great rail journeys holiday reviews

Great Rail Journeys

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

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Great Rail Journeys - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• (0.00 mi) Entire 2 Bed - Free Parking - No. 35 - The Cosy Collection Ltd
• (0.12 mi) Moxy York
• (0.10 mi) Elegant City Centre Apartment with Minster Views + Free Parking!
• (0.11 mi) Black Swan Inn
• (0.07 mi) ALTIDO Affordable York
• (0.08 mi) Arras Restaurant
• (0.11 mi) The Black Swan
• (0.22 mi) Wheldrakes
• (0.21 mi) Roberto Authentic Italian Gelato
• (0.21 mi) Little Italy

New England in the Fall

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• Falmouth and Cape Cod
• Martha's Vineyard
• Downeaster Railway journey
• Mount Washington Cog Railway
• North Conway Scenic Railroad
• Mount Washington Valley
• White Mountains
• Boston including a sightseeing tour
• Whale watching cruise by catamaran

What's this trip about?

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Travel themes.

• National Parks
• Nature & Wildlife
• Train & Rail Journeys

Destinations

• North America
• United States

Attractions

• Mountaineering
• Trains & Rail
• Whale watching

Trip includes

• Guided tour of Boston
• Tour of Martha's Vineyard including "up-island" and "down-island"
• Whale-watching by catamaran
• Excursion to Salem
• Journey through the White Mountains
• At leisure in Cape Cod
• Free morning in Boston

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Want a tailor-made trip instead, your trip, your way, planned by an expert:.

• You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
• Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics

Dates & Availability

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Great Rail Journeys .

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Great Rail Journeys Reviews & Ratings

Other great rail journeys reviews, avoid great rail journeys.

This was their July 22 Cruise “Delights if the Danube” Absolutely awful company, great at taking your bookings and money but it then ends there. We paid a premium r...

trip amazing

Just at the end of the India Golden triangle and Shimla trip... amazing. An assault on the senses and such a magnificent tour. Wonderfully organised, very knowledgea...

very professional

very professional and every need catered for

See all Other Great Rail Journeys reviews

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Tour operator, great rail journeys.

Why travel with great rail journeys?

Great Rail Journeys is the UK's leading operator of holidays by rail. There is no-one who understands rail holidays like we do - and no other company offers a better choice of escorted holidays by rail anywhere else in the world.

We pride ourselves on providing you with a truly first class holiday experience, in every aspect of our tours:

The Best Rail Travel

We have been organising outstanding tours for more than 30 years. In that time, we have built on our detailed understanding of both UK and international networks, and are true rail experts. We ensure that we travel on the most convenient trains and (where applicable) the most comfortable sleeper trains.

On most of our holidays, rail journeys are made in the highest class available on the train - and this is included in the price of the holiday, rather than being offered as an upgrade option with more to pay. On the Eurostar we generally travel in Standard Premier Class, the first class option for leisure travellers, with a light meal, alcoholic drinks and tea/coffee served on board. On most holidays we continue in First Class on inter-city routes across Europe all the way to your destination.

Our New Departure Office At St Pancras International

Traveling on one of our European tours? To make sure your holiday gets off to a relaxing and stress-free start, we now have our own special dedicated departure office at St Pancras International station. From the very beginning, your Tour Manager will be there waiting to greet you. Then it's just a short step to your train and the start of your wonderful holiday experience.

Brilliant Hotels

In our three decades of experience, we have carefully selected our hotels based on their individual style, warm welcome and excellent service - ensuring that they meet the high standards our customers have come to expect. We have worked closely with several of our hoteliers for a number of years, and many of the hotels we use have become firm favourites with Great Rail Journeys' customers in that time; we use them year after year because our customers tell us how much they enjoyed their stay.

We know how important it is to stay in a hotel within easy reach of the attractions, and so our hotels are generally ideally located for the station and the places of interest. Each hotel boasts comfortable beds, spacious bathrooms and plenty of storage, whilst minibars, hairdryers, in-room safes and telephones are a feature in almost every hotel on our programme. The star rating of each hotel varies between 3 and 5 stars; we look for our hotels to have the perfect mix of excellent facilities, a great location, and which offer fantastic value for money to our customers.

We include many meals on our tours. These are served in the hotel - or sometimes in a popular local restaurant. As we dine together, meal times are often the most sociable times of the day. Included meals are clearly shown on each tour page.

Fantastic Excursions

Also included in the price of your holiday is the exciting programme of excursions listed in the itinerary. Our excursions have been meticulously planned, and have been carefully refined and tweaked over the years, to give you a wonderful balance of cultural, historical and social experiences of the regions you visit.

On most of our excursions, in addition to your Tour Manager, you will be accompanied by a local guide - enabling you to get a true insight into the area. In some cases, we include excursions to off-the-beaten-track destinations that simply would not be stumbled upon without this local knowledge.

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Great Rail Journeys   Reviews

In the Tour Operator category

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Write a review

Reviews 4.7.

6,962 total

Most relevant

Straight forward and helpful

Very helpful lady on the telephone who told us all we needed to know. Looking forward to the holiday now.

Date of experience : 26 March 2024

Very helpful customer service team

Very helpful customer service team. Held a holiday for 48 hours whilst checking booking with other parties. Booking found instantly on call back to confirm.

Forthcoming holiday.

Everything that was in the brochure, regarding the trip, has been dealt with, on paying the deposit, for our future holiday.

Date of experience : 25 March 2024

Friendly and efficient service

Friendly and efficient service, questions answered and booking achieved in one call

Date of experience : 31 March 2024

Very happy how my booking was handled

Very happy how my booking was handled All relevant information given clearly and some extra info about the trip itself .

Date of experience : 27 March 2024

Simple on line booking system .

Simple on line booking system .I have travelled with them a number of times and they are very professional especially the tour guides

Easy to book

Easy to book online. My mistake was corrected promptly and efficiently.

Great, professional service

As usual, booking the next holiday with GRJ was easy and straightforward. I was quickly put through to a representative who was very polite, friendly, professional and knowledgeable; I received good advice to any queries and soon had everything sorted for travelling from home to back home again.

Date of experience : 21 March 2024

Spoke to a very helpful member of staff…

Spoke to a very helpful member of staff who answered a couple of queries and then made a quick booking. Entirely positive experience.

Successful tour reservation

I have just made a booking for this great tour and the customer service was very efficient and satisfactory. Even though there were some hiccups on the website to make payment, the sales agents were there to assist. Thanks.

Date of experience : 23 March 2024

Everything on the website was clear and…

Everything on the website was clear and explicit. The itinerary was very clear and I could understand everything that will be involved in travel and cost. There was even approximate times so other arrangements can be made nearer the time.

Date of experience : 19 March 2024

Quick and efficient, good communication

We required a couple of changes after our initial booking. These were dealt with very quickly and efficiently. The holiday was easy to book and communication has been clear and at just the right level.

Date of experience : 17 March 2024

Grand Tour of Vietnam and Cambodia

We have just returned from an 18 day Grand Tour of Vietnam and Cambodia with GRJ. Our tour guide Jane Cotz was outstanding in her friendly efficiency and generous offers of help if any were needed: she worked tirelessly but always with a genuine smile. Couldn't have asked for a nicer guide. The co-travellers were great company and looked out for each other on a trip which , by virtue of the long distances travelled by train or coach, could be tiring. The corollary of so much time spent in transit was that we saw a great deal of Vietnam , the Mekong Delta and parts of Cambodia. A trip to remember!

Date of experience : 20 February 2024

Following a very brief ‘press 1 for

Following a very brief ‘press 1 for, press 2 for’ preliminary response when I have phoned, on each occasion I have been put through to a very knowledgable member of staff. All my questions have been answered during the conversation or, if needed, the member of staff confirmed that they would need to speak to a colleague in the adjacent department and call me back. On each occasion this had happened in a very timely manner. It’s a pleasure to speak to such helpful employees in person.

The staff on the telephone are very…

The staff on the telephone are very helpful and efficient. I like the fact that from Manchester I was able to fly from our airport. The range of holiday destinations is amazing.

Date of experience : 16 March 2024

Lyn was extremely helpful with our booking. Made the experience very easy, and pleasant

Date of experience : 29 March 2024

Poor service

I did not like the website. In hindsight I should have telephoned to make my enquiry. When I was telephoned I found that most of the requests I had made were not being processed. I asked for an email to confirm everything and I am still waiting. This does not bode well for what will be a very expensive trip!

Date of experience : 24 March 2024

Experience of previous trips helped us decide on this one

We have travelled with Great Rail Journeys previously and have always had a good experience, therefore we had no hesitation in contacting your company again. Also on this occasion we had a very helpful young man Paul, who dealt with our queries very professionally and was able to hold the proposed trip for a couple of days. We were then able to speak with Paul again to book the trip and everything was explained very well indeed.

Date of experience : 14 March 2024

GRJ Holiday to Southern India and Kerala

As with all our GRJ holidays we prefer to speak to an operative to book our desired holiday. Before we speak to anyone we always research the holiday first checking on the holiday itinerary along with the hotels being used as well as their locations just in case this should raise any questions, which in this case there were none. We then spoke to GRJ's Thomas who went through everything with us and fully confident that this was the holiday we wanted we went ahead and booked it there and then.

Date of experience : 13 March 2024

I managed to book the holiday and chose…

I managed to book the holiday and chose an upgrade it was very easy we will also be booking the train journey to London and the hotel through the company nearer the time

Reply from Great Rail Journeys

Dear Mr John Murphy, Thank you for your review. That is great to hear that you found the online booking process easy and you were able to select your upgrade. It's wonderful that you've chosen to book your train journey to London and hotel through our company as well. We look forward to assisting you with those bookings nearer the time. Kindest regards, Sarah

Great Rail Journeys   Reviews

In the Tour Operator category

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Write a review

Reviews 4.7.

6,962 total

Most relevant

Great itinerary, fabulous hotels and good food.

Just returned from a 2 week holiday to india and shimla . WOW SO IMPRESSED. Great service, fabulous itinerary great value . Special thanx to our fantastic local guide cam and tour guide Ed Nicholson who made this holiday so so very special. Hotels, food organisation all first class definitely will be using grj holidays again and will return to india .Thank you grj for everything and superb service and value. THIS truly has been the holiday of a lifetime .

Date of experience : March 17, 2024

Your staff are always so friendly and…

Your staff are always so friendly and helpful whenever I ring to book a holiday (which is a lot!). They always make me feel special and everything is so straightforward. Customer service often fails at the first hurdle but with Great Rail is never does. A big thank you.

Date of experience : March 31, 2024

I.O.M. Experience.

When booking, I couldn't want to hear more than such good friendly staff at the other end of the phone, so professional and experienced my time on the phone to book must not have taken more than 6 or 7 minutes. Thank you.

Date of experience : March 28, 2024

Everything I needed to know was on…

Everything I needed to know was on line. I booked the holiday I wanted and then added further information as required. All went well. This review is about booking only not the holiday. I gave 5 stars as I couldn’t come up with anything they could have done at this stage to make the experience better. In the past I always gave 5 star reviews when the service or product was above and beyond, rather than just doing the expected job efficiently. This no longer seems to be an option.

Date of experience : March 26, 2024

Courteous and personalised service

Personal service to source single room at each hotel plus advice regarding travel arrangements etc. Friendly and informed. Courteous and concerned to ensure older member of our party would manage the pace and transfers.

Date of experience : March 29, 2024

Speedy efficient service

We telephoned yesterday, Bethany was most helpful, booked us on the Rhine Cruise as we requested, took payment which was followed up by email today. So if the holiday is as efficient we’ll be very happy.

The Golden Pass in Winter Train Tour

I phoned to book the Golden Pass Express in Winter yesterday and within minutes I was connected to an agent. I told the lady what I wanted and that I was a solo traveller. She was very helpful and within a very short time I was booked on the trip, she also offered me options to make the trip easier such as Train tickets from my home to London and return. They also have a baggage pickup service from my home delivered direct to my first hotel and then returned from the hotel back to my home. I took advantage of the offers for a very reasonable price. Altogether a very pleasant and easy experience. Highly recommended.

I only phoned up for more information…

I only phoned up for more information on a trip being offered. I spoke with Paul who was polite, efficient, and patient. He was able to provide answers to all questions posed of him. As a direct result of my dealings with Paul, coupled with recommendation from a friend, I booked there and then.

A very good Sales Representative

I was waiting to have my call answered for what seemed a very long time after initially being told I was only third in the queue. However after the call was answered by Lynne everything went extremely well. She was very friendly and had answers to all my questions and gave me some good advice on issues to consider. Making the booking was very straight forward. If it wasn't for the long wait I would have given 5 stars.

Excellent Service Every agent I spoke with was courteous

Every agent I spoke with was courteous, professional and efficient. Thomas was our go to through the whole process and we were completely satisfied.

Date of experience : March 27, 2024

Machu Pichu tour

Just booked a tour to Machu Pichu for June 2025. The price was good and competitive against other companies for this tour when you consider what is included in the price.

Date of experience : March 30, 2024

Lynn was very pleasant and helpful

Lynn was very pleasant and helpful. The only downside was your site would not accept a Canadian credit card one couple tried to use for the deposit after the call.

Puglia booking…

Your girl Helen was very efficient and the booking was painless. I have since added passport delivery etc and your website is better than most

Excellent service

So easy to book over the phone with the knowledgeable and helpful staff. Excellent service that we have come to expect from Great Rail Journeys.

At the moment we have only booked our…

At the moment we have only booked our holiday for September ! But so far so good! Very polite lady , very informative and helpful. Seemed very knowledgeable of how she can help and offered advice on travelling to the holiday destination

Date of experience : March 20, 2024

After bumpy booking!enquiring about a holiday for…

After enquiring about a holiday for 2025, I was promised I’d be contacted as soon as dates became available. That failed to happen. Luckily I had been browsing and discovered the dates were live. Booking was less than smooth and required a number of attempts to get it sorted. Definitely not impressed!

Date of experience : March 22, 2024

i found the online booking very elooks amazingasy…

i found the online booking very easy the reply by e mail & booking confirmation came through quickly. the manage my booking to fill in passenger details etc was simple. the holiday tour it self looks amazing and we can wait to experience it

Golden Triangle

Very easy booking experience and a great value trip really looking forward to it

Date of experience : April 01, 2024

At this stage we have only been through…

At this stage we have only been through the booking processes which was very efficient.The agent was very helpful and curteous.

Brilliant service a real life helpful…

Brilliant service a real life helpful person on the other end of the phone to answer all my queries n

Date of experience : March 25, 2024

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Great Rail Journeys

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With five decades of expertise and an encyclopaedic knowledge of rail networks, Great Rail Journeys offer over 170 holidays to destinations across the world. Whether a multi-city break, gastronomic getaway or celebratory trip, Great Rail Journeys show you the best a destination has to offer. The best of European river cruising combined with escorted rail expertise creates more fabulous journeys.

Destination specialists craft unique Great Rail Journeys and use their rail expertise to connect must-see sights in every destination with attentive Tour Managers taking care of all the logistics.

Tour group size is now only 25 across UK and Europe so you can stay in more characterful hotels, move around the sights easily and enjoy excursions not possible for larger groups.

Why Travel with Great Rail Journeys?

Exceptional service and attention to detail are what make a holiday special, and on top of that, Great Rail Journeys and Cruises promise a unique perspective of the places you visit.

Offering unique itineraries that immerse you in different cultures and journeys and transport you to places only rail and rivers can reach.

• Tour Managers accompany Great Rail Journeys from start to finish, providing an exceptional level of service and attention to detail from the moment you set off until it’s time to go home.
• A complimentary luggage service ensures there’s no heavy lifting to do along the way.
• There’s first-class service both on and off board your comfortable 5-star cruise ship, and everything’s included in the price.
• From all your travel, transfers and excursions to each course of every meal, everything is taken care of.

Ask an advisor

Speak to a silver travel advisor for advice on where to go, what to do and how to choose your perfect holiday., 0800 412 5678, alternatively you can contact our travel partner directly., 01904 521 936, destinations & tours, key destinations, europe, morocco, namibia, south africa, cambodia, china, india, japan, mongolia, nepal, sri lanka, tibet, vietnam and many more, worldwide adventures.

Whether it’s a train ride through the snow under the gaze of Norway’s magical Northern Lights, or an incredible journey through the soaring peaks of the Rocky Mountains, or a steam ride past the glens and lochs of Scotland, you’ll create memories to last a lifetime.

Barge Cruising

With just 22 passengers, our barges are specially designed for smaller groups and are a must for lovers of French food and wine as you discover off-the-beaten-track destinations.

River Cruising

Exclusively chartered ships offer the ultimate river cruising experience in relaxed luxury. With fewer than 200 passengers, enjoy spacious and elegant facilities, alongside some of the largest cabins on Europe’s waterways.

Yacht Cruising

Cruising the Dalmatian Coast on a private yacht charter with only 18 cabins, you’ll be part of a select group of guests sailing the calm waters of the Adriatic.

Price freeze

Book your European 2023 holiday at 2022 prices.

From sun-baked Italian vineyards to Switzerland’s soaring mountains and glittering lakes, enjoy the worry-free environment of a small group escorted rail tour. There are plenty of options to choose from to suit your preferences.

Book by 31 August 2022.

Call our Silver Travel Advisors on 0800 412 5678 for more information or to book.

We regularly receive special offers and discounts from our travel partners.

For the latest offers and a bespoke quotation speak to our Silver Travel Advisors on 0800 412 5678.

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©2023 Silver Travel Advisor, All Rights Reserved. ABTA: P8411. Silver Travel Advisor is a UK registered limited company. Book with Confidence. We are a Member of ABTA which means you have the benefit of ABTA’s assistance and Code of Conduct. We provide financial protection for your money when you buy a package holiday. If you buy other travel arrangements such as accommodation only this protection doesn’t apply.

Silver Travel Advisor sells travel services on behalf of Hays Travel Limited and benefits from Hays Travel’s membership of ABTA with membership number P8411. ABTA and ABTA Members help holidaymakers to get the most from their travel and assist them when things do not go according to plan. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct.

We can also offer you ABTA’s scheme for the resolution of disputes which is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. If we can’t resolve your complaint, go to www.abta.com to use ABTA’s simple procedure. Further information on the Code and ABTA’s assistance in resolving disputes can be found on www.abta.com .

Hays Travel Limited are registered in England and Wales with company number 01990682 and VAT number 193167195. Registered office: 25 Vine Place, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear SR1 3NA. Silver Travel Advisor is a trading name registered with company number 07408308 and VAT number 100952746. Registered office: Unit 13e, 92 Burton Road, Sheffield, S3 8BX. Email: [email protected] . Call 0800 412 5678. Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm & Saturday 10am – 4pm.

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Come feel the love on a Princess cruise . You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.

Great Rail Journeys

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

GREAT RAIL JOURNEYS (Edinburgh) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

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Great Rail Journeys   Reviews

In the Tour Operator category

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Company activity See all

Write a review

Reviews 4.7.

6,962 total

Most relevant

Straight forward and helpful

Very helpful lady on the telephone who told us all we needed to know. Looking forward to the holiday now.

Date of experience : 26 March 2024

Very helpful customer service team

Very helpful customer service team. Held a holiday for 48 hours whilst checking booking with other parties. Booking found instantly on call back to confirm.

Forthcoming holiday.

Everything that was in the brochure, regarding the trip, has been dealt with, on paying the deposit, for our future holiday.

Date of experience : 25 March 2024

Friendly and efficient service

Friendly and efficient service, questions answered and booking achieved in one call

Date of experience : 31 March 2024

Very happy how my booking was handled

Very happy how my booking was handled All relevant information given clearly and some extra info about the trip itself .

Date of experience : 27 March 2024

Simple on line booking system .

Simple on line booking system .I have travelled with them a number of times and they are very professional especially the tour guides

Easy to book

Easy to book online. My mistake was corrected promptly and efficiently.

Great, professional service

As usual, booking the next holiday with GRJ was easy and straightforward. I was quickly put through to a representative who was very polite, friendly, professional and knowledgeable; I received good advice to any queries and soon had everything sorted for travelling from home to back home again.

Date of experience : 21 March 2024

Spoke to a very helpful member of staff…

Spoke to a very helpful member of staff who answered a couple of queries and then made a quick booking. Entirely positive experience.

Successful tour reservation

I have just made a booking for this great tour and the customer service was very efficient and satisfactory. Even though there were some hiccups on the website to make payment, the sales agents were there to assist. Thanks.

Date of experience : 23 March 2024

Everything on the website was clear and…

Everything on the website was clear and explicit. The itinerary was very clear and I could understand everything that will be involved in travel and cost. There was even approximate times so other arrangements can be made nearer the time.

Date of experience : 19 March 2024

Quick and efficient, good communication

We required a couple of changes after our initial booking. These were dealt with very quickly and efficiently. The holiday was easy to book and communication has been clear and at just the right level.

Date of experience : 17 March 2024

Grand Tour of Vietnam and Cambodia

We have just returned from an 18 day Grand Tour of Vietnam and Cambodia with GRJ. Our tour guide Jane Cotz was outstanding in her friendly efficiency and generous offers of help if any were needed: she worked tirelessly but always with a genuine smile. Couldn't have asked for a nicer guide. The co-travellers were great company and looked out for each other on a trip which , by virtue of the long distances travelled by train or coach, could be tiring. The corollary of so much time spent in transit was that we saw a great deal of Vietnam , the Mekong Delta and parts of Cambodia. A trip to remember!

Date of experience : 20 February 2024

Following a very brief ‘press 1 for

Following a very brief ‘press 1 for, press 2 for’ preliminary response when I have phoned, on each occasion I have been put through to a very knowledgable member of staff. All my questions have been answered during the conversation or, if needed, the member of staff confirmed that they would need to speak to a colleague in the adjacent department and call me back. On each occasion this had happened in a very timely manner. It’s a pleasure to speak to such helpful employees in person.

The staff on the telephone are very…

The staff on the telephone are very helpful and efficient. I like the fact that from Manchester I was able to fly from our airport. The range of holiday destinations is amazing.

Date of experience : 16 March 2024

Lyn was extremely helpful with our booking. Made the experience very easy, and pleasant

Date of experience : 29 March 2024

Poor service

I did not like the website. In hindsight I should have telephoned to make my enquiry. When I was telephoned I found that most of the requests I had made were not being processed. I asked for an email to confirm everything and I am still waiting. This does not bode well for what will be a very expensive trip!

Date of experience : 24 March 2024

Experience of previous trips helped us decide on this one

We have travelled with Great Rail Journeys previously and have always had a good experience, therefore we had no hesitation in contacting your company again. Also on this occasion we had a very helpful young man Paul, who dealt with our queries very professionally and was able to hold the proposed trip for a couple of days. We were then able to speak with Paul again to book the trip and everything was explained very well indeed.

Date of experience : 14 March 2024

GRJ Holiday to Southern India and Kerala

As with all our GRJ holidays we prefer to speak to an operative to book our desired holiday. Before we speak to anyone we always research the holiday first checking on the holiday itinerary along with the hotels being used as well as their locations just in case this should raise any questions, which in this case there were none. We then spoke to GRJ's Thomas who went through everything with us and fully confident that this was the holiday we wanted we went ahead and booked it there and then.

Date of experience : 13 March 2024

I managed to book the holiday and chose…

I managed to book the holiday and chose an upgrade it was very easy we will also be booking the train journey to London and the hotel through the company nearer the time

Reply from Great Rail Journeys

Dear Mr John Murphy, Thank you for your review. That is great to hear that you found the online booking process easy and you were able to select your upgrade. It's wonderful that you've chosen to book your train journey to London and hotel through our company as well. We look forward to assisting you with those bookings nearer the time. Kindest regards, Sarah

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Seven of the best UK train holidays: Scenic journeys for exploring by rail

A trip taken on the railways allows you to see another side of the uk – including some of its most attractive views, article bookmarked.

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The Jacobite Steam Train on one of its runs through Scotland

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Whether it’s the slow chug-chug-chug of a steam train winding along the rails or being able to see familiar towns and cities of the UK from a fresh angle, there’s something special about travelling on the railway.

For those opting for a UK holiday this year, there’s plenty of ways to explore the country without needing to fly or strapping yourself in for a long road trip. Seaside resorts, cities – ones where you’ll find history and modern delights – and National Parks can all be discovered with a train holiday. From arriving at the railway station until you’re safely delivered home, the whole journey you’ll be looked after while getting to see the best each destination can offer.

From the UK capital to the Cornish coast and from a jaunt through Wales to a show-stopping tour of the entire country, here are some of the best train holiday packages you can book. The only difficult part is which one will you choo-choo-choose...

Grand Tour of the UK

Bristol is one of several cities on the UK Tour itinerary

Great Rail Journeys offer a holiday that covers several of the UK’s finest cities over 12 days, soaking up everything from historic castles and Roman baths, buzzing canal districts to world-famous museums.

After a day in York, you’ll move on to Edinburgh before a journey on the Jacobite Express (between Fort William and Mallaig) on day five. Your final night in Scotland is spent in Glasgow, before two nights in Liverpool after you return to England.

Day eight and nine are spent in Bristol and Bath , respectively, before a visit to Stonehenge on day 10. You’ll arrive in London at the end of the day, where you’ll witness the opening ceremony at the Tower of London the next morning. With seven days to explore the cities in between tranquil journeys through the spectacular countryside, this is a tour that showcases the UK at its fascinating best.

How to book

From £2,495pp, including 11 nights of accommodation, all train and coach travel, 11 breakfasts and five dinners. greatrail.com

Read more on UK travel :

• 10 best city breaks for a weekend trip in 2023
• The best family holiday destinations in the UK
• Best UK lodge and chalet holidays for 2023

Grand Tour of Scotland

Edinburgh is the final stop on the Grand Tour of Scotland

This 14-night, self-guided tour of Scotland may seem long, but its leisurely nature means you can fully relax as you enjoy rail and boat trips around the isles and Highlands. It begins in Glasgow , where you’ll travel on the famous West Highland Line to Oban (day one) and eventually to Spean Bridge (day three). After some gentle strolls around the Highlands, you’ll take the Jacobite Express before a short journey over to Skye.

By day eight you’ll arrive in Inverness, where you can travel to the famous loch , before venturing as far north as Orkney by day 11. The next day is a return to the Highlands for the last two nights of the trip, before a final journey Edinburgh to end your two-week Scottish odyssey. With days trips to the isles of Mull, Staffa and Iona, plus visits to small towns such as Portree and Plockton, you’re guaranteed to see towering hills, idyllic countryside, beautiful coast and historic cities.

From £2,750pp. This price includes 11 nights bed and breakfast, three nights of dinner, bed and breakfast, four day trips, a single journey on the Jacobite Express, all train and ferry travel, and most of the station transfers. mckinlaykidd.com

London to Cornwall

St Ives offers some of the best beaches in Cornwall

Byway offer the perfect Cornwall trip, whether you’re a Cornish veteran or you’ve never even visited the county. The journey kicks off in London, where one off the most exciting legs of the trip takes you to Bodmin on the Night Riviera train (with a journey time of eight hours), where you can enjoy the views from your cabin before relaxing into a night’s sleep.

The next day, you’ll travel to Padstow – for an 19th-century experience, you can choose to travel along the Bodmin and Wadebridge Railway via steam train for part of the journey. You’ll stay for two nights of exploring, drinking and Rick Stein-inspired eating before travelling to St Ives (via Bodmin), one of Cornwall’s best seaside towns. After a couple of nights spent wandering its winding streets and golden beaches, you travel to Falmouth (the county’s university town) for the last two nights of your trip.

Accommodation and travel (including the sleeper train) start at £939pp. byway.travel

Grand Tour of Ireland

Dublin is Ireland’s most popular city for tourists

McKinlay Kidd’s second flagship offering is a grand tour of Ireland. Covering both the Republic and Northern over 12 days, it starts in Dublin and ends in Belfast , with stops in popular cities such as Galway and Cork. The route covers a good portion of the Wild Atlantic Way, starting in Westport on day one and progressing to points along the County Mayo and County Galway sections of the route. On day four, you’ll take a crossing to Inis Mor (a rugged island covered with towering cliffs and white sand beaches), while the next day you’ll leave Galway for a short and scenic train ride to Ennis in County Clare.

Days seven to nine are spent in Kerry, Killarney and Kinsale, before you arrive at the route’s second standout destination on day 11. You’ll spend two nights in Belfast, exploring the Cathedral and Titanic Quarters, before bidding farewell to the Emerald Isle.

From £2,935pp, including all travel, 12 nights of accommodation, plus tours of Inis Mor tour, Kinsale and Belfast. mckinlaykidd.com

Lakeland Railways and Cumbria

The Lakeland tour features an afternoon cruise on Lake Windermere

Railtrail offer several shorter trips around regions of the UK, with their Lakeland and Cumbria tour offering spectacular scenery, serene settings and historic Lake District villages. Every day begins at your hotel near Grange-over-Sands, and after a relaxing evening, the next day you’ll journey along the Cumbrian coastline to Carnforth and then Morecambe.

You’ll visit Haverthwaite and Bowness-on-Windermere on day three, where you’ll get the opportunity to go on a lake cruise to the southern tip of Lake Windermere. On your final day there’s a rail trip to the coastal village of Ravenglass, where you can enjoy views on the Ravenglass and Eskdale railway .

From £599pp, including travel, accommodation, dinner, one afternoon tea, all activities and rail travel from your home station to Grange-over-Sands. railtrail.co.uk

Snowdon Mountain Railway and Portmeirion

Portmeirion is a little slice of Italy in northern Wales

This jaunt around Snowdonia and Portmeirion is a good choice for those looking to see some of Wales’ most charming seaside resorts and areas of natural beauty. Your base will be the northern coastal resort of Llandudno. Here, a 19th-century pier and long promenades stand over lovely beaches near the centre of town, while inland rolling hills and cliffs offer great opportunities for walking and hiking.

After a day of relaxation, you’ll venture into Snowdonia National Park, where you’ll take the Snowdon Mountain Railway across the region, passing by dramatic waterfalls and a landscape littered with hills before finishing close to the summit of the mountain.

Your next day can be spent in Llandudno, but there’s the option of a trip to Anglesey before the visiting Portmeirion on day four. This tourist village was built in an Italian style over 50 years, with a long stretch of beach – backed by hills and colourful buildings – providing one of the UK’s most surreal backdrops.

From £399 per person, including accommodation in Llandudno, all travel and activities, plus breakfast and dinner on every day of the trip. shearings.com

Yorkshire and Northumberland

York is the main city on the Yorkshire and Northumberland tour

This seven day tour starts in Harrogate, a picturesque town full of Georgian and Victorian architecture, before moving on to York and arriving in Whitby on day three. After a day spent enjoying this quintessentially English seaside town, you return to Harrogate on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

On day four, you leave Harrogate behind to travel on the 72-mile Settle-Carlisle Railway, first to Carlisle and then to Alnwick. While in Northumberland, you’ll spend time in Bamburgh and Lindisfarne before returning to York on day seven.

From £895pp. The package includes all rail and coach travel, accommodation for six nights and 12 meals (breakfast and dinner). greatrail.com

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Latest Reviews

“not so great railway journey on classic glacier express”.

written by Sperohol on 26/09/2023

Firstly the Sherpr service did not happen as GRJ stated that they did not have our information which was proven incorrect as the travel consultant we use eventually got am email from them stating it was an admin error on their part. The tour manager they provided had never done this trip before and could not provide any answers to questions asked. He was rude to many in our group of 25 and was a useful as a ashtray on a motorbike. Marched ahead of the tour group leaving many people behind when getting on the trains some in their 80's and one couple in their 90's they could quite easily be left at a station. Most worrying was that all our luggage had to be carried by the tour group until the arrival at Basel causing distress and nearly not getting off a train in time at on stop. One person on the tour fell ill and attended hospital and was told not to travel but they did and no intervention by the tour manager caused , several more people on the trip to become ill and had to miss some included trips. The hotels picked by GRJ were not up to standard The Ambassador in London, the Hotel Du Parc in Mulhouse, the Hotel Stern in Chur and the hotel Ambassador in Brig were historical but not what was expected. Rooms were small with no A/C just a fan which was inadequate causing lack of sleep to the stifling air. The bathroom in one was only 4' 6" square with no extractor fan. You can pay extra for larger rooms but for the price charged you shouldn't have to. The food in the hotels in our opinion is only average with only one meal that was outstanding on the first night in the hotel in Brig after that downhill. Breakfasts were always continental style. My advice would be either book the trip yourself or use a travel consultant so you get better quality hotels. Would I use this company again, like the rest of our group the answer would be NO. Switzerland is beautiful, clean and picturesque but the tour was ruined by GRJ. All our group should be compensated for this poor service. Date of experience: 13 September 2023

“Great Rails Journey should be embarrassed at their failure”

written by Omard109 on 22/05/2023

We went on the Grand Tour of Scandinavia from May 5-21 and I would no recommend the tour. As a tour company they should be aware that the rails and roads don’t open until June 1st. They added the May dates as a money grab without any research. We paid heavy for meals, hotels and what looked like a wonderful itinerary. Some places were amazing, but most of them were a joke. The itinerary we paid for didn’t happen. We missed meals and activities due to the lack of organization and pure idiocy. We were even parked outside of a museum and the guide didn’t know we were supposed to go in. We drove PAST the Arctic Circle when they were trying to wave us down because the guide wasn’t paying attention and the driver didn’t know it was a stop. We missed meals we paid for and had no choices for others. The last meal in the Ergon in Oslo was so bad only about a third of the group ate it. And the Ergon didn’t give a care in the world about us, even though we paid for this meal. They were horribly rude. This is also not the only provided meal that was so bad people just didn’t eat. There were several. Everything was closed everywhere we went. So our free days we could walk around in the rain as the entertainment despite promises of cable cars, activities and adventure. The guide kept telling us about all these amazing things we can do making us all so excited without research and it was also closed. They would ensure us we would be able to find open restaurants and even those were difficult to come across. The guide also relayed the wrong information several nearly daily and times for meeting were always changing, again because of lack of leadership and organization. Nearly every morning we had to wake up crazy early to get our stuff on the coach just to wait around for hours with everything closed before we left. Many people were calling this the “hurry up and wait” tour. Norway and Sweden are beautiful, and I would recommend visiting. The people who actually live here are lovely. And the very few guided activities that were included were only good because of the local guides. We found amazing restaurants in three places out of the 17 nights, but all on our own. But never visit with Great Rail. Ever. In my opinion, we should all get quite a bit of money back and a formal apology. They seriously messed up, and should be very embarrassed.

“Only for UK travelers - not that you can tell”

written by 226Stephens on 21/11/2022

Unfortunately, this service is only for UK travelers. Americans seeking a rail tour of the UK need to use another service, which is also priced significantly higher. Why Great Rails hasn't made this clear on their web site doesn't bode well for any other surprises they may be hiding on the tour itself.

Georgeinmassachusetts's Comment

Written on: 05/06/2023

As an American that booked directly with GRJ in York, I can tell you this is not true. It is true that the US site is more expensive. But if you are OK to pay in British Pounds, anyone can book.

“New England in the Fall”

written by on 05/10/2022

Itinerary seemed perfect but the daily schedule was exhausting as many participants commented. 8 am starts and 6 pm finishes meant rising at 6.30 and at the end of the day one was left to find and book a restaurant for dinner when one felt like flopping. Bringing forward pm flight on Virgin to a morning flight on AA started the rot. Especially chosen pm flight disappeared and had to leave home at 4.30, not exactly the start we wanted. Choice of hotels was fine apart from lack of a restaurant for dinner which meant the onus of finding supper was an unwelcome chore. Similarly penny pinching not to include only three breakfasts. The Tour Manager was poor. Kept adjusting the schedule for no obvious reason. Didn’t respond to numerous queries from English element on App we were told to use to communicate with her. Changed timings at the drop of a hat with no explanation. Many highly critical that she didn’t understand English people needs eg making telephone calls for taxis, recommending restaurants and advising on associated booking and costs. Scenery beautiful but avoid doing it with GRJ

“Great Rail are abysmal and should be avoided.”

written by Ximenaa204 on 15/09/2022

Absolutely awful company, great at taking your bookings and money but it then ends there. We paid a premium rate for what they listed as “Delights of The Danube” river cruise. They changed our ship, so we did not get what we paid for, and no pool as we originally specified. The drinks in the drinks package had very little choice. One draft beer is all that is available, and that is pretty poor as it is, you can’t even buy bottled beers or any other draught beer as that one is your only choice. Wines at meal times are either red, white or Rose, no choice, just those three.The ship they put us on “boasted” a new wine bar, it didn’t serve any wines or beers at all the entire week, it wasn’t even stocked or manned, but it did have a kettle and tea or coffee !!!. The trips ashore are advertised to deceive you, this is appalling. Some of the trips are over two and a half hours each way on a coach, and the shorter ones are rushed, don’t be fooled by their misleading advertising. The train journeys are an absolute nightmare, even though we booked first class there and back. You have to rush between connecting trains while dragging your luggage with you, and the connecting times are tight, we felt so sorry for those less able who were severely stressed. On part of the journey we were told that 1st class was not available, we were put in filthy overcrowded carriages, with our luggage carriages away, and professional thieves operate on these trains. Some of our fellow passengers, on our cruise, were robbed on the way to the cruise and the way home. Great Rail offered us the paltry sum of £30 compensation for this. Once we got on the cruise we were excited, but that quickly changed, we spent the first two days moored up overlooking an industrial estate, yes an industrial estate, that’s what Great Rail advertise as a “Delight of the Danube”. When we complained and asked why are we on an industrial estate,we were told “because it’s cheaper than mooring up in a city or town”. We complained to the reps on the cruise, as did numerous others, only to be told that they don’t actually work for Great Rail, they are sub contracted free lancers, and that we would have to take it up with Great Rail upon our return. After numerous phone calls and e-mails we have been offered a derisory amount on one of their vouchers, which only benefits Great Rail, why would we want to go back with such an incompetent company? The communication with Great Rail is appalling once they have your money, be warned. Overall I have to say that Great Rail are appalling, amateurs playing in a market they simply don’t understand, their advertising is very misleading, that’s putting it politely!! The tone of their responses are arrogant, they simply ignore many of the points raised, and they honestly don’t seem to care, they are all image and no substance.

“Extremely well organised”

written by Silva262 on 10/03/2017

This was our first holiday with Great Rail Journeys having travelled with a number of other escorted tour companies previously. The tour was extremely well organised and the Tour Manager was brilliant, keeping us up to date on all aspects of the trip. All details were very well considered, the hotels were all of an excellent standard, which were very welcome at the end of long, hot and dusty days travelling. The excursions were varied and very well planned. There were also a number of nice off-itinerary surprises included in the trip. I would have no hesitation in recommending GRJ to anyone, and will definitely book with them again.

“Not so Great Rail Journeys!”

written by on 27/01/2017

Great Rail Journeys are a very prominent advertiser in the Times and Daily Telegraph with huge advertisements in both, offering premium priced holidays featuring rail travel. They are winners of both the Times and Daily Telegraph best rail operator awards. My experiences with them were somewhat at variance to hype of the advertisements, the holiday was an outstanding example of incompetence, facilities chosen for economy and low cost.I would hazzard a guess that more and more big advertisements, rather than providing premium holidays for customers is Great Rail Journeys trading spend priority. The dreadful holiday was only surpassed by the "Customer Service" received when I had the audacity to complain, taking apathy to new heights, with specific issues ignored, advice to write to ABTA, and to top it all three letters to the Chief Executive Officer being neither acknowledged or replied to, despite his emphasis on Customer Service in the sales literature. Having previously used several tour operators without any problem, it amazes me that any company can survive by behaving in such a bogus manner.

“Highlands disaster tour”

written by on 02/11/2016

We joined the Highlands & Islands tour which had a very well thought out programme but disaster struck when the ship became damaged and we were unable to visit most of the tour highlights. This was not GRJ fault but on coming home we asked for a partial refund and found the customer service lamentable. It was clear they did not care the holiday had been ruined and my advice is not to book with them.They merely reply with platitudes and ignore completely the points made by people who paid a lot of money to see little

“Not so Great Rail”

written by on 08/08/2012

I have just returned from the Great Rail Arctic Circle Express holiday. The holiday does not reflect the glowing description in the brochure and we were accompanied by the most ineffectual tour-manager. 10 days before departure we were sent ‘final details’ of flights and times; two days later we were informed that we would be departing Gatwick and returning to Heathrow. We were advised to catch a coach from Heathrow to Gatwick on our return. After some discussion this was amended to ‘claim for a taxi from the rank. After much pressing Great Railey agreed to pre-book and pay in advance for for a private hire car. A highlight of the holiday was the excellent tour of Stockholm and the insights provided by the local guide. Dinner in the Radisson was timed for 7:30 and it took until after 10pm to serve the meal. Despite our unrest, no intervention was forthcoming from the tour manager. While the Gamla Teatern may be an interesting hotel the meal took from 7:30 until 10:15 served by the receptionist. Despite requests the tour manager sat unmoved throughout. The Inlandsbanan proved torturous and monotonous for most travellers. While lunch is ordered in advance to be paid for at the stop, some passengers spent the whole 45 minutes in the queue to collect their meal. The day was saved by the excellent Sami reception and meal. The Ofoten railway is a highlight but the Quality hotel in Narvik was the first of three hotels undergoing renovation during our stay. On returning to our room late on the second evening we were contacted by reception to say that we had to change rooms as the safety equipment in our section had been knocked out during the day. As there was only one person on reception and no porters we had to collect the key and move everything to a new room. The day travelling to Trondheim is torturous from 06:45 until 22:30. To describe dinner as included is insulting. A plastic case of salad topped with three slices of roast beef, that has been carried on the train all day, hardly constitutes a meal. The Rauma railway and coach to Geiranger are stunning. In the Union hotel, a scrum rather than a meal is a more apt description of the buffet service. The Freitham hotel at Flam is good and served an excellent meal. The Radisson in Bergen is undergoing improvements with the restaurant closed. Breakfast buffet was not the usual Radisson affair, being temporarily housed in a conference room. In Oslo, yet another hotel with extensive building work. The breakfast facility was unsatisfactory and potentially dangerous. Everything including hot drinks had to be carried from the foyer, down a ramp , and into the room, meaning 2 or 3 trips for everyone. There is a feeling that the holiday has been planned from a set of timetables rather than a well constructed tour with regard to time and distance. And as for the tour manager: - to everyone’s amazement he led the group into the conference centre rather than the hotel at Stockholm; - ignored the main entrance to the Union hotel at Geiranger and led everyone towards the rear staff entrance before retracing his steps; - made no attempt to ensure hotels delivered on service of meals and provided porterage; - directed everyone in the wrong direction during rail stop on the Inlandsbanan thus wasting their time; - and to cap it, at airport was not prepared for check in, then gave everyone the booking reference for the wrong flight.

“An unforgettable USA holiday experience”

written by waterhouse1942 on 21/05/2012

I travelled with Great Rail Journeys earlier this year on the USA Coast to Coast tour. Our holiday began in London where we chose to stay for the night before joining our Tour Manager and the rest of our group at London Heathrow the next day. Following a comfortable flight to New York we checked into our hotel to start the adventure of a lifetime. Our tour included spectacular rail journeys and visits to destinations such as Washington, Chicago, Denver, Durango, Flagstaff, Grand Canyon, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The organisation throughout was faultless and we cannot praise Peter, our Tour Manager, enough for his help and advice during our tour. We also really enjoyed the group experience and met many new friends, and future travelling companions, during the holiday. Although the tour cost around £3,000 per person we felt it was great value, particularly as the tour is three weeks long. Pretty much everything was included in the price such as the flights, accommodation, excursions, all rail travel and even porterage for certain sections of the tour.

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Great Rail Journeys   Reviews

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Reviews 4.7.

6,962 total

Most relevant

Telephone calls answered promptly

Telephone calls answered promptly, friendly, helpful customer advisers

Date of experience : 26 March 2024

Reply from Great Rail Journeys

Dear Miss Jillian Harding, Thank you for your lovely feedback. That is great to hear! Kindest regards, Sarah

New booking to Austria.

New booking to Austria. As usual all straight forward,very helpful Lindsey in sales and always no hanging on the phone.Big plus: Real live voices.

Date of experience : 12 March 2024

Nothing is too much trouble

Excellent phone manner, immediately identifying any concerns you may have. Makes you feel very at ease dealing with the company

Date of experience : 13 March 2024

Alternative Norway holiday opportunity

Great opportunity to book a holiday in Norway using plane, train and boat to see the wonders of Norway. A great alternative to a cruise. Really looking forward to this in October 24.

Date of experience : 04 March 2024

I have just booked for a tour of Japan…

I have just booked for a tour of Japan for 2025. I found Helen very helpful and enthusiastic and all the information came through on e.mail.

Date of experience : 10 March 2024

Libby,Amy and Luke have been very helpful and answer all my question.

Date of experience : 22 March 2024

Staff most helpful and informative

Following initial call, having made an enquiry, on second call found Lynn most helpful and resolved all my queries and we were able to book our desired Gret Rail journeys holiday.

Date of experience : 07 March 2024

It is always a pleasure to get in touch…

It is always a pleasure to get in touch with GRJ. The staff (in this case Lindsey) are polite and professional. I rang up to book a holiday and it was sorted in no time.

Date of experience : 08 March 2024

Whole process was very efficient

Operator seemed very knowledgeable anout the holidays we were interested in. All our questions were answered.

Date of experience : 19 March 2024

The assistant was very knowledgeable…

The assistant was very knowledgeable and able to answer our questions easily and clearly. The emailed confirmation came very quickly

Easy to use on-line booking system.

On-line booking via the website was very easy. All of the information I required was readily available and the system worked well.

Date of experience : 09 March 2024

Great customer service from Paul

All my questions were answered and the booking completed efficiently.

A very disappointing holiday

Just returned from Great Rail Journey which we found very disappointing. The many train changes were quite exhausting. The overnight stay in the Hilton Garden Inn in Mannheim was very good. A nice hotel with great amenities. For the remainder of the holiday we stayed at the Metropole Hotel, Interlaken. On arrival we found the hotel covered with scaffolding and renovations were taking place. This greatly impacted on our stay as in the afternoons when we returned early to the hotel we were bombarded with constant noises of drilling and banging etc. and found it impossible to rest before the evening meal. We were not informed of this disruption. Moreover the upper rooms had already been renovated but none of our 23 strong party were allocated the renovated rooms, we, instead, had the shabby old rooms. Our carpet in our room was threadbare and the lighting atrocious. My wife has poor vision and she could barely see anything in part of our room as the only overhead light was by the room door. The only other lighting were two bedside lamps and one other. Meals were barely adequate. There were rather strange food combinations eg roast pork and pasta! There were only set meals available with just three choices of main course. There was no hospitality tray. We were informed of free tea and coffee on another floor but this was not adequate as there were only small paper cups and it was difficult to transport hot beverages to the room, totally ridiculous. On departure we discovered that kettles could be hired but we were not informed about this on arrival. Lastly, the hotel was situated nearly a mile from the station of Ost Interlaken. All our visits necessitated walking to the station, nearly a 20 minute walk. Some of our party had mobility issues which made this walk extremely difficult. Though some were offered a mini bus lift, this was only on a couple of occasions. Overall the hotel did not reach the standard of a 4 star establishment. It was extremely overrated and of a very poor standard. I would not want to repeat my experience. The only positives about this holiday was the spectacular scenery.

Date of experience : 02 March 2024

Dear Mr Crockatt, Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. I am very sorry to hear that your tour didn't meet expectations. I can see that our Customer Relations team is in contact with you to get this resolved. If you would like to submit any further feedback, please don't hesitate to get in touch at [email protected]. Kind regards, Sophie.

Telephone call answered promptly and…

Telephone call answered promptly and our booking made with ease.

I found it very easy and direct booking…

I found it very easy and direct booking my holiday

Easy booking

Helen was very polite and answered all my questions I found booking by phone quick and easy.

Date of experience : 21 March 2024

Helpful and friendly

Helpful and friendly agent

Date of experience : 28 March 2024

Customer service were very helpful even…

Customer service were very helpful even arranged our train journey from our area to Edinburgh , the start of the holiday.

The whole process was easy…

The information we needed was easy accessible and the booking process was straightforward. We received confirmation and the link to manage our booking.

Date of experience : 16 March 2024

Friendly booking staff

Date of experience : 29 March 2024

Switzerland

A spectacle of natural beauty.

Switzerland is a country that has it all: breathtaking scenery, picture-perfect towns and, of course, iconic trains. It’s one of our favourite countries – an opinion shared by our customers. The railways are the heroes in Switzerland, as you witness the country’s incredible beauty from the comfort of your seat.

From sensational views of the iconic Matterhorn from the Glacier Express and a visit to ‘Top of Europe’ on the Jungfrau Express to the mind-blowing vistas from the Bernina Express, travelling by rail through Switzerland takes you to stunning new heights.

"Jaw-dropping landscapes, glistening lakes and chic resorts accessed by iconic railways."

The iconic rail journeys of Switzerland

Glacier express, zermatt and matterhorn.

Mountaintops of Switzerland

The GoldenPass Express

Top of Europe and Highlights of the Rhine

Magical moments on truly memorable tours

While the Swiss scenery is undeniably stunning, we want our customers to return home having experienced even more. Our tours to Switzerland include a wonderful array of unforgettable experiences – some of which are exclusive to Great Rail Journeys. From a private tour of the ethereal Jungfrau Ice Palace to savouring a glass of chilled prosecco in full view of the incredible Palü Glacier, the magical highlights of our exquisite escorted tours will live long in your memory.

The most impressive adventures

Extraordinary rail journeys give you a front-row seat to epic views of majestic mountains and shimmering lakes as they carry you to the heart of Switzerland’s spellbinding beauty.

A Guide to the Legendary Glacier Express

Switzerland’s Glacier Express is a bucket-list experience for travellers and train enthusiasts from all over the world. If you’re planning to include the journey in your Swiss trip, expect to be spellbound by amazing and diverse scenery, including snow-dusted mountains, glacial lakes, picturesque alpine meadows, rushing gorges and more.

Exploring the Bernina Express Heritage

The Bernina Express holds a special place in the hearts of both locals and tourists and is dubbed “the rail experts’ best-kept secret”. This remarkable journey on the UNESCO-listed Albula Line not only offers breathtaking views of the Swiss Alps, but also takes you on a historical and cultural voyage on a winding route crossing from Switzerland to Italy.

On track for a new iconic Swiss rail journey

It’s safe to say that Switzerland isn’t short of iconic rail journeys – however, there’s a new kid on the block in the form of the GoldenPass Express. A hundred years in the planning, this amazing new route travels through the gorgeous Swiss Highlands from the glamorous lakeside resort of Montreux to the alpine town of Interlaken.

We travelled on the Interlaken & Jungfrau Express Tour. The tour was well managed with our excellent guide Ros. Nothing was too much trouble.

First time we've gone with grj (traditional glacier express). the experience was totally positive - great locations and hotels and our tour guide was brilliant., the glacier express holiday itself was nothing short of outstanding. the planned itinerary was tremendous. i recommend this grj holiday to anyone., well organised and clearly the company had put a lot of detailed planning into the tour. certainly would recommend the glacier express tour., the pinnacle of perfection.

Flexibility with hassle-free travel

Hotels that have been carefully selected, effortless travel: let us take care of everything, get to know switzerland with the experts.