I am currently planning next summer's trip. Note that I am traveling with my 88 year old mum. She's in good health and physically younger than her age but still I have to make some allowances to make it as easy as possible for her.
We're planning 3-4 weeks and are looking for a week long inclusive rail tour that covers a reasonable area and would include trips like the Bernina and Glacier Express, a cog railroad, maybe a cable car or two, and hotels. I'm seeing multiple excursion companies out there offering a variety of options but am not sure how best to judge. So I am looking for recommendations from anyone who has toured Switzerland on an escorted rail tour. What travel company did you use, did it meet your expectations, would you recommend or travel with them again?
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
I'm not familiar with escorted rail tours but will mention these other options:
- My usual preference is to get Rick's Switzerland guidebook and a Swiss Travel Pass and do it myself.
- You can consider Rick's new, fully-guided Switzerland tour, but most travel is by private bus, not train. Itinerary is subject to change for 2017.
- Rail Europe offers two Swiss packages (Rail Adventure and Grand Train Tour) which you may see in your web surfing. I just want to clarify that those packages combine pre-paid hotel vouchers with rail passes and sometimes excursion tickets, but they are not guided or accompanied tours. Rail reservations, such as for the Glacier Express, are clearly stated to be separate. It seems likely that you're making the hotel reservation yourself, too, with the voucher.
Posted by
Seattle, Washington
681 posts
This isn't quite what you're looking for, but you might look into Road Scholar's Splendors of Switzerland by Rail. This is the former Elder Hostel company, so they cater to an older clientele. We went on the tour a few years back and still consider it one of the best we've taken. The scenery was spectacular and we rode on both the Bernina Express and the Glacier Express, several cog wheel trains, narrow gauge trains, and even a postal bus. It was a fantastic tour!