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September 2026 – Register for 2026 and we will contact you when confirmed details, including dates and prices, are available.

Embark on a journey through the heart of alpine innovation, where gravity-defying railways, soaring cable cars and masterful hydraulic systems reveal the brilliance of human engineering. Witness some of the most ambitious infrastructure ever built – from funiculars that climb impossibly steep slopes amd the highest railway station in Europe to open-top cable cars and hydroelectric power generation. Along the way, you will uncover the science, precision and ingenuity that make these engineering marvels not only possible, but breathtaking.

Your journey begins in Lucerne, a city of lakeside charm and alpine beauty. Over the coming days, you will experience Switzerland’s most iconic transport systems – from the open-top CabriO cable car to the Stoos Funicular, the steepest in the world. You will journey from Lucerne to Interlaken by panoramic train, cruise alpine lakes and dine in scenic mountain restaurants. While in Interlaken, take a steam train to the summit of Brienzer Rothorn and visit Jungfraujoch, home to Europe’s highest railway station and cutting-edge climate research. The tour concludes with a visit to the Innertkirchen 1 Power Station, showcasing Switzerland’s hydroelectric innovation, before returning to Lucerne.

You will be accompanied throughout by an engineering expert who, through evening talks and walking seminars, will reveal and explain the ingenuity of Switzerland's engineering feats in such a mountainous region.

Whether you're an engineering enthusiast or a curious explorer, this tour promises a different way to explore Switzerland's world-famous landscapes.

In partnership with Kirker Holidays.

DAY 1: ARRIVE IN LUCERNE

On arrival, check in to your hotel in the centre of Lucerne. The remainder of the day will be free for you to explore this beautiful city. Set against the backdrop of Lake Lucerne, Mount Pilatus and other towering mountains, Lucerne blends history, culture and picturesque scenery. From the old town with its winding streets to the 14th-century Chapel Bridge, it’s a beautiful place to explore at your leisure.

In the evening, meet with your tour leader and the group for a welcome meeting, followed by the first talk from the accompanying expert, then dinner at a local restaurant.

DAY 2: STANSERHORN CABLEWAY AND SWISS MUSEUM OF TRANSPORTATION

This morning, you will head to the top of the Stanserhorn mountian via the Stanserhorn Cableway. Travelling 20 minutes from Lucerne to Stans, your journey begins at the valley station with a nostalgic ride on the original 1893 funicular railway, preserved and integrated as a tribute to the roots of Swiss mountain transport.

At Kälti station, you will get off the funicular and board the CabriO cable car, taking you to the top of the Stanserhorn. This is the world’s first open-top double-decker aerial cableway and takes you 1898 metres above sea level. Standing on the roof of the cable car with no wires overhead is a truly unique experience and is testament to precise cable tension and aerodynamic design working in harmony.

At the summit, enjoy lunch at the revolving Rondorama restaurant for sweeping views over the city, Lake Lucerne and the surrounding mountains.

After lunch, head back to Lucerne via the CabriO Cableway, where you will visit the Swiss Museum of Transportation (or Verkhershaus). The museum is a multifaceted place, covering all areas from aviation, maritime travel, rail transport, roadways, cableways and space travel, as well as energy and communications. You will have a private guide from the museum to show you two of these areas in detail, with free time to explore the rest of the vast range of exhibits.

Dinner will be at your leisure this evening.

DAY 3: STOOS FUNICULAR AND INTERLAKEN EXPRESS

After breakfast, board a coach to Schwyz, a journey time of about 45 minutes. From here, you will board the Stoos Funicular, the steepest funicular railway in the world, blending engineering marvels with breathtaking alpine scenery. At points, it climbs at an astonishing gradient of 110 per cent (47 degrees), meaning for every 100 metres you travel horizontally, you rise by 110 metres. The cylindrical cabins of the funicular are ingeniously designed to adapt to the gradient, ensuring you stay upright throughout! As it travels over bridges and through tunnels, you will reach the car-free village of Stoos at 1300 metres above sea level.

Once at the summit, you will have some free time to explore the charming village before heading back down the mountain and on to Lucerne. 

Having checked out of your hotel, you will then board the Lucerne to Interlaken Express, a panoramic train journey that takes approximately 2 hours. Throughout the journey, you will pass mountain lakes, waterfalls, rivers and beautiful mountainous scenery, all visible through the huge panoramic windows of the train. Shortly before reaching Meiringen, the train switches to cog drivetrain technology to allow it to tackle the steep ascent up to the Brünig Pass.

On arrival in Interlaken, check in to your hotel. In the early evening, there will be a second talk from your accompanying expert. The rest of the evening is at your leisure. 

DAY 4: BRIENZ-ROTHORN RACK-AND-PINION AND CRUISE ON LAKE THUN

From Interlaken, you will make the 20-minute journey to Brienz, which lies on the shores of Lake Brienz. Here, you will board a rack-and-pinion steam train, which takes you up the mountainside to the Breinzer Rothhorn on a 7.6-kilometre journey. The steam locomotive and unmissable red carriages climb the mountain through forests, over bridges and down dark tunnels before arriving at the summit at 2350 metres above sea level. On a clear day, you can see almost 700 mountain peaks, including Pilatus, which overlooks Lucerne.

Enjoy lunch as a group at Berghaus restaurant at the summit. Take in the alpine views as you enjoy delightful Swiss cuisine.

In the afternoon, you will head back to Interlaken for an afternoon cruise on Lake Thun, showcasing the castles dotted along the shore, such as Schadau and Oberhofen, as well as the Bernese Alps.

The evening is at your leisure.

DAY 5: JUNGFRAUJOCH, SWISS PLATEAU AND ALETSCH GLACIER

Today is dedicated to Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe, sitting 3454 metres above sea level. Being at such high altitude, temperatures are almost always below freezing and the sun is particularly fierce. Make sure to dress appropriately (with layers, a jacket, closed shoes, a hat, sunscreen and sunglasses).

From Interlaken, you will travel for 30 minutes to Grindelwald and board the Eiger Express tri-cable gondola all the way to Jungfraujoch. At the top, on one side of you lies the Swiss Plateau, which stretches all the way to France; on the other side is the Aletsch glacier, the largest glacier in the Alps. Take a moment to soak it in and bask in the beauty of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

While here, you will visit the Sphinx observation deck, next to the Sphinx observatory, which is involved in a number of long-term experiments involving lidar and solar spectrometry. Jungfraujoch is also home to the High Altitude Research Station, whose first permanent meteorological site was set up here in 1926. Since then, numerous disciplines of science have taken advantage of the excellent infrastructure at such high altitude to conduct experiments around glaciology, climate change, monitoring the atmosphere, cloud formation and human and animal health at altitude.

There are multiple restaurants and cafes here at which you can have lunch at your leisure, before descending back down the mountain.

In the evening, you will receive the final talk from your accompanying expert. 

DAY 6: INNERTKIRCHEN 1 POWER STATION AND INTERLAKEN EXPRESS TO LUCERNE

This morning, journey to the Innertkirchen 1 Power Station to learn all about hydroelectric power. Switzerland’s topography makes it ideal for the production of hydroelectric power. With mountainous landscapes and high rainfall, hydroelectric power accounts for almost 60 per cent of Switzerland’s energy production. On a private guided tour of the facility, you will head underground to see the power station in action.

Afterwards, you will head back to Interlaken for lunch at your leisure, before boarding the Interlaken Express back to Lucerne, taking in the incredible views from a different perspective.

On arrival in Lucerne, check in to your hotel before heading out for a farewell dinner together as a group. 

DAY 7: DEPART LUCERNE

After breakfast, there will be a group transfer to Zurich Airport for your onwards flight.