The Complete Four Seasons Collection 2023-24

S wiss G lacier E xpress & the B ernina

Two of the world’s greatest railway journeys on one tour! Enjoy the classic Glacier Express journey across the Swiss Alps, followed by the Bernina Express in its full glory. Not forgetting Lausanne, Montreux, and St Moritz, plus stays on Lake Geneva and in the Engadin Valley. Plus, for 2023 we have enhanced the tour by adding an outbound overnight in the beautiful city of Basel for a more leisurely travel experience.

continuing by boat cruise to Lausanne . (B,D) DAY 5 One of the great railway journeys of the world awaits today. First, we leave Lake Geneva by train, heading round the lake and through the mountains to Brig . Here we join the iconic Glacier Express, one of the world’s great scenic railway journeys, connecting the Valais Canton with Graubünden. This is an amazing journey, and we enjoy it in style, with a 3-course lunch served to our seats. Known as ‘the slowest express train in the world’, take your time to marvel at the ever changing mountain vistas outside your window, as the train follows the course of the Rhône river, then climbs through the Furka Base Tunnel en route to the Oberalp Pass, the highest point on the line at over 6,000 feet. The train then continues through the UNESCO World Heritage Albula Line, a masterpiece of railway engineering of tunnels, spirals, and viaducts, including the often photographed Landwasser Viaduct, before reaching Pontresina in the Upper Engadin Valley, where we spend four nights at the Hotel Schweizerhof. (B,L,D) DAY 6 This morning we spend time in the stylish mountain resort of St Moritz , set amidst a splendid alpine backdrop, before continuing to Punt Muragl, the base station of the Muottas Muragl funicular . We enjoy a ride on the funicular. At almost 2,500 metres above sea level, from the top there are spectacular views to be seen of the entire Upper Engadin Valley. (B,D) DAY 7 Having sampled the Glacier Express, today is an equally impressive experience – the Bernina Express. Many aficionados rate this journey even better than the Glacier Express!

9 DAYS

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS ★ Explore the historic city of Basel ★ Take a paddle steamer cruise Lake Neuchatel ★ Discover the ‘Olympic City’ of Lausanne ★ Stay just a short stroll from the stunning lakeside promenade of Lake Geneva ★ Cruise across Lake Geneva to visit Château Chillon ★ Stroll along the picturesque lakeside in Montreux ★ Enjoy time to explore destinations independently with a free transport card ★ Admire the scenery from the world famous Swiss Glacier Express with lunch provided ★ Stay in Pontresina in the beautiful Upper Engadin Valley close to the Bernina Pass ★ Marvel at the equally spectacular Bernina Express train journey ★ Take in great views of the Upper Engadin Valley from the Muottas Muragl funicular ★ Visit stylish St Moritz ★ Witness two of the world’s great railway journeys on one tour Also included in your Tour Fare: ★ 8 nights bed, breakfast & evening meal plus 1 lunch ★ Local transport pass ★ Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager ★ Hotel Porterage DAY 1 Travelling by Eurostar from London, we change stations in Paris, continuing our journey to Basel , just across the Swiss border. We check into our hotel for the evening located next to the train

DEPARTS Wednesday 20 September 2023

FARE From London St Pancras International: Standard Class rail travel to / from Switzerland, including Standard Eurostar Supplement for standard Premier Eurostar upgrade return First Class rail travel to/from Basel, including Standard Premier Eurostar Joining Basel & Leaving at Pontresina Single Traveller Supplement 8 nights’ bed, breakfast & evening meal plus one lunch Eurostar and rail travel to and from Switzerland in the class of your choice All excursions as detailed Lausanne & Engadin Transport Cards Services of experienced Railtrail Tour Manager Hotel porterage GUARANTEED FARE

Fares From £2499

£2499 £2899 £199 £2155 £450

From our base in the Engadin Valley, we climb high over the Bernina Pass and through hairpin bends on a journey towards the sunny south of the Alps on our way through the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland, finally crossing the border into Italy itself. We enjoy a little free time and maybe chance to enjoy an espresso in the Italian city of Tirano , before returning through the majestic Alpine scenery to Pontresina. (B,D) DAY 8 Today is free for you to spend at leisure. The included Engadin Card gives unlimited travel on local public

transport as well as a number of cable cars and funiculars to transport you to the peaks of the area, affording stunning views. (B,D) DAY 9 Farewell to Pontresina, as we head across Switzerland to Basel. Travelling through France, we change stations in Paris to meet our Eurostar to London St Pancras. (B)

station and enjoy our first evening meal together at a local restaurant.(D) DAY 2 This morning we take enjoy free time to explore Basel , located on the banks of the Rhine and admire the contrasting modern and historic architecture. We can visit the Old Town , cathedral, town hall or art museums before we take the train to Neuchatel via Biel. We have a little time to explore before our afternoon Lake Neuchâtel cruise on a beautifully restored paddle steamer that dates back to 1912. Following our relaxing cruise, we continue by train to Lausanne and our hotel, the Best Western Plus Hotel Mirabeau, where our luggage is waiting for us. (B,D) DAY 3 Today is yours to spend at leisure in Lausanne. You may wish to visit the Olympic Museum and see exhibits from games throughout over 120 years

of history. With an included Lausanne transport ticket, you can venture further into the city and visit one of the several other museums this city has to offer or head to Lausanne Cathedral, the choice is yours. (B,D) DAY 4 This morning we transfer to Montreux for some free time in Lake Geneva’s most celebrated resort. We then transfer to Château Chillon , perched dramatically at the water’s edge against a stunning mountain backdrop. We include entrance to the castle before

HOTELS • GAIA Hotel, Basel • Best Western Plus Hotel Mirabeau, Lausanne • Hotel Schweizerhof, Pontresina For further details of our Swiss Glacier Express & the Bernina hotels, please visit our website www.railtrail.co.uk

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Visit: www.railtrail.co.uk – for full tour details and fares, and to book online or call 01538 382323 – to book or to request a detailed tour itinerary