What are the trains like?

1. London to Paris by Eurostar...

Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Standard Premier & Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in at London St Pancras (45-minute minimum in Paris, Brussels & Amsterdam) as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More information about Eurostar including check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Paris Gare du Nord station guide.  How to cross Paris by metro or taxi.

A Eurostar e320 train at St Pancras.  More about Eurostar.		Standard Premier/Business Premier.  Larger photo.

Standard class seats.  Larger photo.		One of two cafe-bars, in cars 8 & 9.  Larger photo.

2. Paris to Zurich by TGV-Lyria...

All TGV-Lyria trains are now 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex like the one shown below.  TGV-Lyria trains have 3 classes:  Standard class (2nd), standard premiere (1st class) and business premiere (1st class with hot meal & drinks included in the fare).  There's a cafe-bar car selling drinks & snacks.  There are power points for mobiles & laptops at all seats in all classes.  Lyria is a consortium of the French and Swiss national railways.  More information about TGV-Lyria.

TGV-Lyria TGV Duplex train at Paris Gare de Lyon. More information about TGV-Lyria

Cafe-bar on upper deck car 4, serving tea, coffee, soft drinks, wine, beer, snacks & microwaved hot dishes...		2nd class seats on the upper deck.  There's a mix or tables for 4 and unidirectional seating.  360º photo.

1st class on the upper deck, a club duo on the left, a club quatre on the right. Larger photo.		A TGV-Lyria boarding at Paris Gare de Lyon.  You enter on the lower deck, with 9 stairs up to top deck.

What's the scenery like?

On the route from Paris to Basel & Zurich, the train soon leaves the historic Gare de Lyon behind and accelerates through the Parisian suburbs onto the high-speed line at up to 300km/h (186mph).  The train slows down to call at Dijon, the major city of the Burgundy region, with views over the city on the approach.  The train continues through the rolling hills of rural France, past pretty villages with picturesque churches onto the new Rhone-Rhine high-speed line where the train reaches 320km/h (199mph).  Calling at Mulhouse, the train continues on classic lines to enter Switzerland at Basel.

How to buy tickets

It's easy to buy train tickets from anywhere in Britain to anywhere in Switzerland, here I'll explain the best options.  Booking online saves paying phone booking fees, and I recommend www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com as both Eurostar and TGV-Lyria can be booked in one place with .pdf print-your-own or show-on-phone mobile tickets.  You can also book by phone or get a train travel specialist to arrange a tailor-made trip although this will naturally cost more.

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It's easy to travel by train from the UK to Interlaken and the Jungfrau region.  Take Eurostar to Paris in only 2h20 from £52 one-way or £78 return, then a 300 km/h (186 mph) TGV-Lyria from Paris to Basel in just 3h from €29 each way.  Regular Swiss InterCity trains run from Basel through the mountains and along the lake shore to Interlaken Ost in 1h58.  No airports, no flights, a chance to chill out by train not stress out by plane. 

TGV-Lyria trains have 3 classes, standard class (2nd class), standard première (1st class) & business première (1st class with a meal & wine served at your seat included in the fare).  There's a cafe-bar car selling drinks & snacks, and you'll find power points for mobiles & laptops at all 1st class seats.  Take a bottle of wine with you, put your feet up and enjoy the ride!  TGV-Lyria is a consortium of the French and Swiss railways.  For the ferry alternatives, see here.

Interlaken lies at the centre of the Jungfrau region, with narrow gauge local trains up into the mountains to skiing resorts such as Grindelwald nestling at the foot of the Eiger, and Lauterbrunnen, at the foot of the Jungfrau.  The famous Jungfraubahn rack railway climbs the Jungfrau to the Top of Europe from both Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen.

How to read these timetables  It's simple, you read downwards, each column is a journey option you can take.  You change trains at each grey bar.

Lauterbrunnen & Wengen::  Half-hourly local trains link Interlaken Ost with Lauterbrunnen, journey time 20 minutes.  Change at Lauterbrunnen for Wengen, total journey time from Interlaken to Wengen is 46 minutes.  You can check times and fares using the journey planner at www.sbb.ch.   By train up the Jungfrau.

Why not book an earlier Eurostar and have lunch in Paris at the celebrated Train Bleu restaurant inside the Gare de Lyon?

Train times may vary so always double-check for your date of travel.  Check these times & buy tickets online at www.raileurope.com.

Timetable inward 2023

How much does it cost?

• London to Paris by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £115 one-way, £199 return standard premier (1st class).

• Paris to Basel by TGV-Lyria starts at €29 each way in 2nd class or €51 in 1st class.

• Basel to Interlaken is CHF 60 (£45) each way in 2nd class.  Basel to Grindelwald CHF 71 (£54) each way in 2nd class. 

• Eurostar & TGV-Lyria fares are dynamic & vary like air fares, so book ahead.  On Eurostar & TGV-Lyria, children under 4 go free, children under 12 travel at a child rate.  On Swiss domestic trains, children under 6 go free, children under 16 at half price.

How to buy tickets

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Zermatt lies nestled at the foot of the imposing Matterhorn, surrounded by mountains.  It's a car-free resort, which can only be reached by train.  Electric 'johnny cabs' shuttle hotel guests to hotels and act as taxis.  Here is the daily all-year-round train service.

To reach Zermatt, simply hop on a Eurostar to Paris in 2h20 then take a TGV-Lyria high-speed train from Paris to Lausanne in just 3h40.  Hourly Swiss trains link Lausanne with Visp, where you board the little narrow-gauge branch line up the Mattertal Valley to Zermatt.  For the ferry alternatives via Harwich, Hull or Newcastle, see here.

For the best views of the scenery on the local line southbound from Brig or Visp to Zermatt, find a seat on the left-hand side of the train.  This narrow gauge train ascends the Mattertal Valley via a series of 'steps'.  The train uses conventional adhesion along the level sections, then rack-and-pinion to climb a series of steep sections.

How to read these timetables  It's simple, you read downwards, each column is a journey option you can take.  You change trains at each grey bar.

Why not book an earlier Eurostar and have lunch in Paris at the celebrated Train Bleu restaurant inside the Gare de Lyon?

Train times can vary so always check times for your date of travel online.  Check these times & buy tickets at www.raileurope.com.

Timetable inward 2023

How much does it cost?

• London to Paris by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £115 one-way, £199 return standard premier (1st class).

• Paris to Lausanne by TGV-Lyria starts at €29 each way in 2nd class or €51 in 1st class.

• Lausanne to Zermatt costs CHF 80 (£60) one-way, CHF 160 (£120) return.

• Eurostar & TGV-Lyria fares are dynamic & vary like air fares, so book ahead.  On Eurostar & TGV-Lyria, children under 4 go free, children under 12 travel at a child rate.  On Swiss domestic trains, children under 6 go free, children under 16 at half price.

How to buy tickets

• To buy tickets online, by phone or in person, follow the instructions above

Let Railbookers arrange it for you

• Railbookers are a train travel specialist who can put together a tour or holiday for you as a package, including rail travel, hotels & transfers.  On their website you'll find a range of suggested tours & holidays which can be varied or customised to your own requirements.  And as you're booking a package, they'll take care of you if anything happens to one part of the itinerary such as a strike or delay.

    UK 0207 864 4600, www.railbookers.co.uk

    US 1-888-829-4775, see website

    Canada 1-855-882-2910, see website

    Australia 1300 971 526, see website

    New Zealand 0800 000 554 or see website

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The area around St Moritz, Davos and Klosters has attracted visitors from the UK both for winter sports and summer holidays for over a century - and the journey by narrow-gauge train from Chur to St Moritz is one of the most scenic train rides in Switzerland, or indeed the world.  To get there by train from the UK, simply use any of the London-Zurich options shown in the London to Zurich section above, then use www.sbb.ch to find connections to St Moritz.  Two good options are shown below.  For the ferry alternative, see here.

London ► Chur, Davos, Klosters, St Moritz, every day

• Step 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 07:01 Mondays-Fridays arriving Paris Gare du Nord 10:17, at 06:31 on Saturdays arriving Paris Gare du Nord 09:47, or at 08:01 on Sundays arriving Paris Gare du Nord 11:20.

  There's also an 07:55 Eurostar on Mondays-Saturdays, but I'd play safe and book an earlier Eurostar when available.

  Cross Paris by taxi or metro to the Gare de Lyon, it's just 2 stops on RER line D.

• Step 2, travel from Paris to Zurich by TGV-Lyria, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 12:22 & arriving in Zurich HB at 15:26.

  The double-deck TGV-Lyria travels at up to 320 km/h (199 mph) and has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

• Step 3 for St Moritz, leave Zurich HB at 16:38 by InterCity & change at Chur onto the narrow-gauge Rhätische Bahn to St Moritz, arriving 20:00.

• Step 3 for Klosters or Davos, leave Zurich HB at 16:38 by InterCity train and change at Landquart onto the narrow-gauge Rhätische Bahn to Klosters Platz arriving 18:26 and Davos Platz arriving 18:57.

London ► Chur, Davos, Klosters, St Moritz, every day

• Step 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 10:22, arriving Paris Gare du Nord 13:57.

  Cross Paris by taxi or metro to the Gare de Lyon, 2 stops on RER line D or 25 minutes by taxi.

• Step 2, travel from Paris to Basel by TGV-Lyria, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 16:22 and arriving Zurich HB at 20:26. 

  The double-deck TGV-Lyria travels at up to 320 km/h (199 mph) and has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.

• Step 3 for St Moritz, leave Zurich HB at 20:38, change at Landquart, Klosters Platz & Sagliains (or at Chur & Samedan Fridays & Saturdays) arriving St Moritz at 23:54.  This is the last connection of the day, check times at www.sbb.ch.

• Step 3 for Klosters or Davos, leave Zurich HB at 20:38 by InterCity train and change at Landquart onto the narrow-gauge Rhätische Bahn to Klosters Platz arriving 22:36 and Davos Platz arriving 23:05.  There is a later connection from Zurich at 21:38 if the TGV from Paris is delayed.

St Moritz, Klosters, Davos, Chur ► London, every day

• Step 1 from St Moritz, travel from St Moritz to Zurich by train, leaving St Moritz at 07:02 by narrow gauge Rhätische Bahn train, with a simple change at Chur onto the standard gauge Swiss Federal Railways InterCity train to Zurich, arriving Zurich HB at 10:22.

• Step 1 from Davos or Klosters, leave Davos Platz at 08:02 or Klosters Platz at 08:31, changing from the narrow gauge Rhätische Bahn to the Swiss Federal Railways InterCity train at Landquart, arriving Zurich HB at 10:22.

• Step 2, travel from Zurich to Paris by TGV-Lyria, leaving Zurich HB at 11:34 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 15:38.

  The double-deck TGV-Lyria travels at up to 320 km/h (199 mph) and has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Cross Paris by taxi or metro to the Gare du Nord.

• Step 3, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 18:13 daily except Saturdays arriving London St Pancras at 19:30.  On Saturdays, leave Paris Gare du Nord at 19:03 arriving London St Pancras at 20:39.

St Moritz, Klosters, Davos, Chur ► London, every day

• Step 1 from St Moritz, travel from St Moritz to Zurich by train, leaving St Moritz at 09:02 by narrow gauge Rhätische Bahn train, with a simple change at Chur onto the standard gauge Swiss Federal Railways InterCity train to Zurich, arriving Zurich HB at 12:22.

• Step 1 from Davos or Klosters, leave Davos Platz at 10:02 or Klosters Platz at 10:31, changing from the narrow gauge Rhätische Bahn to the Swiss Federal Railways InterCity train at Landquart, arriving Zurich HB at 12:22.

• Step 2, travel from Zurich to Paris by TGV-Lyria, leaving Zurich HB at 13:34 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 17:38.

  The double-deck TGV-Lyria travels at up to 320 km/h (199 mph) and has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  Cross Paris by taxi or metro to the Gare du Nord.

• Step 3, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 21:03 Mondays-Friday arriving London St Pancras at 22:39, or at 20:13 on Saturdays & Sundays arriving 21:30.

How much does it cost?

• London to Paris by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £115 one-way, £199 return standard premier (1st class).

• Paris to Zurich by TGV-Lyria starts at €29 each way in 2nd class, €79 each way in 1st class.  See the London to Basel & Zurich section for full details of London-Basel & London-Zurich fares.

• Zurich to St Moritz costs CHF 75 (£57) one-way, CHF 150 (£114) return in 2nd class, check fares at www.sbb.ch.

• Eurostar & TGV-Lyria fares are dynamic & vary like air fares, so book ahead.  On Eurostar & TGV-Lyria, children under 4 go free, children under 12 travel at a child rate.  On Swiss domestic trains, children under 6 go free, children under 16 at half price.

How to buy tickets

• Buy your tickets as shown above.

Let Railbookers arrange it for you

• Railbookers are a train travel specialist who can put together a holiday or short break to Switzerland as a package, including rail travel, hotels & transfers.  On their website you'll find a range of suggested tours & holidays which can be varied or customised to your own requirements.  And as you're booking a package, they'll take care of you if anything happens to one part of the itinerary such as a strike or delay. 

    UK 0207 864 4600, www.railbookers.co.uk

    US 1-888-829-4775, see website

    Canada 1-855-882-2910, see website

    Australia 1300 971 526, see website

    New Zealand 0800 000 554 or see website

Places to stay near St Moritz

There's no shortage of hotels in St Moritz, just run a search at booking.com, anything with a review score over 8.0 will be great.  But for something really different and special, I recommend the amazing Romantik Hotel Muottas Muragl, opened in 1907 and perched on a 2,454m high mountain with spectacular views over the Engadin Valley.  It is easily the best view I have ever had over a hotel breakfast.

To reach the Romantik Hotel Muottas Muragl, take a local train from St Moritz to Punt Muragl Staz, see Muottas Muragl train route map, or you can get off the Glacier Express at Samedan (the stop before St Moritz) and take a local train to Punt Muragl.  It's then a 250m walk from either of these unstaffed halts to the lower station of the funicular railway which climbs up the mountain to the Hotel Muottas Muragl.  To check train times, simply use the journey planner at www.sbb.ch and run an enquiry from anywhere in Switzerland to Muottas Muragl, that's the name of the upper station of the funicular right next to the hotel.

The Romantik Hotel Muottas Muragl in winter.  The upper station of the funicular railway up the mountain from Punt Muragl station is adjacent to the hotel.  See Muottas Muragl train route map.

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London to Liechtenstein

• Vaduz (the capital of Liechtenstein)  has no rail station, but buses link it with Buchs & Sargans stations in Switzerland every 30 minutes, and with Feldkirch station in Austria every hour.  The bus website for all these bus services at www.lba.li.

• For travel between Swiss cities & Vaduz, catch a train to Sargans, then the bus to Vaduz, Post.

  You can check times & buy tickets between any Swiss city and Vaduz, Post at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee), or at the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch.

• For travel between Austrian cities & Vaduz, catch a train to Feldkirch, then the bus to Vaduz, Post.

  You can check times & buy tickets between any Austrian city and Vaduz, Post at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at.

• The main Zurich-Innsbruck railway cuts through Liechtenstein, but the expresses don't stop at any of the four local stations within the principality.  Schaan-Vaduz is the most important of these stations, served only by somewhat irregular Buchs-Feldkirch local trains.  You can check train times at www.sbb.ch but will need to look carefully for trains rather than buses - look for departures marked R or RE, not BUS.  Schaan-Vaduz Bahnhof is just 11 minutes by frequent bus from Vaduz itself.

London to Vaduz

• Step 1, travel from London to Zurich by Eurostar & TGV-Lyria as shown above.

• Step 2, take a regular Swiss domestic train from Zurich to Sargans, these run twice an hour, journey time 55-67 minutes, check times & prices at www.sbb.ch.  No reservation necessary, just turn up, buy a ticket and hop on the next train.

• Step 3, catch a bus from outside Sargans station to Vaduz Post Office, every 30 minutes, journey time 32 minutes, check times at www.lba.li.  No reservation necessary, buy a ticket from the driver, fare around CHF 7, children under 16 half price.

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London to Switzerland via Brussels

Going via Brussels takes significantly longer than going via Paris as shown above, but it avoids having to change trains & stations in Paris by metro or taxi.  The changes of train at Brussels Midi & Cologne Hbf are straightforward same-station changes taking only take a couple of minutes getting off one train and onto another.  This might be important to you if you have lots of luggage, kids, or a mobility issue.

London ► Basel

• Option 1:  London depart 08:55 every day, arriving Basel SBB 18:47:  Leave London St Pancras by Eurostar at 08:55, arriving Brussels Midi at 12:05.  Make a quick change onto the 12:25 high-speed ICE from Brussels to Cologne, and change at Cologne Hbf onto another high-speed ICE to Basel SBB 18:47.

• Option 2:  London depart 11:04 every day, arriving Basel SBB 20:47:  Leave London St Pancras by Eurostar at 11:04 arriving Brussels Midi at 14:05, make a quick & easy change (usually a simple cross-platform change on this departure) onto the 14:25 high-speed ICE from Brussels to Cologne and change at Cologne Hbf onto another high-speed ICE to Basel SBB arriving 20:47.

• Change at Basel SBB for Zurich HB, Luzern and all other destinations in Switzerland.

Basel ► London

• Option 1, departing Basel SBB at 07:13 every day, arriving London at 16:57:  Leave Basel SBB at 07:13 by high-speed ICE train to Cologne Hbf, change at Cologne onto another high-speed ICE train to Brussels Midi, change at Brussels onto the 15:56 Eurostar to London St Pancras, arriving 16:57.

• Option 2, departing Basel SBB at 09:13 on Sundays, arriving London at 19:10:  Leave Basel SBB at 09:13 by high-speed ICE train to Cologne Hbf, change at Cologne onto another high-speed ICE train to Brussels Midi, change at Brussels onto the 17:56 Eurostar to London St Pancras, arriving 19:10.

• Option 3, departing Basel SBB at 11:13 Mondays-Fridays, arriving London at 19:57:  Leave Basel SBB at 11:13 by high-speed ICE train to Cologne Hbf, change at Cologne Hbf onto another high-speed ICE train to Brussels Midi, change at Brussels onto the 18:52 Eurostar to London St Pancras, arriving 19:57.

• Option 4, departing Basel SBB at 13:13 daily except Saturdays, arriving London at 21:57:  Leave Basel SBB at 13:13 by high-speed ICE train daily except Saturdays to Cologne, change at Cologne Hbf onto another high-speed ICE train to Brussels Midi, change at Brussels onto the 20:52 Eurostar to London St Pancras, arriving 21:57.

How much does it cost?

• London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £115 one-way, £199 return standard premier (1st class).

• Brussels to Basel or Zurich starts at €39.90 each way in 2nd class, €69.90 each way in 1st class.

• Fares are dynamic like air fares, so for the cheapest prices book early and avoid busier times such as Fridays or Sunday afternoons.

• On Eurostar, children under 4 go free, children under 12 travel at a child rate.  On Brussels-Switzerland trains, children under 6 go free, children under 15 half price (but if booked at bahn.de, free when accompanying an adult on a Sparpreis fare).  On Swiss domestic trains, children under 6 go free, children under 16 at half price.  The more generous child age limits can be an advantage on this route!

How to buy tickets

• Buy tickets from London to Switzerland at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.

  Anyone from any country can use www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, in plain English, in €, £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem.  There's a small booking fee.

  Tip:  To get the route via Brussels, click via (Trainline) or More options (Raileurope) and enter Brussels Midi as a via station.

  You print your own ticket, or you can load the Eurostar ticket into the Eurostar app, and show the DB ticket on your laptop or phone.

• When does booking open?

  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, less than this when the mid-December timetable change intervenes.  More about when booking opens.

• Booking tips

  Fares are dynamic like air fares, so book early for the cheapest prices and avoid busy days such as Fridays or Sunday afternoons.

  To get the route via Brussels, click via (Trainline) or More options (Raileurope) and enter Brussels Midi as a via station.

  After booking you can use the Eurostar Manage Booking system to select an exact seat on Eurostar.

• Is it a through ticket?

  No, there are no through tickets from London any more, DB's Sparpreis London fares were discontinued in March 2020.  www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com will seamlessly sell you a Eurostar ticket to Brussels plus an onward ticket from Brussels to anywhere in Switzerland.

• One-way or round trip?

  On Eurostar, return fares are significantly cheaper than two one-ways.  On German & Swiss trains, returns are simply two one-ways.  So for a round trip you should book London to Switzerland & back as a return journey, or for more control over the booking, book London-Brussels as a return journey to benefit a Eurostar return fare, add to basket, then book Brussels to Switzerland one way, add to basket, then Switzerland to Brussels one-way, add to basket & check out.

  An 'open jaw' journey out from London to Zurich, back from Luzern to London, would be cheapest booked as London to Brussels & back, add to basket, Brussels to Zurich one-way, add to basket, Luzern to Brussels one-way, add to basket, and check out.  Easy when you know!

• Seat reservations

  A seat reservation on Eurostar is automatically included with every Eurostar ticket.  Seat reservations on ICE trains are optional, if you want a reserved seat it can be added during the booking process for small fee (no fee .  A reserved seat is a good idea, especially at busy periods, so I'd add one when prompted.

• About the 20-minute connections between Eurostar & ICEs at Brussels Midi

  The slick 20-minute connection in Brussels between Eurostar and an onward ICE, sometimes a little less than this, is usually a recognised connection which lots of people make.  It's not usually a problem, especially if you use the Brussels Midi short cut between platforms.

  Even though the system sells you separate tickets either side of Brussels, you are protected by the Railteam Promise/HOTNAT so if there's a delay and you miss the connection you will be allowed to travel on later onwards trains at no extra charge.

  The system is programmed to know which connections are acceptable and which are too tight - if you intend booking your Eurostar and ICE tickets separately (which I often do to check prices for Eurostar and onwards trains separately, and to retain more control over the booking) it's wise to run a London-Cologne enquiry first just to check that the system does indeed recognise that specific Eurostar as connecting with that specific onward ICE, on that specific date.

  Tip:  Nothing stops you booking an earlier Eurostar than the one which directly connects with your chosen onward ICE, if it has cheaper fares or if you want a more robust connection.  There are plenty of places for a meal, coffee or beer between trains in Brussels!

• How to buy a connecting ticket from other UK towns & cities:  See the advice on special add-on tickets here.

Another way to buy tickets

• This is a little more work, but no booking fee.  Obviously, do a dry run on both sites first to check availability & prices.

• Before booking for real, check that your outward Eurostar & ICE are indeed a recognised connection by checking that they appear together when you run a London to Cologne enquiry at www.bahn.de, as explained in the paragraph about the 20-minute connections in Brussels in the previous section.

• Step 1, book the Eurostar from London to Brussels (and back, if returning) at www.eurostar.com and print your own ticket, or load it into the Eurostar app to show on your phone.

  Eurostar return fares are significantly less than two one-ways, so if you're coming back, make sure you book this as a round trip.  After booking you can use the Eurostar Manage Booking system to select an exact seat on Eurostar.

• Step 2, book from Brussels to Basel, Zurich or anywhere in Switzerland at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.

  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.  A round trip is just two one-ways, so book one way at a time as it's easier.  Look for journeys with the fewest changes.

  I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in and check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.

  An advantage of booking direct with www.bahn.de is that you can select an exact seat on ICE trains from a seating plan.

  Tip:  With www.bahn.de you can add a stopover and still get the end-to-end cheap fare, it allows up to 2 stopovers within the 2-day ticket validity to be incorporated in your booking using the Stopover link.  You simply specify the duration of the stopover in hours & minutes in the hh:mm box.  Why not stop off in Cologne or Heidelberg?

How to buy tickets by phone

• It's better to book online to avoid additional phone booking fees and so you can see for yourself which departures are cheapest for each stage of the journey.  Most ticketing agencies only work office hours on weekdays, but online booking is possible 24/7.  However, if you want to book by phone, see my list of UK ticketing agencies with phone numbers & opening hours.

Take the Rhine Valley scenic route

• Booking engines normally route you via the modern Cologne-Frankfurt high-speed line as this is obviously fastest.  However, if you don't mind the extra hour, you can take the original, classic Rhine Valley line, snaking along the River Rhine past castles, vineyards and the famous Lorelei Rock.  Learn more about the classic Rhine Valley route here.

• To book tickets via the Rhine Valley route, simply add Koblenz as a via station.  If using www.raileurope.com, click More options and enter Koblenz, leaving duration zero.  If using www.bahn.de, click Stopover and enter Koblenz as a via station, leaving duration zero.

What's the journey like?

1. London to Brussels by Eurostar...

Eurostar trains link London & Brussels in just 2 hours, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph).  There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi.  Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00).  There's a 30-minute minimum check-in at London St Pancras (45-minute minimum in Paris, Brussels & Amsterdam) as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train.  More information about Eurostar including check-in procedure.  St Pancras station guide.  Brussels Midi station guide & short cut for changing trains in Brussels.

A Eurostar e320 train.  More about Eurostar.		Standard Premier/Business Premier.  Larger photo.

Standard class seats.  Larger photo.		One of two cafe-bars, in cars 8 & 9.  Larger photo.

2. Brussels to Cologne & Cologne to Switzerland by ICE3...

Germany's superb ICEs have a bistro-restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.  In 1st class, bistro orders are taken at your seat.  50 minutes after leaving Brussels the ICE calls at Liège, where you can admire the impressive station designed by celebrity architect Santiago Calatrava.  As you approach Cologne Hbf you'll see the twin towers of Cologne Cathedral on the right, next to the station.  More information about ICE3.  Brussels Midi station guide.  Cologne Hbf station guide.

An ICE3M to Cologne at Brussels Midi.  More information about ICE.  Advice on changing trains in Brussels.

2nd class seats on an ICE3M.  Larger photo.		1st class seats on an ICE3M.  Larger photo.

Food is served on proper china with metal cutlery.  I recommend the Erdinger Weissbier!  See current month's menu.		Restaurant car:  This is the small 12-seat restaurant on an ICE3M.  ICE3 classes 403 & 407 have a larger restaurant area.  Larger photo.

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London to Switzerland by ferry from Harwich

You might prefer the idea of cruising overnight in a comfy en suite cabin on the Stena Line superferry (watch the video!), then taking a superb German ICE train to Switzerland next day, and this route is useful If you live in East Anglia, want to avoid the Channel Tunnel, if the French are on strike again, or if all the cheap Eurostar fares have sold out.  It's one of the routes shown in dark blue on the route map above.

Incidentally, I don't recommend Dover-Calais.  Although it's more direct, it's has no through ticketing and long walks or taxis are required between station & port in both Dover & Calais.  The Harwich-Hoek route has seamless train/ferry connections & one ticket covers the British train and the ferry.

London, Cambridge & Harwich ► Switzerland

• Day 2, travel from Utrecht to Switzerland by train.

  Take the 11:04 high-speed ICE train from Utrecht to Frankfurt, arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 14:31.  Change onto the 14:50 high-speed ICE train from Frankfurt (Main) Hbf to Basel SBB (arrive 17:47), Bern (arrive 18:56) or Interlaken (arrive 19:58).

  Change in Basel or Bern for destinations all over Switzerland.  Check times & prices from Utrecht to almost anywhere in Switzerland at www.bahn.de (Tip:  Click Stopover and enter Frankfurt(Main)Hbf).

  Alternatively, you could spend the day in Amsterdam and take the new Nightjet sleeper train from Amsterdam Centraal to Basel SBB & Zurich HB overnight in an economical couchette or private sleeper, see here for details.

Switzerland ► Harwich, Cambridge & London

• Day 1, travel from Switzerland to Utrecht by train.

  You can leave Basel SBB at 10:13 by high-speed ICE train to Frankfurt (Main) Hbf arriving at 13:08.  Change in Frankfurt onto the 13:26 high-speed ICE train from Frankfurt (Main) Hbf to Utrecht Centraal, arriving 17:23.

  Check times & prices from almost anywhere in Switzerland to Utrecht at www.bahn.de (Tip:  Click Stopover and enter Frankfurt(Main)Hbf).

  Alternatively, you could leave Switzerland the previous evening on the new Nightjet sleeper train from Zurich HB & Basel SBB to Amsterdam Centraal overnight in an economical couchette or private sleeper, and spend the day exploring Amsterdam, see here for details.

• Day 1, travel from Utrecht to London overnight by Stena Line Rail & Sail.

  You take a frequent Dutch intercity train from Utrecht Centraal to Rotterdam Alexander and change there onto the frequent metro to Hoek van Holland Haven. 

  At Hoek, the ferry terminal is right next to the station.  Taking the 10:13 from Basel gives you plenty of time to connect with the overnight ferry, so you could stop off in Utrecht or Rotterdam for dinner.  Just make sure you reach Hoek before 21:00, ferry check-in closes 45 minutes before sailing time.

  At Hoek van Holland, check in at the Stena Line desk then walk onto the luxurious superferry Stena Britannica and sail overnight to Harwich in a snug private cabin with shower, toilet & satellite TV.

  The ferry sails from Hoek at 22:00 and arrives at Harwich International at 06:30 next morning, UK time.

  In the morning on Day 2, take a train from Harwich to London Liverpool Street arriving around 08:54, or from Harwich to Cambridge arriving 09:41 (10:39 on Sundays).  See the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for full details.

How much does it cost?

• Rotterdam Alexander to stations in Switzerland starts at €37.90 each way in 2nd class or €79.90 in 1st class.

  Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.

How to buy tickets

• Step 1, buy a Stena Line Rail & Sail ticket from London to Hoek van Holland as shown on the Stena Line Rail & Sail page.

  Buy the metro ticket from Hoek van Holland to Rotterdam Alexander as shown on that page.

• Step 2, book your trains from Rotterdam Alexander to Switzerland at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  You can book to any destination station you like in Switzerland.  Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, less when the mid-December timetable change intervenes.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.

What's the journey like?

Step 1, London to Holland by train & ferry...

A train takes you from London's Liverpool Street station directly to the ferry terminal at Harwich.  You walk off the train, into the terminal, get your boarding card & cabin key at the Stena Line check-in desk and walk straight onto the overnight ferry to Hoek van Holland.  The superferry Stena Britannica is the largest ferry of its kind in the world.  The journey from London to Holland is explained in detail on the Stena Line Rail & Sail page.  See the video...

Captain's Class cabin on the Harwich-Hoek ferry with double bed, complimentary minibar with sparkling wine, tea & coffee making facilities, hairdryer.  Larger photo.		Boarding the Stena Britannica at Harwich.  She's a floating hotel to Hoek van Holland, with easy rail connections on either side of the Channel.  Restaurants, bars, shop, kennels, cinema...

Dinner before bed?  Metropolitan à la carte restaurant.		Standard outside cabin.  Larger photo.  360º photo.

Step 2, from Holland across Germany to Switzerland by ICE high-speed train...

At Hoek van Holland, you walk off the ship, through passport control and straight onto the station for the frequent metro train to Rotterdam Alexander.  Change at Rotterdam Alexander for a train to Utrecht Centraal.  Then take a superb German ICE train from Utrecht to Cologne and on to Switzerland.   More information about ICE trains.

An ICE3M to Frankfurt at Amsterdam.  More information about ICE.

2nd class seats on an ICE3M.  Larger photo.		1st class seats on an ICE3M.  Larger photo.

Proper china, metal cutlery.  I recommend the Erdinger Weissbier!  See current month's menu.		Restaurant car:  This is the small 12-seat restaurant area on an ICE3M.  Larger photo.

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London to Switzerland via Portsmouth

This route is ideal if you live on the south coast.  It's also a good alternative to Eurostar from London if you want to avoid the Channel Tunnel or if Eurostar is expensive (for example, at short notice) - although the train/ferry/train transfers are much easier via Harwich & Hoek van Holland as stations & ferry terminals are integrated, on the Portsmouth-Caen route a taxi transfer is needed between train & ferry in Portsmouth, and a bus or taxi transfer in Caen.

• Step 1, travel from London or Portsmouth to Paris overnight by train & ferry.

  You leave London around 18:00 by train to Portsmouth, take a taxi to the Continental Ferry Port and sail overnight from Portsmouth to Caen with Brittany Ferries, sleeping in a cosy private cabin with shower & toilet 22:45-06:45.  Next morning, transfer to Caen station by bus or taxi and take a train into Paris St Lazare, arriving around 11:05.

  For full details see the London to Paris by train & ferry page.  Transfer from Paris St Lazare to Paris Gare de Lyon by taxi or metro.

• Step 2, travel from Paris to Switzerland on any afternoon train.

  Look up Paris-Switzerland trains at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in €, £ or $, small booking fee) or www.sncf-connect.com (in €, more fiddly).  Just make sure you allow at least 2hours between trains in Paris.

The luxurious Normandie at Portsmouth.

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Scotland & North to Switzerland

If you live in the North of England or Scotland, option 1 is to take a train up to London and travel from London to Switzerland as described above.  This may well be the quickest & easiest option.  Here's some advice on buying connecting train tickets to London.  If you live in Scotland, the Caledonian Sleepers will get you up to London in time for a morning Eurostar & afternoon TGV to Switzerland.

But consider option 2, by-passing London by taking a luxurious overnight cruise ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam run by DFDS Seaways or a similar overnight ferry from Hull to Rotterdam run by P&O Ferries, then taking a fast comfortable train to Switzerland.

Scotland & the North ► Amsterdam ► Switzerland

Switzerland ► Amsterdam ► Scotland & the North

• Day 1, take a Swiss train from anywhere in Switzerland to Rotterdam Centraal (for P&O to Hull) or to Amsterdam Centraal (for DFDS to Newcastle), you can check times & prices at the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  Just remember to allow plenty of time, meaning hours not minutes, for any likely delay to the train, for the bus transfer to the ferry terminal, and for the ferry check-in.

  Alternatively, you could leave Switzerland the previous evening on the new Nightjet sleeper train from Zurich HB & Basel SBB to Amsterdam Centraal in an economical couchette or private sleeper, and spend the day exploring Amsterdam, see here for details.

• Day 1 early evening, transfer by DFDS bus from Amsterdam Centraal to IJmuiden (for the DFDS ferry to Newcastle) or by P&O bus from Rotterdam Centraal to Rotterdam Europoort for the P&O ferry to Hull.

• Day 1 evening, sail overnight by luxurious cruise ferry from Rotterdam Europoort to Hull with P&O Ferries or from IJmuiden to Newcastle with DFDS, whichever UK port is most convenient for where you live, arriving next morning (day 2).  Transfer to the station and take a train home. 

  For details of timetables, fares & how to buy tickets from Amsterdam to the UK via these ferry routes, see the Hull-Rotterdam page or the Newcastle-Amsterdam page.

Fares & how to buy tickets

• To check train fares and buy train tickets to Hull or Newcastle, use www.nationalrail.co.uk or any train operator website such as www.tfwrail.wales.

• To check ferry fares & book the ferry online, go to www.dfds.co.uk (Newcastle-Amsterdam), www.poferries.com (Hull-Rotterdam).

• To check train times & prices and to buy tickets from Rotterdam or Amsterdam to any station in Switzerland, use the German Railways website www.bahn.de.  You print your own ticket.

What's the journey like?

1. Newcastle to Amsterdam (DFDS) or Hull to Rotterdam (P&O) by overnight cruise ferry...

Both ferries have private en suite cabins, restaurants, bars, cinema, a floating hotel.  If travelling with DFDS from Newcastle, a transfer bus takes you from IJmuiden ferry terminal to Amsterdam Centraal station next morning.  If travelling with P&O from Hull, a transfer bus takes you from Rotterdam Europoort ferry terminal to Rotterdam Centraal, from where frequent Dutch trains run to Utrecht.

DFDS Seaways Princess of Norway (now Princess Seaways) about to sail overnight from Newcastle to Amsterdam.  The ferry also has deluxe Commodore class cabins with minibar, satellite TV, shower & toilet.  See the video...		A standard Seaways class cabin with shower & toilet on DFDS Princess of Norway from Newcastle to Amsterdam.

P&O Ferries Pride of Rotterdam at Rotterdam Europoort.  The ferry also has deluxe class cabins with minibar, satellite TV, shower & toilet.		A standard outside cabin with shower & toilet on P&O's Pride of Rotterdam from Hull to Rotterdam.

2.  From Holland across Germany to Switzerland by ICE high-speed train...

Take an ICE train from Amsterdam or Utrecht to Cologne or Frankfurt, then another ICE to Basel, Zurich with connections all over Switzerland.  There are power sockets at all seats, free WiFi and a bistro-restaurant serving drinks, snacks and meals.  More info about ICE trains.

An ICE3M to Frankfurt at Amsterdam.  More information about ICE.

2nd class seats on an ICE3M.  Larger photo.		1st class seats on an ICE3M.  Larger photo.

Proper china, metal cutlery.  I recommend the Erdinger Weissbier!  See current month's menu.		Restaurant car:  This is the small 12-seat restaurant area on an ICE3M.  Larger photo.

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Definitely take a good guidebook.  For the independent traveller, I think this means either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide.  Both guidebooks provide the same excellent level of practical information and historical background. You won't regret buying one!

Buy from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Alternatively, you can download just the chapters or areas you need in .PDF format from the Lonely Planet Website, from around £2.99 or US$4.95 a chapter.

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European Rail Timetable & maps

The European Rail Timetable (formerly the Thomas Cook European Timetable) has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  It is essential for regular European train travellers and an inspiration for armchair travellers.  Published since 1873, it had just celebrated 140 years of publication when Thomas Cook decided to pull the plug on their entire publishing department, but the dedicated ex-Thomas Cook team set up a private venture and resumed publication of the famous European Rail Timetable in March 2014.  You can buy it online at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses) or www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide).  More information on what the European Rail Timetable contains.

Rail Map Europe is the map I recommend, covering all of Europe from Portugal in the west to Moscow & Istanbul in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily & Athens in the south.  Scenic routes & high-speed lines are highlighted.  See an extract from the map.  Buy online at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide) or at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses).

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Hotels in Switzerland

• In Zurich, for something special, look no further than the superb Hotel Schweizerhof, located right next to Zurich station.  One of my favourite hotels, they'll even send a uniformed commissionaire to meet you at the station and carry your bags across the road.

• In the St Moritz-Pontresina area, try the Romantik Hotel Muottas Muragl, an amazing place to stay perched on the top of a mountain, with clean simple and (for Switzerland) inexpensive rooms.  It's reached via the Muottas Muragl funicular railway from Punt Muragl station, between Pontresina & St Moritz.

Hotels in Paris near the Gare du Nord or Gare de Lyon... 

• Hotels near the Gare du Nord with good reviews:  Libertel Gare du Nord Suede (5 min walk from Gare du Nord, 2-star, doubles €135), 25 Hours Terminus Nord (formerly the Mercure Terminus Nord, now refurbished in a decidedly funky style, 3-star, directly across the road from the station);  Art Hotel (3-star);  Avalon Hotel (2-star);  Hotel Cambrai (5 min walk from Gare du Nord, 1-star).

• Hotels near the Gare de Lyon with good reviews:  Hotel Terminus Lyon (right in front of the station, 3-star);  Mercure Paris Gare de Lyon (on the station itself, 4-star);   Novotel Paris Gare de Lyon (opposite the station, 4-star);  Mistral Hotel (800m from Gare de Lyon, 1-star);  Hotel 26 Faubourg (5 min walk from Gare de Lyon, 2-star);

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Travel insurance & VPN

Always take out travel insurance...

You should take out travel insurance with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover from a reliable insurer.  It should cover trip cancellation and loss of cash & belongings up to a reasonable limit.  These days, check you're covered for covid-19-related issues, and use an insurer whose cover isn't invalidated by well-meant but excessive Foreign Office travel advice against non-essential travel. An annual policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I use an annual policy myself.  Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, see the advice on missed connections here.  Here are some suggested insurers, I get a little commission if you buy through these links, feedback always welcome.

  www.staysure.co.uk offers enhanced Covid-19 protection.

  You can use www.confused.com to compare prices & policy features across major insurance companies.

  If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

Curve card saves foreign transaction fees...

Banks often give a poor exchange rate, then charge a currency conversion fee as well.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month as I write this.  The balance goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.  And you can get a Curve card for free.

How it works:  1. Download the app for iPhone or Android.  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to most European addresses including the UK.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, just like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance onto whichever of your debit or credit cards you choose.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I use a Curve Blue card myself - I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I'm recommending it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card - they'll give you £5 cashback through that link, too.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  VPNs & why you need one explained...

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure.  A VPN means your connection to the internet is encrypted & always secure, even using unsecured WiFi.  In countries such as China where access to Twitter & Facebook is restricted, a VPN gets around these restrictions.  And lastly, you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geographic restrictions which some websites apply - for example one booking site charges a booking fee to non-European visitors but none to European visitors, so if you're not located in Europe you can avoid this fee by browsing with a UK IP address using a VPN.  VPNs & why you need one explained.  ExpressVPN is a best buy and I use it myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription, and I get a small commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank...

With tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes now often held digitally on your mobile phone, it's vital to keep it charged.  I recommend carrying an Anker powerbank which can recharge your phone several times over if you can't get to a power outlet when you're on the move.  I never travel without one.