Switzerland might be the only country where the train is the main attraction. Plenty of tours promise “scenic rail”, but they do not all ride the same trains: one has the Glacier Express, another the GoldenPass, another the Gotthard Panorama Express, and some use the trains to get between coach days. If a particular train is the reason you are going, it pays to check which tour has it.
This guide is for anyone comparing Switzerland rail tours. We line up the train-based tours on our Switzerland tours page, show which famous trains each one includes, and give an honest drawback for each. Window seat strongly advised.
The quick answer
- If you want the Glacier Express and the whole country, pick Switzerland: Lucerne, Zermatt, St Moritz & Glacier Express.
- If you want the GoldenPass, one hotel and flights included, pick Swiss Alpine Glories.
- If you want a small group travelling only by train, boat and cable car, pick Discover Switzerland by Rail.
- If you want a Swiss Travel Pass and a lower price, pick Best of Switzerland by Rail.
- If you are travelling alone in winter, pick Solo Switzerland: Scenic Railways in Winter.
Every Switzerland rail tour compared
| Tour | Days | Price from | Physical rating | Group size | Flights included | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mainly by train | ||||||
| Discover Switzerland by Rail: Lucerne, Lugano & Montreux – 8 Days | 8 | £3,840 pp | Low | Max 16 | No | Gotthard and Centovalli trains, small group |
| Best of Switzerland by Rail – 8 Days | 8 | £2,995 pp | Low | Max 12 | No | A Swiss Travel Pass, up to 12 |
| Famous trains with flights | ||||||
| Swiss Alpine Glories & the GoldenPass Train with Flights – 8 Days | 8 | £1,709 pp incl. flights | Low | Max 45 | Yes | The GoldenPass from one hotel |
| Solo Switzerland: Scenic Railways in Winter with Flights – 7 Days | 7 | £2,849 pp | Low | Max 27 | Yes | Solo travellers, in winter |
| Coach tours with famous trains | ||||||
| Switzerland: Lucerne, Zermatt, St Moritz & Glacier Express – 14 Days | 14 | £5,198 pp | Low | Max 40 | No | The Glacier Express, two weeks |
| Glorious Switzerland: Geneva, Zermatt & Lucerne – 8 Days | 8 | £3,353 pp | Low | Max 40 | No | Zermatt and a Glacier Express route train |
| Magical Switzerland: Lucerne, St Moritz & Grindelwald – 7 Days | 7 | £2,655 pp | Low | Max 40 | No | The Albula Pass and Landwasser Viaduct |
Prices are per person, twin share, live from our tour pages (updated October 2026). The lowest price can apply to a later departure, so check the dates you want on each tour page.
Ask us which Swiss rail tour fits →
Which tour has which train
- Glacier Express: the 14-day grand tour and Solo Switzerland in Winter, which has lunch on board. Glorious Switzerland includes a scenic train on the Glacier Express route.
- GoldenPass: Swiss Alpine Glories, to Interlaken and to Montreux, and Solo Switzerland in Winter.
- Gotthard Panorama Express and Centovalli Express: Discover Switzerland by Rail.
- The Albula Pass and Landwasser Viaduct: Magical Switzerland, with lunch on board.
- Cogwheel trains: to Zermatt on the 14-day tour and Glorious Switzerland; up Mount Rigi on Best of Switzerland by Rail and Solo Switzerland in Winter.
Mainly by train
Gotthard, Centovalli and the Aletsch Glacier
Discover Switzerland by Rail: Lucerne, Lugano & Montreux – 8 Days
- 8 days
- From £3,840 per person
- Max 16 people
- Zurich, Switzerland to Montreux, Switzerland
- Physical rating: low
- Flights not included
- Departures in June, September, October
Eight days from Zurich to Montreux by train, boat and cable car, with a tour leader and four to 16 travellers aged 16 and over. You ride the Gotthard Panorama Express, crossing Lake Lucerne by boat, to Lugano for two nights, take the Centovalli Express, stay a night in the car-free village of Bettmeralp near the Aletsch Glacier, and finish with two nights in Montreux, Chillon Castle and a Lavaux wine tasting. There is a chocolate workshop in Lucerne and a raclette lunch.
Suits: rail enthusiasts and solo travellers who like a small group. The honest drawback: it is not cheap, and the route does not include Zermatt.
The Swiss Travel Pass way
Best of Switzerland by Rail – 8 Days
- 8 days
- From £2,995 per person
- Max 12 people
- Starts and ends in Zurich, Switzerland
- Physical rating: low
- Flights not included
- Departures in May, June, July, August, September
Eight days with a Swiss Travel Pass for trains, boats and buses, a local leader and no more than 12 travellers. From Zurich you go to Bern for its medieval arcades and a tour inside the Zytglogge clock tower, then two nights in Grindelwald with a free day, a panoramic train from Interlaken to Lucerne and a day trip up Mount Rigi by cogwheel train, with a cheese tasting.
Suits: rail lovers and first-time visitors on a tighter budget. The honest drawback: only breakfasts are included, and the hotels are not luxurious.
Famous trains with flights
The GoldenPass from one hotel
Swiss Alpine Glories & the GoldenPass Train with Flights – 8 Days
- 8 days
- From £1,709 per person incl. flights
- Max 45 people
- Starts and ends in United Kingdom
- Physical rating: low
- Flights included
- Departures in May, June, August, September, October
Eight days with return flights to Geneva and seven nights at the three-star Roc et Neige Hotel, or similar, in Château-d’Oex, so you unpack once. A tour director travels with you, with two GoldenPass journeys, to Interlaken for Grindelwald beneath the Eiger and down to Montreux, plus a visit to Gruyères.
Suits: travellers who want a relaxed pace and a single base. The honest drawback: groups can be large, and lunches are not included.
For solo travellers, in winter
Solo Switzerland: Scenic Railways in Winter with Flights – 7 Days
- 7 days
- From £2,849 per person
- Max 27 people
- Starts and ends in Zurich, Switzerland
- Physical rating: low
- Flights included
- Departures in January, February, March
Seven days in January to March for people travelling on their own, with a room of your own and no single supplement, return flights and a host. You stay six nights at a four-star hotel in Interlaken and ride the GoldenPass with a guided tour of Bern, the panoramic train to Lucerne with a lake cruise and the cogwheel railway up Rigi Kulm, and a full day on the Glacier Express with lunch on board.
Suits: solo travellers who want the winter Alps from a train seat. The honest drawback: groups can reach 27, and it is not a winter sports holiday.
Coach tours with famous trains
The Glacier Express and the whole country
Switzerland: Lucerne, Zermatt, St Moritz & Glacier Express – 14 Days
- 14 days
- From £5,198 per person
- Max 40 people
- Starts and ends in Zürich, Switzerland
- Physical rating: low
- Flights not included
- Departures in April, May, June, July, August, September
Fourteen days from Zürich with a tour director, travelling by luxury coach with extra legroom and by train for the Glacier Express and the cogwheel railway to Zermatt. You stay in handpicked hotels in Lucerne, Montreux, Zermatt, Lugano, St Moritz and Grindelwald, including the Astoria in Lucerne, or similar, with a first-class Lake Geneva cruise, the open-top cable car up Mount Stanserhorn and full free days in Zermatt, St Moritz and Grindelwald.
Suits: first-time visitors and rail lovers who want the Glacier Express. The honest drawback: it is a coach tour of up to 40, and most lunches and dinners are not included.
Shorter coach tours also include a notable rail day. Glorious Switzerland (8 days) runs from Geneva to Zermatt, Lugano, St Moritz and Lucerne, with the cogwheel train to Zermatt and a scenic train on the Glacier Express route. Magical Switzerland (7 days) has a rail journey with lunch through the tunnels of the Albula Pass and across the Landwasser Viaduct, on the way to Grindelwald. Both use coach groups of up to 40.
How to choose
By train. Decide which train matters most and use the list above. Only Discover Switzerland by Rail has the Gotthard Panorama Express, and only Swiss Alpine Glories and the solo winter trip have the GoldenPass.
By time available. A week: Magical Switzerland or the solo winter trip. Eight days: Discover Switzerland by Rail, Best of Switzerland by Rail, Swiss Alpine Glories or Glorious Switzerland. Two weeks: the Glacier Express grand tour.
By budget. Swiss Alpine Glories, which includes flights, costs the least, and the two-week grand tour the most. Live prices are in the table above.
By style. Small groups on the two rail-only tours; one hotel on Swiss Alpine Glories and the solo trip; coach touring with porterage on the others.
When to go
Most of these tours depart from spring to autumn. The solo winter trip runs from January to March, and Magical Switzerland also has winter departures. The months for each tour are in its fact panel above.
Before you travel, check the FCDO travel advice for Switzerland.
Frequently asked questions
Which Switzerland tours include the Glacier Express?
The 14-day Switzerland: Lucerne, Zermatt, St Moritz & Glacier Express and Solo Switzerland: Scenic Railways in Winter. Glorious Switzerland includes a scenic train on the Glacier Express route.
Which tours include the GoldenPass?
Swiss Alpine Glories and Solo Switzerland: Scenic Railways in Winter.
Is there a Switzerland rail tour without a coach?
Yes. Discover Switzerland by Rail travels by train, boat and cable car, and Best of Switzerland by Rail uses a Swiss Travel Pass.
Do any Switzerland rail tours include flights?
Yes, Swiss Alpine Glories and Solo Switzerland in Winter. The others are land-only.
Is there a Switzerland rail tour in winter?
Yes, Solo Switzerland: Scenic Railways in Winter runs from January to March, and Magical Switzerland has winter departures.
Are these tours suitable if I do not want to walk much?
All of them have a low physical rating. Walking is mostly in towns and on optional mountain paths.
Ready to ride the Swiss rails?
Tell us which train is top of your list and how long you have, and a Travelisto specialist will compare the Switzerland rail tours with you.
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Prices are live from our tour pages (updated October 2026). Tour details and dates can change; your specialist will confirm everything before you book.
