Celebrating 175 years of Swiss rail
The best Swiss rail holidays
Switzerland’s trains are famous worldwide for being efficient, timely, and incredibly scenic.
They also have a long history, with 2022 marking 175 years of Swiss trains. To celebrate the anniversary, the country’s railway firms joined 100 carriages to form a 1.2-mile-long train.
The super train embarked on a 15.5-mile route through the Alps, crossing 48 bridges and passing through 22 tunnels. It was a tremendous demonstration of the organisation of Swiss trains, which are rarely delayed and operate like Swiss-style clockwork.
While the 1.2-mile-long train was a one-off, it highlighted some of the most beautiful places you can travel to in Switzerland, leaving us wanting to explore the landscape for ourselves!
Perhaps 2023 is the year to explore Switzerland by rail?
Why is the Swiss rail network so special?
The Swiss rail network is one of the best and most scenic ways to explore the country. Railway tracks ascend mountains, cross grand viaducts, cling to the shores of aquamarine lakes, and emerge from tunnels to reveal extraordinary scenery.
The network is complemented by aerial cableways, funicular railways, and steam-powered cogwheels, making it the perfect country to explore car-free and contribute to a more sustainable future for travel.
What’s the best Swiss railway journey?
Switzerland has several famous railway journeys. The best-known are the Bernina Express, the Mont Blanc Express, and the Glacier Express. But there’s also the route to Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe and a nostalgic trip on a steam-powered cogwheel that dates back to 1892.
The Bernina Express
The Bernina Express follows the highest railway line in the Alps in panoramic carriages with glass roofs, allowing you to see some of Switzerland’s most dramatic and beautiful scenery from the comfort of a train.
A journey aboard the Bernina Railway is included on a trip to Lake Como, with departures in May, October, and December 2023. You’ll disembark in the heart of the Alps – glorious St Moritz – that’s proved to be a magnet for the rich and famous over the decades who come to shop in glitzy stores, ski the world-famous slopes — or visit in summer to enjoy its mineral springs.
The Glacier Express
The Glacier Express shares some of the same tracks as the Bernina Express, including crossing the impressive Landwasser Viaduct — an outstanding architectural masterpiece constructed in 1901. A journey aboard the Glacier Express allows passengers plenty of time to commit the spellbinding scenery to memory. You’ll also enjoy a three-course lunch as you travel — served in some of the best train carriages in Switzerland.
You can board the Glacier Express as part of a five-day holiday to Switzerland in the beautiful lakeside town of Interlaken. There are departures in February, March, and October 2023.
The Mont Blanc Express
The Mont Blanc Express links France and Switzerland and climbs steeply through the Chamonix Valley, to Chamonix and Argentiere, then down into Martigny in Switzerland, taking you through some astonishingly beautiful scenery.
On a six-day Lake Annecy and Mont Blanc Tour, you’ll board this famous train, climbing 1,913 metres through forests, tunnels and over viaducts before opening up to an enormous panorama with the Mer de Glace below.
Rail holidays in Switzerland
If you want to cover as much of Switzerland by rail as possible, a Swiss Travel Pass will cover the majority of your journeys. An eight-day Swiss Travel Pass is included in our week-long exploration of Switzerland’s beautiful Bernese Oberland region, where a carefully planned itinerary makes the most of your time here and includes staying in a cosy hotel in the Alpine village of Wengen.
The week-long holiday includes travel to and from Wengen to Schilthorn, Jungfraujoch, Lucerne, Harder Kulm funicular railway, Brienz Rothorn steam train excursion, and Lake Brienz cruise. You can fly to Zurich or make the journey by Eurostar and connect through Paris.
No-fly holidays to Switzerland
Travelling by rail is a sustainable way to travel — you can even reach Switzerland by Eurostar to Paris, then connect to Switzerland, creating a leisurely, no-fly holiday.
On Silversurfers’ week-long trip to Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland region, you can choose to fly to Zurich and get the train to Wengen or board the Eurostar in London and change in Paris to continue your journey. Our no-fly Swiss Alps Tour with the Glacier Express includes Eurostar journeys to and from Paris, with connections to Interlaken.
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