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Switzerland by Rail with Magnificent Europe Zurich → Budapest (2026)

27 days
From Zurich to Budapest
4.2 (27 reviews)

No departure dates available

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Plan your adventure:
City & Culture
Immerse yourself in rich history and local traditions
Fully Guided
An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Low Intensity
Travelers can expect some light physical activities
Guided in English
Group Size 1 - 200
Ages 8+
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Zürich

    Zürich
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Zürich Marriott Hotel)

    Included Activities

    • Afternoon orientation discovery of Zürich
    • Welcome reception
  2. Day 2

    Zürich - Lucerne - Engelberg

    Zürich - Lucerne - Engelberg
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Kempinski Palace Engelberg)

    Included Activities

    • Walking exploration of Lucerne
    • Baggage transfer service from hotel to hotel
    Landmarks
    Mount Titlis
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2
  3. Day 3

    Engelberg

    Engelberg
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Kempinski Palace Engelberg)

    Included Activities

    • Cable car ride to Mount Titlis (3,020 metres)
    • Glacier cave visit
    • Europe's highest suspension bridge experience
    Landmarks
    Mount Titlis
  4. Day 4

    Engelberg - Lugano

    Engelberg - Lugano
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Lugano)

    Included Activities

    • Rail journey through Gotthard Base Tunnel
    • Tenuta Castello di Morcote wine tour and tasting
    Landmarks
    Tenuta Castello di Morcote
  5. Day 5

    Lugano

    Lugano
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Lugano)

    Included Activities

    • Lake Lugano cruise
    • Monte Brè ascent with views over Lugano
    Landmarks
    Lake Lugano
    Monte Brè
  6. Day 6

    Lugano - Tirano - St. Moritz

    Lugano - Tirano - St. Moritz
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains)

    Included Activities

    • Coach transfer to Tirano
    • Bernina Express rail journey to St. Moritz
  7. Day 7

    St. Moritz - Zermatt

    St. Moritz - Zermatt
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Zermatt)

    Included Activities

    • Glacier Express rail journey from St. Moritz to Zermatt
    Landmarks
    Matterhorn
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2
  8. Day 8

    Zermatt

    Zermatt
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Zermatt)

    Included Activities

    • Gornergrat Railway ride with Matterhorn views
    • Meet a Local Mountaineer signature experience

    Optional Activities

    • Scenic helicopter flight (20 minutes) - additional expense
    Landmarks
    Matterhorn
    Gornergrat
  9. Day 9

    Zermatt - Spiez - Wengen

    Zermatt - Spiez - Wengen
    Accommodation
    Hotel ( Wengen)

    Included Activities

    • Train journey from Zermatt to Spiez
    • Lake Thun cruise from Spiez to Interlaken
    • Train journey from Interlaken to Wengen
    Landmarks
    Lake Thun
  10. Day 10

    Wengen - Jungfraujoch

    Wengen - Jungfraujoch
    Accommodation
    Hotel ( Wengen)

    Included Activities

    • Rail journey to Jungfraujoch (3,454 metres, Europe's highest railway station)
    Landmarks
    Jungfraujoch
  11. Day 11

    Wengen - Montreux

    Wengen - Montreux
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Grand Suisse Majestic in a guaranteed Lake View Room or similar)

    Included Activities

    • GoldenPass Express glass-domed rail journey from Interlaken to Montreux
  12. Day 12

    Geneva - Amsterdam

    Geneva - Amsterdam
    Accommodation
    Hotel (APT Solara or APT Ostara)

    Included Activities

    • Transfer to airport
    • Flight to Amsterdam
    • Embarkation on APT Solara or APT Ostara river ship
  13. Day 13

    Amsterdam

    Amsterdam

    Included Activities

    • Ship cruising from Utrecht towards Germany

    Optional Activities

    • Glass-top boat canal cruise through World Heritage-listed canals
    • Cheese tasting at local cheese store (Edam and Gouda varieties)
    • Guided bike ride through countryside to Durgerdam and Street Art Museum
    • Keukenhof Gardens visit on select spring departures (70+ acres, 7+ million flowering bulbs)
    Landmarks
    Keukenhof Gardens
  14. Day 14

    Andernach

    Andernach

    Included Activities

    • Cruising through Germany
    • Namedy Castle tour and manicured gardens
    • Cocktail party at Namedy Castle with pianist

    Optional Activities

    • Spa treatments on board
    • Daystar Deck relaxation
    Landmarks
    Namedy Castle
  15. Day 15

    Rüdesheim

    Rüdesheim

    Optional Activities

    • Gondola ride over Rhine Valley vineyards to Niederwald Monument (commemorating 1871 German unification)
    • Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum tour
    • Historic wine cellar visit with Rhine Valley wine tasting
    Landmarks
    Niederwald Monument
    Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum
  16. Day 16

    Miltenberg

    Miltenberg

    Optional Activities

    • Guided walking tour of Miltenberg with liqueur tasting at historic wine cellar
    • Local monastery visit with Franciscan friar, homemade sausages, cheese and bread tasting, and free time in gardens and vineyard
    Itinerary Image 1
  17. Day 17

    Würzburg

    Würzburg

    Optional Activities

    • Würzburg Residence visit (18th-century Prince-Bishop palace with tapestries, gilded stucco, and Tiepolo ceiling frescoes)
    • Tastes of Franconia tour at Volkacher Mainschleife (wine region and whisky distillery with whisky and winemaker meeting, tasting with fresh-baked bread)
    • Explore Rothenburg walled town with cobblestone streets and medieval architecture (including optional Käthe Wohlfahrt's 'Christmas Village')
    • Hike to Marienberg Fortress (Würzburg's visible landmark castle with history dating back centuries)
    Landmarks
    Würzburg Residence
    Marienberg Fortress
    Rothenburg ob der Tauber
  18. Day 18

    Bamberg

    Bamberg

    Included Activities

    • Guided tour of Old Town Bamberg
    • Guided exploration of historic churches and buildings including Regnitz River town hall
    Landmarks
    Bamberg Old Town
  19. Day 19

    Nuremberg

    Nuremberg
    Meals
    Tasting (Bavarian beer, sausage and pretzel tasting on Daystar Deck)

    Included Activities

    • Bavarian beer, sausage and pretzel tasting on Daystar Deck
    • Cruising along Main-Danube Canal (constructed over 32 years, links North and Black seas)

    Optional Activities

    • Discover Nuremberg's World War II sites including Reich Party Rally Grounds
    • Medieval history tour including 900-year-old ramparts, Imperial Castle, and 14th-century Gothic church
    Landmarks
    Imperial Castle
    Itinerary Image 1
  20. Day 20

    Regensburg

    Regensburg

    Optional Activities

    • Guided tour of World Heritage-listed city centre with historic sausage kitchen tasting
    • Guided bike ride to Walhalla Memorial (neo-classical building above Danube River with hall of fame)
    Landmarks
    Regensburg Historic Sausage Kitchen
    Walhalla Memorial
  21. Day 21

    Passau - Salzburg - Linz

    Passau - Salzburg - Linz
    Meals
    Lunch (Gaisberg Mountain lunch at traditional restaurant with welcome drink)

    Included Activities

    • Guided tour of Salzburg
    • Gaisberg Mountain lunch at traditional restaurant with welcome drink
    • Sound of Music show performance
    Landmarks
    Gaisberg Mountain
    Itinerary Image 1
  22. Day 22

    Melk - Dürnstein

    Melk - Dürnstein

    Included Activities

    • Melk Abbey visit

    Optional Activities

    • Cruise through Wachau Valley to Dürnstein with leisure time exploring cobblestone lanes
    • Guided bike ride from Melk to Dürnstein along Danube River through Wachau Valley
    Landmarks
    Melk Abbey
    Dürnstein Castle
    Itinerary Image 1
  23. Day 23

    Vienna

    Vienna

    Included Activities

    • Guided city tour covering Ringstrasse landmarks and St. Stephen's Cathedral
    • Cocktail party and private orchestral performance at Liechtenstein City Palace (Mozart and Strauss masterpieces, operatic recital)
    Landmarks
    St. Stephen's Cathedral
    Ringstrasse
    Liechtenstein City Palace
    Itinerary Image 1
  24. Day 24

    Vienna

    Vienna

    Optional Activities

    • Schönbrunn Palace visit with lavishly furnished rooms and beautiful gardens
    • Visit Bratislava, Slovakia with 18th-century rococo and communist-era architecture (UFO bridge, Slovak Radio building, Hotel Kyjev)
    • Vienna culinary tour of narrow streets with traditional cafe, classic Viennese sausage, and famous patisserie sampling
    Landmarks
    Schönbrunn Palace
  25. Day 25

    Budapest

    Budapest
    Meals
    Farewell Dinner (Hungarian folk music performance with local brandy, artisan meats and cheeses)

    Included Activities

    • Farewell evening with Hungarian folk music performance, local brandy, artisan meats and cheeses

    Optional Activities

    • City tour of Budapest covering Heroes' Square and St. Stephen's Basilica
    • Culinary tour through Great Market Hall (sausages, meats, cheeses, fruits and vegetables)
    • Funicular ride to Castle Hill and walk to Fisherman's Bastion with sweeping river views
    Landmarks
    Heroes' Square
    St. Stephen's Basilica
    Fisherman's Bastion
    Great Market Hall
  26. Day 26

    Budapest

    Budapest
    Meals
    Breakfast

    Included Activities

    • Breakfast
    • Airport transfer

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What's Included

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  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Meals
  • Additional Services
  • Transport

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Insurance
  • Optional
  • Additional Services

Where You'll Stay

All accommodations are subject to change

Operated by

APT

Rating
4.2 (27 reviews)
Response time
within 1 day
Response rate
57%
Cancellation policy

Traveler Reviews

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  • BarryOConnor4.0September 2019
    We completed the Switzerland by Rail tour followed by the river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest. The land based...
    Show more
    Traveled in August 2019

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Good to Know

Tour ID: 294415

  • Currencies
    Euro
    Austria, Germany, Italy and Netherlands
    Ft
    Forint
    Hungary
    Fr.
    Swiss Franc
    Switzerland
  • Plugs & Adapters

    As a traveler from USA, Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa you will need an adaptor for types C, E, F, L, J.

    Type C
    Hungary and Slovakia
    Type E
    Hungary and Slovakia
    Type F
    Hungary and Slovakia
    Type L
    Italy
    Type J
    Switzerland
  • Vaccines
    • These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
    • Tick-borne encephalitis - Recommended for Austria.Germany.Hungary.Slovakia.Switzerland. Ideally 6 months before travel.
    • Hepatitis A - Recommended for Hungary.Slovakia. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis B - Recommended for Hungary.Slovakia. Ideally 2 months before travel.
  • Visa
    • Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
    • Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
  • Payment information
    • For any tour departing before November 18th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after November 18th, 2026, a minimum payment of $750 is required to confirm your booking with APT. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 120 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
    • The following cards are accepted for "APT" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
  • Cancellation Policy
  • Accessibility
    Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0

Select departure month

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2027

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2028

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec