In a country obsessed with trains, I used an alternative transport

Travelling around Switzerland, it is technically possible, after a while, I suppose, to become blase at the scenery. Possible yes, but unlikely. The sight of snow-clawed mountains, gleaming glaciers, thrashing rivers, emerald-hued lakes, rippling green hills, valleys and meadows embellished with fairytale castles, spired churches, alpine chalets, belle epoque villas and grazing cattle, never fails to trigger my endorphins, making the heart swell and leaving the storage in my phone camera close to bursting.

On previous Swiss trips, I’ve frequently resembled a cartoon character – mouth agape, eyes apopping – while riding the country’s mind-blowingly scenic trains. Now I’m doing something I’d never expected to do in this railway-obsessed nation: an escorted coach tour. Our Globus “Best of Switzerland” adventure begins and ends in Zurich, with a clockwise circuit taking in a string of celebrated Swiss cities, resorts and rural regions, with bonus outings to two neighbouring countries, Liechtenstein and Italy.

Shepherding us about 1100 kilometres over the week is driver Massimo, a cool-as-a-cucumber, goatee-bearded Italian as adept at navigating fast-moving highways as serpentine 2000-metre-high alpine passes and canyon-spanning bridges with perilous, stomach-churning drops. Seated just behind him is Davor, our telegenic, multilingual tour director. In another life, you could imagine him presenting coverage for the Eurovision Song Contest, but here he is, ensuring the tour logistics run like (Swiss) clockwork and sharing stories about the country’s history, politics and personalities.

Despite Switzerland’s alpine topography, its compact size – similar to the Netherlands – means we’re rarely on board for more than an hour or two at a time. That’s long enough for passengers to have a little nap, recharge their devices via the coach’s USB sockets and send envy-inducing images back home through the Wi-Fi. “Oh, that’s gorgeous!”, “Such pretty views again!” are some of the replies I receive from my partner. The photographs stir fond memories for my dad of his work trips to Switzerland decades before. Mum is also smitten from afar. “I think I would love that tour,” she replies.

Chances are she would. My fellow 40 travellers – a mix of Australasians, North Americans, Europeans and Indians – seem to be relishing it. There are couples who’ve been married for over 50 years, parents with grown-up children in tow, solo travellers and old friends like Tina and Joy, whose daily delight at the passing scenery is infectious.

As a fan of train travel, I had my doubts about “doing” Switzerland by coach. But it’s equally spectacular. Sometimes we shadow railways – at one point, I spot the famous Glacier Express trundling along – but we frequently reach places trains can’t. There’s a particularly awe-inspiring alpine section, the Julier Pass, between St Moritz and Lugano where we descend a flurry of dramatic switchbacks that could never be replicated by a rail track. It’s also nice to get out and stretch our legs at scenic comfort stops, including the Simplon Pass (2006 metres), a wild, rugged traverse between Switzerland and Italy, which trains tunnel through.

There are other good things, like not having to drag your luggage to railway stations then trying to stack it on board (I’ve often found bag space quite limited on Swiss trains). This tour has porterage at every hotel and meals are another welcome inclusion. As much as you’ll like Switzerland – it’s clean, safe, orderly, beautiful – prices can induce tears (a $12 flat white isn’t uncommon). Mercifully, we have decent daily buffet breakfasts – with bottomless machine coffee – plus one uber-rustic lunch at a farm barn, and several evening dinners, usually comprising salad, hearty mains and dessert, plus a wine, beer or soft drink.

Making our tour extra-enjoyable is the weather. It’s early August and apart from the start, when it’s overcast and drizzly in Zurich, then vaguely wintry overnight in St Moritz, we have cloudless blue skies and 20-30 degree daytime temperatures, ideal for embracing the Swiss summer. Never mind this is a landlocked country, they do beach culture pretty well here. You can go sunbathing and swimming, and rent pedalos and paddleboards at cinematic, crystal-clear lakes, and stroll or cycle on lovely waterfront promenades.

We stay by Lake Geneva in Montreux, a chic resort in the French part of western Switzerland; Lake Lucerne in the German-speaking heartlands of central Switzerland, and Lake Lugano, one of the mountain-backed, palm-fringed bodies of water shared by Italy and Ticino, the southern, Italian-speaking Swiss canton, where Globus traces its roots. In 1928, company founder Antonio Mantegazza launched row boat rides on Lake Lugano before later branching out into coach trips.

On paper, our itinerary appears intensive. We move hotels most nights and things do feel a bit rushed on occasions. But mostly it’s well-paced and we have free time every day to relax and explore independently. That’s especially if you skip the additional (optional, for-a-fee) excursions, which tempt you on lake cruises, folkloric evenings and horse-drawn carriage rides.

One morning, while most of my group rises early in Zermatt for a cable car towards the mighty Matterhorn, I have a lie-in at Hotel Chesa Valese. Balancing mod-cons with alpine charm, it’s my favourite hotel on the tour and typical of the wood-clad, flower-adorned buildings gracing this ski resort, where regular traffic, including coaches, is banned (Massimo had dropped us in the village of Tasch for a 20-minute shuttle train to Zermatt).

Fuelled up on caffeine, juices, fruits, pastries and cereals, I speed-walk through Zermatt, its river gushing with snow melt while bells tingle from the native blacknose sheep nibbling on the grassy foothills beneath the 4478-metre-high Matterhorn. I struggle to avert my gaze from its crooked, snow-splashed peak as I meander through meadows buzzing with insects and pine forests with soothing scents and chirping birds.

Another favourite tour moment comes in Bern, Switzerland’s super-picturesque de facto capital, where we watch its brown bears prowling, growling and feasting on apples by the River Aare, which curls around the UNESCO-listed core. Bears have been the city’s emblem since its founding in the 12th century, and the current 5000-square-metre riverside bear pit houses father Finn, mother Bjork and teenage daughter Ursina. We’re lucky to see them so close, according to local guide Ursula, who leads us on a pleasant walk around Bern. The bears, she says, often shelter inside their enclosures or in the trees by the river.

Our good fortune endures for our final group activity: an ascent up Mount Pilatus, a legend-shrouded 2128-metre peak near Lucerne. The sun is roasting the sweaty hikers trudging up the mountain as we ride on the smooth Pilatusbahn, the world’s steepest cogwheel railway, running since 1889, piny aromas drifting in through its half-open carriage windows. When we reach the top, tandem paragliders are preparing to leap. Bouncing between Pilatus’ panoramic lookouts, gulping in the fresh mountain air, I watch the gliders swirl above a tapestry of lakes, forests, fields and peaks.

Beyond them, white powder blankets a trio of famous summits, the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau. Cowbells are ringing somewhere down the valley as birds of prey – eagles or vultures, perhaps – hover above. There’s no sign of Mount Pilatus’ ancient mythical dragon, but an alpine chough suddenly perches beside me, this member of the crow family having a vivid yellow beak and orange feet.

We’re about to take a cable car back down the mountain when a group of Swiss – five women, three men, wearing matching shirts and carrying large wooden alphorns – appear on the outside terrace. They begin blowing in unison, their anthems a rousing soundtrack as I savour the views one final time and replay other highlights of this special tour in my head.

The details

Tour
Globus’ nine-day Best of Switzerland tour runs between May and October 2026 and costs from $5549 a person (based on double occupancy). See globus.com.au

Fly
Swiss Air and Qantas flies from Sydney and Melbourne to Zurich via Singapore. See qantas.com

More
myswitzerland.com

Five other tour highlights

Zurich
A guided mosey through the Altstadt (Old Town) of Switzerland’s largest city, attractively set by the River Limmat and Lake Zurich.

Vaduz
The tiny capital of Liechtenstein, a micronation located where Switzerland meets Austria, is a quirky stop for lunch.

Italian lakes
As well as a photo stop by Lake Como, there’s extended free time in the Italian town of Stresa by Lake Maggiore, where you can take boats to islands with botanical gardens.

Rhone Valley
A gorgeous drive past the mountains, vineyards and chateaux overlooking the Rhone, a river that’s fed by a Swiss glacier and meets the Mediterranean Sea in southern France.

Lucerne
With two nights here, you can climb the city’s medieval stone walls, cross its iconic wooden bridges, and dine by, cruise on and paddle in Lake Lucerne.

The writer travelled as a guest of Globus.