Grand Train Tour of Switzerland in Winter30/Apr
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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Highlights of Switzerland & Italy by Rail27/Apr
ROBERT PAUL ROMIG
“Our experience with Highlights of Switzerland and Italy by Rail was excellent! The trip was well-organized, the accommodations met or exceeded our expectations, and we thoroughly enjoyed the excursions and small group tours. A special thanks to the staff of Vacations by Rail staff, including Derek Espinosa, Gwen Freeman, Chrissy Brown, and Jeffrey for their support in making this a memorable experience for us.
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(23 reviews)
