The best way of travelling in the Alps: Bernina Express!
Departing from the Chur region of Switzerland and passing through Landquart, Davos and St Moritz, the Bernina Express reaches Tirano via Valposchiavo, and it takes you to a journey from glaciers to palm trees. It’s really breathtaking! You should definitely add it to your Switzerland trip!
In this article I will be answering your questions about the route of the Bernina Express journey, how to plan the Bernina Express trip, when you can take Bernina Express, how you can travel with Bernina express, how to buy a ticket to the Bernina Express, how much is the Bernina Express ticket, how long does the Bernina Express journey take.
Five years ago, so one year before I married Stefano and settled in Switzerland, I came to Zurich to visit Stefano for a month. As I was working, we had planned a small visit for a week during the holidays. But my dear Swiss Consulate determined my visa period as a whole month. What did I do? Of course, I quickly resigned from my job and immediately changed my ticket dates to cover 1 month. Because come on, for a Turkish girl it’s not so easy to get a visa each time, so why miss the chance to spend more time with him, right?
We did not miss this opportunity and bought a departure ticket for the first day of the visa and a return ticket for the expiry date. I went to Switzerland as an unemployed but a happier woman. It was October. Autumn is usually cold in Zurich, but luckily I was sunny most of the time. October 22 was my birthday. And the return ticket was on October 22 afternoon.
We slept early on the 20th night because Stefano was going to work the next day. At 5 a.m, I woke up to Stefano’s voice. “Wake up, we’re leaving”.
It’s pitch black outside, and most importantly, I didn’t get enough sleep. I say to myself; if you go to work, just go, why do you wake me up, what an unthoughtful man, how will I sleep again… I said “Are you kidding me, I am sleepy ” and I put my head on the pillow again. But Stefano is determined. We are going somewhere. “I said get up. Put on something. We have to get out in 15 minutes or we’ll miss the train.”
I then realized that Stefano prepared a surprise for me and he gave me only 15 minutes in total for actions such as waking up, going into the bathroom, putting on my clothes, deciding what to take with me, each of which would take at least 10 minutes alone.. MEN………
After 15 minutes, we found ourselves running on the street. We got on the train from Wiedikon, where Stefano lived back then, to Zurich and luckily we set off at the scheduled time. We went from Zurich to Chur and boarded Bernina Express, departing from Chur train station. By the way, I found that we were taking the Bernina Express when we got on the Bernina Express!
I was very worried as I was returning to Istanbul the next day. I really didn’t want to return. I guess that’s why, when I look at that day, I feel sadness rather than happiness first. But if we take the feelings out, what remains in my mind is that precious and fun time we spent.
I think the most beautiful gifts in the world are the moments we create together. I love to receive moments as gifts. Gifts we can create memories together, rather than things created by someone else that was bought with money and presented to me, then stood in a corner for years and thrown in the garbage when the day comes. For this reason, Bernina Express was one of the most meaningful gifts I ever received.
What is this Bernina Express?
So if this much romance is enough, we can now move on to the practical part! First of all, they call it Bernina Express but there is nothing express about it! In order to be able to enjoy the view to the fullest, this train goes very slow. Sometimes it’s at 10 km per hour speed, so it feels like the train stopped. However, this slowdown occurs in the most spectacular parts of the landscapes.
The construction of these train tracks started in 1896 and completed in 1904. Along the way, you pass through 196 bridges, 55 tunnels and 20 of Switzerland’s most beautiful villages.
This train departs from the city of Chur, which is 585 meters above sea level. From the Albula Valley to Engadin and eventually, it travels across the Swiss Alps to the Ospizio Bernina, whose height is 2253 meters. The interesting thing is that no cogwheel technology is required when going to such heights. This makes the Bernina Line the highest railway without cog rails in Europe.
Bernina Express runs on two train lines; Albula Line and Bernina Line. Both lines have been considered UNESCO World Heritage sites since 2008. Between these two lines, there stands the famous Swiss town St. Moritz. With this train journey, you encounter the peaks of the Alpine mountains, alpine lakes at an altitude of 2000 meters, forests and beautiful natural wonders. In addition, a part of the Bernina Express route is shared with the equally famous scenic train Glacier Express.
There are different Bernina Express routes. In our tour, the journey took about 4 hours with Tirano to be the last stop. Returning from Tirano to Lugano takes 2 hours and 40 minutes. So the journey takes 6 hours and 46 minutes in total. You cannot get off at any station on the way. When you arrive at Alp Grüm, the peak point, the train gives a 10-minute photo break.
When to Travel with Bernina Express?
If you want to combine activities that can be done in relatively warm weather such as spending time in Lugano, walking by the lake, and things can be seen in winter such as glaciers, snow-covered roads while in the mountains, then October and November are the best times. Because when you go on this journey in autumn, you witness both summer and winter. You can also see the cows in the valleys on these dates.
However, if you want to see everywhere under the snow and houses all covered in white, the best time for you is January or February. However, you cannot see the cows during this period. But keep in mind that there are many snow storms during these months and therefore there may be delays or cancellations in the journey.
Getting to the Bernina Express Start Station Chur
We started from Zurich, so taking Zurich as the starting point, our route is as follows;
Departure Station: Zürich HB
Bernina Express departure station: Chur
Arrival Station: Tirano (Italy)
You can buy your Zurich HB – Chur tickets here. The price ranges from 20 to 30 Swiss francs. You do not need to book in advance. You can get it at any time as there is no seat number and it is a normal domestic train. However, if you buy tickets in advance, you can find a discounted ticket.
Bernina Express Train Route, First Part of the Journey: Chur – Tirano
The first stop of the journey is a small Swiss city called Chur. After getting on the train from Chur, you travel across the Alps and arrive in Tirano, Italy, which is the last stop of the journey. Normally, we wait for the journeys to end, so that we can arrive at the destination we want to arrive as soon as possible. This journey is proof that the important thing is not to arrive but to be on the road. You won’t want it to be over!
You can buy your Bernina Express tickets from Chur to Tirano here. Tickets cost an average of 79 Swiss Francs one way.
If you choose the departure station as shown below as Zürich HB or wherever you are coming to Chur, you do not need to do the above step separately. While calculating the ticket price, it automatically adds your train ticket between Zürich HB and Chur. However, if you buy your Zürich HB-Chur ticket on the above site, you can be more profitable because there are always discounted tickets.
As a second alternative, you can buy a single ticket, and use it to cover 2 journeys as shown below.
Panoramic Bus Route, Second Part of the Journey: Tirano – Lugano
Is it over? Of course not! After arriving in Tirano by train, if you do not intend to continue your holiday in Italy and return to Switzerland, I definitely recommend you to take the panoramic bus departing from Tirano and going to Lugano that is in the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland. This time, instead of snowy mountains, icy lakes, you will be enchanted by the Mediterranean air, palm-lined roads, and the vast lake and mountain views and Lake Como.
You need to buy a separate ticket for this bus journey. Again, via the link I gave above, I am sharing it here as well, you can obtain your tickets. This ticket costs an average of 50 Swiss Francs.
By the way, Tirano does not appear on the list when you try to choose the departure station first. So first, choose Lugano as the arrival station, then you can choose Tirano from the arrival station.
Departure Station: Tirano (Italy)
Arrival Station: Lugano (Switzerland)
Bernina Express: Which Side to Sit on the Train?
If possible, you should reserve your place on the last wagon of Bernina Express. In this way, you can see the front part of the train while passing through the viaducts.
In addition, I recommend you to sit on the right when going from Chur to Tirano, and on the left when travelling from Tirano to Lugano. All of the wagons are panoramic. Windows extend towards the ceiling. So you can see not only your sides but also above.
Where to Eat on the Bernina Express
There is a cafe on the train. You can order snacks or drinks from here if you wish. You do not need to get up from your seat for this, because every 10 minutes the service staff pass by you in their carts full of food, drinks and souvenirs. Prices are as follows; Half a litre of water or a cup of coffee is CHF 4.50. Beer is CHF 6 and a glass of wine is CHF 12.
In short, eating on the train does not make much sense in terms of budget. Instead of giving 4.50 francs to water on the train, you can buy a bottle of water for 1 franc from the market. You can also bring the things you bought from the market with you for a snack. It is allowed to eat the meals you bring with you on the train.
Things to take with you before you take Bernina Express
Make sure you take enough water and snacks with you. Since it will be cold at the summit, keep your coat with you. But inside the train is really warm, so be sure to wear your t-shirt or thin clothes. Since you are not going to walk, you don’t have to wear sports shoes if you don’t want to. You can wear normal shoes provided that they are without heels.
Make sure you keep your tickets handy because the ticket control is done on the train after the journey begins. Take photos and screenshots of your tickets and keep in tow. Otherwise, the fine you have to pay will be higher than the amount you gave to the tickets.
Bernina Express Switzerland-Italy Visa and Passport Control
Whether you enter the country from Switzerland or Italy, you will receive a Schengen visa. And this visa is valid both in Italy and Switzerland. Therefore, if you happen to be checked by the officials while the train is transiting between the two countries, you can give your passport to the officer without worry.
There was no passport control during our trip. And I think it’s done quite seldom. But it’s still good to know.
Bernina Express: Stopover in Tirano
We could not stop in Tirano much. We only had 1-2 hours because we had already reserved our place on the Tirano-Lugano bus. Overall, Tirano is a cute city, but there is almost nothing to do. So we mingled between the houses without disturbing the locals, passed through the vineyards and spied on the houses of the people haha.
We spent our time here walking among the fields and houses in order to move our legs, which were still inactive because we were sitting on the train for 4 hours.
If you want to have a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and relax in the city, we came across a cute cafe in the centre of the city. It’s a very cute place called Caffe Novecento. There are many kinds of snacks, and everything is very cheap because you are in Italy 🙂
Bernina Express: Arrival to the last stop Lugano
The last stop of our trip was Lugano. Lugano is the capital of Ticino which is Switzerland’s Italian-speaking canton. Since it is my birthday evening, Stefano had made a reservation at a restaurant called Tango Riforma. They have a very rich menu. They cook almost all the famous Italian dishes. You can check the menu here. Prices are affordable compared to the rest of Switzerland. But of course more expensive than Italy.
Apart from that, you can also try Cantinone where you can eat Italian food and La Tinera where you can eat Italian – Swiss food.
For accommodation, if you think no matter where you are staying and if you just want a place to sleep, I would definitely recommend you to take a look at Casa Nico. It is relatively inexpensive, clean and very close to the centre of the city.
Dischma Hotel is also one of the closest cheap hotels in the city. 2-person stays in cheap hotels start from 38 Swiss Francs.
If you want to stay in a hotel with a lake view in the centre of the city while you are staying, the prices start at 100 Swiss Francs. You can take a look at the Suitenhotel Parco Paradiso, which has a lake view but is relatively inexpensive.
The city is by the lake. There is a view of San Salvatore that is an incredibly beautiful mountain. Everywhere is full of palm trees. For a moment you feel like you are not in Switzerland, but a holiday destination in the Mediterranean.
My advice is to spend the evening in Lugano if you have time. There are many cute hotels in the city centre. The next day you can discover the city. It’s really worth to have a day in this city.
Local Trains You Can Take Instead of Bernina Express
When you arrive at the station and search for your Bernina Express train, you will see other very similar red trains at the station. We had a little confusion until we found the Bernina train because we thought every red train was a Bernina express train 🙂
However, these other red trains are actually normal local trains carrying passengers. These trains also go on the same route, but since their purpose is to carry passengers rather than panoramic view, train windows are standard. They don’t have panoramic windows.
Windows can be opened on both local trains and Bernina Express trains. So you can hang out of the window on both trains and take amazing photos.
While you need to reserve a seat for Bernina Express, you can just sit anywhere in local trains.
While Bernina Express takes you from Chur to Tirano without ever getting off the train, you have to make a few transfers with local trains.
Which one to choose? Bernina Express or the local trains?
Which one to choose? Bernina Express or the local trains? I think you can take Bernina Express first and return with local trains. But instead of going back right away, I highly recommend taking the Panoramic bus to Lugano as we did!
Bernina Express Webcam
If you want to watch the Bernina Express train with cameras placed at several different points, check out here.
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If you have any other questions about planning, let’s meet in the comments!
Have fun!
