Self-Launched: Iconic Trains of Switzerland & Italy's Lake District
10 days · Switzerland & Italy's Lake District
G Adventures charges £9,200
No-markup version: ~£1,365 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 10-day rail adventure through the Swiss Alps and the Italian Lakes, following the same route as G Adventures' National Geographic Signature departure — Lucerne, Zermatt, St. Moritz, Lake Como and Lake Maggiore — but built around regular trains, hostel and guesthouse stays, and self-bookable visits instead of private transfers and first-class carriages. You'll ride the Gornergrat cogwheel railway, the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express, hike below the Matterhorn, cross into Italy at Tirano, and explore the Borromean Islands by public ferry. Expect big alpine scenery, plenty of Swiss efficiency and Italian lake-town charm, at roughly a twelfth of the tour price.
Day-by-day
Arrive Zurich, train to Lucerne
Lucerne, Switzerland
Land at Zurich Airport and take the SBB train straight from the airport station to Lucerne (~1hr 10min, roughly CHF 32 / £28). Check into a hostel or budget hotel in the old town or near the station. Spend the late afternoon walking the medieval Altstadt, the Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke) and the waterfront promenade — all free. Grab a supermarket dinner (Coop or Migros) or a plate of fondue at a student-friendly cellar restaurant. Self-guided is easy here: the tourist office by the station has free city maps and an audio-walk app.
🚌SBB train Zurich Airport to Lucerne, ~£28
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Lucerne old town (~£35-45/night, dorm from ~£30)
- →Self-guided walk of Lucerne old town, Chapel Bridge and Lion Monument
- →Lakeside sunset promenade
Lucerne morning, train to car-free Zermatt
Zermatt, Switzerland
Do the free Lucerne walking loop in the morning: Musegg Wall ramparts, the old town squares and the lakefront. Midday, board the train south — Lucerne to Visp, then the narrow-gauge Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn up to Zermatt (~3hr 30min total, roughly CHF 75-95 / £68-85 with a Saver Day Pass if booked early). Zermatt is car-free, so you walk or take little electric taxis from the station. In the evening do a DIY tasting crawl: cheese fondue at one of the traditional taverns, a glass of Fendant in another, and raclette somewhere else — cheaper and more fun than a set tapas tour.
🚌Train Lucerne–Visp–Zermatt, ~£75
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Zermatt (~£40-55/night; book well ahead, Zermatt is pricey)
- →Lucerne Musegg Wall and old town walk
- →DIY fondue and raclette crawl in Zermatt
Gornergrat railway and Matterhorn views
Zermatt, Switzerland
Ride the Gornergrat cogwheel railway from Zermatt station up to 3,089m — the classic Matterhorn viewpoint. Buy the ticket at the station or online (return roughly CHF 66-88 / £60-80 depending on season; a Half-Fare Card pays for itself if you're doing several Swiss rail days). Ride to the top, then walk down a stage or two — the Rotenboden to Riffelberg descent is a gentle 1-1.5hr path with the Matterhorn in front of you the whole way. Back in the village, browse the mountaineering shops and the small Matterhorn Museum (Zermatlantis) on your own — around CHF 12 / £11, open daily, with the story of Edward Whymper's 1865 first ascent told in English throughout.
🚌Gornergrat cogwheel railway return, ~£70
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Zermatt
- →Gornergrat railway to 3,089m
- →Rotenboden to Riffelberg alpine walk
- →Matterhorn Museum (Zermatlantis), self-guided
Glacier Paradise cable car or a valley hike
Zermatt, Switzerland
Choose your own adventure today. The big-ticket option is the multi-stage cable car to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise at 3,883m — Europe's highest cable car station — with the glacier palace and panoramic platform (return roughly CHF 100-120 / £90-110; check the weather webcam first, it's not worth it in cloud). The budget option is a free hike: the Five Lakes Walk (5-Seenweg) from Blauherd is a beautiful 2.5-3hr route past reflective tarns (one cable car leg needed, ~CHF 30). Either way, stop in Furi for rösti at a mountain restaurant on the way down, then walk the last stretch back into Zermatt.
🚌Cable car/gondola, ~£90 (Glacier Paradise) or ~£28 (Blauherd)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Zermatt
- →Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car or Five Lakes Walk
- →Rösti lunch in Furi
- →Valley walk back to Zermatt
Glacier Express to St. Moritz
St. Moritz, Switzerland
The big one. Board the Glacier Express from Zermatt to St. Moritz — about 8 hours through 91 tunnels, 291 bridges and over the Oberalp Pass, with the panoramic windows doing the work. Book directly on the Glacier Express or SBB website as early as possible: a seat reservation is compulsory (around CHF 49 / £44) on top of the rail fare (roughly CHF 100-140 / £90-125, or free with a Swiss Travel Pass). You can save by taking the identical-route regional trains instead — same tracks, no reservation fee, change in Visp/Andermatt/Reichenau. Arrive in St. Moritz, check in, and take a free evening wander around the lake and the chic village centre.
🚌Glacier Express Zermatt–St. Moritz, ~£135 including reservation
🛏Budget hotel or hostel in St. Moritz (~£50-65/night; consider Celerina or Samedan nearby for less)
- →Glacier Express panoramic rail journey
- →Evening walk around Lake St. Moritz
Segantini Museum, Muottas Muragl and chocolate
St. Moritz, Switzerland
Start at the Segantini Museum, a short walk from the centre — the domed gallery built for the alpine painter Giovanni Segantini, entry around CHF 15 / £13, and the triptych 'Life–Nature–Death' is the highlight. Then take the funicular up Muottas Muragl (return ~CHF 39 / £35) for the panorama over the Upper Engadin lakes — there's a gentle 40-minute trail along the ridge if you want to stretch your legs. Back in town, skip the paid demonstration and do your own chocolate stop at one of the local confectioners or the Läderach/Hanselmann counters, then have dinner in the village.
🚌Funicular to Muottas Muragl, ~£35; local bus/walk
🛏Budget hotel or hostel in St. Moritz
- →Segantini Museum, self-guided
- →Muottas Muragl funicular and ridge walk
- →Chocolate and pastry tasting in St. Moritz
Bernina Express to Tirano, on to Lake Como
Bellagio / Lake Como, Italy
Take the early Bernina Express (or the regular RhB regional train on the same line, no reservation needed) from St. Moritz over the Bernina Pass to Tirano — a UNESCO-listed route through the Poschiavo valley and the famous Brusio spiral viaduct. From Tirano, catch the Trenord train down the Valtellina to Varenna on Lake Como (~1hr 20min, around €7-9 / £6-8). Drop your bags, then do the ferry hop: Varenna to Bellagio (public navigazione ferry, ~€5-7 / £4-6) for a wander through the lanes and a lakeside aperitivo. Villa del Balbianello at Lenno is visitable on a timed self-booked ticket (~€15 / £13, closed some weekdays — check ahead) plus a short boat transfer from Lenno.
🚌Bernina Express St. Moritz–Tirano ~£40; Trenord Tirano–Varenna ~£7; ferries ~£8
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Varenna, Menaggio or Bellagio (~£45-60/night)
- →Bernina Pass rail journey
- →Varenna and Bellagio ferry hop
- →Optional Villa del Balbianello timed visit
Lake Maggiore and Rocca di Angera
Stresa / Lake Maggiore, Italy
Travel by train from Varenna to Milan and on to Stresa on Lake Maggiore (~3hr, roughly €22-30 / £19-26). Check in and head for Angera by local bus or a short ferry across the lake. Rocca di Angera is a fortress on a rock above the water with the Doll and Toy Museum and the medieval garden — entry around €12 / £10, and the terrace views over the lake are superb. Book a pasta-making class in the area via Airbnb Experiences or a local cookery school (roughly £45-65) if you want the hands-on version — otherwise just eat very well in Stresa's trattorie.
🚌Train Varenna–Milan–Stresa ~£22; local bus/ferry to Angera ~£6
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Stresa (~£45-60/night)
- →Rocca di Angera castle, Doll and Toy Museum and medieval garden
- →Optional small-group pasta-making class
- →Stresa lakefront evening
Borromean Islands by public ferry
Stresa / Lake Maggiore, Italy
Spend the day island-hopping on the Navigazione Lago Maggiore public ferry. A day ticket covering the three Borromean Islands costs around €20-25 / £17-22. Start with Isola Madre for the botanical gardens and the palazzo (combined ticket with Isola Bella's Villa Borromeo is about €35 / £30 — buy on the island or online). Then Isola dei Pescatori for a long lunch of lake fish in a village with no cars. Finish on Isola Bella: the terraced gardens and the Borromeo palace interior, best in late afternoon light. A self-booked wine tasting or aperitivo on the terrace stands in for the farewell dinner — bring a bottle back to the hotel for a sunset toast.
🚌Navigazione Lago Maggiore island ferry day ticket, ~£20
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Stresa
- →Isola Madre gardens and palazzo
- →Lunch on Isola dei Pescatori
- →Isola Bella terraced gardens and Villa Borromeo
- →Sunset aperitivo on the lakefront
Depart from Milan Malpensa
Stresa to Milan, Italy
Take the train from Stresa to Milan Centrale (~1hr, €12-16 / £10-14), then the Malpensa Express from Cadorna or Centrale to the airport (~50min, €13 / £11). If you have a late flight, leave your bag at the station and see the Duomo and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Trip ends.
🚌Stresa–Milan Centrale ~£12; Malpensa Express ~£11
🛏None (departure day)
- →Optional Milan city stop
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,365 | £9,200 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £7,835 per person (85%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,365
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 Self-Launched: Iconic Trains of Switzerland & Italy's Lake District cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,365 per person for 10 days in Switzerland & Italy's Lake District. 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £9,200 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,365 — a saving of roughly £7,835 (85%) per person.
How long is the Switzerland & Italy's Lake District trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Switzerland & Italy's Lake District.
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 slow-travel, hiking, culture trip through Switzerland & Italy's Lake District, 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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