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 Enjoy the breathtaking scenery of Switzerland as we travel 1st Class through the heart of the Swiss Alps aboard the world famous Glacier Express & the historic Bernina Express. Journey on mountain railways, explore charming Swiss towns as we immerse ourselves in the rich culture & natural beauty of Switzerland. What a holiday we have in store for you as we make our way by train through the stunning scenery of the Swiss Alps.
Embark on a journey like no other as we take you on an unforgettable rail adventure through the heart of the Swiss Alps. Sit back, relax, and let the scenic wonders unfold before your eyes. From lush valleys to towering peaks, every moment on the Glacier Express & Bernina Express will leave you in awe.
Join us on our hosted lesbian group rail holiday. Our representative will look after you from the moment you arrive at London St Pancras to the moment you depart. A holiday where women can meet, make new friends and share a fantastic holiday experience.
We'll enjoy First Class rail travel on the world famous Glacier Express 'the slowest express train in the world' - throughout the entire journey we'll be accompanied by panoramic views for which Switzerland is famous. Not only will we travel on the Glacier Express but we'll spend the day in First Class aboard the historic Bernina Express, the most spectacular way to cross the Alps. During our journey we will wind our way gently through some of the most splendid scenery of glistening glaciers, deep ravines and idyllic waterfalls before arriving in Poschiavo in the Italian speaking region of Switzerland.
Day 1 - Monday, October 11, 2027
We will meet the group at London St Pancras and board the Eurostar to Paris.
We have a private transfer from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de l’Est, where we continue by fast TGV to Strasbourg.
2 nights in the beautiful Hotel Regent Contades. The hotel is a refined boutique hotel occupying a magnificent 19th-century neoclassical mansion in the heart of Strasbourg. It is highly regarded for its stunning pink Vosges sandstone façade, classic Belle-Époque interiors, and its excellent location on the banks of the River Ill.
We will have our Group Welcome Dinner in a local restaurant in Strasbourg (Included).
Meals Included: Welcome Dinner
Accommodation: Regent Contades Hotel, Strasbourg, France, 4*
Day 2 - Tuesday, October 12, 2027
We have the day at leisure to explore this beautiful city.
Strasbourg, straddling the Franco-German border on the Ill and Rhine, wears its dual heritage with quiet confidence. Alsace's capital passed repeatedly between France and Germany, and that history is legible everywhere: half-timbered townhouses in La Petite France, wide Germanic boulevards in the Neustadt, and a cathedral, Notre-Dame, whose rose window and astronomical clock draw the eye upward for good reason — climb the platform beneath the spire for a sweep over the old town's canals and rooftops.
The city rewards slow exploration. Wander the Grande Île's cobbled lanes, pause at the Palais Rohan for its decorative arts and archaeology collections, or take a quiet boat along the waterways that once powered the tanning and milling trades. The Musée Alsacien offers a gentler, more domestic counterpoint — carved furniture, painted ceramics, regional costume.
Strasbourg's markets are central to its character, not incidental to it: the weekly produce markets at Boulevard de la Marne and Place du Marché-aux-Poissons are worth seeking out year-round for Alsace's distinctive cheeses, charcuterie, and Riesling. A winstub lunch — choucroute, tarte flambée — completes the picture rather better than any guidebook could.
We will take our group dinner in a local restaurant (payable locally). Overnight in Strasbourg.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Regent Contades Hotel, Strasbourg, France, 4*
Day 3 - Wednesday, October 13, 2027
Today we continue our journey to Switzerland, travelling by train to St Moritz, Switzerland’s most iconic Alpine resorts, located in the beautiful Engadin Valley in the canton of Graubünden. From Strasbourg, the line follows the Rhine's flat, vineyard-fringed plain south to Basel, Alsace's half-timbered villages giving way gradually to Swiss precision. After the change, the route climbs in earnest: from Basel toward Chur and on to St Moritz, the Rhine valley narrows, gorges deepen, and forested slopes rise toward the first real peaks. Beyond Chur, the Albula or Bernina line (depending on routing) begins its celebrated ascent — spiral tunnels, stone viaducts, and larch-clad hillsides climbing past churning glacial rivers. The final stretch opens onto the high Engadine's broad, light-filled valley, lakes glinting below the approach into St Moritz.
St Moritz has been welcoming visitors since 1864 and is famous for its stunning mountain scenery and outdoor adventures. St Moritz sits at 1,822m in the Engadine valley of eastern Switzerland, its lake ringed by larch forests and the peaks of the Bernina range. Long known for its mineral springs, the resort's modern fame began in the 1860s when hotelier Johannes Badrutt wagered English summer visitors would return for winter sunshine — they did, launching Alpine winter tourism itself. St Moritz hosted the Winter Olympics in 1928 and 1948, and remains synonymous with glamour: the Cresta Run, polo on the frozen lake, and grand belle-époque hotels. The old village, Dorf, and lakeside Bad quarter offer walking, while the Engadine museum traces local history and architecture.
Tonight we take our group dinner in the hotel restaurant (included). Overnight in St Moritz.
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodation: St Moritz, Switzerland, 4*
Day 4 - Thursday, October 14, 2027
Today we take our 1st class seats aboard the iconic Bernina Express to Tirano passing mighty glaciers, rushing mountain streams and Alpine meadows. The line has UNESCO World Heritage status, a testament to the incredible civil engineering required to create it, and to the breathtaking scenery surrounding it. Travelling south through 55 tunnels and over 196 bridges, including the incredible Landwasser Viaduct, the track clings to the mountainside as we wind above deep ravines and past idyllic waterfalls.
We will take our group lunch in Tirano before taking the Bernina Express back to St Moritz. Tonight we will take our Group dinner in the hotel restaurant (payable locally). Overnight St Moritz.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodation: St Moritz, Switzerland, 4*
Day 5 - Friday, October 15, 2027
We make our way to Brig, travelling First Class on the iconic Glacier Express - 'the slowest express train in the world' - including a 3 course lunch on board. The entire journey is accompanied by panoramic views for which Switzerland is famous; sloping meadows, majestic mountains and dense forests rising upwards to towering, snow-capped peaks. We travel along the beautiful Rhine Valley, climbing steadily, then steeply as we travel over the Oberalp Pass - the highest point of the route - then descend into the flourishing Rhône Valley, where vineyards line the hillsides. Arriving in Brig, we travel by local railway to Kandersteg, one of Switzerland's unspoilt gems & a town surrounded by incredible mountain scenery. Our home for 3 nights
We will take our dinner in the hotel restaurant (included).
Overnight in Kandersteg.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation: Kandersteg, Switzerland, 4*
Day 6 - Saturday, October 16, 2027
Kandersteg lies in the Bernese Oberland, at the foot of the Gemmi and Lötschberg passes, reached by rail through the Lötschberg tunnel or by road from Spiez. Far quieter than St Moritz, it has long served as a gateway rather than a destination in its own right — a staging post for alpinists and, since the early twentieth century, a base for the International Scout Movement, whose chalet here still draws visitors. The village sits amid meadows and forest below the Blüemlisalp massif, with the turquoise Oeschinen Lake, reached by cable car and footpath, its principal draw. Walking, from gentle valley strolls to high alpine routes, defines Kandersteg rather than nightlife or history.
Today we have included a round trip on the Kandersteg - Oeschinen Lake cable car. The hiking trails in the Oeschinensee area are open and accessible with good footwear. The hiking time to Lake Oeschinen is about 1 hour. This vast glacial lake is fed by several brooks from surrounding mountain peaks, and the area is a joy to explore. Here we can wander at our leisure or join a guide for a hike with a chance to learn more about the local flora and fauna. Or we can simply find a peaceful spot to enjoy the sound of cowbells, clear mountain air and pretty Alpine flowers. We have our group evening meal tonight in a local restaurant (payable locally).
Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Kandersteg, Switzerland, 4*
Day 7 - Sunday, October 17, 2027
Today is a free day. You can wander around the stunning village or visit Naturpark Blausee, a world-famous, 20-hectare landscape, renowned for its crystal-clear, deep turquoise-blue alpine lake. Formed 15,000 years ago by a massive rock fall. Here you have forest walks, striking scenery, and unique underwater clarity where petrified trees and statues are visible up to 12 meters deep.
Or, you can use your Swiss rail pass and take a day trip to Zermatt. The journey by train from Kandersteg to Zermatt takes about two hours back through Brig and Visp.
Zermatt lies at the head of the Mattertal valley in canton Valais, its approach by rail from Täsch or Visp—the village itself is car-free, reached that way since the 1960s to preserve its character. Dominated visually and historically by the Matterhorn, Zermatt grew from a modest farming and mountaineering settlement into an alpine capital after Edward Whymper's first ascent of the peak in 1865, a triumph shadowed by tragedy when four of his party died descending. The old village retains weathered wooden granaries on stone stilts alongside grand hotels. Skiing, climbing, and the Gornergrat railway's views of the Matterhorn define the place today.
Tonight we take our farewell dinner in a local restaurant (included). Overnight Kandersteg.
Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodation: Kandersteg, Switzerland, 4*
Day 8 - Monday, October 18, 2027
Our holiday draws to an end today as we leave Kandersteg for Paris.
From Kandersteg the line drops through the Lötschberg tunnel and down the Kander valley to Spiez, Lake Thun glinting below with the Bernese peaks receding behind. The route continues north via Bern to Basel, Switzerland's plateau flattening out as the city's Rhine crossing approaches. Beyond Basel, the TGV Lyria cuts west through the wooded hills of the Franche-Comté and Burgundy — Belfort, Besançon, rolling vineyards and pastureland — before the landscape opens into the broad agricultural plains that run all the way to Paris, arriving at Gare de Lyon. We are transferred across Paris to the Gare du Nord, where we board the Eurostar back to London St Pancras to say our fond farewells.
Meals Included: Breakfast
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