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Credit: Courtesy of Vacations By Rail
Stay in a picturesque Swiss town, admire Alpine landscapes, and ring in the new year during this epic train trip.
By Evie Carrick
- This six-day holiday itinerary allows you to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Switzerland’s Bernese Alps.
- Guests spend each night in the town of Interlaken and embark on day trips to nearby towns and villages like Lucerne and Grindelwald.
- Highlights include riding the iconic Jungfrau Railway and enjoying a special New Year’s gala dinner.
Every once in a while, a train trip pops up that is exceptional—and if riding Europe’s highest railway and celebrating the New Year in Switzerland isn’t exceptional, I don’t know what is. The “Interlaken and the Jungfrau Express at New Year” itinerary from tour company Vacations By Rail is a guided six-day tour—by train—around the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland over the New Year holiday. Along the way, guests will be treated to a breathtaking ride on the Jungfrau Railway, traveling to the “Top of Europe” in the Bernese Alps, and five nights in a picturesque Swiss town. The cherry on top is a New Year’s Eve gala dinner with newfound friends in Interlaken, Switzerland.
The journey kicks off in Zurich, where travelers will hop aboard their first train, to Interlaken. Sitting between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz in the Bernese Oberland region, this charming town will serve as your base camp for the trip. After checking in at the hotel, you’ll meet up with your group for dinner.
Courtesy of Vacations By Rail
The next morning, everyone boards the train to Lucerne, a dazzling medieval city that’s renowned for its well-preserved historic center and gorgeous vistas of Lake Lucerne. On the way, the train travels over the scenic Brünig Pass, treating you to views of waterfalls, snowy peaks, and shimmering lakes along the route.
Over the next few days, the group will head out on smaller day trips, including a train trip to the mountain village of Grindelwald, where a cable car whisks travelers to the top of the Grindelwald First peak for panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. Afterward, the group returns to Interlaken for a special New Year’s Eve dinner.
Courtesy of Vacations By Rail
On New Year’s Day, the trip culminates with an excursion on the Jungfrau Railway, an iconic route that tunnels through the Eiger mountain and tops out at Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe at 11,332 feet in elevation. At the top, you’re greeted by breathtaking views of the Mönch and Eiger summits and the Aletsch Glacier. On the final day, travelers can enjoy a leisurely free day in Interlaken to explore the town, cozy up in cafes with fondue and other seasonal delights, or try out more of the over 45 aerial gondolas and mountain railways around the region.
The trip runs from December 29, 2025, through January 3, 2026, with prices starting at $2,745 per person. That rate includes all rail travel, five nights of hotel accommodations, a professional tour manager, daily breakfast, and four dinners. Guests are responsible for purchasing their flights to and from Zurich—which happens to be an excellent place to spend the holiday season.
Original:
https://www.travelandleisure.com/interlaken-and-the-jungfrau-express-at-new-year-with-vacations-by-rail-11860836
