Swiss Bernese Oberland

Discover the outstanding natural beauty of Switzerland on this tour to the Bernese Oberland, famed for its shimmering lakes and soaring Alpine peaks, including the towering Jungfrau and the magnificent Eiger.

• Based in the mountain village of Wengen, you’ll explore the Bernese Oberland on Switzerland´s outstanding railway system.
• Enjoy extensive scheduled travel on famous mountain rack railways, including the Brienz Rothorn Railway and Jungfrau Railway to the ‘Top of Europe’.
• Discover the Swiss capital Bern on a two-hour steam tram tour, and enjoy peaceful boat cruises on Lake Brienz
  and Lake Thun.
• Scenic cogwheel railway ascent to Niesen Kulm, renowned for its spectacular panoramic views of the Swiss Alps.
  Followed by a funicular and cable car journey to the magnificent Niederhorn. Savour the breathtaking alpine scenery and enjoy time at leisure on the summit.
• Experience unrestricted travel on Swiss trains, trams and buses in tour free time thanks to your complimentary Bernese Oberland Regional Pass.

Wednesday 2 June 

London to Wengen via Basel

You travel First Class by Eurostar from London St. Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord. You then journey from Paris to Basel in Switzerland via Strasbourg. You join a high-speed service at Basel to Interlaken Ost, before continuing by regional train to Wengen. Here you check into the Arenas Resort Victoria-Lauberhorn Hotel, your base for the tour. A light dinner will be served at your hotel this evening. You’ll also receive your 6-day Bernese Oberland Regional Pass for easy exploration of the surrounding areas. (D)

Thursday 3 June

Free day in Wengen 

After breakfast, you can either relax at the hotel and make use of its wonderful facilities or take a stroll through the village where the British allegedly ‘invented’ downhill ski racing. A more energetic option is to hike to one or more of the incredible local viewpoints. Another alternative is to use your Regional Pass to visit the Trümmelbach Falls, a series of ten illuminated glacier-waterfalls inside a mountain, accessible only by a tunnel-lift. Yet another option is to visit the car-free village of Mürren by cable and mountain railway from Lauterbrunnen, with views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau.

Dinner is served at your hotel this evening. (B D)

Friday 4 June

Lake Brienz Cruise; Steam on the Brienz Rothorn Railway

This morning you travel by train to Interlaken to enjoy a leisurely steamship cruise on Lake Brienz to Brienz at its eastern end. You join a steam train on the 800mm gauge Brienz Rothorn Railway (BRB), Switzerland’s oldest rack railway and climb 1,678 metres (5,505 ft) from Brienz to Rothorn Kulm Station, just below the summit of Brienz Rothorn Mountain. After free time at the summit to enjoy lunch, you return to Brienz for an exclusive visit to the BRB depot to view the locomotives and workshop facilities there. In the afternoon you return to Wengen by train where you can relax before dinner is again served in your hotel restaurant. (B D)

Saturday 5 June 

Excursion to Jungfraujoch and the ‘Top of Europe’ 

A real tour highlight awaits today on a trip to the famous Jungfraujoch and the ‘Top of Europe’. You’ll travel by train to Kleine Scheidegg before joining a JB train en route to the highest railway station in Europe. The train stops twice at points where there are large windows in the rock face for passengers to admire the views. The ‘Top of Europe’ itself is a high-altitude building connected to the underground Jungfraujoch Railway Station by a tunnel. There’s a choice of restaurants in which to take lunch, and a permanent exhibition about the Jungfrau Railway and the Alps. For the return back to Wengen you can either travel the same route back to Wengen or travel from Kleine Scheidegg to Grindelwald at leisure, then make your way back to Wengen via Lauterbrunnen. On your return dinner will be served at the hotel. (B D)

Sunday 6 June

Bern Steam Tram; Cruise on Lake Thun

Today you travel by train to the Swiss capital, Bern, for a two-hour tour of the city by legendary steam tram. The metre gauge 0-6-0 tramway locomotive pulls a classic wooden carriage with open-ended balconies. You’ll pass many of Bern’s historic landmarks, including the famous Zytglogge clock tower. In the afternoon there’s time to visit the shops along the arcaded walkways, or the famous Bear Park and nearby River Aare. Later, you’ll take a service train to Thun to board a boat for the onward journey. Cruising along Lake Thun you have uninterrupted views of famous mountain peaks like the Niederhorn, Niesen, and Jungfrau. You then disembark at Interlaken West Railway Station and return by train to Wengen. (B D)

Monday 7 June

Free day to visit the Schilthorn or use your Regional Pass

Today you have the choice to visit the summit of the Schilthorn, overlooking the valley of Lauterbrunnen and reached by a cable car from the village of Mürren. At the summit there’s a panoramic revolving restaurant, Piz Gloria, once the location of a James Bond film, and free entrance to the Bond World interactive exhibition, entry is included with your Berner Oberland Pass. Alternatively, you can use your regional pass to visit Lucerne. The city is located on Lake Lucerne, in sight of Mount Pilatus and Mount Rigi in the Swiss Alps. You’ll get to Interlaken using WAB and BOB trains from where metre gauge Zentralbahn express trains go direct to Lucerne, a great experience in itself. The route follows the scenic Brünig Line beside Lake Brienz and the River Aare to Meiringen, where the train reverses and climbs over the Brunig Pass using a rack system. The terminus station at Lucerne is opposite the landing stage from which passenger boats, including paddle steamers, serve lakeside communities. The Chapel Bridge is a landmark of Lucerne and the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe. Other places of interest include the Old Town of Lucerne, the Lion Monument, and the Swiss Museum of Transport. (B D)

Tuesday 8 June

Excursion to Niesen Kulm and the Niederhorn 

After breakfast, travel by train from Wengen to Mülenen and enjoy a scenic cogwheel railway ascent to Niesen Kulm, renowned for its spectacular panoramic views of the Swiss Alps. Enjoy time at leisure on the summit before returning to Mülenen and continuing by train to Spiez. From here, take a picturesque boat cruise across Lake Thun to Beatenbucht, followed by a funicular and cable car journey to the magnificent Niederhorn. Savour the breathtaking alpine scenery and enjoy time at leisure on the summit. Descend to Beatenberg by cable car and return to Wengen via Interlaken by post bus and train. Dinner and overnight in Wengen. (B D)

Wednesday 9 June

Return to UK

After breakfast it is time to say your farewells and travel by regional trains to Interlaken.
You then travel by express train from Interlaken to Basel before changing trains and continuing to Paris via Strasbourg.

There you transfer to Paris Gare du Nord and take a Eurostar service back to London St. Pancras International. (B)