Every now and then, a train journey stands out as truly extraordinary, and the “Interlaken and the Jungfrau Express at New Year” trip from Vacations By Rail is one of them. This guided, week-long rail tour takes passengers through five European countries over the New Year holiday, offering a spectacular ride on Europe’s highest railway, the Jungfrau Railway, and a cable car journey to the highest peak in the Bernese Alps. As a highlight, travelers will also enjoy a New Year’s Eve gala dinner in Interlaken, Switzerland.
Starting and ending in London, this seven-day adventure includes stunning mountain views and stays at four-star hotels. Most meals are provided, ensuring a comfortable, scenic journey throughout.
The trip begins with a train ride aboard the Eurostar to Brussels, Belgium, followed by a journey to Cologne, Germany, where guests will spend their first night at a hotel and enjoy a welcome dinner. The next day, travelers board a German railway bound for Switzerland, passing through the breathtaking Rhine Gorge before arriving in Interlaken, a charming town nestled between the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau mountains in the Bernese Oberland.
Interlaken will serve as home for the next five nights. From there, travelers embark on day trips, including a visit to the mountain village of Mürren, where a cable car ride takes them to Schilthorn Mountain, home to a rotating restaurant featured in the James Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
After a relaxing day exploring Interlaken’s 45 mountain railways and gondolas, the group visits the Alpine village of Grindelwald, before returning to Interlaken for a memorable New Year’s Eve dinner.
On New Year’s Day, the tour culminates with a ride on the Jungfrau Railway, an iconic journey that tunnels through the Eiger and reaches Jungfraujoch, Europe’s highest train station at 11,332 feet. The view from the platform offers stunning vistas well above the snowline.
The tour then continues to Basel and Paris, before concluding back in London with the Eurostar.
This magical trip runs from December 27 or 28, 2024 through January 2 or 3, 2025, and is currently on sale for $2,595 per person. The package includes all rail travel, six nights in hotels, 11 meals, a professional tour escort, and local guides. Travelers are responsible for flights to and from London, as well as airport transfers.
