Traditional Glacier Express

We meet in St Pancras International Railway Station at your exclusive departure office, then travel by Eurostar to Paris. Here, we change for the TGV high-speed service to Strasbourg. Overnight Strasbourg. (D)

Enjoy a morning at leisure in the Alsatian town of Strasbourg, before we begin our onwards journey into Switzerland, to Basel and onwards to Chur, Switzerland's oldest town at over 5,000 years old. Overnight Chur. (B, D)

Your day is free to explore historic Chur and the surrounding region, making it the perfect opportunity to discover the area by mountain railroad. The wild, rugged and rocky landscape of the glorious Graubünden region is waiting to be discovered, with superb railroad journeys available from Chur that take you over, around and across the dramatic valleys that make this one of Switzerland's most attractive cantons. Chur itself, as the first settlement in Switzerland, has a wealth of history to discover, from the days of the Roman Empire to Chur today, the capital of the wonderful Graubünden region. The Old Town, which harks back to medieval times, brushes shoulders with an old Roman neighborhood, and in various sites across the city there are a number of museums detailing the varied and storied history of Chur. Overnight Chur. (B)

Today's excursion takes us on the historic Bernina Express - a railway journey on the superb Bernina Line that passes mighty glaciers, rushing mountain streams and flower-filled Alpine meadows. The railway line is over 100 years old and has been rewarded with UNESCO World Heritage Status as a testament to the incredible civil engineering that was required to create the line, as well as for the breathtaking scenery through which it travels. From Chur we head south, travelling through 55 tunnels and over 196 bridges, including the instantly recognizable Landwasser Viaduct, an architectural treasure. The track clings to the mountainside as we wind our way above deep ravines and past idyllic waterfalls. Looping and spiralling through the rugged landscape of the Engadine Valley, our ascent takes us through the Albula Tunnel and over the Bernina Pass to an altitude of more the 7,000 feet. We then begin our descent towards colourful Poschiavo, entering the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland before arriving at our destination. Pastel-colored houses line the streets of picturesque Poschiavo, where we have time for lunch before our journey in the opposite direction, arriving back in Chur in time for dinner. Overnight Chur. (B, D)

We leave Chur today, travelling from the rocky landscape of the Graubünden canton to the fantastic sunny Valais on the iconic Glacier Express - 'the slowest express train in the world'. Our entire journey is accompanied by views of the scenery for which Switzerland is justly famous; sloping meadows, broad vineyards lined with lush greenery and dense forests rising up the hillside beside the track towards towering snow-capped peaks. We travel along the beautiful Rhine Valley, climbing steadily and then steeply as we make our way up and over the Oberalp Pass, the distant peaks of the Italian Alps in view to the south. At 6,670 feet, the Oberalp Pass is the highest point of the route. From here we descend past the countless small villages that line our route, nestled in the foothills of the surrounding mountains, before travelling through the Furka Base Tunnel and into the flourishing Rhône Valley. The final part of our journey on the Glacier Express takes us through expansive vineyards that line the surrounding hillsides to the small town of Brig. Here we take the local railway for a wonderful journey over the imposing Kander Viaduct, through the old Lötschberg tunnel and past soaring mountain peaks to the town of Kandersteg. The resort of Kandersteg is one of Switzerland's truly unspoilt gems - a picturesque destination surrounded by breathtaking mountain scenery. We check in for three nights at the Hotel Bernerhof. Overnight Kandersteg. (B, D)

Today we visit the charming, car-free resort of Zermatt. We travel to Brig to join a narrow-gauge train, heading south through picturesque vineyards and alongside the River Rhône to Visp. From here we join the mountain track for the steep ascent to Zermatt. The train clings to the track as we wind left and right, ascending past small clusters of houses and tiny hamlets that together form the region's village communities. The spectacular approach to Zermatt takes us through eight tunnels and across 42 bridges, the gradient of the ascent requiring cogwheels to be engaged. Finally we reach the grandiose scenery of Zermatt, nestled below the tilted peak of the instantly recognizable Matterhorn. In Zermatt you are free to spend your time as you choose. One option that you will find hard to resist is the ascent to the summit of the Gornergrat by funicular railway (payable locally). Running for just under six miles, the route travels from Zermatt to the summit of the Gornergrat, some 10,135 ft above sea level. Overnight Kandersteg. (B)

We travel today to the crisp and peaceful waters of Oeschinen Lake near Kandersteg, cradled in the Oeschinen Valley. An oasis of calm at the heart of the Bernese Oberland, this is Switzerland at its pristine best. To get here, we board the Oeschinensee cable car which carries us up through the mountains, offering staggering views below as we rise above the peaks. We walk from our departure point to the lake, where you have free time to soak in the Alpine panorama which surrounds you. Overnight Kandersteg. (B, D) Please note: Lake Oeschinen cable car does not operate until mid-May. Departures before 10 May will enjoy a day trip to Interlaken by rail. 

We depart Kandersteg today via Brig to the airport in Geneva, Switzerland where your tour concludes. (B)