15 Day | Four Lakes Scenic Rail Holiday

Flight from the UK to Zurich airport with connecting rail travel to Montreux. Check in to your hotel for your 3 night stay and enjoy your first glimpse of Montreux. 

Montreux is a fascinating town, with cafés and a wonderful promenade which you can follow to the romantic Chillon Castle. Entry is free with your Swiss Travel Pass, as is travel on the lake steamers and mainline trains so you can visit Geneva for the day or Lausanne and the vineyards at Lavaux. The mountain railway to Les Rochers-de-Naye at 50% reduction is highly recommended for spectacular views. Chaplin's World in Vevey is also a great visit with 50% off with your Riviera Card. 

As the new direct GoldenPass Express train leaves Lake Geneva behind, you’ll climb steadily, passing the beautiful countryside around Saanen and the alpine resort of Gstaad before you reach Zweisimmen. Here the new train switches track and travels on with more scenic views of lush pastures and a gentle descent to Spiez on beautiful Lake Thun.

Spiez is uniquely situated on Lake Thun for a leisurely cruise and waterside strolls. It also has rail connections to Bern and Interlaken. All these journeys can be enjoyed free with your Swiss Travel Pass or you can explore the Bernese mountains at a 50% discount. Spiez itself has a beautiful lakeside setting nestling among hills and vineyards with its own picturesque medieval castle.

From Spiez you have the option to travel on the Lötschberg Line to brig travelling on the old scenic route or taking an international train to Domodossola where you join the charming Centovalli Line to Locarno.

Locarno is a resort where the Italian influence affects all aspects of life, from the architecture to what you eat. Situated on stunning Lake Maggiore, with the lakeside village of Ascona only a bus ride away, Locarno is also well placed for enjoying the mountains.

Your Ticino Ticket gives you free travel on local trains and buses helping you get the most out of your holiday. You could visit the region’s historical capital, Bellinzona, with three fabulous historic castles to explore or take a day to visit Lugano, now only 30 minutes away by train.

The Treno Gottardo journey today heads towards the dramatic Gotthard Pass with slow looping tracks to Airolo where you leave the Ticino region through the 19th century tunnel. The train continues on to Central Switzerland, travelling down the beautiful Reuss valley and looping past Wassen Church three times. The descent continues to Lake Lucerne at Flüelen before a final section travelling around the water via Brunnen to Lucerne.

With your Swiss Travel Pass, Lucerne is the perfect spot from which to enjoy free travel around the dramatic scenery of Central Switzerland. You should make time for a lake cruise and the famous old cog railway to the stunning peak of Mount Rigi. The Stanserhorn open top deck cable car and the Stoos funicular are also included free with your Swiss Travel Pass along with trips further afield to Bern or Lake Constance on the German border. Mount Pilatus and other mountain railways and cable cars are available at a 50% reduction.

Time for a last look around Lucerne before you take the train back to Zurich airport for your flight to the UK.