Rhône Express

Like the Golden Pass Line, the Rhône Express (which operates from June through September) is one of the most popular train routes in Switzerland since it links two very popular destinations, the elegantly beautiful city of Geneva and the famous mountain resort of Zermatt, home to the majestic Matterhorn. The fun begins from the moment you step aboard the nostalgic, beautifully refurbished paddle steamer that dates from the turn of the last century. The trip begins at 9 am. If you book the whole tour, you can savor a three-course lunch (included in the price) enjoying the scenery as the boat glides in and out of charming lakefront towns wrapped by vineyard-laced hills. The southern shore of Lake Geneva lies in France where the peaks of the Savoy Alps soar into the sky. On a clear day, the dazzling Mount Blanc rises above all of the other mountains, adding a touch of perfection. A little less than five hours later, the boat maneuvers along side the Montreux dock. The next leg of your journey is by train from Montreux. A few minutes after the train pulls out of the station and goes south along the edge of the lake, look out the window to your right so that you won’t miss the incredibly romantic Castle of Chillon, sitting on a little island just off the shore. At Martigny the train turns east and follows the Rhône Valley, one of Switzerland’s main wine producing regions, and continues on to Visp. Here you change to the local train that heads south, following a gorgeous, narrow, mountain valley. A little less than nine hours after your adventure began in Geneva, the train chugs into the station at Zermatt. The line can go no further since the valley is blocked by huge mountains, including the spectacular, justifiably famous, Matterhorn.