A Luxury Alpine Train Journey Through Switzerland
Breathe in the crisp mountain air, soaring peaks and lush scenery as you enjoy the romance of the luxurious trans-Alpine Swiss railways. This spectacular 12-day journey takes you to some of Switzerland's most picturesque cities, towns and Alpine villages.
Trip highlights
- Learn traditional cheese-making in Gstaad
- Sip an aperitif and soak in spectacular Alpine vistas
- Go paddle-boarding in the Engadine Valley
- Hike some of the 4,000km of trails in Ticino
- Ride the Gornergrat cog railway for views of the Matterhorn
- Take the Glacier Express train from Zermatt to St. Moritz
Bespoke trips with Jacada
We design one-of-a-kind journeys incorporating luxury in all its forms. Our bespoke trips include:
- Luxury accommodation throughout
- Privately guided tours
- Private transfers
- Meticulously selected experiences
- Expertise and support from your Jacada Concierge
Itinerary in detail
Every Jacada trip is tailored to your personal preferences and interests. Below you’ll find a sample itinerary to inspire your own custom-designed journey.
Days 1–4
Three nights in glorious Gstaad
Begin in German-speaking Gstaad, one of the most exclusive ski resorts come wintertime that returns to the traditional rural ways in the green summer months. This small Alpine village is known for its high-profile guests, luxury hotels and high-end restaurants with traditional Swiss cuisine. Take a stroll in Gstaad and you’ll find boutiques, art galleries and shops, as well as picture-perfect chalets fitted with charming wooden shutters and window boxes overflowing with flowers.
Don your walking boots to hike nearby trails, sit back and relax in one of the cable cars that wind their way through valleys and gorges, or enjoy an aperitif and fine dining while drinking in the views.
Where you could stay
Make it mine
Local produce
Views
Hiking
Cheesemaking in Gstaad
Head out early in the morning to an Alpine hut and unlock the secrets of cheese production using the freshest milk from local cows. You can even lend a hand yourself, before sitting down to enjoy a traditional breakfast with the farmer.
Glacier 3000 tour
Take a cable car to up to Glacier 3000, for a ride over the glacier by the Snow Bus and a walk along an ice track to the spectacular Peak Walk by Tissot, the first and only suspension bridge to connect two mountain peaks. You can also have lunch at Refuge l’Espace, a cliffside restaurant with incredible views.
Jungfraujoch glacier hike
The Jungfraujoch is an Alpine viewing point located in between the well-known mountains Mönch and Jungfrau. From Grindelwald, take the cog train to Europe’s highest train station at an impressive 3,454m, from where spectacular views across the surrounding mountains await. Together with your private mountain guide, you’ll then hike across the glacier to the Mönchsjoch hut, before returning and taking the train back to Grindelwald.
Aboard the GoldenPass train
Board the GoldenPass train for breathtaking Alpine scenery, which you can soak up through the panoramic windows. Food can be ordered in advance, including champagne and caviar in Prestige and First Class carriages.
Days 4–6
Two nights in the shadow of the Matterhorn
Traditional Alpine architecture abounds in fairytale Zermatt, with wooden shutters adorning windows and pine lodges stretching up the valley side. The town is traffic-free and many choose to hop on bicycles to make their way around. Zermatt is renowned as an important mountaineering centre, with a dozen peaks over 4000m within easy access of the resort, but dominating the skyline here is the solitary Matterhorn.
Where you could stay
Make it mine
By rail
On foot
In nature
Gornergrat Railway experience
The steep Gornergrat Railway is the highest open-air railway in Europe, offering fantastic sweeping views of Zermatt. After the Riffelberg stop, where there’s an amazing view of the Matterhorn, you can see Monte Rosa and its glacier. Enjoy the breathtaking panorama of the numerous tongues of ice and the Valais.
Zermatt walking tour
The Matterhorn has strongly influenced the development of this old village, which was ‘discovered’ a century ago by the British and launched as a resort in 1855 by the Seilers, a family of hotel-keepers. You can learn more Zermatt history on a private guided tour.
Gorner Gorge walk
The Gorner Gorge, a short walk from Zermatt, is a place of exceptional natural beauty. The wooden walkways leading between the towering cliffs provide a dramatic into the deep chasm. The rock, greenish serpentinite, is about 220 million years old.
The Glacier Express from Zermatt to Andermatt
Board the world-famous Glacier Express train for one of the world’s most panoramic rail journeys. Crossing hundreds of bridges and passing through dozens of tunnels, you’ll undertake the first half of the trip to Andermatt, a journey of a little under four hours, travelling on the Mattertal line and Furka section of the route.
Days 6–7
An Alpine night in Andermatt
Enjoy an evening in the Alpine village of Andermatt. The village’s narrow streets are lined with traditional chalets. A short walk into Ursern Valley brings you to the Devil’s Bridge, which spans the sheer Schöllenen Gorge.
The Glacier Express from Andermatt to St. Moritz
Enjoy a particularly scenic half of the Glacier Express line, travelling east through the mountains from Andermatt to St. Moritz and crossing the famous Landwasser Viaduct en route on a journey that takes five hours.
Days 7–9
The Alpine playground of St. Moritz
With backdrops of forests blanketed in snow and dramatic peaks cutting into cobalt skies, lakeside St. Moritz is as picturesque an Alpine destination as you could imagine. In the eastern Swiss canton of Graubünden, it’s the original Alps playground, attracting royalty for some 150 years. The town is more than equipped to cater for discerning crowds, both in the winter and sun-drenched summers.
Stand-up paddleboarding lesson
If your visit coincides with warm weather, enjoy a private stand-up paddleboarding lesson on one of the beautiful lakes in the Engadin Valley.
The Bernina Express from St. Moritz to Tirano
One of the most spectacular ways to cross the Alps, the Bernina Express from St. Moritz to Tirano links up regions with different languages and cultures. This wonderfully scenic route is even now protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Days 9–12
Two nights in Italian-speaking Ticino
Your last stop is the Canton of Ticino, a bright, Italianate place of glamorous lakeside towns and rustic mountain villages, where you’ll explore some of its most scenic valleys and the castles of Bellinzona. Sharing more of its border with Italy than Switzerland, Italian is the only official language in Ticino, and great swathes of culture, culinary tradition and history are shared with neighbouring Lombardy and Piedmont. There are some 4000km of hiking trails snaking out across the mountains, wild swimming in the beautiful Valle Verzasca, boating, mountain biking and rustic villages to discover. The Italian cities of Como and Varese are easily reachable too.
Make it mine
Ticino valley tour
Enjoy a full-day tour to the region’s most beautiful valleys, such as Valle Bavona, Valle Verzasca and Valle Maggia. Bavona Valley, which branches off from the Maggia Valley, is characterised by its wilderness and rustic villages, while Verzasca runs with incredible clear emerald water and Maggia is dotted with small picturesque stone houses, vineyards and dairy farms.
Bellinzona tour
Historic Bellinzona, a UNESCO World Heritage Site has gone from being a thousand-year-long stronghold defending Tessin to being the canton’s administrative capital. The three castles, two of which – Castelgrande and Castello di Montebello – were once joined by walls that can still be seen, give an idea of the fortified buildings that once protected the city.
Incredible Vacation to Switzerland We worked with Alex to design an amazing two week holiday through spectacular Switzerland. Everything went off without a hitch! All the drivers, instructions, and reservations for hotels, dinners and tours were executed and communicated perfectly. Thank you Jacada! We will be using you for many more adventures to come.
Why book with Jacada
Personalised design
We’ll plan your trip around your personal interests, tastes and preferences, providing honest advice based on first-hand knowledge.
Authentic experiences
Our expert guides and brilliant Concierges are hand-picked for their ability to bring your destination to life with care and passion.
Positive Impact
We seek out unforgettable experiences that benefit both local communities and the environment.
