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 Alpine holiday Region of Grindelwald, 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.
• There’s also a thrilling excursion to the Schynige Platte mountain area to enjoy, famous for its outstanding views and wildflower gardens.
• Experience unrestricted travel on Swiss trains, trams and buses in tour free time thanks to your complimentary Bernese Oberland Regional Pass.
  

Wednesday 12th June
London to Grindelwald 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. You join a high-speed service at Basel to Interlaken Ost, before continuing by regional train direct to Grindelwald. Here you check into the 4-star Kreuz & Post Alpine 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 13th June
Free day in Grindelwald; Optional Excursion to Maison Gruyères and Maison Cailler

Today is free to stroll through the famous mountain village, embedded in a unique Alpine landscape at the foot of the Eiger north face. Making use of your Regional Pass you can visit the Trümmelbach Falls, a series of ten illuminated glacier-waterfalls inside a mountain, accessible only by a tunnel-lift. Alternatively, you have the optional excursion to Maison Gruyères and Maison Callier, travelling by train from Grindelwald to Interlarken Ost, you join the golden pass train to Montbovon. Here you take a connecting train to Gruyères, where you will visit the La Masion Gruyères. You then continue by Regional Bus to Broc, for a chocolate experience at La Maison Cailler, before returning to Grindelwald via Bern by train. Dinner is served at your hotel this evening. (B D)

Friday 14th 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 Grindelwald by train where you can relax before dinner is again served in your hotel restaurant. (B D)

Saturday 15th 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 Grindelwald you can either travel the same route by train from Kleine Scheidegg to Grindelwald with the group or return at your own leisure. On your return dinner will be served at the hotel. (B D)

Sunday 16th 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 Grindelwald. (B D)

Monday 17th June
Free day to use your Regional Pass; Optional visit to the Schilthorn
Today is free to use your Regional Pass. Your first option is a trip to 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. A mountain excursion surcharge is payable for this trip but if booked in advance you can take advantage of our special discounted price. The second option is a visit to 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 18th June
Excursion to Schynige Platte
Today you enjoy an excursion to the Schynige Platte mountain area, famous for its wildflower gardens and views of the majestic mountain scenery. You travel by train to Wilderswil, the junction for the 800mm gauge Schynige Platte Railway from 1893, one of Switzerland’s pioneering lines. The cog train climbs at a sedate 12 kph up to Schynige Platte, passing many panoramic viewpoints overlooking Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, eventually revealing the glistening giants of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains to the south. (B D)

Wednesday 19th June
Return to UK
After breakfast it is time to say your farewells and travel by regional train to Interlaken. You then travel by express train from Interlaken to Basel before changing trains and continuing to Paris. There you transfer to Paris Gare du Nord and take a Eurostar service back to London St. Pancras International. (B)