Jun 5 - Jun 20, 2024
Starting at
6,949
Switzerland
Splendors of Switzerland By Rail
Program No. 15879RJ
Discover museums, villages, waterways and culture as you explore the Swiss Alps by rail, winding through some of Europe's most iconic and photograph-worthy landscapes.
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DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Aug 21 - Sep 5, 2024
Starting at
6,949Sep 4 - Sep 19, 2024
Starting at
6,949Sep 25 - Oct 10, 2024
Starting at
6,949DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Jun 5 - Jun 20, 2024
Starting at
7,489Aug 21 - Sep 5, 2024
Starting at
7,489Sep 4 - Sep 19, 2024
Starting at
7,489Sep 25 - Oct 10, 2024
Starting at
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16 days
15 nights
36 meals
14B 12L 10D
1
In Transit to Program
In Flight
5
Luzern-Interlaken Express, Interlaken
Interlaken
7
Bern, Clock Tower, Free Time
Interlaken
11
Locarno, Free Time
Locarno
12
Verzasca Valley
Locarno
14
Village of Poschiavo
St. Moritz
15
Transfer to Zurich
Zurich
16
Program Concludes
In Flight
At a Glance
Switzerland’s rail network winds through 3,000 miles of meadows and mountains, making it the densest railroad system in the world. Travel classic routes through the Swiss Alps, ride along the famed Glacier Express route and experience the picturesque Swiss-Italian narrow gauge line. Hear German spoken in central Switzerland, Italian in Locarno and Romansh in St. Moritz as you compare the history and culture of these diverse areas.
Activity Level
Let's Go!
Walking up to three miles daily, sometimes on uneven, hilly terrain. Must carry your own luggage on and off trains. Elevations up to 7,690 feet.
What You'll Learn
- Ascend Mount Rigi, the “Queen of the Mountains,” aboard Europe’s oldest cog railway.
- Take a train to Zermatt and see Switzerland's most famous mountain, the Matterhorn.
- Walk underneath the medieval arcades in Bern, the capital of Switzerland.
Suggested Reading List
(22 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Splendors of Switzerland By Rail
Program Number: 15879
Birds of Europe
Featuring 3,500 glorious paintings by Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterstrom, the second edition of this exquisite guide features updated text and maps.
The Apple and the Arrow
Families will enjoy this spirited retelling of the famous legend of William Tell and his 12-year-old son, Walter, which won the 1952 Newbery Medal.
Asterix in Switzerland
This entry in the Asterix series of comic books features excellent drawings of the Swiss Alpine landscape.
Scrambles Amongst the Alps: In the Years 1860-69
Edward Wymper's classic account of Victorian-era mountaineering captures the geography, beauty and allure of the Alps.
Hotel du Lac
Funny, stylish and spellbinding, Brookner's novel tracks the story of a romance novelist seeking evasive peace and quiet at the luxurious Hotel du Lac in Switzerland. Winner of the Man Booker Prize.
Heidi
The beloved tale of a little girl who is sent to live with her curmudgeonly grandfather in a remote Alpine village. This handsome hardback edition retains the quaint prose and buoyant disposition of Johanna Spyri's 1880 original.
Banner in the Sky
A suspenseful tale of a young boy determined to keep his father's mountaineering dream alive.
The Walk
In this classic novella by the Swiss modernist, freshly translated, Walser writes that "it is on walks that the lore of nature and the lore of the country are revealed, charming and graceful, to the sense and eyes of the observant walker."
Eiger Dreams, Ventures Among Men and Mountains
A collection of some of Krakauer's (Into Thin Air) best journalism, these stories and essays focus on the mindset and determination of world-class mountaineers, including Alpine and Himalayan climbers.
Eyewitness Guide Switzerland
A compact, thoroughly illustrated guide, featuring over 900 photographs, good maps, and plenty of information on hiking in the Swiss Alps, natural and tourist attractions and the history and arts of Switzerland.
Switzerland Adventure Map
A waterproof, tear-resistant map of Switzerland at a scale of 1:500,000. Includes detailed elevations and the locations of natural attractions.
La Place de la Concorde Suisse
McPhee deploys his usual insight and wonderful prose on the phenomenon of the Swiss army, presenting an irreverent portrait of Switzerland and the Swiss mindset.
The Gilded Chalet, Off-Piste in Literary Switzerland
In this amusing guide, a grand tour of literary Switzerland, Rooney profiles 200 years of outstanding works and their strong Swiss influences. He argues that the land of luxury hotels, fresh air and fresh milk deserves wide renown as a literary hub.
Swiss Watching, Inside Europe's Landlocked Island
An international bestseller. Diccon Bewees, a neutral Brit, covers cheese, chocolate, William Tell, bureaucracy and banks, all with humor and thorough research. His cultural portrait of the one-of-a-kind nation includes tips on local customs, greetings and etiquette. Second edition.
Slow Train to Switzerland, One Tour, Two Trips, 150 Years -- and a World of Change Apart
Bestselling author Diccon Bewes (Swiss Watching SWZ73) follows in the footsteps of an 1863 tour group who traveled from London to Lucerne, Switzerland. In his trademark breezy, intelligent prose, Bewes traces how tourism and time have caused a sea change in Switzerland.
Europe, A True Book
Part of the True Book series, this illustrated, readable volume geared toward ages 9 to 12 introduces children to the geography and diverse cultures of Europe.
Coming Out Swiss, In Search of Heidi, Chocolate and My Other Life
Part memoir, part history, part travelogue, Anne Hermann’s passionate celebration of what it means to be Swiss intertwines personal revelation with cultural fact.
A Farewell to Arms
Set in snowy Switzerland and the rainy Italian Lake Country during WWI, this semi-autobiographical novel chronicles the romance between a British nurse and an American ambulance driver. This edition collects all of the alternate endings, along with early drafts of other essential passages
Killing Dragons, The Conquest of the Alps
Fleming spins lively tales of man against nature in this entertaining history of the eccentrics, adventurers and publicity-hounds who sought to conquer the Alps, including Whymper and his first ascent of the Matterhorn 150 years ago.
Culture Smart! Switzerland
A concise, no-nonsense guide to Switzerland's customs, etiquette and culture.
William Tell: One Against an Empire, A Swiss Legend
The classic tale of a Swiss hunter facing a terrible choice, as a graphic novel for ages 9-11.
The Alps, A Human History from Hannibal to Heidi and Beyond
In an entertaining narrative, O'Shea drives, hikes and climbs through 500 miles of the Alps while musing on the historic personalities who braved the forbidding range, including Napoleon, Hitler and James Bond. A thoughtful introduction to the Alps.
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