Classic Jungfrau Express & Swiss Alps
About this trip.
Meiringen and the Haslital
Meiringen sits at the eastern end of the Bernese Oberland, a low-key working village more associated with Sherlock Holmes and the Reichenbach Falls than with the resort glamour of Gstaad or Zermatt. It's the kind of Swiss town that feels lived-in rather than staged: a parish church, a handful of hotels along the main street, cows in the fields on the way out of town. The surrounding Haslital is broad and green in summer, hemmed in by the limestone walls of the Engelhörner and the Rosenlaui massif, and the pace of things is notably slower than you'd find in the more famous resort villages an hour west.
Using Meiringen as a base rather than Interlaken is a choice worth weighing up. It sits slightly off the main tourist axis, which means quieter evenings and a less crowded walk to dinner. The trade-off is that some of the headline excursions — the Jungfraujoch in particular — involve a longer run in on the rails before the day really begins.
The Jungfrau Railway to the Top of Europe
The Jungfrau Railway is the headline act. Opened in 1912 after sixteen years of tunnelling through the Eiger and Mönch, it climbs from Kleine Scheidegg to the Jungfraujoch station at 3,454 metres — the highest railway station in Europe, and the reason the destination carries its "Top of Europe" tag. The final stretch runs inside the mountain, with brief stops at viewing windows carved into the north face of the Eiger.
The station itself is a small complex of ice tunnels, viewing terraces and a glacier plateau looking out over the Aletsch, the longest glacier in the Alps. Weather matters here more than on most days out: on a clear morning the view carries as far as the Black Forest and the Vosges, and on a cloudy one you are paying Swiss prices to stand inside a fogged-in mountain. The return is usually routed down through Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen, so the round trip doubles as a tour of the Bernese Oberland's most photographed valleys.
Bookings and logistics
This is a guided rail holiday with Meiringen as a single base, so there's no packing and repacking between hotels. Great Rail Journeys handles the train connections, seat reservations on the scenic routes, and the Jungfraujoch excursion as part of the itinerary; the specifics of what's included — flights, transfers, tour manager, which additional excursions are built in — vary by departure, so it's worth checking the detail against the date you're looking at.
It suits travellers who want the Alps without the walking boots — people happy to cover distance by train, cable car and cog railway rather than on foot. Altitude is worth keeping in mind: the Jungfraujoch is high enough that a slower pace and plenty of water on arrival makes a real difference, particularly for anyone not used to being above 3,000 metres. Late spring through early autumn is the sensible window; outside that, several of the high-mountain excursions wind down for the season.
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.
