ROUTE
Chur-Tirano (travel time 4.05 hours)
Davos-Tirano (travel time 3.50 hrs)
St. Moritz-Tirano (travel time 2.30 hours)
The most beautiful Alpine experience: the Bernina Express seamlessly connects the cool North with the warm South and effortlessly overcomes the steepest gradients. Not only that – this is one of the most beautiful rail trips in the world.
The Bernina Express has to be the most spectacular Alpine crossing since Hannibal and his elephants. Departing from Chur, the crimson-coloured train ascends to the Engadine before weaving its way behind the Bernina Hospiz (2253 metres) through the Poschiavo Valley into Valtellina in Italy. The first highlight awaits passengers near Filisur, where the train traverses an awe-inspiring landmark – the 65-metre-high Landwasser viaduct. The train continues through 55 tunnels and across 196 bridges, making short work of the gradients even without a rack-and-pinion system. The cross-border Albula and Bernina Lines between Thusis and Tirano owe their 2008 inscription into the UNESCO World Heritage list to stunning scenery such as the Schyn Gorge, Morteratsch Glacier and Brusio spiral viaduct. And nothing can compare to that first glint of glacial ice on the horizon.
Highlights
Chur and region
Rhaetian Railway’s Albula and Bernina Lines are considered the world’s most spectacular railway route. The newly opened Railway Adventure Trail between Preda and Bergün and the Albula Railway Museum in Bergün provide fascinating and historical insights.
Lugano and region
From glistening glaciers to palm-lined lakes in just four hours? The popular Palm Express links snowy St. Moritz with Mediterranean-like Lugano, crossing into Italy along the way. The yellow PostBus takes you through typical Engadine villages, the romantic Bergell Valley and in Italy along the shores of Lake Como.
A cruise on Lake Lugano and an excursion to Gandria make a perfect pairing. This small fishing village at the foot of Monte Brè beckons with picturesque streets, welcoming lakeside restaurants and the Swiss Customs Museum.