SWISS SENSATIONS

Route

Lucerne-Interlaken-MontreuxZermatt-St Moritz-Lugano-St Gallen

Duration Two weeks

Yes, yes, yes, the rumours are true: when it comes to train travel, nowhere does it better than Switzerland. There are so many lakes and mountains; such stonkingly scenic vistas; so many tunnels and viaducts; such marvels of precision engineering. Swiss trains are on time and supremely stylish (even the loos are nice). Of all the countries covered by the Interrail global pass, this is the one that makes most sense to go for as a single country pass.

Must-do journeys by rail include the Glacier Express (Zermatt to St Moritz), the Bernina Express (St Moritz/Chur/ Davos to Tirano) and the Gotthard Panorama Express (Locarno/Lugano to Lucerne). You can also mix it up a bit by heading east from Interlaken to Montreux on Lake Geneva or north from Lucerne to St Gallen – stopping off in Zurich, of course. Get out into the hills for hikes and Alpine flowers and sightings of the ibex. Cycle around the Bodensee. Dive into a lake. Admire the lion of Lucerne. Eat lots of cheese. Oh, and chocolate.

Go the extra mile The Interrail pass will also get you significant discounts on some of the more idiosyncratic rail experiences available in Switzerland – such as the steam-driven Brienz Rothorn Railway, the ride up the Jungfraujoch and the steepest cogwheel railway in the world to the peaks of Pilatus. And it is quite easy to travel to Switzerland by train via Paris and Strasbourg (though in that case it might be worth getting one of the global passes covering countries along the way)

The details A single country monthly pass allowing eight days travel in Switzerland costs £219. The Switzerland Travel Centre (020 7420 4900; switzerlandtravelcentre.com) offers Interrail passes and a range of greatest hits train packages that include accommodation

Swiss sensations – two weeks