Every Alpina trip includes hand-picked hotel accommodation (typically 5-star), all train journeys between destinations, guided experiences and entrance tickets as listed in the itinerary, and Pau's personal curation service — planning, logistics and single point of contact from first enquiry to arrival home.
Flights to the first destination and from the last are not included, as most guests combine the trip with existing travel plans. If you'd like flight recommendations or connections arranged, just ask.
Absolutely. Every Alpina journey is built around you, not the other way round. Want to swap a hotel, add an extra night, skip a city or extend the trip? Email hello@alpinatravels.com before booking and Pau will prepare an adjusted quote.
A CHF 500 deposit secures your dates and kicks off the planning process. The remaining balance is due 60 days before departure.
Payment is in CHF by credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) via Stripe — a fully encrypted, PCI-DSS compliant processor. No card data is ever stored by Alpina.
Alpina Travels is a registered Swiss travel business — STAR member 302935, UID CHE-165.649.761 — and is in the process of joining the Swiss Travel Security (STS) Garantiefonds, the Swiss financial-protection scheme that safeguards client funds if a Swiss travel operator becomes insolvent. STS is the Swiss equivalent of the UK's ATOL or Australia's ATAS. Approval is expected shortly.
In the meantime, all card payments are processed by Stripe (PCI-DSS Level 1) and held under standard merchant protections. We always recommend comprehensive travel insurance covering trip cancellation, medical and operator insolvency.
Yes. Alpina Travels is registered with the Commercial Register of the Canton of Zürich (UID CHE-165.649.761) and is an active member of STAR — the Swiss travel industry's settlement and accreditation service (agency no. 302935). All company details can be verified independently on the Swiss federal registry, Zefix.
See our Legal page for the full credentials and verification link.
Cancellations more than 91 days before departure forfeit only the deposit. Between 60–90 days: 50% charge. Between 30–59 days: 75% charge. Fewer than 30 days: no refund.
If Alpina ever cancels your trip due to force majeure or supplier failure, you receive a full refund within 14 days. See the full cancellation policy for details.
Yes — comprehensive travel insurance is essential and should be purchased at the time of booking, before any reason to cancel could arise. Look for a policy covering trip cancellation and curtailment, medical expenses and emergency evacuation, repatriation, personal liability, and lost or delayed baggage. Pre-existing medical conditions must be declared when buying the policy. Alpina Travels is not an insurer and accepts no liability for losses arising from inadequate cover.
Pau directly — always. There are no call centres, no agents passing messages, and no AI bots handling your booking. The person who designed your trip is the same person who will personalise it, answer your questions and be reachable throughout your journey. That's the whole point of Alpina.
