Day 1: London to Dijon
We depart St Pancras International early afternoon by Eurostar for Paris and travel through France by high-speed TGV to Dijon. We spend the night in the Hotel Kyriad, close to the station and the city’s pretty, half-timbered, old town.We dine together in the hotel. (D)
Day 2: Dijon to Interlaken
We continue today by TGV to Bern, where we change onto the Swiss rail network towards Interlaken. The scenery becomes more mountainous with each mile.We travel along the shores of Lake Thun before our early afternoon arrival in Interlaken, a pretty town overlooked by the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains. We dine together in the hotel. (B,D)
Day 3: Free day in the Bernese Oberland
Today is free to relax at the hotel, or to explore the stunning mountain scenery of the Bernese Oberland. A Swiss Half Fare Card is included in this tour giving you half price travel on all trains, buses and public boats in Switzerland. (B)
Day 4: The Rothorn
We head west along the Brünig line to Brienz for an excursion by mountain railway, climbing to the summit of the Rothorn* at over 5,000 feet (1,524m). The summit offers fabulous views of the turquoise blue lakes and the snow capped mountains. On our return to Brienz you may wish to enjoy a steamer cruise on Lake Brienz before our return to the hotel in time for dinner together. (B,D)
* On our departures in April & May this excursion is replaced by an ascent by cable-car of the Schilthorn, to the famous revolving restaurant at the summit.
Days 5-6: Exploring the Bernese Oberland
Days 5 and 6 are free for you to explore the area using your Swiss Half Fare Card. The Jungfrau region is a UNESCO World Heritage site containing some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in Europe and it is a fantastic area to explore by rail. Your Tour Manager can advise you on the best options. (Day 5-B: Day 6-B)
Day 7: The Jungfrau Express
Today is undoubtedly the highlight of the holiday. We embark on the Bernese Oberland Railway via Lauterbrunnen to Kleine Scheidegg. Here we join the Jungfrau Railway for the sensational journey to Europe’s highest railway station. Built between 1896 and 1912, the railway is an incredible feat of engineering. Tunnelling through the North Face of the Eiger, the tracks emerge on the slopes of the Mönch, below dramatic glaciers and seracs, before climbing to just below the summit of the Jungfrau mountain at 11,333 feet (3,454m). The views are truly breathtaking, and you have the opportunity to visit the glacier with its labyrinth of ice caves before returning to Interlaken via Grindelwald. We have our farewell dinner together in the hotel. (B,D)
Day 8: Homeward bound
We leave Interlaken and journey to Basel, where we join the new TGV-Est high speed line to Paris and continue by Eurostar to St Pancras International. (B)
Your hotel
The 3* Hotel Carlton Europe in Interlaken is close to the station and ten minutes’ walk to the centre, with three restaurants, a bar, lounge area and lift. All rooms are en suite with a television, telephone, hairdryer, safe and tea/coffee-making facilities.
B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
These meals, where shown, are included in the price of your holiday.
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