Highlights of Switzerland — Self-Launched Rail & Mountain Loop from Zurich
6 days · Switzerland
On The Go Tours charges £2,750
No-markup version: ~£685 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 6-day independent, rail-based version of On The Go Tours' "Highlights of Switzerland": Zurich → Lucerne & Rigi → Interlaken/Grindelwald → Chur → St. Moritz (Bernina/Albula line) → Maienfeld (Heidi country) → Appenzell & St. Gallen → Winterthur/Rhine Falls → Zurich. Everything the group tour does by private coach is done here on Swiss public trains, PostBuses and lake boats — with a Swiss Travel Pass covering almost all of it. Costs are budget/backpacker estimates in GBP (Switzerland is expensive, so budget hostels, supermarket meals and a rail pass do the heavy lifting), and they exclude flights.
Day-by-day
Zurich → Lucerne → Interlaken (Mt Rigi cogwheel day)
Zurich / Lucerne / Interlaken
Start at Zurich HB (main station) and buy/activate a Swiss Travel Pass (8-day pass ≈ £330 2nd class, or a 6-day ≈ £285 — worth it for this itinerary). Train to Lucerne (45 mins, covered by pass). Walk the Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge) and the Lion Monument, then catch the boat from Lucerne pier to Vitznau (~1 hr, free with pass) and ride the historic red cogwheel railway up to Rigi Kulm (free with pass) for 360° Alpine views. Descend via Arth-Goldau and continue by train to Interlaken Ost (~2 hrs). Overnight in Interlaken — hostels like Backpackers Villa or Balmer's Herberge. Optional: upgrade the Chur–St Moritz/Albula line later; the Zurich–Chur route via Lake Zurich is included too.
🚌Swiss Travel Pass covers Zurich HB → Lucerne train, Lucerne–Vitznau boat, Rigi cogwheel, Arth-Goldau → Interlaken trains (~£40/day amortised)
🛏Hostel dorm in Interlaken (Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof or Balmer's Herberge), £30–40
- →Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge) and Lion Monument walk, Lucerne
- →Lake Lucerne boat to Vitznau
- →Rigi Kulm cogwheel railway up and down
- →Evening stroll along the Aare between Interlaken's two lakes
Grindelwald & the Eiger Trail
Grindelwald / Interlaken
Take the BOB train from Interlaken Ost to Grindelwald (~35 mins, pass covers most of it). Ride the gondola up to Eigergletscher or start the classic Eiger Trail from Alpiglen — a 2–3 hr contouring hike under the Eiger North Face with big views (free; trailhead reached by train to Alpiglen, small supplement on the Wengernalpbahn). Budget travellers should skip the £150+ Jungfraujoch trip and instead walk the free Gletscherschlucht gorge near the village or simply wander Grindelwald's chalet lanes. Return to Interlaken for the night; optional sunset swim in Lake Brienz at Iseltwald.
🚌Interlaken Ost ↔ Grindelwald BOB trains; Alpiglen/Wengernalpbahn supplement ~£10
🛏Hostel dorm in Interlaken, £30–40
- →Eiger Trail hike (Alpiglen–Eigergletscher, ~2–3 hrs)
- →Gletscherschlucht canyon walk (entry ~£9)
- →Grindelwald village wander
- →Optional Jungfraujoch 'Top of Europe' train if you want to splurge (~£170)
Interlaken → Chur via Chälrütirank viewpoint
Interlaken / Chur
Morning train to Meiringen (via Brünig Pass, pass covers it), then the PostBus up to the Chälrütirrank viewpoint above Lake Brienz/Meiringen area for the photo stop the tour makes. Continue by train east through Lucerne or via the Brünig–Interlaken–Sargans line to Chur (~3 hrs total). Spend the late afternoon in Chur's car-free old town — the medieval fortifications, Bishop's Court and Roman ruins are all free to wander. Overnight in Chur (hostel or budget guesthouse; Chur is the cheapest base in Graubünden).
🚌Interlaken → Meiringen train + PostBus, then rail to Chur; all on Swiss Travel Pass
🛏Budget guesthouse / hostel dorm in Chur old town, £35–45
- →Chälrütirank viewpoint PostBus trip
- →Scenic Brünig Pass rail crossing
- →Chur old town, cathedral and Roman ruins walk
UNESCO Albula Line to St. Moritz & Morteratsch Glacier
Chur / St. Moritz
The big one: ride the RhB narrow-gauge train over the UNESCO-listed Albula Line to St. Moritz (~2 hrs, free with Swiss Travel Pass — Landwasser Viaduct, spiral tunnels and all). In St. Moritz, opt for the gondola up to Corviglia if you want altitude, or save cash and walk the lakeside. In the afternoon take the RhB branch towards Tirano and hop off at Morteratsch for the flat 2-hr meadow-and-stream walk to the Morteratsch Glacier tongue (free, signposted). Train back to Chur for the night.
🚌Chur ↔ St. Moritz and St. Moritz ↔ Morteratsch RhB trains, covered by Swiss Travel Pass
🛏Budget guesthouse / hostel dorm in Chur, £35–45
- →UNESCO Albula Line rail journey Chur–St. Moritz
- →Morteratsch Glacier meadow walk (~2 hrs return)
- →St. Moritz lakeside and village wander
- →Optional Corviglia gondola (~£35) or historic Olympia Bob Run visit
Heidi country: Maienfeld → Appenzell → St. Gallen
Maienfeld / Appenzell / St. Gallen
Train down the Rhine valley to Maienfeld, then walk 45 mins (or bus) to the Heidi Village open-air museum and Heidi's reconstructed house — the area that inspired Johanna Spyri (£10 entry). Continue by train to Appenzell via St. Gallen, and spend an hour in the painted-chalet village square with a cheese-centric lunch (Appenzeller fondue or a plate of Käse). Late afternoon train to St. Gallen for the UNESCO Abbey Library and the twin-towered cathedral (library ~£10 timed entry — check closing at 17:00; the cathedral is free). Overnight in St. Gallen.
🚌Chur → Maienfeld → St. Gallen → Appenzell → St. Gallen trains and Appenzeller Bahnen, covered by Swiss Travel Pass
🛏Hostel or budget hotel near St. Gallen station, £35–45
- →Heidi Village open-air museum, Maienfeld
- →Appenzell painted village and Appenzeller cheese lunch
- →St. Gallen Abbey Library (UNESCO) and cathedral
- →St. Gallen old town wander
Winterthur, Kyburg Castle & Rhine Falls → Zurich
Winterthur / Kyburg / Rhine Falls / Zurich
Train to Winterthur, Switzerland's design and photography city — the Fotomuseum and Kunst Museum are worth a couple of hours (£10–12 each, or free with the Swiss Museums Pass if you buy one). Bus out to Kyburg Castle for the medieval interior and award-winning museum (£10). Then hop the train to Neuhausen am Rheinfall for the Rhine Falls — Europe's biggest waterfall — and take the short boat ride to the rock in the middle (£10–12). Final 50-min train back to Zurich HB to close the loop; if time allows, wander the Niederdorf old town before your onward flight.
🚌St. Gallen → Winterthur → Kyburg (bus) → Neuhausen Rheinfall → Zurich HB, covered by Swiss Travel Pass
🛏Not included (or hostel in Zurich if you need a final night, £35–45)
- →Winterthur Fotomuseum / Kunst Museum
- →Kyburg Castle and museum
- →Rhine Falls boat ride to the central rock
- →Zurich Niederdorf old town evening walk
Self-launched vs. On The Go Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | On The Go Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£685 | £2,750 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,065 per person (75%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more On The Go Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£685
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Highlights of Switzerland — Self-Launched Rail & Mountain Loop from Zurich cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £685 per person for 6 days in Switzerland. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with On The Go Tours?+
Yes — On The Go Tours charges around £2,750 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £685 — a saving of roughly £2,065 (75%) per person.
How long is the Switzerland trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Switzerland.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Switzerland, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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