4-DAY TOUR
Lake Lucerne
From the Voralpen-Express to the Bernina Express
RAIL TRAVEL AND ***HOTEL FROM
CHF 627.–
THE GREAT RAIL EXPRESS ADVENTURE – THE MOST EXCITING EXPRESS CONNECTIONS IN SWITZERLAND ST.GALLEN–LUCERNE–LUGANO–ST.MORITZ–CHUR
Enjoy our exclusive Great Rail Express Adventure, which will take you on the four most exciting and beautiful express train routes in Switzerland. We’ve put together a great package for you that features the Voralpen-Express, the Wilhelm Tell Express, the Bernina Express and the Glacier Express segment from St. Moritz to Chur. Day 2: St.Gallen–Lucerne
VORALPEN-EXPRESS Your holiday journey begins when you arrive in St.Gallen in Eastern Switzerland. We recommend that you visit the Abbey Precincts – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and its centrepiece, the Abbey Library, which is one of the oldest and most beautiful libraries in the world. After you climb aboard the Voralpen-Express first-class coach with panorama windows, you’ll soon find yourself crossing Switzerland’s highest railway viaduct (99 metres high). You’ll pass through the hilly Appenzell and Toggenburg regions, which are about as original Swiss as you can get, and you’ll then arrive in Rapperswil, also known as the City of Roses. This is definitely the place to take a break! You can stroll along the lake or enjoy the marvellous view from Rapperswil Castle. The journey continues across the mystical hilly moor landscape near Rothenthurm and then along Lake Zug and Lake Lucerne as you make your way to Lucerne.
Highlights Day 1
— UNESCO World Heritage Site: Abbey Precincts, St.Gallen — Abbey of Saint Gall — Sitter Viaduct (99 metres – Switzerland’s highest railway bridge) — Rapperswil City of Roses with Castle — Chapel Bridge, Lucerne
Day 2: Lucerne–Lugano
WILHELM TELL EXPRESS We have reserved 1st class seats for you on the Belle Epoque paddle steamer (or motor vessel, depending on the boat timetable). The boat ride will give you some time to “slow down” on the 2.5-hour trip from Lucerne to Flüelen in the heart of Switzerland. After that you will experience SBB engineering at its finest while you travel in the 1st class panorama coach: On this leg of the journey, you will pass through spiral tunnels and across beautiful bridges over the frothy Reuss River. You’ll then head into the Gotthard Tunnel and on to Ticino. A sunny climate and Italian flair then awaits you in Lugano. Here, you might want to have a cappuccino at the Piazza Riforma, where you’ll feel as if you’re far far away from home.
Highlights Day 2
— Trip on the Belle Epoque paddle steamer, 1st class — Travel on the Gotthard mountain railway — UNESCO World Heritage Site: Castles of Bellinzona — Piazza Riforma, Lugano
Day. 3: Lugano–Tirano–St. Moritz
BERNINA EXPRESS This will be a one of dramatic climate contrasts. A special bus will take you from Lugano through the Mediterranean-like atmosphere on Lake Como and down to the Valtellina valley in Italy. There, you’ll be able to marvel at the numerous vineyards as you arrive at the starting point for the Bernina Express in Tirano. The famous Brusio Loop will be the first highlight on this leg of your journey. The train will climb metre by metre at a comfortable pace, and regardless of whether you sit on the left or right side of the car, you’ll be treated to breathtaking views that you won’t soon forget. Your arrival at Ospizio Bernina station (elevation: 2 253 metres) will not only mark the “highest point” of your journey; it will also take you toa climate completely different from the one you experienced just a few hours before. Here you can gaze up at the Piz Bernina (4 049 metres) before concluding the day’s journey in chic St. Moritz.
Highlights Day 3
— Valtellina valley with its many vineyards — Brusio spiral viaduct — Alp Grüm railway station on the Bernina Express line — Morteratsch Glacier with Piz Bernina (elevation: 4 049 metres) — The Leaning Tower of St. Moritz
Day 4: St.Moritz–Chur
GLACIER EXPRESS After taking in the fresh Alpine mountain air and spending the night in the Engadin valley, we recommend taking a morning walk to Lake of Staz (30 minutes from the train station). You can inhale the wonderful scents of mountain pine trees before the train journey continues through the “Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina Landscapes” UNESCO World Heritage Site. The beauty of this land-water viaduct will take your breath away. You’ll then pass through the wild Schin Gorge and travel on to Chur, the capital of the Swiss canton of Graubünden. There you can enjoy a cup of coffee in one of the city’s numerous street cafés while you look back on your four-day holiday journey. With all that beauty and excitement, you’ll definitely have plenty to think about! From Chur you’ll embark upon your journey home full of wonderful holiday memories! — Lake of Staz, St. Moritz — Spiral tunnels on the Albula segment — Land-water viaduct — Schin Gorge – Chur – the oldest city in Switzerland (5, 000 years old)
Highlights Day 4
YOUR TRAVEL PROGRAMME You will stay overnight in Lucerne, Lugano and St.Moritz in 3-star or 4-star hotels. It is also possible to travel in the opposite direction.
Zurich
St. Gallen
Lucerne Chur
Valid from 1 April to 23 October 2016
St.Moritz Tirano Lugano
PRICES 3-star hotel 1) 4-star hotel 2) 1) 2)
Double CHF 627 CHF 739
Single CHF 658 CHF 878
Examples: Lucerne Hotel Des Alpes, Lugano Hotel Continental Park, St. Moritz Hotel Hauser Examples: Lucerne Hotel Cascada, Lugano Hotel Novotel Lugano-Paradiso, St. Moritz Hotel Steffani
Rail With Without surcharges/ Half-Fare Half-Fare discounts travelcard travelcard
With GA travelcard 2nd class
Children up to 16 years of age with Junior travelcard
With GA travelcard 1st class
Travel in:
1st class
2nd class
1st class
2nd class
1st class
2nd class
1st class
1st class
2nd class
Great Rail Express Adventure
CHF 102
CHF 210
CHF 414
- CHF 180
- CHF 108
- CHF 210
- CHF 210
- CHF 210
- CHF 210
Prices include the following: – Travel from home in Switzerland to St.Gallen – Travel in the Voralpen-Express and Wilhelm Tell Express, 1st class – Seat reservation for the paddle steamer or motor vessel for the Wilhelm Tell Express, incl. food voucher worth CHF 19 for the ship – Travel in 1st class panorama coach from Flüelen to Bellinzona and then on to Lugano – Bernina special bus, Lugano–Tirano – Bernina Express, incl. 2nd class seat reservation – Travel with Rhaetian Railway Glacier Express from St. Moritz to Chur, 2nd class – T ravel from Chur to home –H otel accommodation in chosen category, incl. breakfast All prices in Swiss francs (CHF). For more information, contact the Südostbahn reservations desk (+41 (0) 58 580 76 30) or visit www.voralpen-express.ch/en.
Lucerne–Rapperswil–St.Gallen www.voralpen-express.ch/en