Classic Glacier Express & Jungfrau Express
About this trip.
Two of the Alps' great rail climbs
The Glacier Express has earned its fame the hard way — by doing something genuinely different. It threads through the Swiss Alps at a pace that is deliberate rather than hurried, climbing above the snowline and keeping you among the peaks for hours at a stretch. The Jungfrau Express does a different sort of work: it takes you up to the highest railway station in Europe. This trip pairs the two.
Above the snowline on the Glacier Express
The appeal of the Glacier Express is not that it gets you somewhere quickly. It is that it climbs high, moves slowly, and leaves you the time to actually look. You pass through alpine country most travellers only glimpse from the valley floor, and you keep going — over ground that stays snow-covered much of the year. The character of the ride is as much about sitting and watching as about arriving anywhere in particular.
Up to Europe's highest station
The Jungfrau Express is a different proposition. Rather than crossing the range, it climbs into it, finishing at Europe's highest railway station. The two trains together cover the spectrum of what Swiss mountain railways do well: one takes you through the alpine world at length, the other delivers you to its upper reach.
How the tour is put together
This is an independent tour rather than an escorted group holiday. The bookings, the rail tickets and the alpine logistics are arranged for you, but you set your own pace on the ground, which tends to suit travellers who want the structure of a planned trip without the regimentation of a coach party. It's a good fit for anyone who treats rail travel as the point of the holiday rather than the means to it, and for anyone who has wanted to see the high Alps from inside them rather than from below.
The shape of the trip.
What's typically in the price, what isn't.
A general guide for rail holidays of this kind. Check the operator's booking page for the final inclusions on this specific trip.
Typically included
- ✓Rail tickets on the published route, in the ticket class booked
- ✓Hotel accommodation between rail days, breakfast included
- ✓A tour manager throughout on escorted departures
- ✓Luggage handling between hotels on escorted tours
- ✓Some meals — typically breakfasts and a few set dinners; check the day-by-day
- ✓Any included excursions or entrance fees listed on the itinerary
Typically not included
- ×Flights to and from the start city
- ×Travel insurance with rail-protection cover (strongly recommended)
- ×Most lunches and some evening meals — eat at stations or in town
- ×Upgrades: first-class legs, sleeper cabin upgrades, single rooms on shared departures
- ×Drinks on board beyond anything stated in the itinerary
- ×Tips for the tour manager (customary but discretionary)
Everything you might be wondering.
Q1Do I have to change trains?
On most escorted tours, yes — the route is the point, not a single through-train. A tour manager handles the connections and your luggage. Independent itineraries come with pre-booked tickets and detailed routing, but you work the changes yourself.
Q2Are meals included?
Breakfasts at hotels are usually included. Dinners and lunches vary by tour. Many scenic day services have a dining car or trolley you can pay for on board. Check the day-by-day — escorted tours list every meal that's included.
Q3Is luggage handled?
On escorted tours your main bag is moved between hotels while you carry a day bag on the train. On independent itineraries you move your own luggage — pack a case you can lift onto a train without help.
Q4First class or second?
First class on European trains is wider seats, quieter carriages, sometimes complimentary drinks. Second class is perfectly fine and about a third cheaper. Upgrades to first are usually £50-150 per leg on longer routes.
Q5Can I travel solo?
Escorted rail tours suit solo travellers well — there's a tour manager, a set schedule, and shared hotel dinners most nights. Single-room supplements apply (typically £300-600 on a 10-day tour). A handful of departures are marked 'no single supplement' — watch the operator's calendar if you want to save.
Q6Is it slower than flying?
Yes, and that's the point. London to Zurich by train is 8 hours via Paris and the TGV, versus 2 hours in the air plus 3 hours of airport on each side. The difference is how you arrive — rested, in the middle of the city, having watched the journey.
Q7What if a train is cancelled?
Escorted tours have tour-manager contingency — the operator rebooks and absorbs the cost. Independent itineraries depend on your ticket type (flexible versus advance) and whether you have rail-protection insurance. Take it.
Q8What about cancellation?
Typically a 20-25% deposit at booking, balance due 8-10 weeks before departure. Rail tickets are a sunk cost once issued, which matters on longer trips. Travel insurance with rail cover is sensible.
Three rail holidays, side-by-side.
Other rail holidays on Mooch in the same spirit. All prices per person, from the operator.
