9-Day Switzerland Round Trip by Rail (9R14)

Day 1 and Day 2 Zurich

Your Scenic Switzerland Tour starts in Zurich, which is a lifestyle capital located at the water. Zurich offers a 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.

With your Zurich Card, which is already included in your tour package, you enjoy discounts at museums, galleries and in restaurants. Most importantly, you enjoy unlimited free use of the public transportation system within Zurich, as well as specific funiculars and river cruises.

At the church “Fraumunster” you can find glass windows that have been created by Marc Chagall. If you want to have a relaxed city tour, you can explore Zurich’s Old Town by boat on a Limmat River Cruise.

How about a visit to the home mountain of Zurich: Uetliberg. Besides a great view over Zurich and the surrounding area you can also start a two-hour walk to Felsenegg, where you can have lunch at the restaurant and enjoy the view before returning to the city by cable car.

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 have to try a piece of the Swiss Chocolate (Frey or Lindt).

On your second day you could 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.

If the weather is nice, you could visit the “Queen of the Mountains”: Mt. Rigi (not included in the price of your tour). Take the boat to Vitznau where the train to the top of the mountain departs.

On your second day you could 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.

If the weather is nice, you could visit the “Queen of the Mountains”: Mt. Rigi (not included in the price of your tour). Take the boat to Vitznau where the train to the top of the mountain departs.

In the morning you take the Scenic-Panorama “Golden-Pass”-train ride thru the Swiss Alps from Lucerne to Interlaken. The Panorama-Train takes you thru beautiful mountains and passes stunning lakes. It takes just under 2 hours and overcomes not less than 3280 ft!

Interlaken (Latin for “between the lakes”) is nestled between two lakes: Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. It also affords a view of the world’s famous Icy Icons: the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. From Interlaken you have several options for excursions. For example an optional trip to the Harder Kulm, Interlaken’s home mountain. From there you can not only see the Icy Icons but also admire both Lakes.

You will arrive in Grindelwald by rail in less than 40 minutes. Grindelwald itself is beautifully located between the Swiss Alps. From Grindelwald you have several options. You can continue your journey to the Jungfraujoch – Europe’s highest rail station. The Jungfraujoch 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 summertime there can be days with snowfall and fog. However, if the weather is nice, we recommend going—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.

Or you can take the gondola to Grindelwald First (not included in the price of your tour), to admire the panorama view of the mountains Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Grindelwald First is also a starting point of several hiking trails, for example to Lake Bachalp.

Today you will take the train to Thun. It is hard to oversee the magnificent four towers of Thun Castle on the Schlossberg (“Castle-Hill”). From there you have a beautiful view over Lake Thun and the Bernese Mountains (admission not included).

If you decide to visit Thun Castle, you will have to cross one of the many bridges across the River Aare. On Bälliz, the shopping-island of Thun, you will find a shopping mile with modern shops. For a more medieval feeling, you should continue your walk to Hauptgasse. There you will find raised pavements—which are unique in Europe! On your way from Bälliz to Hauptgasse, do not miss out on crossing the Mühlenschleuse, which is a historic wooden bridge in Thun.
You will find a lot of restaurants right at the River Aare where you can enjoy a meal and enjoy the almost mediterranean feeling.

By rail you will arrive in 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, and 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 of 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.

Your last train ride for this tour will take you from Bern to Zurich International Airport. This direct train takes about 1 ½ hours. At Zurich International Airport your Scenic Switzerland Rail Circle ends.