stylish Chamonix in France
Cross the mountains into France on the Mont Blanc Express, arriving in famous Chamonix – the home of mountaineering – and experience fantastic views of Mont Blanc, western Europe’s highest mountain.
Basking in views of Lake Geneva from Montreux and a vintage cruise
Basking in views of Lake Geneva from Montreux and a vintage cruise
Spend three nights in a lakefront Montreux hotel with uninterrupted views across glistening Lake Geneva. After a tour of a fairytale château, enjoy a relaxing and captivating trip across the lake in a Belle Époque paddle cruiser.
Boarding a vintage boat to cruise the length of Lake Thun
Boarding a vintage boat to cruise the length of Lake Thun
Set sail on a classic pleasure boat for a cruise across the sparkling waters of Lake Thun from historic Thun to Interlaken, viewing imposing mountains, chocolate-box villages and Spiez Castle along the way.

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - From Geneva to stylish Montreux

Landing at Geneva Airport, you transfer independently through the attractive Swiss countryside to glitzy Montreux, where our excellent vacation begins.

Checking in to our lakefront hotel for three nights, there is time at leisure this afternoon to explore. Montreux is in a French-speaking part of Switzerland, and this is reflected in its grand architecture. A cultural town on the Swiss Riviera, many actors and musicians have lived along the shore of Lake Geneva. Two of its most famous residents were Charlie Chaplin and Freddie Mercury - and there is a statue of the Queen frontman on the shoreline walk. Our hotel is located on the promenade and boasts uninterrupted views across glistening Lake Geneva to the atmospheric French Alps.

Tonight, we enjoy our first dinner as a group - a three-course meal in the hotel.

Day 2 - Fairytale Château de Chillon and a Lake Geneva cruise

After breakfast, the morning is at leisure to get acquainted with Montreux. A graceful park separates our hotel from the convention center that hosts the world-famous Montreux Jazz Festival, while the promenade provides a relaxing glimpse into the town's cultural history. Alternatively, our hotel has spa and wellness facilities, including a pool, for a morning at leisure.

This afternoon, a trolleybus ride along the shore sees us arrive in Veytaux. Here, a local, English-speaking guide takes us on a tour of the beautiful Château de Chillon, a fairytale castle formerly occupied by the influential House of Savoy that appears as if it is floating on Lake Geneva.

After free time to explore this picture-postcard scene, we board a Belle Époque paddle cruiser for a delightful trip across Lake Geneva, sailing on crystal-blue waters surrounded by mountains. After visiting the colorful lakeside village of St-Gingolph on the border with France, the elegant boat gently glides back across the lake to Montreux.

Dining independently tonight, Montreux has a wide range of restaurants of various cuisines for you to sample.

Please Note - For departures April 07 and October 13, days 2 and 3 have swapped.

Day 3 - Mont Blanc Express across the Alps to the French resort of Chamonix

An exciting highlight awaits today as we travel by train across the Alps to France. From Martigny, we join the Mont Blanc Express as it clings to dramatic mountainsides above spectacular gorges. Entering France, the jagged peaks of the snow-covered mountains drift into view as the route approaches the premium resort of Chamonix, backed by the famous Mont Blanc.

With free time to explore the 'mountaineering capital of the world', there are many options at your disposal. A gentle walk round Chamonix's scenic downtown could be combined with a delicious French lunch at one of the town's charming restaurants, or you could head up to the Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice) Glacier by cogwheel railroad. This incredible journey through dense pine forests takes you high up the mountainside to an otherworldly landscape of piercing, snowy peaks and plunging valleys. It is this spectacular scene that inspired Mary Shelley during the writing of her most famous novel, Frankenstein.

In late afternoon, we leave Chamonix, returning to lakeside Montreux in time to enjoy a three-course dinner at our hotel.

Day 4 - The GoldenPass Express from Montreux to Interlaken

Boarding the stylish panoramic cars of the GoldenPass Express, an incredible journey takes us from palm trees to snow-capped mountains. This route is a feat of engineering more than 100 years in the making - innovative technology meaning the train can adapt its gauge, negating the need to change trains.

This excellent route is currently less well known than Switzerland's other famous trains, but won't be for long. Leaving Montreux, the train winds its way up the hill with shimmering Lake Geneva and vineyards in the background. The untamed forests and rolling mountains of the Swiss Highlands are dotted by picturesque villages and alpine meadows, before we reach the upmarket mountain resort of Gstaad. The last stretch sees the GoldenPass Express glide down towards colorful Lake Thun. Our panoramic cars mean we get better views of the lake than from other trains.

We arrive in Interlaken, a compact and attractive town set between lakes Thun and Brienz and the peaks of the Bernese Oberland, where there's a free afternoon to explore. Later, we check in to our hotel and have dinner.

Please Note - For departures Jun 09, Jun 30 and Jul 07 we will stay at the Carlton Europe Hotel in Interlaken.

Day 5 - To the ‘Top of Europe’ via Eiger Express and Jungfrau Express

An unforgettable experience is in store today as we embark on an incredible journey up the Jungfrau. Traveling by train to the alpine village of Grindelwald, we hop on the Eiger Express gondola for a 20-minute ride to Eigergletscher station.

This modern gondola with panoramic windows allows us to admire fantastic views of the north face of the Eiger during the four-mile trip. From here, a cog-wheel train takes us to the 'Top of Europe', Jungfraujoch - the continent's highest train station. With year-round snow, the vistas are truly awe-inspiring. At the summit, we're close to the stunning Aletsch Glacier that stretches as far as the eye can see. We have free time to marvel at this UNESCO World Heritage wonder from the Sphinx Observatory or savor a relaxed lunch at an indoor restaurant.

We descend the mountains via the amazing Jungfrau Express. Through tunnels with viewing windows, we travel under the Mönch and Eiger mountains before re-emerging at Eigergletscher and twisting down to Kleine Scheidegg. From here, we take the train back to Interlaken, via Lauterbrunnen, in time for dinner.

Day 6 - Exploring the Bernese Oberland at leisure

Today is free to explore as you wish. After a relaxed breakfast, you could unwind amid the glorious views from our hotel's roof terrace or uncover Interlaken. The historic castle with its Gothic cloister and 12th-century monastery is nearby, while the adjoining town of Unterseen is also worth visiting. For those wanting a bird's-eye view of Interlaken and surrounding areas, you could take a ride on the steep Harderbahn railroad to Harder Kulm for panoramic vistas of lakes Brienz and Thun, and the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains.

There are many excellent destinations in easy reach, and your Swiss Half Fare Card 50% discounted fares on rail, boat and most mountain railroad journeys. In picturesque Mürren, you could also travel on the Schilthorn cableway to the Piz Gloria revolving restaurant that appeared in the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

Alternatively, explore turquoise Lake Brienz by traveling by train to Brienz, where you can join the delightful steam-hauled Brienz-Rothorn Mountain Railway or marvel at the picture-perfect Brunngasse - a winding street lined by old wooden chalets decorated with beautiful flowerboxes.

Day 7 - Explore Thun and cruise the length of the lake

A short walk to the station after breakfast sees us join a train to Thun. This typical Swiss town is dominated by its picturesque 12th-century castle and there is time to explore at leisure. With a charming medieval center and covered wooden bridges, Thun is a rewarding town to wander round. There is time to grab lunch independently before we head to the boat terminal.

Our journey back to Interlaken is on board a vintage lake boat, enjoying a scenic and relaxing cruise the full length of lovely Lake Thun. Gliding across the clear glacial waters, pleasant villages with Romanesque churches look on from the shore while forested alpine slopes and impressive peaks such as the pyramidal Niesen or the Niederhorn protrudes into the lake. One of the highlights of any visit to Lake Thun is the fairytale Spiez Castle. Jutting out into the serene water, this 10th-century castle shields a pretty marina dotted with small boats.

The boat moors directly adjacent to the platform at Interlaken West, meaning it is only a short walk to our hotel for dinner.

Day 8 - Homeward bound

Reflecting on yesterday's enjoyable way to round off a trip to beautiful Switzerland over our final breakfast together, you are then free to leave lovely Interlaken for Zürich Airport at your leisure.

Flying across the Atlantic, you can begin to look back on the spectacular memories Switzerland has provided, from elegant Montreux to idyllic Interlaken. Whether cruising glistening Lake Geneva on a vintage paddle steamer or marveling at the awe-inspiring views of the Swiss Highlands from the sensational GoldenPass Express, we have embarked on many astonishing journeys together. Reaching the Bernese Oberland, we then traveled to the 'Top of Europe' by cable car and cogwheel railroad before sailing across the glacial waters of Lake Thun.

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.

Hotels

Royal Plaza Montreux and Spa

Royal Plaza Montreux and Spa, Montreux

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Hotel Metropole Interlaken, Interlaken

Hotel Metropole Interlaken, Interlaken

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Carlton Europe, Interlaken

Carlton Europe, Interlaken

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Trains

The GoldenPass Line
Jungfrau Railway
Mont Blanc Express

Reviews

5.0 stars5.0 / 5 · 3 reviews

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Hengameh Mirzai

5 stars

Submitted 22/May

Organized trip and great tour manager. Beautiful scenery!

Collected by Trustpilot

Sandra Hanif

5 stars

Submitted 22/Apr

Ssssssssss

from Vacations By Rail
Salutations Sandra! Satisfying sightseeing safari surveying serene Swiss summits? Sweet!
1 comment

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Gc1065

5 stars

Submitted 17/Apr

Our journey was absolutely incredible! Steven was the perfect tour guide—organized, punctual, kind, and truly essential in making this the best Switzerland vacation we could’ve imagined. Every detail of the itinerary was thoughtfully planned and clearly communicated, leaving no surprises or confusion. Everything ran smoothly, and we felt completely taken care of from start to finish. The Hotel rooms have beautiful views. Wonderful staff and very accommodating.

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Gc1065
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