The Bernina Express route is one of the world’s most spectacular train journeys. From Chur, Switzerland’s oldest town, to Tirano in Italy, it takes you over 196 bridges and through 55 tunnels, across the famous Landwasser Viaduct and past glaciers.
It isn’t just a way to get from A to B; it’s train travel at its best.
Most people take the dedicated Bernina Express service, a tourist-oriented service with panoramic cars. But it’s easy to follow the Bernina Express route on local trains, used by tourists and locals alike.
I have done it both ways: in winter on the Bernina Express, and in late spring on local trains. In this guide, I weigh up the pros and cons of each approach and share practical information on how to make it happen.
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What Is the Bernina Express Route?
The Bernina Express route combines two UNESCO World Heritage railway lines.
The Albula Line runs from Chur to St Moritz. This is where you’ll find the iconic Landwasser Viaduct. The line winds through gorges and forest, looping back on itself through spiral tunnels to gain altitude without a rack-and-pinion system, an astounding feat of late 19th-century engineering.
The Bernina Line runs from St Moritz (with a connection at Pontresina) over the Bernina Pass at 2,253 metres above sea level — the highest railway crossing in the Alps — then drops dramatically down through Val Poschiavo and into Italy at Tirano. For my money, this is the prettiest section of the route.
Both lines are operated by the Rhaetian Railway (RhB). The Bernina Express is the name of the panoramic tourist service that runs along the route; local trains use the same tracks and pass the same scenery. The full 90-mile (144 km) journey takes around four hours on the Bernina Express, slightly longer if you’re piecing it together on local services with connections.
The Bernina Express vs Local Trains: The Key Differences
Panoramic windows. The Bernina Express’s selling point is its panoramic carriages, with tall, curved windows designed to maximise views.
Local trains have standard windows, though many are still large. Crucially, windows on the Bernina Line open, a significant advantage for photographers, since the panoramic windows create reflections that can ruin shots.
Seat reservations. To travel on the Bernina Express, you must make a seat reservation on top of your ticket. In 2026, this costs CHF 40 or CHF 44, depending on the time of year. These reservations sell out well in advance.
Local trains need no reservation, though an optional reservation is available on Tirano–St Moritz services for CHF 5. This is well worth considering if you’re travelling in 2nd class at busy times, and as with the Bernina Express, book early.
Cost. In 2026, a one-way journey between Chur and Tirano on the Bernina Express costs CHF 66 in 2nd class, plus the CHF 40–44 reservation fee. Local trains use the same base fare, but you save that reservation surcharge.
If you have a Swiss Travel Pass or Eurail/Interrail pass, travel on both is included. You pay only the reservation fee for the Bernina Express, or nothing at all for local trains (unless you choose to reserve a seat).
Frequency. The Bernina Express runs the entire length of the line once or twice daily in each direction (two in summer, one in winter). Local trains run several times a day, giving you far more flexibility.
Audio commentary. The Bernina Express includes a multilingual audio guide in English, German, French, Italian, Chinese and Japanese. Local trains have minimal commentary, so you may want to read up beforehand.
Bicycles. Not permitted on the Bernina Express but allowed on local trains.
Catering. Available on the Bernina Express; not on local trains.
Open-air carriages. In summer, some local trains on the Bernina line have open-air carriages attached for a portion of the route.
Pros and Cons of Following the Bernina Express Route on Local Trains
Why local trains win
Freedom to hop on and off. This is the big one. On the Bernina Express, your reservation is tied to a specific train. Miss it or want to linger somewhere, and you’ll need a fresh reservation, and there may not be another train that day.
One of the joys of Swiss train travel is that you can break up your journey at no extra cost. So, on local trains, once you buy a ticket valid for the route, you can get on and off as you please during the day.
I stopped at Alp Grüm for the views and at Pontresina for lunch. Both were spontaneous decisions that would have been far more complicated on the Bernina Express.
No need to book months in advance. Bernina Express reservations go on sale 365 days ahead, and popular departure dates — especially in winter — sell out months before travel. Local trains have no such limitation.
Better for photography. The panoramic windows of the Bernina Express do not open, creating significant reflections in bright sunlight. On local trains along the Bernina Line, you can open the windows on many carriages.
Open-air carriages (summer only). From late June to late August, a seatless open carriage is attached to some regional trains between St Moritz and Tirano. They are not available on the Bernina Express.
This is perfect for photographs, video and feeling the mountain air (bring layers). Check which services include this on the RhB website before you travel.
Less crowded. The Bernina Express attracts large groups and, in peak season, it can feel more like a tourist convoy than a train journey. Local trains carry a mix of travellers and residents going about their day.
Cheaper. Even if your rail pass covers the base fare on either service, you save CHF 40–44 per seat reservation.
Where the Bernina Express has the edge
The windows are better. For gazing at the scenery, the Bernina Express panoramic cars are hard to beat. In overcast or flat winter light, when reflections are less of a problem, these larger windows come into their own.
You don’t need to think. The Bernina Express is a direct service from Chur to Tirano; you don’t need to manage connections. On local trains, you’ll need to change at least twice, typically at Samedan and Pontresina. It’s not complicated, but it does require a little more planning.
Onboard commentary. If you want to understand what you’re seeing and when, the multilingual audio guide is useful. Local trains have some commentary, but it’s limited.
How I Did It on Local Trains
Using an Interrail Pass, I travelled from Tirano to Chur on local trains, stopping at Alp Grüm and Pontresina. My one regret is that I didn’t get off at Filsur to photograph the Lanwesser Viaduct from ground level.
I didn’t reserve a seat. Here’s how the timetable panned out:
| Leg | Depart | Arrive |
| Tirano → Alp Grüm | 09:41 | 11:06 |
| Alp Grüm → Pontresina | 12:13 | 12:53 |
| Pontresina → Chur (change at Samedan) | 14:05 | 16:02 |
There’s nowhere to formally store luggage at Alp Grüm. However, I wasn’t the only person jumping off the regional train there, and we collectively created an impromptu left luggage — cases lined up by the café. It worked.
Some reports suggest the café stores bags on request, but as it was closed for renovation when I visited, I couldn’t confirm this.
At Pontresina, I wheeled my case to Ricardo’s restaurant, a five-minute walk from the station.
I bookended the journey with one night at Hotel Stelvio in Tirano and two nights at ABC Swiss Quality Hotel in Chur. In my opinion, Chur has more to offer than Tirano and warrants more time. I’ve written this guide on my favourite things to do in Chur.
How to Book Local Trains on the Bernina Route
Booking is straightforward and, if you are not reserving a seat, you can do this on the day of travel.
Use the SBB website or the SBB app, search Chur to Tirano (or vice versa, or any intermediate station) and select the regional train options. Remember, you can break up your journey as much as you like at no extra cost, so your ticket from Chur to Tirano will cover you for the entire day.
You can also buy tickets at the station machines or at the ticket windows at either end. Machines accept cards and have English-language options.
Tickets and Passes: What You Need to Know
Swiss Travel Pass. Covers local trains on this route with no reservation needed and no extra cost. If you’re spending several days in Switzerland, this pass is worth looking into
>>> Check prices
Interrail and Eurail passes. Covers both the Swiss and Italian sections of the route, including local trains. No reservation is required on local trains; the Bernina Express surcharge still applies if you want the panoramic carriages.
>>> Check prices
Swiss Half Fare Card. Halves the cost of all train tickets in Switzerland. At CHF 150 for a month, it can pay for itself quickly if you’re spending a week or more in the country.
>>> Check prices
Point-to-point tickets. Fully flexible one-way fares are available on the day of travel and cannot sell out. If you have no pass, this is the most straightforward option for local trains.
The Route Highlights (What You’ll See Either Way)
Whether you’re in a panoramic car or on a local train, the scenery is identical. I’ve listed the highlights travelling north from Tirano – the direction I took most recently — but there’s no single “best” direction.
Tirano
Your starting point in Italy is Tirano, a relaxed town with a beautiful Renaissance-era Sanctuary of the Madonna di Tirano. The RhB station and the Italian Trenord station are side by side, making connections simple. I’ve written this guide to the best things to see in Tirano.
I love that the rail line runs along the street on its way out of the town, locals waving at the side of the track.
The Brusio Circular Viaduct
Near the Italian border, the line crosses the Brusio spiral viaduct: an open, circular stone viaduct where the train loops 360 degrees around itself to lose altitude. You can see the train ahead and behind you at the same time (best views from the left-hand side).
Lago di Poschiavo
As you approach Poschiavo from the south, the turquoise Lago di Poschiavo appears on the right when travelling north (left when heading south). In the morning light, the colour and reflections are extraordinary, making it a personal highlight of the route.
The Val Poschiavo Ascent
The Val Poschiavo is where the character of the journey shifts. Heading north, you move from a valley where Italian is spoken, vines grow on the hillsides, and the light is Mediterranean-warm to something altogether more austere. The transition happens fast.
Alp Grüm
A panoramic station at 2,091 metres with views of the Palü Glacier and the full sweep of Val Poschiavo below. There’s a café here if you need caffeination.
Ospizio Bernina (2,253 m)
The highest point of the journey and the highest railway station in the Alps. The train passes between two contrasting lakes: the pale grey-white Lago Bianco (White Lake) and the dark Lago Nero (Black Lake). In winter, this section is buried in snow.
In late spring, it’s lunar, treeless and otherworldly. For me, this is the journey’s high point (pun intended).
Morteratsch Glacier
Coming north through Pontresina, you get views of the Morteratsch Glacier, one of the largest in the Alps, and one of the most visibly retreating. It’s a sobering sight given how dramatically it has shrunk in recent decades, but still enormous and spectacular.
The Albula Spiral Loops
As the train climbs from the Inn valley towards St Moritz and beyond, it loops back on itself through a series of spiral tunnels, gaining altitude without a cog railway. You’ll emerge from a tunnel higher than you entered, having twisted through the mountain in a full loop. It sounds confusing; from the window, it’s remarkable.
Landwasser Viaduct
Between Filisur and Schmitten, the train sweeps across the six-arched Landwasser Viaduct, curving 65 metres above the valley floor before plunging into the mountain. It is one of the great images of Alpine railway travel, and it’s over in seconds. Have your camera ready before you think you need it.
Which Side of the Train to Sit On
On local trains, you can change seats freely (space permitting), so treat these as starting positions rather than strict rules.
Travelling south (Chur to Tirano): Sit on the right-hand side for the best views of the Landwasser Viaduct, the Ospizio Bernina area and the Brusio spiral viaduct. The Lago di Poschiavo is the exception; that’s on the left.
Travelling north (Tirano to Chur): Sit on the left-hand side for the same landmarks in reverse. The Lago di Poschiavo will then be on your right.
For both directions: sit towards the rear of the train to photograph the full sweep of the train ahead of you as it rounds curves and crosses viaducts.
On the Bernina Express, you can’t specify which direction your carriage will face when booking, so you may not end up on the optimal side regardless of what you reserved. On a local train, you have complete flexibility.
Where to Break the Journey on Local Trains
Bergün (Bravuogn). A pretty village on the Albula line with a small railway museum. In winter, the Bergün–Preda toboggan run operates after dark, with a train to carry you back up. It’s one of Switzerland’s more surreal pleasures.
Filisur. This station, closest to the Landwasser Viaduct, is ideal if you want to photograph the viaduct from outside the train. Get off, walk to the viewpoint and pick up the next service.
St Moritz / Pontresina. The Albula and Bernina lines connect here. St Moritz needs little introduction: absurdly glamorous, reliably expensive and very beautiful. It’s the natural midpoint if you’re splitting the journey over two days.
Alp Grüm. A high alpine stop with glacier views and a café.
Poschiavo. An Italian-speaking Swiss town with a historic centre of 19th-century villas built by locals who made their fortunes abroad as pastry chefs and hoteliers. The main square, Plaza da Cumün, is a good bet for lunch.
Bernina Express Route in Winter vs Late Spring
I’ve done this route in both seasons, and they are different experiences.
Winter strips the landscape back to essentials: snow, rock and ice. The section around Ospizio Bernina is essentially a white-out, and the contrast between the frozen Alpine world and the milder south is even more dramatic than in summer (you drop from deep snow to bare vineyards within an hour).
The main drawback is limited daylight and, for the Bernina Express, one service per day each way. Local trains run more frequently throughout.
Late spring and summer give you wildflower meadows, the full drama of the glaciers, and the chance to ride in the open-air carriages on some local services. The route is busier and the Bernina Express harder to book, but local trains are still relatively straightforward to sort.
The light is best in late spring and early autumn when the Alpine meadows are at their most vivid and crowds are thinner.
My personal preference is late spring. The ascent through Val Poschiavo, when the valley is green, and the Lago di Poschiavo is at its most intensely blue, is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen from a train window.
Practical Tips for the Bernina Route on Local Trains
Travel first class if your budget allows. It’s far quieter. I had the carriage largely to myself for much of the journey, perfect for switching sides to take photographs.
Check connections in advance. The SBB app or website shows the full Chur–Tirano journey with connections (typically at Samedan and Pontresina) and live updates on the day.
Build in buffer time at connections. Swiss trains are famously punctual, but if you’re new to the network, aim for a connection time of at least ten minutes. Missing a Bernina Line train means waiting an hour.
Bring food and water. Stock up with snacks before boarding, or pick up provisions if you’re stopping en route.
Dress in layers. At Alp Grüm (2,091m), temperatures can be significantly colder than at either end of the route, even in late spring. When I did the journey in May, it was a chilly 6 degrees.
Carry your passport. The route crosses into Italy at Campocologno, just north of Tirano. There are no formal border checks, but carrying identification is mandatory if you’re travelling on an Interrail, Eurail or Swiss Travel Pass.
Arrive early at Chur or stay overnight. A rewarding short stay. It has a handsome cathedral, medieval lanes and stacks of history (settlements here date back some 11,000 years).
Getting to Chur and Onward from Tirano
Getting to Chur. Direct trains from Zurich take around 70 minutes and run frequently. Chur is also on the Glacier Express route if you’re building a wider Swiss rail itinerary. My guide to solo travel in Switzerland covers the best places to visit, and practical tips on keeping costs down.
Onward from Tirano. For the onward journey to Milan by Trenord regional train, buy a separate ticket at the station ticket office (note it may be closed in the afternoon) or at a ticket machine. Reservations are not required.
From Milan, the rest of northern Italy — Lake Como, Bergamo, Brescia, Verona — is easily accessible by train. I’ve written this guide to train travel in Italy.
The Bernina Express Bus (summer only). The bus runs from Tirano to Lugano via Lake Como and Lake Lugano, operating from late March to late October. You need to reserve your seat (CHF 41 in 2026), but it creates a neat circular itinerary without retracing your steps, and it connects with the train timetable.
Bernina Express or Local Train?
The honest answer is: it depends on how you travel.
If you want a relaxed, scenic experience with zero logistical headaches and you’re not fussed about the extra cost or the booking requirement, the Bernina Express is a wonderful train journey. But if you want flexibility, better photography conditions, the freedom to stop where the mood takes you, and a seat that costs nothing extra beyond your base ticket or rail pass, local trains are the way to go.
The scenery is identical. The engineering is the same. The mountains don’t change depending on which train carriage you’re sitting in.
You can have it both ways.
Take the Bernina Express one way and local trains back, or split it into sections. I would take the Bernina Express for the Albula line from Chur to St Moritz (where the panoramic windows make a real difference in the gorge sections) and local trains for the Bernina line south from Pontresina (where you can take advantage of the roll-down windows).
Either way, you’re on one of the greatest train journeys in the world. That part is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Bernina Express worth the extra cost?
The base fare for the Bernina Express route is the same whether you choose local trains or the Bernina Express. But travelling on the Bernina Express will set you back an additional CHF 40 / 44 for the mandatory seat reservation premium.
The scenery is identical on local trains, so that fee buys you larger windows, direct routing, onboard commentary and (in theory) a more curated experience. Whether that’s worth it is a personal call.
I’ve done it both ways and would choose local trains again, but the Bernina Express is nonetheless wonderful.
How does the Bernina Express compare to the Glacier Express?
Both are iconic Swiss panoramic trains but they’re quite different journeys. I’ve written a comparison of the Bernina Express and Glacier Express, but here’s the short version.
The Glacier Express runs for 7 hours 45 minutes between Zermatt and St Moritz or Chur. It is slower, longer and more expensive.
The Bernina route is just over four hours and arguably more varied, moving from Swiss gorges to an Alpine pass to an Italian valley in a single journey.
The Glacier Express crosses more cantons and feels more like a slow meandering through Switzerland; the Bernina packs its scenery into a shorter, more dramatic arc.
>>> See my full Glacier Express guide here
Can you combine the Bernina Express with the Glacier Express?
Yes, and it makes a wonderful itinerary.
The two routes share the town of Chur as a common point. A classic combination is: Zermatt → Chur on the Glacier Express, overnight in Chur, then Chur → Tirano on the Bernina route (on local trains or the Bernina Express).
From Tirano, you can either return to Switzerland via the Bernina line or continue south to Milan and beyond. Both routes are covered by the Swiss Travel Pass and Interrail/Eurail passes.
What are the best stops on the Bernina Express route?
The highlights accessible as stops on local trains are: Filisur (for the Landwasser Viaduct viewpoint outside the train), Alp Grüm (glacier views and mountain café at 2,091m), Poschiavo (historic town, good lunch options and a slower pace), and St Moritz or Pontresina (the midpoint, and a natural base for a night or two). If you’re on the Bernina Express, the 20-minute photo stop at Alp Grüm is the only real pause along the way.
Do I need a visa or passport for the Bernina Express route?
The route crosses from Switzerland into Italy at Campocologno, just north of Tirano. There are no formal border controls, but carrying identification is mandatory if you’re travelling on an Interrail, Eurail or Swiss Travel Pass.
Can you do the Bernina Express route as a day trip from Zurich or Milan?
From Zurich, Chur is about 70 minutes by fast train, making a Chur–Tirano day trip just about feasible, albeit a long one. More practical is a day trip from Chur to Poschiavo or Alp Grüm and back, or the St Moritz–Tirano section (around 2.5 hours each way), which captures the most dramatic scenery.
As Tirano is about 2.5 hours by regional train from Milan, doing the full Bernina line would be a slog. Instead, take the train to Tirano and do a short section of the Bernina line — say Tirano to Poschiavo and back (around 45 minutes each way) — which gives you the Brusio viaduct and the Val Poschiavo.
Alternatively, use Tirano as an overnight base and do the route properly the next day. (I recommend Hotel Stelvio, a ten-minute walk from the train station on the edge of the old town).
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.