Ultimate Switzerland Made Easy on an Escorted Tour!

This 12 Day Grand Tour enables the best of Switzerland to be experienced by train without the need to be concerned about rail travel fundamentals, such as how will I find the right train and have I bought the right ticket?
It's also made as easy as can be, by avoiding the need to heave luggage on and off the trains and finding the hotels of the stations.
You won't miss out on the overwhelming majority of the most fabulous Swiss rail journeys, but also won't be rushed, thanks to a two night stay in each beautiful location.

How this happens, is that you will be part of a small group of no more than 16 fellow travellers which will be escorted on every step of the journeys.
You will be guided to and from the stations, taken on the trains on which you will travel in 1st class and occupy reserved seats whenever available, plus the presence of the guide will ensure you won't miss the highlights of every journey.

While you are being wowed by the majestic landscapes, your luggage will be conveyed to the next overnight stay in especially selected hotels.
Accommodation which has been chosen with care, as the tour also showcases the best of Switzerland, the mountain hotels have a Swiss atmosphere and the included meals will feature Swiss cuisine.

ECHO Rails & Trails is a Switzerland and US-based tour operator with over 15 years of experience in organizing and leading escorted rail tours. Their focus is on small group tours, that let people experience the culture, nature and cuisine of Switzerland from a local perspective. The company values sustainable tourism and all their tours are done by public transport.

You will be taken on all of these incredible railways and trains, without having to be concerned about missing out on the best aspects of all of these rides thanks to the presence of the guide.
Click on the names of the railways to see images and videos taken on these journeys from the train windows.

1. The Rigi Railway
2. The Pilatus Railway
3. The Voralpen Express
4. Chur to St Moritz - the Albula Railway
5. The Bernina Express
6. The Glacier Express from St Moritz to Andermatt
7. The Furka Steam Railway
8. Andermatt to Zermatt
9. The Gornergrat Railway
10. Visp to Montreux
11. The Golden Pass Express
12. The Jungfrau Railway
13. Kleine Scheidegg to Lauterbrunnen via Wengen
14. Meiringen to Luzern via Giswil

Your tour guide will also enable you to experience multiple other highlights of Switzerland such as:

• a guided tour of Lucerne / Luzern including the Swiss Transport Museum
• a two hour ride on a Lake Lucerne steamer boat
• a visit to St Gallen Abbey
• riding the funicular in St Moritz to the summit of Muottas Muragl
• optional short guided hike to Piz Corvatsch for amazing views on the Engadine Valley
• a visit to the Gotthard Military Bunker
• optional 1.5 hour guided hike between two stations on the Gornergrat Raliway
• a visit to a chocolate workshop in Interlaken
• riding the Eiger Express gondola from Grindelwald
• a bus ride to the Trümmelbach Falls
• a bus ride over the Grosse Scheidegg

The tour package put together by Swiss travel experts, Echo Rail includes:

• The services of an English speaking guide who is resident in Switzerland
• A 1st class Swiss Rail Pass
• Eleven nights in hotels
• 3 course evening meals
• A daily breakfast buffet
• The cable cars, buses and lake boat
• Admission costs to the attractions
• Transportation of luggage between each hotel

For additional costs, Echo Rails can also arrange

• single person occupancy of the hotel rooms
• a 3 day extension of the tour including two nights in a Lugano hotel
• A meet and greet service at Zurich airport.

This meet and greet service includes:

1. Being met at Zurich airport by a guide
2. Being taken to the main station in Zurich and placed on the train to Luzern / Lucerne
3. First class rail tickets for the journey to Luzern / Lucerne
4. An additional night of the hotel stay in Luzern / Lucerne, including breakfast

This is a tour based solely on public transportation. Bear in mind, that apart from optional walks and hikes, you will have to commute on foot from the train station to the hotel, between the hotel and restaurants, and from one activity to the next. Such commute routes take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes.

The amount and intensity of walking everyday varies throughout the trip. It’s safe to say that you will walk anywhere between 5,000 to 12,000 steps a day (40 minutes to 2,5 hours).

We make several train connections, or move from train to bus or boat, each day. This means you will be walking up and down train platform stairs or ramps to make the connection platform changes. These connection times can range from 7 to 15 minutes and are usually close to another, so a regular walk pace is all that’s needed.

This was an amazing trip in an amazing country. Incredible vistas, well planned activities, great accommodations and wonderful food. Everything was first class. The guides, Andrea, Marta and Andreas, were exceptional. They were very knowledgeable and friendly, always going the extra mile to make sure everyone was having a great time and that the trip was running smoothly. I would highly recommend this trip which is a great value.

I Wish I Could Give it 10 Stars!!!

It was the most amazing 2 weeks I have ever had. It far exceeded my expectations. The venues were amazing, the scheduling was spot on, the reserved 1st class train accommodations were out standing and of course Switzerland is beyond amazing.

I can’t say enough about our guides. Our entire group just fell in love with them. I can’t imagine anyone could do more or a better job than they did. Most of us had tears in our eyes when we had to say good by. They make a great team.

Again an amazing experience and you can be sure I will recommend Echo Rails and Trails to anyone that asks, I may even do it again.

Embarking on the 12-day Grand Rail Tour of Switzerland from Lucerne to Zurich was an experience that transcended the boundaries of a typical vacation. The tour began in the charming city of Lucerne and set the stage for the adventure that lay ahead.

The panoramic views from the trains were extraordinary with landscapes varying from beautiful valleys to towering peaks, each more breathtaking than the last. The journey through the iconic Swiss Alps was magnificent.

Our guides were exceptional. They were multi-lingual (very proficient in English), very engaging, and provided local expert perspectives on the various sites, cities, and villages that we visited. They were flexible and provided some options for the various daily activities and handled all of the logistics (including luggage transfer, which was a huge plus!).

In order to take full advantage of all of the sites and scenes you need to be in reasonably active shape and able to walk on average 10,000 steps per day (sometimes on hilly, uneven ground).

Overall, this 12-day tour was an excellent way to experience all that Switzerland had to offer. The combination of stunning alpine scenery, world-famous trains, luxury accommodations, and expert guides made it a journey of a lifetime.

If you have an interest in the seeing the iconic mountain sites in Switzerland and doing it by train, this is the tour for you.
The activities were seamless and first class all the way. Luzern, St. Moritz, Andermatt, Zermatt, and Grindelwald.
Wonderful hotels in these locations that provided for easy access to the top of the Alps. Never a line to stand in, never a missed connection, and great meals.
The organization prior to the tour was good and our guides were top notch. You couldn't ask for better travel companions than our guides, Denise and Deb.
No detail in this 12 days is left to chance.
There is enough flexibility to allow for some individual preferences. I snuck in a swim in Lake Luzern and Lake St. Moritz. If you want to see Switzerland I can't think of a better way.

My favorite part of this trip was our outstanding guides Andreas and Thomas along with Rene who took over for the last segment.
It was the opinion of all the travelers, most of whom travel extensively, that this was the best trip they've ever been on.
Of course, the real star of the trip was Switzerland! Words and pictures simply cannot describe the magnificence of this country. Even when you see it it's hard to believe!
I heartily recommend this tour the trains, the hotels, and the meals exceeded my rather high expectations.

The trip of a lifetime. We have seen countless photos that almost don’t look real. That’s because it is truly fairy tale scenery. Our guides, Andreas,Thomas, (aka the candy man),Leo, and Rene. We’re all extremely knowledgeable and friendly. They took great care in our comfort and well being. The trains, buses, and hotels are all very clean and welcoming.
I highly recommend everyone to visit this beautiful country. And to do it with Echo rails and trails.

I know the phrase “ Trip of a Lifetime” is a cliche, but this truly was an amazing adventure and indeed a trip of a lifetime. So many happy and unforgettable memories were made for my eleven year old grandson and me. Echo made everything so easy, too! Prior to departing for our adventure, Monika was so patient and responded quickly to my many questions. Our guides, Andreas, Thomas, Leo and Rene are knowledgeable and friendly and enhanced our experience. I also enjoyed having a small group of fellow travelers as we were able to get to know one another better than with a larger group. We covered a lot of Switzerland in 12 days! We hope to return someday!