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Germany & Eastern Europe
River CruiseRiver Cruise

The Romantic Rhine: Amsterdam to Switzerland

 
4.4 stars(71 reviews)
You are viewing the 2025 itinerary. Select your departure year
20252026
Duration
8 days
Per person
£1,999 £1,699
Tour code
RHR25
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Rail & Cruise

Experience a leisurely cruise, from the vibrant canals of Amsterdam and the medieval charm of Cologne to the picturesque Moselle Valley and the enchanting landscapes of the Rhine Gorge

Experience the breathtaking beauty of the Romantic Rhine River from the North Sea to the Swiss Alps. As we cruise through France, Germany, and the Netherlands bound for Switzerland, we admire stunning forested valleys, charming half-timbered towns, and incredible cities along the enchanting riverbanks.

Sail through the spectacular scenery of the Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage site adorned with stunning castles, lush forests, and sprawling vineyards. Discover the sights of enchanting Strasbourg, the magical allure of the Black Forest, and the timeless elegance of Heidelberg.

Interested in this tour but haven't found a date that works for you?
You might also like our similar tour The Majestic Rhine!

Unforgettable experiences

Romantic Rhine Gorge
Romantic Rhine Gorge
Sail through this enchanting UNESCO World Heritage site with spellbinding castles, verdant forests, vineyard-clad slopes, and the dramatic Lorelei Rock.
Heidelberg
Heidelberg
Visit the ‘Jewel of Germany’ on a guided tour, delving into the highlights of this picturesque riverside city.
Rüdesheim
Rüdesheim
Explore this charming city and the famous Drosselgasse, a quaint narrow alleyway lined with traditional pubs and wine cellars. While here, choose between a fabulous wine tasting or visit the marvellous Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet.
Drachenfelsbahn cog railway
Drachenfelsbahn cog railway
Reach the summit of the majestic Drachenfels on the exhilarating Drachenfelsbahn cog railway to enjoy the splendid views.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Immerse yourself in the culture and history of Amsterdam on a guided tour and canal boat trip, or uncover the idyllic towns of Edam and Volendam, renowned for their cheese heritage.
Cochem
Cochem
Discover the well-preserved, historic charms of Cochem’s Old Town surrounded by the beautiful Moselle Valley.
Cologne
Cologne
Discover the city’s cheerful streets and its Gothic cathedral, a timeless masterpiece.

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Itinerary

DAY1To Amsterdam where we board our luxurious ship

Our holiday begins this morning as we meet at London St Pancras. Aboard the Eurostar, we head to Amsterdam, where our magnificent ship awaits us. We're greeted onboard by our friendly crew and sip on a welcome cocktail while taking in the waterside views. Later this evening, we enjoy dinner accompanied by a wonderful performance from a traditional Dutch Sea Shanty choir - the perfect start to our cruise.

*If you would like to travel by air, view our Fly & Cruise option here.

Includes
  • Dinner
DAY2Touring Amsterdam or uncovering Edam

After breakfast you have the choice of two exciting excursions. The first is a guided tour of Amsterdam, a cultural city that's as modern as it is historic. On the tour, you'll see some of the city's most iconic landmarks, including the Rijksmuseum and Dam Square. You'll also get to explore the famous Flower Market and enjoy a canal boat cruise, soaking up stunning views of the city's picturesque canals and architecture.

After the tour, there is an optional excursion. You could choose to stay in Amsterdam and continue exploring at leisure or join a visit to Edam and Volendam to uncover their cheese heritage. As well as being famed for the well-known cheese, Edam is a stunning old town, with traditionally Dutch houses lining serene canals.

During a delightful lunch on board this afternoon, we begin sailing to Cologne, embarking on our first relaxing cruise of the holiday.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY3Cultural Cologne and the wonderful Drachenfelsbahn

As we approach the striking city of Cologne this morning, admire the fantastic cityscape of magnificent bridges that span the river and the imposing Cathedral. After breakfast, a guided tour of the city introduces us to the joyful atmosphere of its streets and squares.

We admire the Romanesque townhouses before visiting the city's impressive Gothic cathedral which is the largest in Northern Europe. The intricate spires and magnificent stained glass windows of this UNESCO-listed landmark are captivating as we marvel at the grand architecture. Following lunch, we head for Königswinter to experience the Drachenfels railway.

This fabulous cog railway rises high into the forests, passing the fairytale Drachenfels castle - whose name translates to 'Dragon's Rock', inspiring many of the dragon-related legends still heard today. We experience wonderful views across the Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany as we climb higher. After dinner we depart Königswinter and head for the serene waters of the Moselle river.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY4Lovely Cochem – the heart of the Moselle wine trade

After an early morning of relaxed cruising through delightful river scenery, our ship pulls into the port of Cochem where the stunning Moselle Valley surrounds us with rolling hills, half-timbered houses and the majestic castle (the Reichsburg) perched on top of a hill. The town itself is a maze of slender alleys adorned with pastel-coloured buildings, quaint boutiques and wine cellars.

On our guided tour this morning we admire the Reichsburg dramatically located overlooking the Old Town. In the old quarter of Cochem, you'll find well-preserved sections of the ancient town walls and a fascinating arts centre in a former monastery.

Following our tour, there's time to explore the picturesque streets at leisure. The town's central square is a hub of activity, surrounded by cafes, restaurants, and shops. It's a great place to soak up the local atmosphere and taste some renowned Moselle wines. Later this evening, we continue our cruise downstream towards Koblenz, where we leave the Moselle behind and rejoin the Rhine.

Please note - For departure 20/05/2025 due to lock closures we will be unable to cruise on the Moselle River, we will dock in Koblenz and transfer by coach to Cochem for our guided tour and travel back by coach to Koblenz.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY5Picturesque Koblenz, the enchanting Rhine Gorge, and charming Rüdesheim

There's time at leisure this morning to explore Koblenz, once a Roman stronghold. We recommend strolling to Deutsches Eck at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers where you'll be surrounded by inspiring vistas including the mighty Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. We then begin sailing again and after lunch, enjoy a highlight of our cruising experience - drifting through the romantic Rhine gorge.

This section of the Rhine is renowned for its spectacular views and the best place to witness them is from the top deck of our ship. The riverbanks plunge deeper here, and we wind around bends surrounded by endless miles of lush green vineyards, ancient castles, and picturesque riverside towns. It's also one of the narrowest points of the river with one of the strongest currents.

As we sail, we hear the fascinating story of the legendary Lorelei Rock which soars almost 500 feet out of the water. This monument has been the inspiration for countless myths and legends, and we hear of them as we sail by.

We then dock in captivating Rüdesheim where we travel through steeped vineyards aboard a land train, arriving in the centre of the renowned wine town. Here there's a choice of excursions, each promising a delightful insight into the town. You could experience for yourself why the town is famous with a fantastic wine tasting, savouring the finest local varieties.

Alternatively, you could visit Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet and discover Europe's largest collection of finely tuned mechanical instruments, from antique music boxes to miniature pianos. After dinner this evening there's time to explore the town's cobbled streets at your own pace and see the charming half-timbered houses, quaint shops, and enticing wine bars in the Drosselgasse alley.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY6Traditional Heidelberg and Lovely Speyer

During breakfast we arrive in the city of Mannheim and from here we journey by coach to charming Heidelberg for a guided tour. The picturesque university town is known for its lovely Old Town and stunning riverfront which is perfect for a relaxing stroll. Our tour includes a visit to the magnificent ruined, red sandstone castle that towers over the city, providing amazing views of the surrounding forests, river, and cityscape.

Back onboard, we begin sailing to Speyer after lunch. Arriving later this afternoon, you can discover the city at your own pace. There's a beautiful Old Town and among the highlights is the city's cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Returning to our ship, we enjoy dinner and a restful overnight sailing upstream.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY7The enchanting Black Forest or striking Strasbourg

Sailing into to the enchanting city of Strasbourg after breakfast, there's a choice of two wonderful excursions. The first is a magical trip into the Black Forest, to witness stunning fairytale panoramas. Experience the beauty of Germany's largest nature park filled with rolling hills, picturesque villages, dense forests, and meadows dotted with wildflowers. As you explore this fairytale setting, you'll learn about the enchanting history and folklore of the region.

Alternatively, you could enjoy a city tour of Strasbourg, where you'll discover its fascinating history, admire its grand architecture and experience its unique character. The city sits on the French-German border and blends the best of the two cultures, with colourful half-timbered houses and cobbled streets. On our tour, we visit the cathedral and the quaint La Petite France district.

Following your excursion this afternoon, we return to our ship for lunch and begin our final cruise towards Switzerland, enjoying the wonderful vistas enroute.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY8Homeward bound

After breakfast, we dock in Basel where it's time to disembark and say goodbye to our wonderful crew. We make our way to the railway station and head towards Paris where we catch the Eurostar to London St Pancras. Here, we say goodbye to new friends and fellow travellers.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Info - Travel Options

We offer a Standard Class and First Class rail options for departures on this tour. You can find out which class each departure is by clicking on the information button in the pricing grid. (Look for S - Standard Class and F - First Class)

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

What’s included on the tour?

Trains & Ships

More information on the different trains and ships that are used on this tour.

Find out more
Cabin DS
Deluxe Suites - Upper Deck

Travel in luxury and style when you choose one of our Deluxe Suites. Our largest en-suite cabins, at 26.4 square metres, a walk-out balcony, walk-in wardrobe an river-view lounge area.

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Cabin A1
Deluxe Stateroom - Upper Deck

These en-suite cabins are stylish and impressively spacious at 17.5 squre metres, with a panoramic window balcony, walk-in wardrobe and seating area.

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Cabin B1
Deluxe Stateroom - Middle Deck

These en-suite cabins are stylish and impressively spacious at 17.5 squre metres, with a panoramic window balcony, walk-in wardrobe and seating area.

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Cabin B4
Deluxe Stateroom - Middle Deck (Stern)

These en-suite cabins are stylish and impressively spacious at 17.5 squre metres, with a panoramic window balcony, walk-in wardrobe and seating area.

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Cabin C1
Classic Stateroom - Lower Deck

Our Classic Staterooms offer quality, and elegance with space to relax in comfort at the end of the day. And we recognise the importance of having somewhere inviting to retire to after an engaging day of cruising or excursions. These 16 square metre en-suite cabins offer a wide picture window and large walk-in wardrobe.

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Cabin C4
Classic Stateroom - Lower Deck (Stern)

Our Classic Staterooms offer quality, and elegance with space to relax in comfort at the end of the day. And we recognise the importance of having somewhere inviting to retire to after an engaging day of cruising or excursions. These 16 square metre en-suite cabins offer a wide picture window and large walk-in wardrobe.

Find out more

Enhance your holiday

London Hotels

Spending a night in London before your tour can make such a difference to the first day of your holiday - you can arrive in the capital in good time, relaxed and ready to join your Tour Manager the next morning. You may even want to take in a show on the West End or dine in one of London's famous restaurants. Perhaps on your return to London, you would like to break your journey with an overnight stay before continuing home.

Read more

We can book a wide range of hotels in central London or, for our holidays beginning with a flight, at Heathrow, Gatwick, or Manchester Airport for the night before or after your holiday. If you require a quote for single occupancy at any of the hotels, please contact us on 01904 734 805.

London hotels
UK rail connections

Buying tickets for UK train services can be a tricky business - there are so many fares to choose from, each with different rules and restrictions. As you are connecting with an international departure, we strongly recommend that you book a fully flexible ticket to ensure that should the departure times for your holiday change, your rail ticket can allow for these changes.

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We can book fully-flexible UK rail tickets from your local station to join your holiday whether this be a European holiday from St Pancras or a UK holiday. The prices are competitive and tickets are not restricted to a particular train or time of day, and in most cases offer you a free choice of routes.

For an up to date quote from your local station, please ask one of our Tour Advisors.

UK train tickets

Reviews

4.4 stars4.4 / 5 · 71 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (44)
  2. 4 stars
    (19)
  3. 3 stars
    (6)
  4. 2 stars
    (1)
  5. 1 star
    (1)

customer

4 stars

Submitted 14/Oct

There were so many elements of this trip that didn't disappoint. You do get to see a variety of destinations and there was a lot of effort in making this a trip to remember. First time on a river cruise and we liked the personal feel of a small ship and not just being a number. The food was so good. Some trips felt too short and the journey home was a little long and chaotic in places but overall, I would recommend this trip.

Collected by Trustpilot

Mr Stephen Sell

5 stars

Submitted 13/Oct

We enjoyed our riverboat cruise with Great Rail. Unlike most operators who opt for air travel to the cruise Great Rail appreciate that the journey is part of the holiday and don't insist on lengthy coach transfers to the boat if you choose to go by Rail. The Amadeus Imperial that Great Rail charter is a very comfortable riverboat with good cabins and pleasant and helpful staff. The food is plentiful and very tasty. Although the cruise started in Amsterdam and uses Dutch canals to reach the Rhine this part of the journey was still interesting particularly when our excellent captain Tom negotiated the massive locks - an experience in itself. I was amazed at the amount of freight carried on the Rhine but unlike a previous reviewer I found this interesting and it didn't detract from the lovely scenery along the Rhine. The earlier stretches of the journey were quite leisurely and I see that in 2025 this has been addressed by adding an extension along the Moselle to Cochem and a finish in Basel, without the unattractive overnight mooring in Strasbourg amongst the shipping containers. However for us this stop did mean we were able to enjoy both the lovely excursion into the Black Forest and still explore Strasbourg on our own in the afternoon.

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Mr Stephen Sell
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Victoria Nicholson

4 stars

Submitted 13/Oct

This was my first river cruise and happy to say that it exceeded all expectations. I really liked the fact that you could participate as much or as little as you liked in the excursions and on board activities whether you prefer to sit in the snug cafe area and read a book with fresh baked cookies and coffee to hand or join one of the many well-led excursions (even these had an option for less able walkers). The ‘Black forest’ and Heidelberg excursions were my personal favourites. The ship itself was tastefully furnished with ample sized cabins with plenty of storage and a nice powerful shower. The food was delicious, varied and plentiful. Being able to choose which table to sit on each evening was a great way to meet new people (but again, for those who preferred a quieter time there were a few tables for two available) On board crew and GBR on board team did a fantastic job. The only reason I give 4 stars rather than 5 is that the GBR tour rep responsible for getting the group I was in from Strasbourg train station to Eurostar Paris seemed inexperienced which led to some confusion (and panic) at the station and with the ticketing on boarding the train. Other than that - smooth sailing.

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Victoria Nicholson
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Website User Lorraine A

5 stars

Submitted 13/Oct

This was one of the best holidays we have ever had. The crew were excellent, the food out of this world, the ship spotless & Captain Tom was a wonderful host. The pace was perfect for us as we didn’t want long days out rushing around. If you went on a trip ashore it was a half day trip. That also meant we could be back onboard to enjoy the next meal without having to find somewhere on shore. If you did want to stay on shore all day, you could, providing of course that the boat was not scheduled to be sailing at that time. We have so many wonderful memories that once back home we straight away booked another river cruise with GRJ’s for Spring 2025. GRJ’s take all the strain out of travelling as they supply a host to get you from St Pancreas to Amsterdam & then when it’s time to return home, a host is supplied again. Two ladies were GRJs hostesses onboard & they were always delightful, helpful & full of fun. Ten out of ten! Thank you for an exceptional holiday.

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Avril Ramkissoon

5 stars

Submitted 11/Oct

We regret missing the train journey as we were booked to go, the times were to close for comfort. Otherwise, thumbs up To Great Rail Journeys.

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Avril Ramkissoon
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Christine Tizzard

5 stars

Submitted 9/Oct

Just home after a wonderful Romantic Rhine cruise. Beautiful scenery, very comfortable accommodation, superb meals and good company. All arranged by Great Rail Journeys including lovely sunny weather.

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Christine Tizzard
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River Cruise Holidays 2025

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Experience the magic of cruising along some of Europe’s most picturesque waterways. Glide serenely along the romantic Rhine, explore the blue Danube or meander through the enchanting Douro Valley. With our river cruises, you’ll drift through beautiful landscapes and historic towns.

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