Self-Launched Bavaria, Switzerland & Austria: Vienna to Zurich by Rail
12 days · Austria, Germany & Switzerland
Insight Vacations charges £4,900
No-markup version: ~£1,171 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Insight Vacations' 12-day Vienna-to-Zurich coach tour, rebuilt for independent travellers using trains, buses and hostel/guesthouse stays instead of a 40-person coach and four-star hotels. You'll cover the same headline sights — Schönbrunn, Melk Abbey, Salzburg's Old Town, Herrenchiemsee, Neuschwanstein, Dachau, Innsbruck's Golden Roof, St. Moritz, the Glacier Express and Lucerne's Stanserhorn — but you book each entry ticket yourself (many via GetYourGuide or the official palace/museum sites) and ride the same Alpine railways the tour uses. Switzerland is the budget-killer: assume £45-60/day there versus £30-40 in Austria and Germany. Costs below are approximate per person, sharing a dorm or twin, using a Eurail/Interrail pass or point-to-point saver tickets.
Day-by-day
Arrive Vienna — settle in and evening wander
Vienna, Austria
Land at Vienna Airport and take the S-Bahn (S7) or CAT train into the centre (~€4.40 / £3.80 for S7). Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse in the 6th or 7th district — walkable to the Ringstrasse but far cheaper than the Innere Stadt. Spend the late afternoon on foot: Ringstrasse, Parliament Building, State Opera House exterior, then dinner at a Würstelstand or a Beisl in Neubau (£10-12). The original tour opens with a group dinner; you can replicate the vibe by joining a hostel family dinner or a GetYourGuide small-group wine tasting (from ~£30) if you want company.
🚌S7 S-Bahn from airport ~€4.40; walking in the centre
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Districts 6-7 (~£22-28)
- →Ringstrasse self-guided walk
- →State Opera House & Parliament exterior
- →Würstelstand dinner in Neubau
Vienna: Schönbrunn, Karlskirche & Hofburg
Vienna, Austria
Book a timed Schönbrunn Palace ticket online (Grand Tour ~€29, cheaper than the guided 'Local Expert' version — audioguide included and you can linger). Use the U4 to Schönbrunn, then return to Karlsplatz for St. Charles' Church (Karlskirche, ~€9 including lift to the dome). In the afternoon do the Hofburg Imperial Apartments/Sisi Museum (~€19) or just the free courtyards and the Spanish Riding School exterior. Evening: cheap dinner near Naschmarkt (£12).
🚌U-Bahn day pass ~€5.80
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Districts 6-7 (~£22-28)
- →Schönbrunn Palace grand tour (self-booked, ~£25)
- →Karlskirche dome lift (~£8)
- →Hofburg Imperial Apartments (~£16)
- →Naschmarkt browse
Vienna to Salzburg via Melk Abbey and Mondsee
Salzburg, Austria
Replicate the coach route by rail: take a morning train Vienna to Melk (~1h, ~€20 saver fare or covered by Interrail pass), walk 10 minutes to Melk Abbey and take the self-guided abbey tour with garden entry (~€13.50). Continue by train Melk to Salzburg via Attnang-Puchheim (~2h15). If you want the Mondsee stop, break the journey at Salzburg and take a local bus (#140) to Mondsee the next morning instead — Basilica St. Michael is free to enter. Check into a hostel or pension in Salzburg's right bank (Neustadt) for two nights (~£28).
🚌Train Vienna–Melk–Salzburg ~£25 with saver tickets
🛏Hostel or pension, Salzburg Neustadt (~£28)
- →Melk Abbey self-guided visit (~£12)
- →Mondsee Basilica St. Michael (optional, free)
- →Evening walk along the Salzach
Salzburg: Old Town, fortress and Mozart
Salzburg, Austria
Do your own Old Town loop: Mirabell Gardens (free), Residenzplatz, Salzburg Cathedral (~€5), then ride the funicular up to Hohensalzburg Fortress (~€14.50 incl. funicular, fortress and museums). Mozart's Birthplace is ~€15 and has an excellent audio guide that replaces the tour's pianoforte demonstration. Optional: Mondsee bus half-day if you skipped it. Dinner: a farm-to-table style meal at a local Gasthaus or the Schranne market (~£18) — the tour's farm dinner is roughly £60 of the package price.
🚌Walking; funicular €14.50 return
🛏Hostel or pension, Salzburg Neustadt (~£28)
- →Mirabell Gardens
- →Hohensalzburg Fortress funicular
- →Salzburg Cathedral
- →Mozart's Birthplace (self-guided audio)
Salzburg to Munich via Herrenchiemsee
Munich, Germany
Take the Salzburg–Munich regional train (Meridian/BRB, ~1h30, ~€20 with Bayern ticket; note the Bayern ticket is only valid after 9am on weekdays). Break the trip at Prien am Chiemsee: shuttle bus to the boat dock, then the Chiemsee ferry to Herrenchiemsee island (~€11 return including the small islands hop) and a self-booked palace tour (~€12). Fraueninsel is the same ferry loop — get off, eat at a beer garden, then re-board. Continue to Munich and check into a hostel near Hauptbahnhof or in Schwabing (~£25). Evening: a lively local beer hall such as Augustiner or Hofbräuhaus (£15) in place of the guided group dinner.
🚌Regional train ~£17 + ferry ~£10
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, Munich (~£25)
- →Herrenchiemsee ferry & island loop
- →Herrenchiemsee Palace tour (~£10)
- →Fraueninsel beer garden stop
- →Beer hall evening (Augustiner)
Munich: Old Town and Dachau memorial
Munich, Germany
Self-guided Old Town walk: Marienplatz and the Glockenspiel (11am and noon), Frauenkirche, Victory Arch (Siegestor) at the top of Ludwigstrasse. Take the S2 to Dachau station and the 726 bus to the Concentration Camp Memorial Site — entry is free and the official audioguide (~€4) is genuinely excellent; GetYourGuide guided versions start around £25 if you prefer a person. Afternoon: Munich Residenz (~€10) or the free Deutsches Museum grounds. The tour's culinary walking tour can be replaced with a £35-40 GetYourGuide food tour or a self-guided Viktualienmarkt graze (£15).
🚌MVV day ticket ~€9
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, Munich (~£25)
- →Marienplatz & Glockenspiel
- →Dachau Memorial (free entry, audioguide ~£3.50)
- →Munich Residenz
- →Viktualienmarkt street food
Munich to Innsbruck via Neuschwanstein and Oberammergau
Innsbruck, Austria
This is the trickiest transport day — the coach does it privately. Do it by rail and bus: Munich to Füssen via Kaufbeuren/Buchloe (~2h15, Bayern ticket ~€25 for one person or cheaper with a group), then the 78 bus to Hohenschwangau (~€4.80). Neuschwanstein tickets must be booked online in advance (~€21 + €2.50 booking fee) — timed entries sell out weeks ahead in summer. Afterwards, bus back to Füssen, train to Oberammergau via Biessenhofen (~1h30) to see the Passion Play theatre exterior (free), then continue Innsbruck via Mittenwald (~2h). Long day: leave by 7am. Check into a hostel in Innsbruck's Old Town or near the station (~£26). Dinner: pick your own Dine-Around at the Markthalle (~£15).
🚌Regional trains + 73/78 buses ~£30-35 total
🛏Hostel dorm or pension, Innsbruck (~£26)
- →Neuschwanstein Castle tour (pre-booked, ~£20)
- →Oberammergau Passion Play theatre
- →Markthalle dinner
Innsbruck: Old Town, Golden Roof and Bergisel
Innsbruck, Austria
Walking Old Town loop: Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl museum ~€10, or free from outside), Hofburg Imperial Palace (~€10), the colourful houses in Mariahilfstrasse and the riverbank. Take tram 1 (or a 30-minute walk) to the Bergisel Ski Jump — the Zaha Hadid tower and viewing platform cost ~€13, and the ski jumper demonstration can be replaced by watching the site's video room and checking the summer training schedule. Afternoon option: the Nordkette cable car to Seegrube (~€44 return, pricey but spectacular) or a free walk along the Inn. There's no schilling for a cheap day like this.
🚌Tram day ticket ~€6
🛏Hostel dorm or pension, Innsbruck (~£26)
- →Golden Roof & Old Town
- →Hofburg Imperial Palace (~£9)
- →Bergisel Ski Jump & observation deck
- →Nordkette cable car (optional, ~£38)
Innsbruck to St. Moritz by rail
St. Moritz, Switzerland
Ride the scenic route south: Innsbruck to Landeck-Zams, then the ÖBB S-Bahn to St. Anton, then the famous narrow-gauge line via the Arlberg to St. Moritz (roughly 4-5h, ~CHF 60-80 / £55-72 point-to-point, or use an Interrail pass — note the Interrail pass is not valid on the Swiss section as a pass-only ride unless you have a Swiss Travel Pass, so check your ticket). Alternatively catch the bus from Innsbruck to Zernez then the train over the Bernina Pass. St. Moritz hostels are scarce and pricey — book a dorm bed well in advance (~£45) or stay in Samedan/Celerina (~£35) and take the local train in.
🚌Alpine rail Innsbruck–St. Moritz ~£60
🛏Hostel dorm in St. Moritz/Samedan (~£40)
- →Arlberg line rail journey
- →Bernina Pass train (optional extension)
- →Evening walk around Lake St. Moritz
St. Moritz to Lucerne via the Glacier Express route
Lucerne, Switzerland
You don't need the branded Glacier Express panorama coach (expensive supplement, ~CHF 39 extra on top of the ticket). Ride the same tracks on the regular regional trains: St. Moritz to Chur via the Albula Pass and Landwasser Viaduct, then Chur to Lucerne over the Oberalp Pass (change at Andermatt or Göschenen) — roughly 5h30 total. A Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card makes this much cheaper; point-to-point is around CHF 65-90 (~£60-80). Arrive Lucerne late afternoon and walk to the Lion Monument (free) and the medieval walls. Hostel bed near the station or the backpacker on the edge of town (~£35).
🚌Regional trains St. Moritz–Chur–Lucerne ~£70
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Lucerne (~£35)
- →Landwasser Viaduct (Albula line)
- →Oberalp Pass & Schöllenen Gorge views
- →Lion Monument
- →Musegg medieval walls
Lucerne: Chapel Bridge, Stanserhorn and dinner with a view
Lucerne, Switzerland
Morning: Chapel Bridge (free), Jesuit Church (free), a self-guided stroll through the Old Town. Then take the train to Stans (~20 min, ~CHF 8) and the Stanserhorn funicular + historic open-top CabriO cable car (~CHF 74 return; covered by the Tell Pass or half-price card). The original's juice tasting at the Capuchin monastery can be replaced by a drink at the summit restaurant. If a restaurant dinner on the mountain is out of budget, eat at the Rondorama snack bar (~£20) or head back to Lucerne for a cheaper lakeside meal. Last full evening — get to the lakeside quay for sunset.
🚌Train to Stans ~£7 + cable car ~£65
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Lucerne (~£35)
- →Chapel Bridge & Old Town
- →Jesuit Church
- →Stanserhorn CabriO cable car (~£65)
- →Lake Lucerne sunset
Lucerne to Zurich — fly home
Zurich, Switzerland
Breakfast and a last walk along the Reuss, then catch the direct IC train Lucerne to Zurich HB (~45 min, ~CHF 25 / £22, or free with a Swiss Travel Pass). From Zurich HB the S16/S2 gets you to the airport in 10-12 minutes (~CHF 7). If your flight is late, leave bags at the station lockers (~CHF 8) and do a two-hour self-guided Zurich Altstadt walk to round off the trip.
🚌IC train to Zurich ~£22 + airport train ~£6
🛏None — onward travel
- →Lucerne riverside walk
- →Optional Zurich Old Town stroll
Self-launched vs. Insight Vacations
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Insight Vacations | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,171 | £4,900 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £3,729 per person (76%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Insight Vacations-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,171
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.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Bavaria, Switzerland & Austria: Vienna to Zurich by Rail cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,171 per person for 12 days in Austria, Germany & 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 Insight Vacations?+
Yes — Insight Vacations charges around £4,900 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,171 — a saving of roughly £3,729 (76%) per person.
How long is the Austria, Germany & Switzerland trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 day-by-day stops through Austria, Germany & 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 culture, city-breaks, slow-travel trip through Austria, Germany & 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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