& AUSTRIA SWISS RAIL JOURNEYS destinations

A rail journeyTrack is a great way to admire Switzerland’s beauty, says Aby Dunsby

@AbraDunsby

t almost every turn, “We have found an increasing that continue to make it onto by public transport, plus entry Switzerland is blessed with demand for worldwide touring starthe world’s best rail journeys, to nearly 500 museums. Prices A something incredibly pretty holidays that include a rail travelling by train in Switzerland start from as little as £29 for to look at, whether it’s mirror- journey because customers can is nothing like your average three consecutive days’ travel, like lakes, sparkling, snowy experience and see far more of commute. Clients can expect with passes available through mountains or quaint, chocolate- a country or region from a train,” typical Swiss efficiency and high Switzerland Tourism. box towns. say Keesia Samuels, Cosmos standards on board, making Clients needn’t be put off by When the view is this good, Tours & Cruises’ product and rail travel a straightforward and the thought of spending their clients will want plenty of commercial manager. “Of course, pleasant option that’s appealing entire holiday on the train, either: opportunities to soak it all in, Switzerland, with its breath- for groups as well as single various operators, including and a rail journey offers a taking and spectacular lakeland travellers. Leger Holidays and Kuoni, offer charming and unique way to and mountain landscapes, It’s also a relatively cheap way rail journeys as part of a broader appreciate the alpine scenery or particularly lends itself to a of getting around, thanks to the holiday, with accommodation travel through the country’s very scenic rail journey.” Swiss Travel Pass, which offers at numerous stop-offs along different regions. Boasting several rail routes unlimited travel in the country the way. en m on all jost v / n h a e b h aetisc h r / eppe raso /b enneweg elge k / yger Marcus G m/ ouris d T erlan z wit S PICTURES:

21 July 2016 travelweekly.co.uk 45 SWITZERLAND & AUSTRIA SWISS RAIL JOURNEYS destinations

left:

right: Golden Pass

w BEST FOR… EPIC Pass to St Moritz, crossing w BEST FOR… OLD-WORLD SCENERY 291 bridges and chugging across GLAMOUR If clients want jaw-dropping some head-spinning chasms in If clients want jaw- For clients seeking a nostalgic rail cinematic vistas, they really are the process. experience, suggest the Golden spoilt for choice in Switzerland, There’s no danger of bagging dropping cinematic Pass Classic, with its vintage, with several routes that meander a bad seat and missing out on vistas, they really Orient Express-style carriages past precipitous glaciers, emerald the view, either: all carriages are spoilt for choice adding an element of romance to fields and bubbling mountain are kitted out with glass roofs, in Switzerland the journey, making it perfect for streams. The Glacier Express is and in summer months there’s weddings, anniversaries or other Switzerland’s best-known train, air conditioning to keep things special occasions. famed for its panoramic views comfortable. The famed route connects the and for being the slowest Alex Roberts, group marketing historic central Swiss town of express in Europe, travelling an and sales director at Great Rail w BEST FOR… TWIN Lucerne with the green valleys average of 24mph over seven- Journeys, says: “While the Glacier CENTRES of resort town Montreux, on the and-a-half hours. Express is known for being a Equally impressive and boasting eastern end of Lake Geneva. When the view is this winter holiday, it is becoming another glass roof is the Bernina Clients can toast the spectacular impressive, though, clients will be increasingly popular to take this Express, on a narrow-gauge views that creep past their glad to relish every second of the trip in other seasons – which scenic railway that runs from window with a glass of red from journey, which begins in Zermatt, makes it into a completely and St Moritz in eastern the train’s wine-tasting cellar glides northwards from under different experience – though still Switzerland across the Italian coach. the shadow of the Matterhorn offering the spectacular views border to the northern town and climbs 2,253 metres over the Switzerland is known for.” of Tirano, making it perfect for w BEST FOR… FOODIES those who want to tick off more It’s the eternally divisive dessert than one destination on a trip. quandary: chocolate or cheese? The journey traverses 55 Hungry clients can throw tunnels and offers a spectacular caution to the wind and have way of crossing the Alps, past both after a journey aboard waterfalls, glaciers and deep The Chocolate Train, which ravines, and with a journey departs from the lakeside time of four hours, it’s a town of Montreux, ascends sensible option for those with to Gruyères, home of the no time to spare who want eponymous cheese, and stunning views. continues to the municipality of The engineering skills that Broc, where the Nestlé/Cailler weave the track through perilous chocolate factory stands. terrain are so impressive that the Various itineraries give guests has also become the chance to visit the cheese a Unesco World Heritage Site. factory in Gruyère before moving Riviera Travel combines trips on to sample chocolate treats in to St Moritz and Lake Como with Broc. Railbookers has one such a scenic train journey on the trip, which also tags on a night left: Bernina Express from £849 for in historic Dijon, from £929 per Lucerne eight nights. person for four nights.

21 July 2016 travelweekly.co.uk 47 destinations SWISS RAIL JOURNEYS switzerland & Austria

w BEST FOR… CULTURE For clients who want as much beauty and culture as possible, there’s the Grand Tour, which Switzerland Tourism recommends is taken by both car and train, and which covers such iconic sights as the Matterhorn, the Swiss National Park, Lake Lucerne and towns including Geneva and Basel. Inntravel’s self-guided Grand Tour of Switzerland allows clients to get under the skin of some of the most special regions, and suits those who like to explore independently and flexibly. Clients will spend three nights in the towns of Zouz, Zermatt, Wengen and Lucerne, and can tag on day trips. Options include rides on the Gornergrat sample Railway and a trip to Europe’s highest product train station, the Jungfraujoch. the Jungfraujoch by train. Product manager Katherine Page says: “The w BEST FOR… WINTER In winter, the soaring Swiss rail system is efficient, simple and Travelsphere In winter, Switzerland’s soaring peaks makes for a relaxing journey to a resort. offers an eight- are covered in dense white powder, peaks are covered in It’s a great way to see the country and day Deluxe making its landscapes impossibly dense white powder, the perfect start to a ski holiday.” Swiss Railways photogenic. For those happy to making landscapes For an all-inclusive rail option, holiday from combine coach and rail travel, suggest impossibly photogenic Rail Discoveries offers its Jungfrau £1,699 including Shearings’ new White Alpine Railways Express in Winter holiday from £1,195 half-board route, which includes journeys on the for eight days. accommodation, Golden Pass Line, the Glacier Express flights, all and the cog railway to Mount Rigi. w BEST FOR… SUMMER transfers and Another option is a trip on the to play on, so clients can tag on a few Though its famed frosty summits and transportation Jungfraujoch, Europe’s highest railway, days of skiing to the start or end of icy glaciers conjure up stereotypes and first-class rail which journeys just below the peak their rail trip. of Switzerland as a divine winter travel on trains of the Jungfrau Mountain, looking Inghams offers clients the playground, it’s just as beautiful in including the out across the Eiger and providing opportunity of a rail transfer to their summer too: between July and August Bernina Express, spectacular views of the valley below. resort for a ski break after a flight into temperatures can reach 28C, and the Glacier Express In the Jungfrau region, skiers and Zurich airport. Destinations include landscape transforms to one of lush and the snowboarders have 130 miles of slopes Wengen, from which clients can reach hills and verdant valleys. Golden Pass. Those with energy to burn can tie travelsphere. a rail journey onto an active break, co.uk with activities such as rock climbing, mountain biking and hiking all popular Great Rail in summer. Journeys offers Specialist operator Vacations by Rail, its Interlaken & which has a new Best of Switzerland The Jungfrau by Rail trip for 2017, receives most Express at of its bookings to Switzerland in the Christmas spring and summer. The season lends holiday from itself to a trip on the Wilhelm Tell £1,575 including Express, which combines rail travel seven nights’ with a journey by paddle steamer that accommodation will take clients on a panoramic tour with breakfast, of the birthplace of the Swiss nation, six dinners, and learning about the country’s history excursions on the on the way past landmarks such as Jungfrau Railway top: Hiking Tell’s Chapel and the Schiller memorial towards stone. Inghams’ Undiscovered and the Bernese the Eiger Oberland Switzerland includes a trip on the Railway. left: Bernina William Tell Express from £849 for greatrail.com Express seven nights.

48 travelweekly.co.uk 21 July 2016