12 days · 4 countries
Zurich to Amsterdam: Switzerland Touring & Rhine River Cruise
From AED 20,915per person, twin share
Zurich to Amsterdam in twelve days: Bern and Gruyères, boat trips across Lake Thun and Lake Lucerne, then a river cruise down the Rhine River.
- Duration
- 12 Days / 11 Nights
- Route
- Zurich → Amsterdam
- 4 countries on this tour
- Switzerland
- Germany
- France
- Netherlands
- Activity level
- Moderate (3 of 5)
- Moderate: busy coach touring through Switzerland with long drive days and a good amount of walking, easing into a more relaxed pace once the river cruise begins
- Accommodation
- 4-star hotels for the first 4 nights in Switzerland, then 7 nights aboard the MS Symphonie river ship from Basel to Amsterdam
- Meals
- 11 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 8 dinners
- Group
- Group tour, up to 51
- Guide
- Tour leader throughout the coach touring and river cruise
- Transport
- Cruise Ship, Air-conditioned coach
- Best time to go
- Runs in August: peak summer across Switzerland, Germany, France and the Netherlands, warm for the Alpine touring and comfortable along the Rhine
Tour overview
Switzerland comes first, by private coach, and then the trip moves onto the water: a river cruise that links Zurich and Amsterdam. On land there are Bern and Gruyères, Swiss chocolate to taste and the scenic Château‑d’Oex region; on the lakes, a cruise over Lake Thun as far as Interlaken and a sail on Lake Lucerne, with some of the finest natural scenery anywhere. The river cruise then heads for Amsterdam, stopping at Breisach, Strasbourg and Mainz. From the water you see the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, listed by UNESCO, and the Rhine Gorge, and Nijmegen and Amsterdam end the trip. Expect postcard villages, alpine lakes and rich food.
Highlights
- Welcome dinner in Zurich
- Bern’s UNESCO-listed Old Town
- Lunch with local flavours in Gruyères
- A taste of authentic Swiss chocolate
- Château-d’Oex, the hot-air balloon village of Switzerland
- A scenic cruise on Lake Thun to Interlaken
- An orientation walk through Lucerne
- A cruise across Lake Lucerne, with the Swiss Alps gliding by
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- The UNESCO-listed Rhine Valley
- Gala dinner aboard the cruise ship
Route and hotels
Where the tour goes and where you sleep, night by night.
Zurich
1 night · Day 1
Dorint Airport-Hotel Zürich
Bern
Day 2 · on the way
Gruyères
Day 2 · on the way
Montreux
Day 2 · on the way
Canton Valais
2 nights · Days 2–3
The Glacier Hotel
Château-d'Oex
Day 4 · on the way
Thun
Day 4 · on the way
Interlaken
1 night · Day 4
Hotel Krebs Interlaken
Show all 19 stopsShow fewer stops
Lucerne
Day 5 · on the way
Basel
Day 5 · on the way
River cruise
7 nights · Days 5–11
MS Symphonie
Breisach
Day 6 · on the way
Strasbourg
Day 7 · on the way
Mainz
Day 8 · on the way
Koblenz
Day 9 · on the way
Cologne
Day 9 · on the way
Düsseldorf
Day 9 · on the way
Nijmegen
Day 10 · on the way
Amsterdam
Days 11–12 · end
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1
Start of tour in Zurich
Dinner includedZurich is the starting point. At the designated hotel, your tour leader and the rest of the group gather for a short overview of the days ahead, before everyone settles in. A welcome dinner of Swiss cuisine follows.
Included
- Welcome dinner in Zurich
- Overnight
- Zurich
- Hotel
- Dorint Airport-Hotel Zürich
Day 2
Bern – Gruyères – Montreux
Breakfast and lunch included
After breakfast, the route leaves Zurich for Bern, taking in the Rose Garden’s panoramic views over the city before the UNESCO-listed Old Town. Lunch is included in Gruyères, with a tasting of Swiss chocolate afterwards. The day ends in Montreux, where the evening is free and dinner is at your own pace once you are settled into the hotel.
Included
- Orientation walk in Bern, including the Rose Garden and the Old Town
- Lunch in Gruyères, in its car-free old town
- Swiss chocolate tasting
- Travel
- Zurich → Bern → Gruyères → Montreux by coach
- Overnight
- Canton Valais
- Hotel
- The Glacier Hotel
Day 3
Canton Valais
Breakfast includedThe alpine region of Canton Valais is yours to explore at your own pace today, or you can book the optional excursion to Glacier 3000 for the well-known Peak Walk across the Tissot suspension bridge, with lunch included afterwards. In the afternoon, the optional experience to Lavaux adds a wine tasting in this noted region, with dinner overlooking Lake Geneva.
Included
- Free day in Canton Valais, at your own pace
Optional extras
- Glacier 3,000 Trip with Lunch · AED 745 per person
- Lavaux Wine Tasting with Dinner · AED 660 per person
- Overnight
- Canton Valais
- Hotel
- The Glacier Hotel
Day 4
Château-d'Oex – Thun – Interlaken
Breakfast and lunch includedThe drive today crosses Switzerland’s countryside, with a stop for photos in Château-d’Oex, known for hot-air balloons. From there, a cruise across Lake Thun reaches Interlaken, where lunch is included. The afternoon is free to explore Interlaken on your own, perhaps through Höhematte Park or the Old Town of Unterseen, before finding your own spot for dinner in the evening.
Included
- Photo stop in Château-d’Oex, Switzerland’s hot-air balloon village
- Lake Thun cruise to Interlaken
- Free afternoon to explore Interlaken
- Travel
- Canton Valais → Château-d’Oex → Thun → Interlaken by coach and a Lake Thun cruise
- Overnight
- Interlaken
- Hotel
- Hotel Krebs Interlaken
Day 5
Interlaken – Lucerne – Basel
Breakfast and dinner includedLucerne is the destination today, for an orientation walk and a cruise across Lake Lucerne’s clear waters, with free time afterwards to look around. In the afternoon, the route continues to Basel, where you board the Rhine River cruise ship for the next part of the trip. Welcome cocktails and dinner mark the start of the river journey as the ship sails toward Breisach.
Included
- Orientation walk and a cruise on Lake Lucerne
- Board the MS Symphonie in Basel
- Welcome cocktails and dinner as the ship sails toward Breisach
- Travel
- Interlaken → Lucerne → Basel by coach, then board the river ship
- Overnight
- River cruise
- Hotel
- MS Symphonie
Day 6
Breisach
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
The ship docks on the Franco-German border this morning, surrounded by vineyards. You are free to explore Breisach on your own, or take an optional trip to Colmar, a town known as “Little Venice”. In the afternoon, there is also an optional Black Forest excursion, with a tasting of Black Forest Cake and a walk through Freiburg, in the middle of Germany’s well-known evergreen forest.
Included
- Free time in Breisach, on the Franco-German border
Optional extras
- Renaissance Route in “Little Venice” · AED 170 per person
- Culture & Cake of the Black Forest · AED 130 per person
- Overnight
- River cruise
- Hotel
- MS Symphonie
Day 7
Strasbourg
Breakfast, lunch and dinner includedStrasbourg is today’s stop, reached as the ship sails in, free for you to explore at your own pace: historic bridges, medieval watchtowers and waterways. Alternatively, the optional Strasbourg Sights and Canal Cruise takes in the Gothic Strasbourg Cathedral, the grand Place de la République, and the Petite France quarter, seen from the water.
Included
- Free time in Strasbourg, among its medieval bridges and watchtowers
Optional extras
- Strasbourg Sights & Canal Cruise · AED 235 per person
- Overnight
- River cruise
- Hotel
- MS Symphonie
Day 8
Mainz
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Mainz, where the printing press was invented, is today’s stop: you are free to look around on your own, or take the optional guided tour that includes the Gutenberg Museum, the Old Town, Mainz Cathedral and St. Stephen’s Church. Lunch on board comes before the ship enters the Rhine Valley, a UNESCO-listed stretch where almost every bend has a castle and the Lorelei rock stands tall over the water. Koblenz is reached this evening, with dancing after dinner.
Included
- Free time in Mainz, birthplace of the printing press
- Sail through the UNESCO-listed Rhine Valley, past castles and the Lorelei rock
- Dancing on board after dinner
Optional extras
- Historic Mainz & Gutenberg Museum · AED 215 per person
- Overnight
- River cruise
- Hotel
- MS Symphonie
Day 9
Koblenz – Cologne – Düsseldorf
Breakfast, lunch and dinner includedThe ship leaves Koblenz this morning for a relaxed day on the water: a spot on the sun deck, the onboard quiz, or live commentary as the river widens past Bonn. After lunch, there is a pause in Cologne, home to its twin-spired Gothic cathedral, before the ship continues on to Düsseldorf. Tonight brings the gala dinner, with drinks, music and dancing.
Included
- Relaxed day on the sun deck, with an onboard quiz and live commentary
- A stop in Cologne to see its twin-spired cathedral
- Gala dinner, drinks and dancing on board
- Overnight
- River cruise
- Hotel
- MS Symphonie
Day 10
Nijmegen
Breakfast, lunch and dinner includedFrom Düsseldorf, the ship travels on to Nijmegen, the oldest city in the Netherlands, with Roman roots going back over 2000 years, medieval buildings, the quiet River Waal and sites from WW2. The optional Nijmegen and Western Front Walking Tour takes in key historic places such as Operation Market Garden and the Waal Bridge, the spot where American paratroopers came down in 1944. Tonight, the ship moves on toward Amsterdam.
Included
- Free time in Nijmegen, the Netherlands’ oldest city
Optional extras
- Nijmegen & Western Front History Walk · AED 195 per person
- Travel
- Nijmegen → Amsterdam by river ship, overnight
- Overnight
- River cruise
- Hotel
- MS Symphonie
Day 11
Amsterdam
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Amsterdam is today’s focus, whether that means a stroll through the Rijksmuseum Gardens or a cosy coffee spot somewhere in the city. There is also the optional Stroopwafel workshop and cheese tasting, and in the afternoon the optional Amsterdam Signature Experience, with a canal cruise through the Jordaan neighbourhood and a visit to the Heineken brewery. Tonight brings the farewell dinner on board.
Included
- Free time in Amsterdam
- Farewell dinner on board
Optional extras
- A Taste of Amsterdam · AED 385 per person
- Amsterdam Signature Experience · AED 300 per person
- Overnight
- River cruise
- Hotel
- MS Symphonie
Day 12
End of Tour in Amsterdam
Breakfast includedAfter a last breakfast, it is time to say goodbye and exchange contact details with new travel companions before heading home, or to stay on a little longer in Amsterdam. The open-air stalls of Albert Cuyp Market are worth a browse, and there is time for lunch and a few last photos around Utrechtsestraat.
Dates & prices
Prices per person, sharing a double or twin room.
Mon 30 Aug – Fri 10 Sept 2027
Available
AED 20,915
What’s included
Included
- 11 nights in 4-star hotels and on board the cruise ship
- 11 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 8 dinners
- The cruise ship and an air-conditioned coach
- Guided from start to finish
Not included
- Flights to the start of the tour and home from the end: we can book them from Dubai
- Travel insurance: take out a policy that suits your trip
Optional extras
Excursions and upgrades you can add to the tour. Prices are per person.
Glacier 3,000 Trip with Lunch
Day 3AED 745per personA cable car ride up to Glacier 3000, across the Peak Walk suspension bridge, with views of the Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau and Mont Blanc, and lunch among the snow. €175. Book it before the tour: add it to your booking notes.
See day 3 in the itineraryLavaux Wine Tasting with Dinner
Day 3AED 660per personA ride through Lavaux’s UNESCO-listed terraced vineyards, a wine tasting with a local expert, and dinner overlooking Lake Geneva. €155. Book it before the tour: add it to your booking notes.
See day 3 in the itineraryRenaissance Route in “Little Venice”
Day 6AED 170per personA walk through Colmar’s preserved Renaissance streets and half-timbered houses in the Petite Venise quarter, with its connection to the sculptor of the Statue of Liberty. €40, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 6 in the itineraryCulture & Cake of the Black Forest
Day 6AED 130per personA walk through Freiburg’s old town and Freiburg Minster, with the story of the Bächle canals and a taste of Black Forest cake where it was first made. €30, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 6 in the itineraryStrasbourg Sights & Canal Cruise
Day 7AED 235per personA guided walk through Strasbourg’s UNESCO-listed old town, past the cathedral and the Petite France quarter, then a canal cruise for a view of the city from the water. €55, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 7 in the itineraryHistoric Mainz & Gutenberg Museum
Day 8AED 215per personA guided visit to Mainz’s old town and cathedral quarter, and the Gutenberg Museum, home to two original Gutenberg Bibles and reconstructed printing presses. €50, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 8 in the itineraryNijmegen & Western Front History Walk
Day 10AED 195per personA guided walk through Nijmegen’s history: the Waal Bridge, where American paratroopers came down in 1944, then St Stephen’s Church and the medieval old town. €45, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 10 in the itineraryA Taste of Amsterdam
Day 11AED 385per personA stroopwafel-making workshop using a 200-year-old recipe, followed by a Dutch cheese tasting with five different flavours. €90, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 11 in the itineraryAmsterdam Signature Experience
Day 11AED 300per personA tour and tasting at the Heineken brewery, followed by a canal cruise through Amsterdam’s Jordaan neighbourhood. €70, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 11 in the itinerary
To add an extra, mention it in your booking notes, and we confirm it with your seats before you pay. Some are booked with your tour leader on the day instead: their description says so.
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Good to know
Practical details to read before you travel.
Passport & visas
Switzerland, Germany, France and the Netherlands are all in the Schengen area, so one Schengen visa covers the whole tour, river cruise included.
UAE passport holders don’t need a visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180, but will need the EU’s new ETIAS travel authorisation once it starts: we can tell you where it stands when you book. Most other nationalities living in the UAE need a Schengen visa, applied for in the country where you spend the most nights: our visa team works out which one for your dates. You can apply up to six months before you travel, and appointments in Dubai fill up quickly before the summer.
Your passport must be valid for at least three months after you leave the Schengen area, and have been issued within the last ten years. Our visa team handles Schengen applications: ask us when you book.
Flights and timings
Flights to Zurich before Day 1 and home from Amsterdam after Day 12 aren’t included.
Day 1 starts at the hotel in Zurich at 5pm, where you meet your tour leader and the rest of the group. The tour ends in Amsterdam on Day 12 after breakfast, with no further activities planned. All coach travel between destinations and the river cruise itself are included.
Our team can book your flights from Dubai to match.
Meals and dietary needs
11 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 8 dinners are included: lunch in Gruyères on Day 2, included lunches and dinners on board for most of the river cruise, welcome cocktails and dinner as you board in Basel, the gala dinner near Düsseldorf and the farewell dinner in Amsterdam.
Tell us about any dietary needs, halal included, when you book, and we pass them on before the tour.
Money
Switzerland uses the Swiss franc, while Germany, France and the Netherlands use the euro. A card with no foreign transaction fees is the easiest way to cover both.
Optional extras booked on tour are paid to your tour leader in cash or by card, in the currency shown.
Weather and packing
The tour runs in August: warm summer weather across Switzerland, Germany, France and the Netherlands, with occasional rain along the Rhine.
Pack layers for the Alpine touring days, comfortable shoes for the walking in Bern, Lucerne and the river towns, and a light rain jacket for the cruise.
Life aboard the MS Symphonie
You spend seven nights aboard the MS Symphonie, sailing between Basel and Amsterdam. Days on board mix included shore time with free time on the sun deck, an onboard quiz and live commentary as the river scenery passes.
Evenings bring welcome cocktails, a gala dinner, dancing and a farewell dinner. Dress is relaxed, though many guests dress up a little for the gala night.
Plan your trip
Our Dubai team arranges what goes around the tour, so it is booked in one place.
Visas
One Schengen visa covers the Schengen countries on this route. Our visa team in Dubai applies for UAE residents once the tour is booked.
Flights
Flights are not included. We can book them with the tour: Dubai to Zurich, and home from Amsterdam. Tick “Flights” when you book and we quote them with your confirmation.
Pay in instalments
Split the cost with Tabby or Tamara, or over 3 to 12 months on a UAE bank credit card for bookings from AED 1,000.
Book this tour
Book in a minute. Your seats are held as soon as you book; you name the other travellers and pay once we have confirmed them.
Questions before you book? Our support team is on WhatsApp +971 4 589 0001.
Questions about this tour
What will my days look like?
Most days start with breakfast before the main sights. Some days include longer drives, which reach more places and leave plenty of time to explore each one at your own pace once you arrive. Expect a fair amount of walking, so bring comfortable shoes.
Who will I be travelling with?
Travellers from all over the world, of different ages and backgrounds, who share a wish to see more. Up to 51 people share this tour, and most know each other’s names within a few days.
How do optional extras work?
Optional extras run in the tour’s free time, and your tour leader tells you what is on offer as the tour goes. Some are booked with your tour leader on the day. Others sell in advance and must be bought before the tour starts: to add one of those, mention it in your booking notes and we confirm it with your seats. Each extra in the Optional extras section says which way it is booked.
Will I have time to explore on my own?
Yes. The itinerary builds in free time to wander at your own pace, and your tour leader can point you to the places that suit you, so you are never left to work it all out alone.
What support do I have while I’m on tour?
Your tour leader travels with you from start to finish. They know the places most visitors miss, can suggest a restaurant before you ask, and deal with whatever crops up on the way. Transport and hotels are all arranged for you.
There is also an emergency number staffed 24 hours a day, and our team in Dubai is there to help.
How do I book Zurich to Amsterdam: Switzerland Touring & Rhine River Cruise?
Press Book now, choose a date, your travellers and rooms, and give your name, email and mobile. We hold your seats and email your booking reference straight away; you then add each traveller as their passport shows on your booking page. Our Dubai team confirms the seats with the tour operator, then emails you a secure payment link. Nothing is charged when you book.
When do I pay?
Once the tour operator confirms your seats. We email you a secure payment link for the total in AED, and your booking is complete when it is paid. To pay in instalments, say so in your booking notes.
Is the price per person?
Yes. Prices are per person sharing a double or twin room. Travelling alone? A single room costs the supplement shown next to each date.
Are flights included?
Only when the tour lists them under what is included. We can book flights from the UAE to the start city and home from the end city with your tour.
Do I need a visa?
That depends on your passport and the countries on the route. Our visa team arranges Schengen and other visas for UAE residents, and can apply for yours once the tour is booked.
Payment plans
Take the trip now. Pay for it in pieces.
Every booking qualifies, from holidays and tours to visas. Spread it over 3 to 12 months at 0% on a credit card plan, or with Tabby or Tamara; some banks add a one-time processing fee.
- Credit card plans from AED 1,000
- Tabby and Tamara, no minimum
- Terms from 3 to 12 months
Find your bank’s plan
Credit cards, from AED 1,000
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