Glacier Express, Swiss Alps & Lucerne Tour | From Lucerne

Not what advertised

Our guides, Mary and Erika, were fantastic!!!! But this tour was not what we expected. We started with a walk through Lucerne which was interesting. Keep an eye on your email because start times for the tour change the night before. Then you start your LONG train ride which eventually gets you to your 2 1/2 hours on the Glacier Express and then 2 more trains back to Lucerne. So we left Lucerne at 1:15 pm after a walking tour which started at 11 am and arrived back in Lucerne at 9 pm. Oh and no food included unless you buy it.

via Tripadvisor

Horrible experience, don't book!

We had a horrible experience with this tour company, beware! We booked this tour as the highlight of our vacation, but we received an email the night before, telling us the start time had changed. We had already gone to sleep, so we wake up to find that we have to rush to meet our guide, who was also flustered by the last-minute change. We barely made it to our connection and my father struggled to keep up with the pace due to a bad knee. When we called to complain, Jonas the owner was incredibly rude and blamed us for the confusion. Take some accountability for your business! We spent a lot of money for this tour and it was such a bad experience. The Glacier Express itself was crowded and the food service made the entire train smell for the whole ride. Tourists were blasting music from their phones and the train personel didn't do anything about it. Just horrible!

Response from the operator: We’re very sorry to hear that your experience didn’t meet expectations, especially on a day that was meant to be a highlight of your trip. Regarding the schedule change, we understand how stressful last-minute adjustments can be. In this case, the departure time was adapted due to confirmed seat allocations from the Glacier Express, which can occasionally shift — especially during high season. We always do our best to communicate such changes as early as possible, and we regret that the message reached you too late in the evening. We’re also sorry to hear that the pace of the tour was difficult for your father. Had we been informed in advance about mobility concerns, our team and guide would have gladly adapted the itinerary to be more comfortable. As for the phone interaction, we’d like to clarify that Jonas is our head guide, not the owner. We’re sorry if his tone came across as unhelpful — our intention is never to place blame, but to resolve concerns fairly. We’re reviewing this internally to ensure we continue to provide the respectful, helpful support our guests deserve. Finally, while we are not the operator of the Glacier Express itself, we regret that the on-board experience — including crowding and lack of enforcement by train personnel — didn’t meet your expectations. Your feedback has been noted and will be shared with the appropriate contacts at the rail provider. We’re grateful you took the time to share your thoughts, and we would welcome the opportunity to speak further. Please feel free to reach out to us directly at info@tours-of-switzerland.com.

via Tripadvisor

The the best to explore the Alps with Michelle!!!!

Michelle was a wonderful tour guide. Filled our trip with interesting historical facts and stories. She had a great personality! A very delightful person. The route we followed under her guidance, and the scenery we got to see was simply spectacular. We had just one day to explore the country and we felt she hit all the greatest highlights in such a short time with fantastic transportation. We enjoyed our special lunch she planned for us.

via Tripadvisor

Glacier Express Trip Did NOT Include A Ride on the Glacier Express.

Paid for a ride on the Glacier Express and we’re out on a regional train. The entire trip was changed due to our tour director being late (train issues). I understand it was not her fault her train was late. We were not told of the change to our itennary. Had we been told we would have canceled and booked somewhere else. Do NOT book this trip if you are expecting a ride on the Glacier Express.

Response from the operator: We’re truly sorry your experience didn’t meet expectations. However, we’d like to clarify that this tour does include a ride on the official Glacier Express — this is the core of the experience and is always part of the itinerary. In this particular case, there was an unforeseen delay with the guide’s inbound train on the morning of your tour. Due to very limited Glacier Express seat availability, especially during high season, we were forced to restructure the route at the last minute to avoid a full cancellation and still provide a scenic and meaningful day along the Glacier Express route. This was an exception and not reflective of our usual operation. We understand that the change was disappointing, and we sincerely apologize if the alternative wasn’t clearly communicated in a timely way. Our operational team acted quickly under pressure, but we acknowledge that better communication would have helped set the right expectations. If you would like to rebook at a discounted rate in the future, or speak to us directly, please reach out at info@tours-of-switzerland.com. We truly value your feedback and hope to welcome you again under better circumstances.

via Tripadvisor

Misinformation About The Glacier Express

This tour is NOT on the Glacier Express as it states. We were misled by the information . We paid extra money to ride the Glacier Express. Do NOT book this tour

Response from the operator: Thank you for your feedback, and we’re sorry to hear the experience didn’t meet your expectations. Just to clarify, this tour does include the Glacier Express and follows the official Glacier Express route. However, on rare occasions, especially during high season or due to short-notice bookings, we may need to adjust based on train availability or unforeseen operational issues (like delays, maintenance, or ticketing constraints). In such cases, we always aim to inform guests ahead of time and propose alternative arrangements, such as regional trains along the same scenic route. We completely understand that part of the appeal is the Glacier Express train itself, and we strive to deliver that whenever possible. If your tour was one of the rare exceptions where the actual Glacier Express carriage wasn’t available, we truly regret the inconvenience and disappointment caused. This is never done with the intention to mislead but rather to ensure that guests still experience the iconic route and Alpine scenery, rather than canceling the day altogether. We also encourage guests to book as early as possible, as seats on the Glacier Express are limited and can sell out weeks in advance. If there is ever uncertainty or concern, you’re welcome to contact us directly, and we’re happy to clarify what’s included or suggest the best dates for availability. Thank you again for taking the time to share your experience — we’ll use your comments to improve communication and transparency for future travelers.

via Viator