Great Railway Journeys of Switzerland

Lean back and enjoy the beautiful alpine scenery and breathtaking views aboard three of the most famous train rides in Switzerland. The Arosa Express takes you from Chur to Arosa and the UNESCO World Heritage Bernina Express journeys from Tiefencastel to Tirano. Save the best 'til last with a ride in a panoramic carriage aboard the world-famous Glacier Express travelling between Andermatt and Chur. Every day brings even more spectacular scenery than the last as you discover the Swiss ingenuity of covering high alpine terrain by train. Surely a holiday where memories will last a lifetime.

Departure points to suit you...
Crusader Holidays uses an interchange system, taking place at either Beaconsfield Services (M40), South Mimms Services (M25/A1M) or Thurrock Services (M25).

Here you may have to change to your holiday coach and we are renowned for ensuring that this is smooth and efficient.

The holiday coaches typically depart from Beaconsfield Services at 11.15, Thurrock Services at around 09.30 and South Mimms Services at 10.30. Some customers find it more convenient to join direct at the interchange, please let is know when booking if this is the case.

*Due to increased operational costs, from Monday 16th October 2023 Dover, Folkestone, Canterbury & Ashford joining points will be subject to a £25.00 per person supplement on all 2024 UK Tours.

NOTE: Pick up points are a guide so please refer to your holiday confirmation for specific locations as details are subject to change.Highlights
- Hotel for 5 nights with breakfast & dinner- Tea/coffee after dinner- Porterage & welcome drink in Austria- Local drinks with dinner in Austria (selected beer, wine, soft drinks)- Overnight hotel for 2 nights with breakfast- Entertainment at main hotel- Local transfers to Feldkirch- Walking tour of Feldkirch with local guide- Entrance to Schattenburg Castle- 3 included rail excursions- Bernina Express (Tiefencastel - Tirano 2nd class) and St Moritz with local guide- Arosa Express Rail Return Journey - Chur - Arosa - Chur (2nd class)- Glacier-Express Train Andermatt - Chur (2nd class) with local guide

Your Itinerary
Day 1 - After joining your holiday coach, travel to Dover for the short sea crossing to Calais. Then continue via the auto-routes of France to your overnight stop. BB

Day 2 - Lots to see today as the journey takes you past the Rhine Falls in Switzerland en-route to your holiday base in Feldkirch, Austria for your 5-night stay with a welcome drink on arrival. Local drinks are included with dinner each evening (beer, wine, soft drinks and tea / coffee after dinner) DBB

Day 3 - 6 - At leisure in Feldkirch in Austria with three included excursions and a day in Feldkirch. DBB

During your stay you might like to take a walk through the forest to the neighbouring town of Rankweil. Here you can find the well-fortified basilica sitting quietly above the town - it offers a beautiful view of the Rhine Valley in Vorarlberg and Switzerland. A local bus transfer is included one day to the nearby medieval town of Feldkirch with its narrow alleyways, pretty squares, smart shops and the imposing Schattenburg castle (entrance included). Get to know Feldkirch, the City of the Counts of Montfort, on a walking tour with a local English speaking guide

Included Excursions
Bernina Express and St Moritz
Drive to Tiefencastel this morning where you board the Bernina Express, the highlight of the day. Capture photogenic views of the Alps and the impressive alpine valleys, lakes and waterfalls on the way. Travel through tunnels, over bridges, through wildly romantic gorges, past spectacular man-made structures, up to the eternal ice of the glaciers and back down to the palm trees in the Italian town of Tirano (3½ hours). A trip on the Bernina Express is a travel experience in a class of its own. A local guide will assist you throughout. Your coach awaits in Tirano for a journey through the Engadin, a sunny high valley in the Southern Alps to the world-famous resort of St Moritz. Then it's back to the hotel
Arosa Express Rail Journey
Head to the Swiss mountains on the journey to Chur, the capital of the largest Swiss canton, Grisons. Chur is also the oldest city in Switzerland, and here you will board the reserved compartments on the Rhaetian Railway. The journey gets off to a leisurely start in Chur. But the sedate trundle through the town soon changes as the red train suddenly begins to climb up into the mountains (1,000 metres in just 26 kilometres). The journey takes you round many curves and over deep ravines into the magnificent mountain scenery and onto the ski resort of Arosa (about 1800m above sea level) with an impressive range of mountain peaks all around (1 hour each way)

Glacier-Express Train
Today drive past Lake Walen to Lake Lucerne, where the original first cantons of the Swiss Confederation are located. Drive via Altdorf, the home of William Tell, to Andermatt where together with a local guide, you board the panoramic carriages (2nd class) of the original Glacier-Express. This incredible journey (approx. 2½ hours), one of the most famous in the world, takes you over spectacular bridges, through mountain tunnels and via breaktaking Alpine scenery. The Glacier-Express reaches 2,033m above sea level at its highest point at the Oberalp Pass and the views along the Rhine Gorge are simply stunning. Your coach and driver will be waiting to pick you up from the railway station in Chur to take you back to the hotel

Day 7 - Today it's farewell to Austria as you head north to the final stop in the Luxembourg area. BB

Day 8 - After breakfast, we travel through France to Calais for your return to England.Hotel Weisses Kreuz, Feldkirch, Austria
The 4* Hotel Weisses Kreuz assures you of a warm welcome from the Herburger family who have run the hotel since 1852. It is conveniently located about a mile outside Feldkirch and has a bar, terrace, steam room and solarium. The restaurant serves regional dishes and local beer. All rooms are tastefully furnished and feature all mod cons including TV and hairdryer. A kettle is available on request for a small charge