If you’re dreaming of an incredible train journey through the Alps, look no further than the Bernina Express!
The Bernina Express offers a panoramic trip through the Alps between Italy and Switzerland, revealing mountain landscapes and stunning vistas that change with every twist and turn of the tracks. This adventure is undoubtedly one of the best railway routes in Europe and an essential experience if you love train travel and beautiful views!
What is the Bernina Express?
The Bernina Express is a 90-mile scenic train route that connects the cities of Tirano, Italy and Chur, Switzerland. Don’t be mistaken; this is more than just a way to get from one side of the Alps to the other. The route, operated by Rhaetian Railway, boasts the highest railway tracks in Europe and the steepest in the world, traveling through 55 tunnels, over 196 bridges, and across engineering feats such as the Brusio Spiral Viaduct and the UNESCO World Heritage Landwasser Viaduct. No other Alpine crossing is as spectacular as the Bernina Express!
What’s the best part of riding the Bernina Express? The VIEWS! The Bernina’s unique train cars feature panoramic windows that offer spectacular views of the steep gorges, rugged rock faces, glistening glaciers, and towering peaks of the Alps. There are other trains you can take on this same route, but the unobstructed views on the Bernina Express make it something truly special.
What to expect on the train route through the Alps
During your journey you’ll be enveloped in natural beauty as you travel past tranquil Alpine meadows, crystal-clear lakes, and quaint villages. Any time of year is great for this trip, as each season breathes life into the Alps differently. Spring and Summer offer lush green meadows, while Autumn shows off the brilliant colors of changing leaves. In Winter, witness the transition from green valleys to the snow-covered terrain of higher altitudes as the tracks rise in elevation.
The ride doesn’t only provide scenic views; stop at one (or more!) of the route’s train stations to get the full experience! Explore historic towns or picturesque villages, ride cable cars to the top of spectacular peaks, immerse yourself in the landscape on hiking and biking trails, or enjoy winter sports such as downhill and cross country skiing, snowkiting, sledging, or snowshoeing.
Here are ten of the best places to stop along the Bernina Express route!
Pontresina - relax in one of the town’s spa resorts; explore the Engadine Valley by hiking or biking, visit the Alpine museum of Natural History, take the gondola up to Alp Languard, or ride horse-drawn carriages through the Roseg Valley.
Alp Grüm - during a scheduled 15 minute stop at this station, enjoy panoramic vistas of the surrounding mountains and glaciers and take a photo in the Bernina Express photo frame. Admire the towering peaks of Piz Palù, and the crystalline lake named after it.
Views near the Alp Grüm station. Cavaglia - walk through the Cavaglia Glacier Garden, a natural park featuring "Giant's Cauldrons"; natural pothole formations created by pressurized glacial water.
Chur - explore the alleys, cobblestoned streets and defensive walls of the old town, admire the Gothic spires of St. Martin’s church and the high altar of Chur’s 12th century cathedral, visit the Rätisches Museum for history, the Bündner Kunstmuseum for art, ride a cable car to the high plateau of Brambrüesch, or take a day trip to Churwalden and ride Switzerland’s longest alpine coaster.
Bernina Suot - a great stop to enjoy sports during any season; partake in hiking or biking during the Spring, Summer and Autumn, or cross country skiing in the Winter. For a longer experience, overnight stays are available at the small hotel across from the train station.
Diavolezza - take a gondola to the Diavolezza Refuge where you can hike on the Glacier Experience Trail, take a guided glacier trek, soak in an outdoor Jacuzzi with panoramic views, stay overnight at a mountain retreat, enjoy spectacular hikes in the Summer, or take advantage of pristine skiing in the Winter.
Diavolezza cable car station Poschiavo - wander through this picturesque village and discover its historic old town, famous for 19th century architecture, culinary delicacies and cultural heritage; visit the Museum of Art, dine outdoors at the Plaza da Cumün, and marvel at the Church of San Vittore.
Morteratsch - take a scenic hike along the glacial-fed river to the Morteratsch Glacier, eat lunch alongside the Rhaetian Railway crossing, or stay overnight at the charming hotel behind the train station.
Punt Muragl - ride the funicular on its 700 meter climb to Muottas Muragl; have lunch with views of the Engadine Valley, enjoy a spectacular sunset or stay overnight at the romantic mountain-top hotel, take a snowshoe hike, or test your speed on the toboggan run down to the valley below.
St. Moritz - basque in the glitz and glam of this luxury resort town, famous for its stunning lake views, world championship bobsled run, and the highest casino in Switzerland. Explore, shop and eat like the rich and famous, watch polo, cricket or horse racing in the snow, try ice bathing or ice skating, take a gondola up to the top of the world for downhill sports or enjoy the views with a cocktail!
How to plan your trip on the Bernina Express
With 25 different stops on the route, you can customize your Bernina Express journey however you like. Choose between taking a long ride from one end to the other, a full-day round trip, or make overnight stops along the way.
The full journey between Tirano and Chur takes around 4 ½ hours and runs twice a day in both directions, all year long. There is also an offshoot of the route that goes to St. Moritz. Three trains travel between Tirano and St. Moritz every day of the week from May to October, and one train has limited weekend routes from December through April. This route takes around 2 ½ hours and requires a connection in Pontresina. Make sure you get on the correct train there, or you’ll end up in Chur. During the summer, this route even offers train options with open air cars!
It should be said that these journeys do not have to be booked from end to end. You do have the option of starting or ending at other cities along the route; your options will be listed on the booking page of the official Bernina Express website.
You can also travel from Chur to St. Moritz; however, this journey is part of the Glacier Express route and must be booked on its official website. You might also want to consider taking the Bernina to St. Moritz, staying overnight, and then taking the Glacier Express to Chur (or all the way to Zermatt).
If you plan to begin your journey in Italy, the closest airport to Tirano is one of Milan’s three airports. You can also fly into Venice or Verona, but the trip to Tirano will be longer, and you’ll need to start your journey especially early if you want to make the first Bernina journey of the day. You’ll arrive at the Stazione di Tirano on a regional Trenitalia train, then walk about 20 feet to the Rhaetian Railway station to meet the Bernina Express. Book the regional ticket on the TrenItalia website or app.
If you plan to begin your journey in Switzerland, the closest airport is in Zurich. You'll take a regional SBB train from Zurich to Chur, which takes about 1 ½ hours. You can book your ticket on their official website.
Additionally, there's a Bernina Express Bus available during certain times of the year that offers a connection between Tirano and Lugano, Italy. This three-hour bus journey operates daily from March to October and other limited times during November. Reservations for this service are made separate from the train journey, but will still be booked on their official website.
One final note to consider when planning your journey is that you can also travel this route on regional trains. Trains booked through TrenItalia or SBB (the official Swiss railway) travel on the exact same tracks as the Bernina Express. You won’t get the panoramic window experience, but the price will be much less. If you’re planning a round trip journey, you may want to consider taking the Bernina Express one direction, and a regional train on your way back.
Things to keep in mind when booking the Bernina Express
* Not all carriages on the Bernina Express are panoramic. Book early, as the panoramic carriages fill up quickly.
* Seat reservations are required and are an extra charge in addition to your ticket. Book early to get seats next to a window, especially during peak travel seasons.
* Children under the age of 6 travel free of charge. Children aged 6 to 16 pay half the fare. The seat reservation fee must be paid in full for everyone.
* Half-Fare travelcards, GA travelcards, 1-day-travelpasses, municipal 1-day-travelpasses, Junior travelcards, Swiss travelpasses, Eurrail and Interrail passes are valid; however, the seat reservation fee must be paid in full for all travelers.
* One-way and round-trip tickets are both available. There is a discount for buying a round trip ticket versus two one-way tickets; however, if purchased as a round trip, both journeys must be taken on the same day. Otherwise, you’ll have to purchase two one-way tickets.
* The Bernina Express is NOT a Hop-on, Hop-off train. Your ticket takes you from your beginning station to your ending station, and is only valid for the specific date and time you book. If you want to stop somewhere for a short time, or overnight, you’ll need to buy a separate ticket to continue on your journey. Alternatively, you can book flexible travel passes on a regional SBB train or through Eurail. Keep in mind the rules listed above regarding seat reservations.
* Although the Bernina Express has refreshments on board for purchase, you might want to buy snacks, sandwiches or drinks before your journey, especially if you're taking the full route in one day.
* Bikes are not allowed on the Bernina Express; however, there are carriages that allow bikes on regional trains that travel the same route.
* Luggage is allowed on the Bernina Express; however, they prefer that you travel with hand luggage only. They also offer luggage delivery service.
* Dogs are allowed on the Bernina Express, but certain size dogs require a ticket. Italy has laws about dogs entering the country, so if you are traveling from Switzerland to Italy, make sure you have the proper documentation.
A once-in-a-lifetime journey through the Alps awaits you, so pack your bags and get ready to be amazed by the remarkable engineering and unparalleled views of the Bernina Express!
If you enjoyed reading this, drop me a comment below!
Check out some of the other articles on my European Destinations page or some of my Italian adventures below!
Comments