Start your tour in Germany and end it in Austria and enjoy the most beautiful scenery of the Swiss Alps along this most scenic tour!
Bern Parliament ©Swiss Image /Bern Tourismus
Along this vacation package from Frankfurt International Airport you will see Heidelberg, Munich and Nuremberg (all in Germany), Salzburg and Vienna (Austria) as well as the spectacular landscapes of the Swiss Alps and visit some of the most charming cities of Germany and Switzerland! Adore a wonderful Scenic-Panorama “Golden-Pass”-train ride from Interlaken to Lucerne, on which you will have a marvelous view over snow-covered mountains. This beautiful vacation package also includes an all day escorted coach tour to Oberammergau and the Royal Castles, Linderhof Palace and Neuschwanstein Castle. The tour includes second class Rail tickets which can be upgraded to 1st-class for just US $ 339 per person for the entire tour (except for the Express Bus from Munich to Zurich, where there is only one class of service). The upgrade also includes seat reservations for the long distance rails (see the tableau this is already included in the price of your tour). Here you also find everything else that is included: transfers, rail tickets, tours and admissions.
Price per Person
| two sharing a double room | one in a single room | three sharing a triple room |
| US $ 2,899 | US $ 4,269 | US $ 2,569 |
Would you like to submit your personal information so we can check availability for your specific travel dates for this beautiful tour? On our BOOKING INQUIRY page you find a form which you may use to forward your personal information:
View 12-Day Frankfurt to Vienna & Swiss Alps Rail Tour (12R01) in a larger map
Day 1 Frankfurt Int Airport to Heidelberg
Start your Frankfurt to Vienna & Swiss Alps Rail Tour with a Airport Transfer from Frankfurt Int. Airport to your hotel in the Old Town of Heidelberg. Heidelberg is a beautiful historic town located along the banks of the Neckar River and the most significant sight is certainly the ruin of Heidelberg Castle, which is towering above the city. Since your hotel is located right inside of the Old Town of Heidelberg it is easy to explore historic Heidelberg by foot. Your tour package will include walking tour suggestions for the Old Town. Along the walking tour you will see the Old Bridge from where you have a nice view of the Old Town and the Castle ruins above. You will also pass by the “Marktplatz” (market place) which is the main square of Heidelberg, the “Peterskirche” (St. Peter´s Church) and the historic University of Heidelberg. Heidelberg´s University was founded 1386 and it is the oldest University in Germany and with more than 30.000 students it is still one of the most important universities in Germany today. If you want to enjoy a view over Heidelberg and the Neckar River you may want to walk up to the grounds of the castle ruins or – for a small fee, take the historic funicular up and down Heidelberg Castle.
Bern Parliament ©Swiss Image /Bern Tourismus and View of Interlaken ©Lucia Degonda
Day 2 Bern
By taxi transfer you will get from your hotel to Heidelberg Central Station from where you take the Speed train to Bern. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote about Bern: “It is the most beautiful that we have ever seen”. Albert Einstein lived here from 1903 until 1905. Don´t miss to visit the Cathedral of Bern. It is Switzerland’s largest ecclesiastical building. Construction started in 1421, the spire was finally completed in 1893. At its portal you can see a depiction of the Last Judgment. Climb up Switzerland´s highest church to have a marvelous view cross the city and into the Bernese Mittelland and the snow-capped mountains of the Bernese Oberland. The Old Town ob Bern is very scenic and it has a unique medieval character. The historic center, almost completely surrounded by the Aare River, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Very unique are the numerous arcades you will find in Bern.
After a long day you may want to have something to eat at the Schwellenmätteli, a famous restaurant in Bern. Located on the banks of the River Aare you’ll feel like you’re on an island vacation.
Day 3 Interlaken
In less than one hour the Speed Rail will take you from Bern to Interlaken. Interlaken (Latin for “between the lakes”) is nestled between two lakes: Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. It also affords a view of the worlds famous Icy Icons: the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. The Jungfrau – Top of Europe – can be reached by train. The tour does not include the tickets for the train journey up to the mountain since it will not be worth going up there if you have bad weather. Even in the summer time there can be days with snowfall and fog. However, if the weather is nice we recommend to go – this wonder-world of eternal snow and ice is absolutely stunning. Tickets can be bought right at the Interlaken West Station (where you arrived). Visit the Ice Palace and its sculptures or enjoy the breathtaking views from the Sphinx look-out terrace over the Aletsch Glacier, the longest ice stream in Europe, to the surrounding mountain peaks of the neighboring countries.
Day 4 “Golden Pass” Panorama train ride thru the Swiss Alps to Lucerne
In the morning take the Scenic-Panorama “Golden-Pass”-train ride thru the Swiss Alps from Interlaken to Lucerne. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and an important tourist destination due to its location on the shore of Lake Lucerne – within sight of Mount Pilatus and Rigi. The train ride will be an absolute highlight of your tour, the Swiss Alps Mountain Scenery is just beautiful! Visit the Chapel Bridge: It is a 14th century wooden bridge crossing the Reuss River in the Old Town. The Chapel Bridge with the octagonal water tower is a famous landmark of Lucerne.
View Lucerne by night ©Luzern Tourismus AG
You will come across 17th century triangular painted roof panels lining the ceiling of this covered bridge, recounting important events from Swiss history and mythology. it is the most photographed monument in Switzerland. Don´t forget to visit one of the world’s most famous monuments: The Dying Lion of Lucerne. It was carved out of natural rock a renowned Danish/Icelandic sculptor, commemorates the hundreds of Swiss guards who were massacred during the French Revolution in 1792. Mark Twain says about the Lion of Lucerne that it is the saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world.
Great Minster in Zurich © Christof Schuerpf and Hofbrauhaus in Munich ©Thomas H. Giesick
Day 5 Zurich
In less than one hour you will be in Zurich. As a lifestyle capital located on the water, Zurich offers the unique mix of discovery, pleasure, nature and culture. The finest culinary highlights, unlimited shopping pleasure, over 50 museums and more than 100 galleries, Switzerland’s liveliest nightlife, numerous events and countless green oases in the center of the city tempt guests to linger and enjoy. If you want to have a glorious view of the Old Town, Grossmunster Church, City Hall, the Limmat river, the University and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Visit Lindenhof, a haven of peace and tranquility in the heart of the city. At the church “Fraumunster” you can find glass windows that has been created by Marc Chagall. If you want to do some shopping a visit of the “Bahnhofstrasse” is a must. The street runs from the Main Station right down to the lake. It is said to be among the most beautiful shopping areas in Europe and with its boutiques and stores it is also known to be one of the most exclusive and expensive shopping streets in the world. In Zürich you might want to look for a new Swiss made watch but you definitely have to try a piece of the Swiss Chocolate (Frey or Lindt
Day 6 Munich
The direct train/coach ride from Zurich to Munich Central Station, where your hotel is located, takes a little over four hours so you will have some time for sightseeing in Munich that day as well as admission to many sights in Munich (Munich Residence and Residence Museum, Treasury, Cuvilliés-Theatre, Hall of Fame and Statue of Bavaria, Nymphenburg Palace and Park, Marstallmuseum, Museum of Nymphenburg Porcelain) and with your tour package you will also receive walking suggestions for a self-guided walking tour through Munich City Center. Along this walking tour you will visit the Marienplatz with the New Town Hall (with the “Glockenspiel”), the Konigsplatz (King´s Square), cultural center in the 19th century and later, during the “Third Reich”, site of Nazi Party mass rallies and location of the Nazi Party headquarters in Germany, the English Garden as well as the the State Opera House. You will be able to visit famous churches like Munich Frauenkirche, “Dom zu Unserer Lieben Frau (Cathedral of Our Dear Lady), with a height of 325 ft. a Munich landmark, St. Peters Church, built in the 14th century and the Asam Church, which was built as a private chapel and integrated into an apartment building. The tour will pass by the most famous Munich shopping streets (Kaufinger street and Neuhauser street) as well as by the “Viktualienmarkt”, a traditional farmers market (open every day except on Sundays). The tour will take you by the famous “Alois Dallmayr” luxury delicatessen and coffee store as well as to the Hofbrauhaus of course, probably the world’s most popular beer hall. This may be a great place to enjoy a hearty dinner and a fresh Mass of beer (one mug holds 33.8 US fl oz)!
Day 7 Escorted coach tour to the Royal Castles
Another highlight of your tour will be a visit of the world famous Neuschwanstein Castle. You will be on an all-day escorted coach tourwhich will first take you to Oberammergau for a photo stop (you may want take a look at the Festival Hall where the Passion Play takes place every ten years.) The coach will then take you to Linderhof Palace, the Royal Villa of King Ludwig II. The Palace and Park were inspired by Versailles and the rooms are beautifully decorated and furnished. After a short drive through Austria and back into Germany you will get to Neuschwanstein Castle. The picture of Neuschwanstein is probably present in everybody’s mind and Neuschwanstein really seems to be taken out of a fairy tale. You will join an English-speaking guided tour through the Castle. The tour of the interior, the Throne Hall, the Hall of the Singers, the Grotto and all of the private rooms which were built for King Ludwig II, will make the picture perfect! After the tour of the inside make sure to take some time to explore the castle grounds. The view of Neuschwanstein from the bridge behind the castle is like no other! Your luxury coach will take you back to Munich where you will arrive in time for dinner.
Heilig-Geist Spital Nuremberg © Thomas H. Giesick
Day 8 Day trip (by rail) to Nuremberg
By High-speed Rail it takes more than 1 hour from Munich to Nuremberg. Nuremberg’s history reaches back to the year 1050, its name “nourenberc” translates into “rocky hill”. Nuremberg’s famous landmark, the “Kaiserburg” (Imperial Castle), towers above the Old town, which is protected by the five kilometers long city wall, many towers and gates can still be visited. The medieval Castle is one of the most important imperial palaces dating from the middle ages from the 11th century (admission included). In the Third Reich Adolf Hitlers´Nazi Party had chosen Nuremberg for their Nazi Rallies and if you are interested in that part of history you may want to visit the Documenation Center Nazi Rally Grounds which are located just south of the Old Town.
When exploring the beauty of Nuremberg’s medieval Old Town you may want to start right at the Koenigstor (“Kingsgate”) which is the gate right across from Nuremberg Central Station. From where the timber framed buildings, the Gothic Church of St.Lawrence and the Church of St.Sebaldus can be easily reached by foot. Right next to the Koenigstor is the Handwerkerhof (craft center), here you will feel like you are back in the medieval times, there are craft workshops like they used to have a long time ago as well as a gingerbread bakery. Make sure to enjoy a Nuremberg Bratwurst along with a beer or a glass of “Frankenwein” (franconian wine). In the evening take the High-speed Train back to Munich.
Day 9 Salzburg
In about 1 hours and 50 minutes the high-speed “Rail Jet” (RJ) will take you from Munich to Salzburg. Salzburg, beautiful town close to the Alps, birthplace of Mozart is also the site of the popular movie “The Sound of Music”. Your hotel is located in walking distance of Salzburg Central Station and in the early afternoon – after you have checked in – you will join the English-speaking most unique 4-hour Sound of Music tour!
This tour is an ideal opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Maria von Trapp while taking in local historical sights both from the city of Salzburg and also the picturesque lakes and mountains surrounding the city. After the tour you may want to walk across the Salzach River to take a look at Mozart’s birth house and the small shopping streets in the area. Here you also find a wide choice of restaurants for dinner.
Mozart Birth Place Salzburg ©Thomas H. Giesick and Schoenbrunn Palace Vienna ©Oesterreich Werbung
Day 10 Vienna
In about 2 hours and 40 minutes the high-speed “Rail Jet” (RJ) will take you throughout Austria, from Salzburg to Vienna located in the east of Austria, close to the borders to Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. The price of your tour package already includes the 48 hour Vienna Card. With this card you enjoy more than 200 discounts in Vienna, at museums and sights, theaters and concerts, in shops, cafes, restaurants and also the “Heurige” wine taverns. But most importantly with this card you also enjoy unlimited free public transportation within Vienna. Even though your hotel is located in the City Center it is great to have the option to take the subway, a street-car or a public bus. On your first day in Vienna you may want to visit the Imperial Palace, for example, the “Hofburg Vienna”, the center of the former Habsburg Empire. The Palace was Sisi´s Imperial home and household, and the Imperial Apartments, the Sisi Museum and the Silver Collection can be visited here. At the Vienna Hofburg you also find the Spanish Riding School where you may want to watch a performance or join a practice session and also the Old Town Hall which is close by. In immediate walking distance of the Hofburg you will find the State Opera House, definitely one of the world’s most famous Opera Houses where the Vienna Opera Ball takes place every year. St. Stephen’s Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Vienna and it is a “must see” as well as smaller churches like the “Universitatskirche” (Jesuits Church) and the “Peterskirche” (St. Peter’s Church).
Day 11 Vienna
Enjoy a full day of sightseeing in Vienna with your 48 hour Vienna Card. Maybe you want to visit the “Ringstrasse”, a circular road around the inner city districts of Vienna. In the 19th century the road was replacing the Old City Wall which had been built in the 13th century. Many of the buildings you find along this road, the Austrian Parliament Building or the University of Vienna the for example, were built around the 1850´s. You may want to visit Schonbrunn Palace and its beautiful Garden. Your Vienna Card covers the fare to get there; the subway station “Schonbrunn” (subway line U4) is very close to the entrance of Schonbrunn Palace, once the summer residence of the Habsburg family and home of Maria Theresa. The Rococo palace is one of the most important architectural, cultural and historical monuments in Austria and nowadays is one of the most visited sights in Vienna. It all started with the building of a mansion on hunting grounds in 1548 just outside of Vienna. The impressive Palace in its present form (it has 1,441 rooms!) was built and remodeled around the 1750s by Maria Theresa. Make sure to plan in some time for a visit of Schonbrunn Garden. There you also find the Neptune Fountain and Gloriette, which was designed to symbolize the glory of the Habsburg power.
Day 12 Vienna/ Vienna Int. Airport
Depending on your departure time from Vienna Int. Airport you may have some additional time for sightseeing in Vienna. By Private Airport Transfer you will get from your hotel in Vienna to Vienna International Airport, where your Frankfurt to Vienna & Swiss Alps Rail Tour ends.
Would you like to download an overview of the 12 Day Frankfurt to Vienna & Swiss Alps Rail Tour (12R01) as a pdf to print it out or to forward it to a friend? Please download it right here:This is already included in the price of your tour
| Day 1 - FrankfurtInt. Airport to Heidelberg/ Heidelberg | no train ticket needed | Holländer Hof (or similar if not available) | Airport Shuttle Transfer from Frankfurt Int. Airport to your hotel in Heidelberg |
| Day 2 - Heidelberg to Bern/ Bern | Ticket (also valid for High Speed "ICE" trains) from Heidelberg to Bern (travel time about 3:40 hrs) | Hotel Allegro Grand Casino (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Bern Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Heidelberg, taxi transfer from your hotel in Heidelberg Old Town to Heidelberg Central Station |
| Day 3 - Bern to Interlaken/ Interlaken | Ticket (also valid for High Speed "ICE" trains) from Bern directly to Interlaken (travel time about an hour) | Metropole Swiss Quality Interlaken Hotel (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Interlaken Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Bern |
| Day 4 - Interlaken to Lucerne/ Lucerne | Golden Pass Ticket from Interlaken to Lucern (travel time about 1:50 hrs) | Waldstatterhof Hotel (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Lucerne Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Interlaken, Scenic-Panorama "Golden-Pass"-train ride from Interlaken to Lucerne |
| Day 5 - Lucerne to Zurich/ Zurich | Ticket from Lucerne to Zurich (travel time about an hour) | Bristol Hotel (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Zurich Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Lucerne, City Tour with aerial calbe car to Felsenegg and ferry ship across Lake of Zurich |
| Day 6 - Zurich to Munich/ Munich | Ticket (also valid for Speed "EC" trains) from Zurich directly to Munich (travel time about 4:10 hrs) | King´s First Class Hotel (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Munich Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Zurich; Admission Residence Museum, Treasury Admission Cuvilliés-Theatre, Admission Hall of Fame and Statue of Bavaria, Admission Nymphenburg Palace and Park, Admission Marstallmuseum and Museum of Nymphenburg Porcelain |
| Day 7 - Royal Castles/ Munich | no train ticket needed | King´s First Class Hotel (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Munich Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Munich, All day escorted coach tour to Oberammergau and to the Royal Castles - Neuschwanstein Castle and Linderhof Palace, Admission Neuschwanstein Castle (Hohenschwangau), Admission Linderhof Palace & Park (Ettal) |
| Day 8 - Day Trip Nuremberg/ Munich | Ticket - also valid for High-Speed "ICE" trains) from Munich to Nuremberg and back (travel time about 1 hour each direction) | King´s First Class Hotel (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Munich Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Munich |
| Day 9 - Munich to Salzburg/ Salzburg | Ticket - also valid for High-Speed "Rail-Jet" trains) from Munich directly to Salzburg (travel time about 1:30 hrs) | Hotel IMLAUER & Bräu (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Salzburg Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Munich, 4 hr Sound of Music tour |
| Day 10 - Salzburg to Vienna/ Vienna | Ticket - also valid for High-Speed "Rail-Jet" trains) from Salzburg to Vienna (travel time about 2:25 hour), ticket for unlimited free use of the public transportation system (buses, trams, subways) within Vienna | Hotel Zeitgeist Wien (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Wien Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Salzburg, 48 hrs Vienna Card |
| Day 11 - Vienna | no train ticket needed | Hotel Zeitgeist Wien (or similar if not available), located within 10 walking minutes from Wien Central Station | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Wien, Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Vienna, 48 hrs Vienna Card |
| Day 12 - Vienna to Vienna Int. Airport/ Vienna Int. Airport | no train ticket needed | no hotel needed | Buffet breakfast at your hotel in Vienna, Airport Shuttle Transfer from your hotel in Vienna right to Vienna Int. Airport |
The tour package we provide includes a day by day itinerary as well as all tickets, vouchers and information necessary to enjoy a great independent tour. It also contains general information about the cities you visit which you can downloaded from our website once your tour is confirmed.
This is not included in the price of your tour
- Airfare from your origin to Frankfurt Int. Airport/ from Vienna Int. Airoprt to your origin
- all meals other than breakfast (which is included)
- gratuities (tips)
You have booked the tour already and would like to download the to-europe tour package for this tour now? Please download them right here:
STRASBOURG, BLACK FORREST & INTERLAKEN CUSTOM TOUR Hi Thomas, We had a FABULOUS trip to the Black Forest, France and Switzerland. You do a remarkable job in finding excellent locations, wonderful hotels, and all the directions we need to make our way from place to place. Again, thanks for all that you do! – Jackie T., Oklahoma, USA
We are fortunate to have travelers from all over the world on our pre-packaged tours and we would love to have your feedback! If you have been traveling along this tour with us please leave us a review below – we greatly appreciate your time! (your Email address will not be displayed)
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We did a customized shortened version of this trip where we had to remove two days from this trip due to time constraints. To make this happen we removed Zurich and Nuremburg. Thomas did an excellent job of planning everything and took care of all of the details. On or first day of train travel, which was on a Sunday, we had a cancelled train. Thomas, was available and very helpful in guiding us on what trains we should take instead. He even monitored our status throughout that day of travel and made sure we were taken care of. I also really appreciated the detailed city guides that were provided for each of the citys that we visited. I found them very helpful. The hotels were all close to the train stations which made it easy to walk to.
I did this tour from Vienna to Frankfurt. I enjoyed all of the hotels and tours as organised, as well as tips for other options along the way. All of the hotels were very good and the breakfasts were true continental excellence. I was able to put some flexibility into the tour, extending the stays in Salzburg and Heidelberg, and i would recommend this option for anyone who is considering a slightly longer trip. My main advice is that if you can keep your luggage to perhaps a backpack, or a small day bag and large cabin size suitcase you wont have any issues with the walking to hotels, etc. Otherwise, the two times i used a taxi in Getmany were less than 7 Euros per trip. Please Enjoy!!! PS: I met Thomas in Limburg an Lahn after my trip and he is just a really helpful and happy guy.
I can't say enough about the job Michaela and Thomas did organizing this trip. To-Europe made the travel so seamless and took all the stress out of traveling.. From castle's to glaciers to palaces, this trip was wonderful. Thanks again and we will be utilizing your services again when we visit Europe.
The to-europe team were simply amazing our 12 day trip was easily extended to be 15 days. The team thought of everything, and the choice , location and quality of rail travel, hotels and tours were first class. It was a pleasure dealing with Petra, Michela and the team and cant rate this service high enough.
Do yourself a favour and let them show you the highlights and sites, Europe has to offer. Stunning, we are so greatful to them they were the highlight of our 3 months in europe, if wed known in advance i would have had them sort out all of our travel. Thank you from 2 very grateful travellers
This was our first trip to Europe so had some misgivings about trying to organize it ourselves. Found To-Europe online and decided to go with them. From the beginning Michaela was more than helpful. She reorganized the tour so we started and ended in Frankfurt plus added a few extra days that we wanted. She also let us know during the trip that one of our tours would not be available. We let her know what else we would like to do and she organized that for us. All the hotels were great and very close to the train stations. Did learn we need to pack lighter (which we thought we had). Traveling by train was great once we got used to it. One thing I would recommend is when you arrive at the Munich bus terminal, take a taxi to your hotel. Where the bus arrives it is tucked away from the train station and we didn't know how to get over to it. That is where the directions for the hotel start is at the train station. We would highly recommend To-Euorpe. Everything is organized from hotels to the trains you catch. We still felt like we were doing it on our own, and had the flexibility to do the things we were interested in. This made our 30th anniversary truly amazing.
We just returned back from our tour that Michaela, Thomas and Petra arranged for us. From the beginning questions, to the contact while on the tour, and the contact after the tour, they were exceptional! Always answered all of our questions fast and detailed. We contacted them several times while on our trip and they were very quick to answer. I feel they are a very reputable and honest company and am so very glad we found them. They arranged everything we wanted and all the trains, hotels, busses, and tours ran like clockwork. We loved it and will have these memories for a lifetime! We will definitely book with them again if the opportunity presents itself. We just could not be happier. Thank you all very much for all of your help. We could not have planned this by ourselves. Do not hesitate to book with To-Europe.com. They are fantastic. Thanks again for giving us these memories! Chuck and Shelly Hirschinger
My wife and I selected To-Europe for our honeymoon and we could not be happier with the selection we made. It all starts with the GREAT customer service provided by their staff. They are quick to respond to questions you have and do a great job making sure you feel comfortable before making this investment.
The trip itself was everything we were looking for. All the hotels were set up for us prior to traveling and when we arrived at the first hotel, they had a package with all of our train tickets ready. At first, I thought it would be very hectic and confusing to travel like this but it was not. Trains were VERY easy to locate and get to. The hotels were no more then a 10 minute walk and they were placed inside or VERY CLOSE to down town. The tours that were set up prior to this trip were fantastic as well.
Overall, we were super pleased with our experience. We were so happy we will be looking to use To-Europe again in the near future!! Thank you guys for helping us make the most of our honeymoon!!!
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