Bernina Express - advice desired!

[Dave W]

Afternoon,

I've used the forum search and have seen a few posts on the above, but hoping for some specific, easy access advice I can wave at people, so please indulge me.

I'll be on Lake Como in a couple of weeks; sadly not rail connected but we are with chariot! My partner was hunting for birthday presents for her dad and - without any prompting I might add!!! - found the Bernina Express. Naturally I'd be delighted with this as a holiday activity...!

The important caveats are:

• as a birthday treat money is less of an object than most travel
• neither my partner nor her parents are in anyway exercised about trains.

In any case some of the posts I've seen suggest not to bother with the "tourist" Bernina Express and simply use a service train, which seem relatively frequent and cheaper. We'd only be going as far as St Moritz.

I wonder if anyone with recent experience or local knowledge might be able to advise on this and other matters? Is the extra cost worth it? The long-range weather forecast is middling at the moment - would this have an impact? What experience would a non-enthusiast have just on a regional train? And so on.

All views welcome!
Dave

 

[DanielB]

Haven't experienced the Bernina railway myself yet (did the Albula railway slightly further north on the Rhaetische Bahn network last year). But those regular regional trains are perfectly fine to experience these scenic routes: comfortable seats and large windows which on most of the trains also open. I wouldn't spend the extra money on the touristy Bernina Express as the views would be exactly the same.

As some inspiration: have actually been following this Twitter thread (in Dutch) today, describing the trip along the Bernina route by regional train.

 

[rvdborgt]

The Bernina Express is also a service train: the first 3 carriages are for normal passengers, no reservations, no supplements, windows that open.
For the panorama carriages being pulled by the leading trainset you need an expensive reservation and they're often fully booked weeks in advance.

 

[43096]

Afternoon,

I've used the forum search and have seen a few posts on the above, but hoping for some specific, easy access advice I can wave at people, so please indulge me.

I'll be on Lake Como in a couple of weeks; sadly not rail connected but we are with chariot! My partner was hunting for birthday presents for her dad and - without any prompting I might add!!! - found the Bernina Express. Naturally I'd be delighted with this as a holiday activity...!

The important caveats are:

• as a birthday treat money is less of an object than most travel
• neither my partner nor her parents are in anyway exercised about trains.

In any case some of the posts I've seen suggest not to bother with the "tourist" Bernina Express and simply use a service train, which seem relatively frequent and cheaper. We'd only be going as far as St Moritz.

I wonder if anyone with recent experience or local knowledge might be able to advise on this and other matters? Is the extra cost worth it? The long-range weather forecast is middling at the moment - would this have an impact? What experience would a non-enthusiast have just on a regional train? And so on.

All views welcome!
Dave

I've never done the Bernina Express (or Glacier Express), but have done the regular service trains on several occasions. From what I've seen the Bernina/Glacier Expresses are a rather "sanitised" way of doing the trip - sealed windows etc. I much prefer doing it as the locals do: on the service train. They're comfortable and you can open windows to take photos and take in the fresh mountain air (this includes the newer Allegra units, which have some opening windows for this purpose).

Using the service train also means you could plan in a stop off en route. I'd recommend Alp Grüm - stunning views and there's a restaurant there as well (but check if it's open when you're there: https://www.engadin.ch/en/restaurants/albergo-ristorante-alp-gruem/).

Whatever you decide to do, you won't be disappointed. It should be on every enthusiast's "bucket list": it's one of the great railway experiences.

And as a quick teaser, this is Alp Grüm, with an Allegra unit at the platform...

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Presumably you would be travelling Tirano-St Moritz-Tirano?
There are roughly hourly normal trains and some "PE" (Panorama Express) services on the route, and there's a special fare of CHF 89 for a return trip in the panorama cars on the PE trains if you book 6 days in advance.
PE times are 1006 from Tirano, 1235 into St Moritz, returning at 1614 with arrival back in Tirano at 1839.
You get a 15 minute stop at Alp Grum, probably the most scenic spot on the route for viewing the railway engineering, with cafe.

Bernina Express - Last Minute

www.rhb.ch

The normal walk-on fare is CHF 32 each way per person Tirano-St Moritz (not in the panorama cars - but the whole journey is very scenic, wherever you sit).
There's also a Day Saver Pass which varies in price depending on demand and how far in advance you book, but I can see a CHF 61 fare for mid-May (covers all of CH).
There's also a CHF 75 1-day pass for the RhB network, and some group fares.

graubünden Pass

Tailor-made travel enjoyment

tickets.rhb.ch

When I last went, RhB ran open box "Aussichtwagen" wagons attached to some trains.
I don't know if they still do that, but in May there will still be a lot of snow around and it will be cold over the pass.
The best view of the Bernina Alps is from the top of the Diavolezza cable car, which starts next to the railway (but is expensive).

 

[Foxhunter]

Is the extra cost worth it? The long-range weather forecast is middling at the moment - would this have an impact?

I don't know if it helps, but my personal view is that if you think you are only going to do it once in your life, then if you can afford it, do it properly and get the Panorama Express (PE). You won't see dramatically more than the you'll see from the standard carriages, but it does feel a little special, you get the commentary (I think - check this) and the coffee trolley came round. You've travelled a long way, no doubt spent a bob or too already, you're doing it to experience the journey, why not finish the job properly? But if I was doing out and back then I'd probably only do PE in one direction, not least for the wider choice of trains.

As to weather, clearly haze free sunshine is best, and I've spent a disappointing week in Switzerland with continuous low cloud. My guess is that if you try to choose your day based on the weather you'll be too late to get a PE booking.

 

[m4tt]

Went on the Bernina Express about 2 weeks ago, I took the regular service down from St Moritz to Le Prese and back on the Bernina Express in the Allegera unit both in 1st class. I had the whole section of the coach to myself and was able to open the very large windows without any problems. You would not get that level of privacy in the Panoramic Express coaches. The journey is incredible and if you feel like it, go for the PE coaches, I doubt they will disappoint.

(Photos show the regular regional services, albeit consist of the same Allegera that hauls the Bernina Express)

View attachment DSC03541.jpg


View attachment DSC03701.jpg

 

[Steve4031]

Definitely take the trip all the way to Tirano. This is the most scenic train ride in the world IMHO.

 

[richw]

hopefully you don’t mind me commenting. Mainly to get notifications on this thread as im visiting como late august and your questions are ones I have similar so saves me asking. Thanks

 

[Dave W]

All, many thanks for your very kind input. We are indeed intending to do Tirano to St Moritz and return.

I've been doing some digging myself and found the prices that were mentioned above, plus some savers. From what I can see, we've the following options (again this is for my own summarising, so grateful to colleagues for patience):

51.60 CHF for "advance" returns - on specific trains (neither Panorama Express)
64 CHF for a walk up non-Bernina Express return ticket - or rather 2 singles (2nd) - these tickets are valid on the Panorama Express trains though?
89 CHF for the "last minute" return ticket (2nd) - presumably the additional cost includes a reserved seat in the panoramic cars

If it was just me - or even me and herself - I'd just turn up and see what was on offer, but with the in-laws involved one must get this right...!

Thanks again!

hopefully you don’t mind me commenting. Mainly to get notifications on this thread as im visiting como late august and your questions are ones I have similar so saves me asking. Thanks

Knock yourself out, we're all friends here

 

[rvdborgt]

CHF 64 is indeed the regular full return fare 2nd class. The supplement/reservation for the panoramic carriages is CHF 24 for a single, which means a full fare return in the panoramic carriages is CHF 64+48=112. CHF 89 may be a last minute deal when there are still some seats left in the panoramic carriages.

 

[Dave W]

Thanks - that tallies with the original price I saw of CHF 448 - the last minute deal feels about right to me, so we'll go for that.

Notwithstanding the excellent comments throughout the above posts, of course - I would "slum it" if it was just me but since it isn't!

Thanks again - all very helpful.

 

[CarltonA]

I'll be on Lake Como in a couple of weeks; sadly not rail connected

I've travelled up to St Moritz from the Italian side and thoroughly recommend the journey, we used the service train. Lake Como is served by rail on the eastern side if you cross over from Belagio there is a line running near the eastern shore, though I only stood at the station, I'm not sure which destinations are served.

 

[30907]

I've travelled up to St Moritz from the Italian side and thoroughly recommend the journey, we used the service train. Lake Como is served by rail on the eastern side if you cross over from Belagio there is a line running near the eastern shore, though I only stood at the station, I'm not sure which destinations are served.

It gets you to Tirano, direct or with a change - but the OP will have a car...

An interesting car-free circular tour should be possible using bus St Moritz - Chiavenna BTW.

 

[urbophile]

My wife and I travelled on the Bernina Express last September, as part of a package with Great Rail Journeys. Hence I don't know what we would have paid in comparison to the ordinary fare. It was a stunning experience, but it would be equally so in a 'normal' train. It's by no means just for train enthusiasts (indeed, there were very few if any amongst our group); it's by far the best way to appreciate the alpine scenery if you're not a mountaineer. But if you want a 'total experience', enjoying a restaurant car meal en route would add to it.

 

[AdamWW]

My wife and I travelled on the Bernina Express last September, as part of a package with Great Rail Journeys. Hence I don't know what we would have paid in comparison to the ordinary fare. It was a stunning experience, but it would be equally so in a 'normal' train. It's by no means just for train enthusiasts (indeed, there were very few if any amongst our group); it's by far the best way to appreciate the alpine scenery if you're not a mountaineer. But if you want a 'total experience', enjoying a restaurant car meal en route would add to it.

I really like the idea of restaurant car meals on a train.

But I don't seem to be very good at concentrating on eating and looking out of the window at the same time.

So it might be a bit wasted on me.

 

[Alfonso]

If you're going with normals then I think it's mainly about the views, which can be spectacular or you could be in a cloud the whole way. First class may be a bit less busy, the open wagons that run part of the route (poschiavo to hospital Bernina?) might be fun, might be loud, uncomfortable and cold, but I wouldn't worry too much about what kind of train. I think key is visibility, so I wouldn't buy a ticket in advance but check how high the cloud base is early that morning or and/or check the webcams on mountains and go when it's clear with a cloud base at least high enough to clear the peaks..ideally 3500m plus. If you like walking then alp grum to poscjiavo is a very pleasant 3 ish hours I think gently downhill. If you like cycling but are lazy then the top of the Bernina pass as far down as you like can be fun or deadly depending on your riding style, and if you like views then going up any of the peaks is good or there's a very easy pushchair/ wheelchair friendly walk from the top of the muottas muragl funicular to the top of the alp languard chairlift.

 

[blackfive460]

Use the ordinary trains and break your journey. Poschiavo is worth missing a train for but an hour at Alp Grüm is definitely worth while if the weather is fine.

For the best view cross the tracks at the south end of the station and take the path going uphill. It's quite steep but there's a restaurant at the top and you'll get the view as seen in the attached image.
Good luck with the weather!

 

[urbophile]

Poschiavo is a lovely small town for a break. Especially if you are travelling from the Swiss end because it's the first taste of Italian culture that you get, linguistically and culinarly at least. This small area of Grigioni/Graubünden is Italian-speaking Switzerland. So Italy with Swiss prices and cleanliness!

 

[peteb]

Having just done the Golden pass route from Zweissimen to Montreux I would recommend the older carriage with opening windows that drop down half way. However the first class has an observation car going in reverse which becomes the drivers eye view going forwards, the driver sitting above the compartment (like on those old French Picasso deisel units). Not sure about the Bernina Express, I'm booked on that in June with family so we are going in the touristy air con carriages.

 

[Route115?]

I've just done the Bernina route a couple of weeks ago, 1st Class with an Interrail pass (you could also use a Swiss Travel Pass, both are valid).

As other posts have said, it depends upon whether you want the tourist experience and to dine in style. I personally prefer the service train where you can sometimes find a bay to yourself and flip between whichever side gives the best view, but its up to you.

Whichever way you travel, I recommend the route, all the way from Chur to Tirano, one of the best routes in the world if you ask me.

 

[bnc2018]

I did the Bernina Express (Chur to Tirano) back in the summer with an interrail pass so we just went in the regular train. The journey was astonishing and well worth it. We were travelling in July and the train was pretty empty, we always had a table to ourselves and once we passed over the summit we had the entire carriage to ourselves. The train had big windows and was newer than the tourist carriages, and you still got the narration about the sites on the route.

Meanwhile, the reserved tourist coaches were completely full, and the people sat on the eastern side of the train mainly just got a view of the rockface for much of the journey - I'm surprised some of them didn't make the move into our train. In the photo you can make out people standing in the carriage to see over the people sat on the one side of the train

Overall it was absolutely worth doing, and I think our experience was probably better than those who had paid for the upgrade.

 

[alholmes]

I made the trip from Tirano to St Moritz about 6 weeks ago, in the middle of March so still lots of snow on the ground then. Again, I’d echo what others have said about going in a conventional carriage if you want to hang out of the windows and take photos, though if you’re taking parents-in-law they might prefer the panorama carriages (unless they are keen photographers).

For my trip I had a first class Interrail ticket, and took the first train of the day from Tirano at 07:41. The first class section was completely empty so I was able to have windows open both sides and switch between the two for photos - not necessarily possible on later trains which are likely to be busier.

 

[bahnause]

I would definitely recommend having lunch at Alp Grüm. The pizzoccheri are homemade and taste great. If you have enough time, you can also spend the night there. It gets very quiet after the last train as there is no road access, the view is spectacular.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

ag7 is a fantastic picture of the night sky, presumably on a tripod.
Looks like Perseus, with the Pleiades bottom right, and a glorious M31 upper right.
Possibly a meteor too, upper left, if it is not a satellite...
It shows what transparent skies you can get in the Alps.

 

[Dave W]

Fantastic knowledge on display here - most grateful to all contributors. I will naturally have to report back once I've done it next week!

Thanks and best to all!

 

[wellhouse]

We did this route from Tirano to St Moritz. on a First Class Interrail Pass a month ago, followed by The Glacier Express.

1. Do it! the route is stunning
2. Some normal trains have a Panorama Car. for which the supplement is 6CHF on top of the First Class fare. Our carriage actually had a library of tourist information books, but we were glued to the views.
3. Alp Grum is terrific. We stayed the night, but if you just want a day trip, stop for lunch, or a drink while you take in the views from the terrace. Good lunch spots also near Tirano station.
4. In Tirano, the line runs through the streets.
5. For some of your trip, ride in the First Class compartment behind the driver. You can see straight ahead, with views just as spectacular, but very different from, those from the Panorama Car.
6. Outstanding. service. When we caught the first train of the day from Alp Grum to St Moritz, the driver got off to help with our luggage.
7.While you are on Lake Como, visit Varenna. A delightful Village, and you can take the train from there to Tirano. Excellent station cafe/bar, and Left Luggage.

 

[Dave W]

Yeah we intend to visit Varenna, although by ferry rather than train, as we're on the "west" shore (near Bellagio)

 

[wellhouse]

And another couple of things!

1.If you all fancy a glass of wine or two during the day, you can leave the car at your hotel, and reach the train from Varenna to Tirano by ferry from several points across the lake
2. For your interest, if not your family's, several of the morning and evening trains are mixed traffic, with an EMU hauling freight. We saw mainly timber traffic, but our early train from Alp Grum was hauling empty timber wagons and a container for the Co-op.

 

[blackfive460]

Some normal trains have a Panorama Car. for which the supplement is 6CHF on top of the First Class fare.

That's an 'off season' thing when the full Bernina Express timetable isn't running and they have spare cars available.