7 Days Rail Explorer Glacier Express & Little Italy from US$2,446

price per person From

US$2,446

Based on 2 adults

(US$4,893 Total Price )

Created: Tuesday, March 31, 2026

Destinations: Zermatt, Switzerland , Saint Moritz, Switzerland , Lugano, Switzerland , Zurich, Switzerland

Swiss Highlights Rail & Road Journey – 7 Days

Theme: Switzerland – Scenic Railways, Lakes & Alpine Cities

Itinerary Overview

Day 1–2: Zurich to Zermatt

Transport: Zurich Hauptbahnhof → Zermatt GGB
Accommodation (2 nights): Hotel Albatros Zermatt, Zermatt (Switzerland)
Included Ticket: “Swiss Travel Pass” – Zermatt (Switzerland)
Included Excursion: “Swiss Mountain Excursion – Gornergrat” – Zermatt (Switzerland)

Day 3–4: Glacier Express to Saint Moritz

Transport: Zermatt GGB → Saint Moritz
Included Ticket: “Glacier Express” – Zermatt (Switzerland)
Accommodation (2 nights): Hotel Laudinella, Saint Moritz (Switzerland)

Day 5: Saint Moritz to Lugano

Transport: Scenic routing via southern Switzerland (using your Swiss Travel Pass where applicable)
Accommodation (1 night): Hotel City Lugano, Design & Hospitality, Lugano (Switzerland)
Included Ticket: “Private Tour of Lugano” – Lugano (Switzerland)
Car Rental: Seat Ibiza – ideal for flexible local exploration

Day 6–7: Lugano to Zurich

Transport: Lugano → Zurich Hauptbahnhof
Accommodation (1 night): Züri By Fassbind, Zurich (Switzerland)
Included Ticket: “Zurich City Panoramic Bus Tour” – Zurich (Switzerland)

What’s Included

All scheduled rail/ground transport as listed:
Zurich Hauptbahnhof → Zermatt GGB
Zermatt GGB → Saint Moritz
Lugano → Zurich Hauptbahnhof

Hotel stays:
2 nights – Hotel Albatros Zermatt (Zermatt)
2 nights – Hotel Laudinella (Saint Moritz)
1 night – Hotel City Lugano, Design & Hospitality (Lugano)
1 night – Züri By Fassbind (Zurich)

Tickets & experiences:
“Swiss Travel Pass” – Zermatt (Switzerland)
“Swiss Mountain Excursion – Gornergrat” – Zermatt (Switzerland)
“Glacier Express” – Zermatt (Switzerland)
“Private Tour of Lugano” – Lugano (Switzerland)
“Zurich City Panoramic Bus Tour” – Zurich (Switzerland)

As your travel agent, I recommend preparing with a mix of guidebooks and inspirational reading. For practical planning and local tips, consider the latest editions of: “Rick Steves Switzerland,” “Lonely Planet Switzerland,” and “DK Eyewitness Switzerland.” For deeper insight into your specific stops, add “Lonely Planet Pocket Zurich,” “Marco Polo Zermatt & the Matterhorn,” and “Lonely Planet Pocket Geneva & Lake Geneva Region” (for broader context around the lakes and the Alps). If you enjoy rail journeys, “Glacier Express and Scenic Railways of Switzerland” (various publishers) will give you background on the routes you’ll ride. To complement these, you might enjoy Peter Stamm’s novels for a contemporary Swiss feel, and classic Alpine literature such as Johanna Spyri’s “Heidi” for a more nostalgic, landscape-focused read.

Your day to day

11 Aug

Transport from Zurich to Zermatt

Departure

08:02

Zürich (9BE)

3h 20m

11:22

Zermatt (JR3)

STANDARD

STANDARD Standard (Non Flex)

Inter City Express - 808

08:02 - Zürich

10:04 - Visp

Cabin Class: STANDARD

7m - Change at Visp

Regiojet train - 225

10:11 - Visp

11:17 - Zermatt

Cabin Class: STANDARD

- Change at Zermatt

SBB

11:17 - Zermatt

11:22 - Zermatt

Cabin Class: STANDARD

11 Aug

1. Zermatt

Stay

About the destination: Zermatt is a scenic ski resort, located at the northern base of the mighty Matterhorn. Skiing, hiking and mountaineering are the main attractions in this resort, nonetheless there is so much more to see in this flower bedecked village. Hinterdorf is the oldest part of Zermatt where you can still find a few of the old traditional Swiss wooden houses dating back to the 17th and 16th century. The St. Mauritius Church dominates the skyline of Zermatt. It is located at the Church Square, Kirchplatz, in the heart of Zermatt's busy city centre. Next to the Catholic Church, the Matterhorn Museum houses the remains and preserves Zermatt's history. Located close to St. Mauritius Church is the town's cemetery, the Mountaineers' Cemetery. There, the headstones tell some amazing stories of the climbers who met with destiny during their attempt to climb the Matterhorn. The main street is a hive of activity and has restaurants, bars, souvenir shops, gift shops and many shops retailing Swiss Watches. Beautiful Swiss style buildings adorn each side of the street. The English Church is a lovely little church set high on the hill overlooking Zermatt. It is a very heavily timbered building inside and, whilst not as big or as ornate as the Catholic Church, it has a charm all of its own. Well worth the walk up the hill. Bustling, crowded, busy and beautiful all at the same time, Zermatt is the epitome of Swiss atmosphere. Although busy with visitors and holidaymakers, this town has retained that lovely Swiss ambience and feel about it.

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11 Aug

Accommodation

2 Nights

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Hotel Albatros Zermatt

Zermatt - Show on map > 0.1 km from Center

9.1

Superb

548

Spa and wellness centre

Golf course

Airport shuttle

Superior Double Room with Matterhorn View

WITH BREAKFAST

Free cancellation

See details

11 Aug

Tickets

More than one activity has been selected for the same day

Swiss Travel Pass

11 Aug 2026

2 Entrances

( Adults from 17 years old: 2 )

6 days

6 days continuous pass Adult And Child Ticket - 2nd Class

Non refundable

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There is a transport in the same day. Check hours

12 Aug

Tickets

More than one activity has been selected for the same day

Swiss Mountain Excursion - Gornergrat

12 Aug 2026

2 Entrances

( Adults from 17 years old: 2 )

1 hour

1 days Swiss Mountain Excursion - Gornergrat continuous pass Adult And Child Ticket - 2nd Class

Non refundable

See details

13 Aug

Tickets

More than one activity has been selected for the same day

Glacier Express

13 Aug 2026

2 Entrances

( Adults from 17 years old: 2 )

8 hours

Train Glacier Express 2nd class with Reservations Zermatt - St. Moritz

Non refundable

See details

There is a transport in the same day. Check hours

13 Aug

Transport from Zermatt to Saint Moritz

08:47

Zermatt (JR3)

7h 50m

16:37

St. Moritz (JZ8)

STANDARD

STANDARD Standard (Non Flex)

SBB

08:47 - Zermatt

08:52 - Zermatt

Cabin Class: STANDARD

- Change at Zermatt

Panorama Express - 902

08:52 - Zermatt

16:37 - St. Moritz

Cabin Class: STANDARD

13 Aug

2. Saint Moritz

Stay

About the destination: St Moritz exudes health and wealth. This resort needs little introduction. It is one of the best-known vacation spots in Europe. Playground of today’s jetsetters, the curative properties of its waters have been known for 3000 years. If you enjoy skiing, then St Moritz is for you. Nonetheless, Saint Moritz has more to offer than just skiing. This nice small town, located in a small picturesque lake near the Engadine Valley, offers numerous other sporting facilities like golf, horse riding, rafting, and sailing to name just a few. And it is also the perfect place to relax by the lake, for hiking and admiring it amazing scenery and do some shopping. While visiting a number of city museums, you can get acquainted with its historical past. The Engadine Museum exhibits a collection of the folk art and traditions, the Segantini Museum displays works by the painter Giovanni Segantini. In the centre of St. Moritz is located the Leaning Tower built in the XII century. The tower, which height is 33m, is 5.5 degrees tilted. Another landmark of the city is the Abbey, on the territory of which are located numerous churches, church treasures and relics. This cute, cosy and charming little town, where the quality of service is unrivalled, is a paradise for lovers of snow-capped mountains and luxury.

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13 Aug

Accommodation

2 Nights

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Hotel Laudinella

Saint Moritz - Show on map > 1.6 km from Center

8.3

Very good

2327

Spa and wellness centre

Fitness centre

Restaurant

Classic Double Room

WITH BREAKFAST

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Transport from Saint Moritz to Lugano

No transport selected

Saint MoritzLugano

Transport disabled

15 Aug

3. Lugano

Stay

About the destination: Lugano is a lakeside city in Ticino, the Italian-speaking part of southern Switzerland. Part of a temperate micro-climate, Lugano offers palm trees, picturesque boulevards, stunning views of the lake and the Alps, and plenty of opportunity for outdoor and indoor activities. Lugano also makes a good base for visiting other cities and sites in the area. The city is a pleasant place to relax in the summertime and is only half an hour away from Lake Como. The Santa Maria degli Angeli chapel, designed by the world famous architect Mario Botta, is a marvel of contemporary architecture, with paintings by Enzo Cucchi. The chapel, built from 1992 to 1994, is dedicated to Santa Maria degli Angeli, and boasts innovative features in terms of religious building design. You can also visit the Parco Civico-Ciani. This area has both the features of an Italian and an English garden: lush flower beds alternate with green spaces and trees and shrubs from all over the world. The Swiss Miniature in Melide, which was opened in 1959, is the only miniature park in Switzerland. The detailed and authentic models include well-known sites such as the Heidi Village in Maienfeld, the castles of Burgdorf and Chillon, the Federal Parliament in Bern, and the Cathedral of Milan, the only model that can also be viewed from inside. Eighteen model trains travel between the buildings on approximately 3.5 kilometers of tracks.

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15 Aug

Accommodation

1 Night

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Hotel City Lugano, Design & Hospitality

Lugano - Show on map > 0.7 km from Center

Very good

1173

Restaurant

Parking

Bar

Room

WITH BREAKFAST

Free cancellation

See details

15 Aug

Tickets

Private Tour of Lugano

15 Aug 2026

16:00

2 Entrances

( Minimum: 1, Maximum: 15: 2 )

2 hours

Private Tour

Non refundable

See details

16 Aug

Transport from Lugano to Zurich

09:02

Lugano

1h 53m

10:55

Zürich

STANDARD

STANDARD Standard (Non Flex)

Cabin Class: STANDARD

16 Aug

4. Zurich

Stay

About the destination: Zurich labours under the misconception that it is nothing more than a sterile banking city – don't believe a word of it. True, Zurich plays home to one of the largest stock exchanges in the world and is the financial motor of Switzerland itself, but step back from the markets and share prices and you'll find an arty, trend-conscious and vibrant city. Just hang in Zurich West for a while. Its former warehouses, viaducts and ship building caverns have been converted into art centres, funky bars and quirky boutiques. Along Langstrasse, the city’s notorious red light district, you’re now as likely to take home a chic handbag crafted by an emerging designer as you are a piece of skirt. Zurich’s character booms from the speakers of the annual Street Parade, a mammoth techno festival that weaves through the city with DJs and minimally-clad dancers on floats. There isn’t a banker’s tie in sight. If there is in the pretty east bank quarter of Niederdorf, it’s loosened. These medieval streets are abuzz with cafés on corners, trendy taprooms and world-class restaurants. It’s easy to while away an afternoon just absorbing its laidback atmosphere, especially in summer when the riverside take on a beach vibe. Winter is special too. Under the spell of snow, the cobbled alleyways, fountains, lakeside promenades and stunning architecture of the Old Town were made for the stroke of an artist’s brush. This is when one of Europe’s best Christmas markets rolls into town and the warming citruses and cinnamons of the glühwein (mulled wine) stalls fill the air. Shoppers will be in their element here at any time of year. Zurich’s flashy side is evident in the upmarket designer boutiques of Bahnhofstrasse, the city’s main shopping drag. But this is no longer a city for the smart set alone; there are plenty of unusual shops to be discovered down hidden streets. Sitting astride the River Limmat and the northern tip of Lake Zurich, Mother Nature certainly smiles down on Switzerland’s biggest city. Architects were courteous in their additions too - just check out the Fraumünster and Grossmünster churches, which face each other across the river. Then, when you’ve had enough of the city’s diverse array of restaurants, first-rate museums and pulsing nightlife, there’s always the nearby Uetliberg mountain or a boat trip on Lake Zurich to enjoy – if only to catch your breath before diving back into the city’s delights again.

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16 Aug

Accommodation

1 Night

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