Experience the majestic Swiss Alps cloaked in its winter finery, and discover spectacular views from the "Top of Europe" on the renowned Jungfrau Railway 

Your wintertime rail vacation begins today as you arrive in Switzerland's financial center, Zürich. Here, you can use your included open train ticket to board the train to Interlaken at your leisure. Since you are unescorted today, you are free to follow your own timeline, perhaps taking some time to sightsee in Zürich before taking your seat on the Swiss rail network and soaking in your first looks at the mountains and valleys shrouded in winter white. Your destination is Interlaken, a stunning resort town in the Bernese Oberland.

This pristine resort town is nestled between Lakes Thun and Brienz, watched over by the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau Mountains. As you arrive in this picturesque setting, make your way to our modern hotel to check in for a five-night stay. Take a moment to find your room and freshen up before joining the group for our first dinner together in the hotel's restaurant. Overnight Interlaken.

Today, a spellbinding train journey to Lucerne awaits aboard the Luzern-Interlaken Express, one of Switzerland's best panoramic train routes. Entering fantastic alpine scenery, we travel along the banks of Lake Brienz to Meiringen in the shadow of the famous Reichenbach Falls. From here, we climb the Brünig Pass through winter wonderland scenery to an elevation of 3,287 feet and then descend past lakes to Lucerne.  

  With free time to wander the old town of Lucerne, known as the "City of Lights," you can discover cobbled streets lined with well-preserved medieval architecture. There are plenty of interesting attractions, from ornate churches and frescoed historic houses to the 14th-century covered Kapellbrücke. Set on the crystal-clear lake, Lucerne is a great place to explore and has plenty of cozy cafés and restaurants to warm up in afterward. This evening, we retrace our journey to our hotel in Interlaken, arriving in time for dinner. Overnight Interlaken. 

With a free day, you have a chance to explore Interlaken or venture further afield. Locally, you could take a boat ride across one of the lakes before warming up at a cozy café. Alternatively, wrap up warmly and head out on one of the many nature trails that start in the town.

Interlaken's history can be traced back to a monastery built here in the 12th century, and the surrounding landscapes provide a scenic gateway to the Bernese Oberland. This pictorial region is home to over 45 scenic mountain railways and aerial gondolas you can discover using your Swiss Half Fare Card for 50% off fares.   

This evening, you are free to dine independently, and Interlaken's restaurants offer a variety of cuisine, from hearty Swiss dishes to a range of international fare. Overnight Interlaken.

Another charming destination lies ahead as we make our way by rail to the character-filled alpine village of Grindelwald, blanketed in snow and nestled at the foot of the imposing north face of the Eiger. Enjoy some free time to soak up the scenery of attractive wooden chalets and quaint town squares with its backdrop of dramatic mountains. You could also find lunch locally, enjoying Switzerland's flavors or a familiar favorite.

  Afterward, we take a cable car journey to the summit of the Grindelwald First Mountain. Appreciate grand panoramas of the valley below as you climb and look across at the mighty Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau Mountains. As we descend, we return to Interlaken, where, following a free afternoon to relax or continue soaking in the winter scenery, we sit down to dinner at our hotel. Overnight Interlaken.

 The highlight of our vacation awaits today: a journey on the Jungfrau Railway. First, we join the Bernese Oberland Railway to Lauterbrunnen, where the Wengernalp Railway takes us to Kleine Scheidegg. Due to the steep route, the views are outstanding, with sights including the White Lütschine River Valley and Staubbach Falls, often frozen in winter.    

The Jungfrau Railway itself begins at Kleine Scheidegg and runs the remaining six miles to just below the summit of the Jungfrau Mountain. After a viewing stop along the way, making the most of the fantastic panoramas, we emerge from the tunnel at Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe. With plenty of free time here, you can admire the endless expanse of the Aletsch Glacier from the Sphinx Observatory or maybe head to the Lindt store for an insight into the history and making of Swiss chocolate. After this glorious winter experience, we head back to our hotel for the final dinner of our tour. Overnight Interlaken.

This sensational winter journey has taken us into quintessential alpine scenery on renowned Swiss railways, including the Jungfrau Railway to the "Top of Europe." We have explored the unique village of Grindelwald and charming lakeside Lucerne, the "City of Lights," from our base in the cosmopolitan town of Interlaken.    

Our tour of the spectacular Bernese Oberland draws to a close after breakfast this morning. With an open rail ticket, you can transfer independently by rail to Zürich, where you are free to continue your journey home.   

Please note that while every departure of this tour will feature the same excursions, the order may differ from that shown above.

At Interlaken Ost station we change for the distinctive blue and yellow carriages of the historic Bernese Oberland Railway, which has been in operation since its opening in 1890. On leaving Interlaken, the train crosses the Bödeli and heads up a narrowing valley to Zweilütschinen. From here, the train follows the White Lütschine River valley to Lauterbrunnen, a village flanked by two sheer walls of rock. We leave the Bernese Oberland Railway at Lauterbrunnen to connect with the Wengernalpbahn.

As well as offering Switzerland's longest continuous stretch of rack railway at 12 miles (19.2km), the Wengernalpbahn was built to different gauge to the Bernese Oberland Railway and the Jungfraubahn. This means that we make two changes of trains during our journey up to Jungfraujoch, giving us the opportunity to stretch our legs and take in the magnificent Alpine scenery.

Work on the Jungfrau Railway from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch began in 1896. Built in stages so that ticket revenue could be used to fund construction, the line up to Jungfraujoch, Europe's highest railway station at 11,333 feet (3,454m) was finally completed in 1912.

We ascend in lifts to the Top of Europe Glacier restaurant, the Sphinx observation hall and terrace to take in the awe-inspiring scenery. The views over the Aletsch glacier are absolutely superb and on a particularly clear day it is possible to see as far as Germany's Black Forest and the Vosges Mountains in France.

There is plenty to do during your time at Jungfraujoch. Snow and ice cover the ground all year round, giving you the opportunity to take a snowy walk on the plateau or a husky-drawn sledge ride (payable locally). There is also a High Alpine Research Exhibition - and don't forget to leave time to visit the Ice Gateway and the Ice Palace, with its icy labyrinth of tunnels and sculptures before we re-board the Jungfrau Railway to begin our descent.

As the tallest building in the compact and appealing town of Interlaken, this modern 4-Star hotel enjoys incredible views of the surrounding Bernese Oberland, including lakes Thun and Brienz and the Jungfrau Mountain. The hotel's facilities include a panoramic restaurant on the top floor, while there are also fitness and sauna facilities. Each room comes with free Wi-Fi, a TV, a safe, a minibar and a phone. 

Many of our guests choose to spend additional nights before or after their trip. Great Rail Journeys would be happy to make hotel arrangements for you.