Glacier Express, Swiss Alps & Lucerne Tour | From Basel

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Your guide will meet you at the Basel train station.

   2 h

2. Begin your journey in true Swiss style with a scenic train ride to Switzerland’s oldest city, Chur, with over 5,000 years of history. Along the way, hear stories about the landscapes, cultural heritage, and traditions of the cantons you pass. In Chur, board the legendary Glacier Express and settle into your modern panoramic carriage. Learn fascinating insights about the train’s rich history and how it became one of the world’s most iconic rail journeys. * Between October 11 and December 6, the Glacier Express does not operate. During this period, we offer the same scenic route with an additional stop in a Swiss Alpine Village.

   3 h

3. Begin your memorable ride aboard the Glacier Express, an ultra-sleek train boasting an end-to-end experience connecting a total of 291km (181 miles) inland. Settle into your dedicated first-class seats to enjoy the train's steady pace, allowing ample opportunities to absorb the ever-changing panoramic views of southern Switzerland on your way to Andermatt. Receive insightful commentary unraveling rich Swiss traditions and the Express's operational history. Anticipation builds as you approach the Oberalp section, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and fresh alpine scenery. Capture the perfect picture of architecturally pleasing bridges, where you'll reach the highest altitude of the tour. Before your next discovery, indulge in a gourmet lunch (depending on the option booked) served at your seat so you don't miss a moment of the incoming views.

   Passes by

4. At your next stop, depart the Glacier Express at Andermatt, a traditional Swiss village in the heart of the Ursen Valley, and board another cozy train. Your voyage proceeds towards the world-famous city of Lucerne, where you'll make an exciting stop. Our guide will embellish the next leg of your journey with shared secrets about forming the Swiss Confederation. Gain significant insights into the admirable endurance displayed by the Swiss guards, enabling you to connect with the discoveries made later on the tour. Next, reach the lake of four cantons, commonly recognized as Lake Lucerne. The vast expanse encapsulates iconic Swiss beauty with a backdrop of pure sparkling water and deep mountain ranges. It's a sight you're sure to remember.

   2 h

5. Arriving at the blissful city of Lucerne, the final discovery of the tour, the guide will lead you through the medieval Old Town while providing an engaging context of the region's historical and cultural heritage. Enriched with perfectly preserved gothic architecture surrounded by snow-capped mountains, the tour through Lucerne’s Old Town will instantly transport you to the Middle Ages, giving a taste of what life was like all those years ago! This segment of the tour additionally offers the chance to encounter famed heritage sites, including the Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge) — the world’s oldest surviving bridge, and the Lion Monument — an intricate 19th-century rock carving commemorating the Swiss Guards that lost their lives during the French Revolution in 1792.

   2 h

6. After a full day of adventure, you will return safely to Basel

   1 h

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 90 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 3Deceptive advertising - there was no "meet and greet" in Basel as stated.

  Deceptive advertising. The ticket stated "meet and greet at Basel SBB" at 9:15 am. I arrived at the Basel train station meeting point about 20 minutes early and was waiting for guide/host to meet me. At 9:07 an email was sent which I received at 9:10 directing me to take the train to Zurich where I was to meet the tour group. The trains for Zurich left at 9:07 and 9:33. Obviously I couldn't get the 9:07 train but did get the 9:33 train. I arrived in Zurich but the tour group had already left and I was directed to take the train to Chur but instructions were sketchy. I took the next train but it wasn't to Chur so I got off at the next stop, called the North American office and was finally directed to the correct train to Chur. The tour guide did meet me when I got of the train at Chur. The rest of the trip was good. I was very thankful that I had some experience with European train travel. I expect other travelers would not have been so adaptable. This was an expensive tour with clearly stated "meet and greet at Basel SBB". That was not delivered as advertised.

  PamV653September 2026via Tripadvisor

• 3Be Careful

  We tried to book online unsuccessfully, however our travel agent was able to do it for us. Arrived early at the designated meeting place and no one was there and no one came! After half an hour we started making enquiries and phone calls. The person on the end answered "hello", not by a business name. Initially we were told that our guide was running late and later we were told that we were to meet her at another location in another city. We boarded the train with 5 minutes to spare ( a no show would forfeit your payment) with the tickets supposedly coming by email before we got to the next meeting place. Thankfully the tickets did arrive and we met our guide at the new location (all we previously had was a confirmation of booking no tickets). Our guide was unaware of what was going on as well and confused that they sent her to that location to meet us. Shady business practice at best! Everything went well once we connected with our guide according to the description of what we purchased and expected. No meal was included, however there was time allotted to purchase food.

  Dreamer61660939208September 2026via Tripadvisor

• 1Disappointing

  It was terrible. The “guide” did not speak English well. He could not respond to basic questions about logistics of the trip. When asked if the train served food his response was “yes, you can sit in any 2nd class seat”. On the walking tours all he could say was “this is very old” “this is famous” “take a picture”. If you had a question such as how old, or why is it famous he could not respond. These are only a couple of the many, many examples. It was a very frustrating joke. There was ZERO added value and in fact we could have done better on our own. We have done many tours with Viatour and expected better.

  Richard_MAugust 2026via Viator

• 4Swiss Alps Tour

  Need better information on the meeting points and the guides need to be easy to identify

  bmconnellAugust 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5A* With A Fabulous Guide

  Absolute fabulous guide Salma wad very knowledgeable, interesting and made us feel safe and cared for all day. We can't recommend this trip enough. The Glazier Express scenery is breath taking. The Glaziers are dramatic and the water is such a beautiful colour. The mountains and house reminds me of Heidi. A* trip with a fabulous guide

  12michellerrJuly 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Fun & Interesting Experience

  Salma gave an excellent tour and there was a lot of enlightening content we were not expecting. Highly recommended!

  Happiness620730July 2026via Tripadvisor

Know before you go

How it compares in Basel

• Its from-price is close to the median of the 65 day trips we list in Basel.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• By number of reviews it ranks 2 of 65.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Basel

Basel is a Swiss city on the Rhine where Switzerland meets France and Germany, with a red-sandstone old town, a Gothic minster and many art museums.

Basel sits on a bend of the Rhine at the point where Switzerland, France and Germany meet. Its old town climbs the left bank to Münsterplatz, where the Gothic Minster in red sandstone holds the tomb of the scholar Erasmus. The Town Hall on the Marktplatz is red too, with a painted façade, and the Middle Bridge links the old town to Kleinbasel. Small ferries pulled across the river by the current alone run between the banks.

Top-ranked sights in Basel: Basel Minster (Basler Münster).

See all 234 experiences in Basel