Bernina Express - From glaciers to palms

Experience one of the most spectacular ways to cross the Alps: The Albula and Bernina Lines connect northern and southern Europe. A high-point of the ride is the panoramic view from the Bernina Express, as it passes mighty glaciers on its descent to a land of swaying palms.

The most beautiful experience of the Alps: From the high towering glaciers of the mountains down to the swaying palms of Italy, the highest mountain railway in the Alps provides a link between northern and southern Europe. It does so in the most wonderful way imaginable, on a railway line that coexists in perfect harmony with its glorious mountain setting. The train makes short work of the 55 tunnels, 196 bridges and slopes of up to 70 millimetres per metre of incline that are found along its route. The physical high-point of the RhB is Ospizio Bernina, at 2,253 metres above sea level.

The wonders of nature and the cultural achievements of man merge into one of the best ways ever to experience the Alps. The section between Thusis and Tirano has been classed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. A milestone in our history.

Note
Map
Sightseeing
Timetable
Fares
Sales

Note

Due to building work on the line, between 02.04.2013 and 08.05.2013 Bernina Express trains 952, 953, 954 and 955 and between 09.05.2013 - 28.06.2013 Bernina Express trains 960 and 961 will only be operating from/to Davos Glaris. A replacement bus service will be provided for Bernina Express passengers travelling between Davos Platz and Davos Glaris.

Map

Sightseeing

Just take your seat and prepare to be astounded. The Bernina Express lets you experience the beauty of the Alps. From Chur, the oldest town in Switzerland ride, the train travels through an area containing Europe’s highest density of castles. The journey continues through the dark and mysterious Schinschlucht Gorge, followed by the ninetymetre- high Solis Viaduct, which carries the line into the wild and romantic valley of Albulatal, where the world-famous Landwasser Viaduct awaits to plunge the train into a world of towering rock walls. The train climbs up over grandiose man-made structures and through sinuous tunnels, before emerging from the Albula Tunnel into the glory that is the region of Engadin. This is the heavenly ballroom of the Alps, including as it does such attractions as the cosmopolitan resort of St. Moritz.

The Bernina Express climbs ever higher, to roll past the Bernina region’s mighty glaciers. When the train reaches Lake Bianco, the true majesty of this mountainous setting becomes apparent in all its full-blown glory. And there are more attractions to come, this time of a southern nature, as the train follows its curving route down from above 2 200 metres in height towards Poschiavo. This part of the line takes the train over the famous Circular Viaduct of Brusio and onward to the Italian town of Tirano. The entire line is characterised by a series of breathtaking landscapes, interspersed with impressive masterpieces of the art of civil engineering. The Bernina Express: the train that lets you travel into and right through a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Click on the interactive Flashmap to discover more about the sites of cultural interest and outstanding natural beauty that are to be found along the Albula and Bernina lines. The map also shows the routes of the Rhaetian Railway, along with all their tunnels and bridges. The interactive map, which you can zoom in and out of at will, does not just offer an innovative overview of the Albula and Bernina lines. It is also a comprehensive work of reference, but without any need for laborious searching and scrolling through pages of text. One click is all it takes to display the required information. The superimposed text windows can also be enlarged and reduced as required.

Timetable

Winter
22 October 2012 - 08 May 2013 / 21 October 2013 - 14 December 2013

Chur / Davos Platz / St. Moritz - Tirano
		Train 953¹⁾	Train 1625¹⁾	Train 955²⁾	Train 971³⁾
Chur	dep	08.58		09.31
Tiefencastel	dep	09.47		10.16
Davos Platz	dep	09.31⁴⁾		09.31⁴⁾
St. Moritz	dep		10.45	10.45⁵⁾	14.45
Pontresina	dep	11.04	11.04	11.21	15.04
Alp Grüm	arr	11.45	11.45	11.56	15.45
Poschiavo	arr	12.27	12.27	12.50	16.27
Tirano	arr	13.12	13.12	13.26	17.12

Tirano - St. Moritz / Davos Platz / Chur
		Train 972³⁾	Train 952²⁾	Train 954¹⁾	Train 1658¹⁾	Train 1660⁶⁾
Tirano	dep	08.50	14.04	14.33	14.33	14.50
Poschiavo	dep	09.33	14.44	15.13	15.13	15.33
Alp Grüm	dep	10.14	15.22	15.58	15.58	16.14
Pontresina	arr	10.58	16.04	16.44	16.44	16.58
St. Moritz	arr	11.12	17.08⁵⁾		17.08	17.12
Davos Platz	arr		18.29⁴⁾	18.29⁴⁾
Tiefencastel	arr		17.32	18.15
Chur	arr		18.27	19.03

1) Monday to Friday, except gen. national holidays, with no service between 22.12.2012 to 29.12.2012 and 05.-06.01.2013
2) Saturdays/Sundays and national holidays and also 24.12.2012 to 02.01.2013
3) Tuesday - Sunday as well as 31.12.2012 and 01.04.2013
4) Change in Filisur
5) Change in Pontresina

Summer
09 May 2013 - 20 October 2013

Chur / Davos Platz / St. Moritz - Tirano - Lugano
		Train 961	Train 951	Train 973	Train 975
Chur	dep		08.32
Tiefencastel	dep		09.16
Davos Platz	dep	08.14
Filisur	dep		09.33
Bergün	dep		09.47
Samedan	dep	09.16
St. Moritz	dep	09.29		11.22	15.22
Pontresina	dep	09.52		11.31	15.31
Morteratsch	dep				15.42
Ospizio Bernina	dep	10.19			16.03
Alp Grüm	dep	10.33	11.22	12.09	16.12
Poschiavo	dep	11.13	11.59	12.50	16.50
Le Prese	dep	11.27	12.08	12.58	16.58
Tirano	dep	12.02	12.36	13.26	17.27

The Bernina Express bus runs daily between Lugano and Tirano from 29 March – 20 October 2013 (Bus 5951)
Tirano	dep		14.25
Lugano	arr		17.30

Lugano - Tirano - St. Moritz / Davos Platz / Chur
The Bernina Express bus runs daily between Lugano and Tirano from 29 March – 20 October 2013 (Bus 5950)
Lugano	dep			10.00
Tirano	arr			13.00

		Train 970	Train 976	Train 950	Train 960
Tirano	dep	08.34	10.03	14.04	14.22
Le Prese	dep	09.02	10.30	14.32	14.49
Poschiavo	dep	09.10	10.44	14.44	15.07
Alp Grüm	dep	09.43	11.22	15.22	15.45
Ospizio Bernina	arr		11.31		16.00
Morteratsch	arr	10.13
Pontresina	arr	10.29	12.05		16.26
St. Moritz	arr	10.39	12.17		16.39
Samedan	arr			16.24
Bergün	arr			16.58
Filisur	arr			17.17
Davos Platz	arr				18.08
Tiefencastel	arr			17.32
Thusis	arr			17.50
Chur	arr			18.27

Fares

All passengers on the Bernina Express require a seat reservation and a valid ticket.

Seat reservation fees per person and single journey	CHF
Bernina Express in Winter (24.10.2012 - 08.05.2013)	9.00
Bernina Express im Summer (09.05. - 20.10.2013)	12.00
Bernina Express Bus	12.00

The fare per leg of journey does not include the obligatory seat-reservation. Fares also apply for the opposite direction.

Validitiy: 09 December 2012 – 14 December 2013				CHF
	2nd cl.	1st cl.	2nd cl. return	1st cl. return
Chur-Tirano-Lugano	84.00	129.00	168.00	258.00
Chur-Tirano	60.00	105.00	120.00	210.00
Chur-Poschiavo	53.00	93.00	106.00	186.00

Tiefencastel-Tirano-Lugano	71.00	106.00	142.00	212.00
Tiefencastel-Tirano	46.00	81.00	92.00	162.00
Tiefencastel-Poschiavo	39.00	69.00	78.00	138.00

Bergün-Tirano	39.00	69.00	78.00	138.00
Bergün-Poschiavo	31.00	55.00	62.00	110.00

St. Moritz-Tirano-Lugano	58.00	81.00	116.00	162.00
St. Moritz-Tirano	30.00	53.00	60.00	106.00
St. Moritz-Poschiavo	22.80	40.00	45.60	80.00

Pontresina-Tirano-Lugano	53.00	74.00	106.00	148.00
Pontresina-Tirano	27.00	48.00	54.00	96.00
Pontresina-Poschiavo	19.20	33.60	38.40	67.20

Davos Platz-Tirano-Lugano	73.00	110.00	146.00	220.00
Davos-Platz-Tirano	49.00	86.00	98.00	172.00
Davos Platz-Poschiavo	41.00	72.00	82.00	144.00

Bus Tirano-Lugano	32.00		64.00

Observations

GA, half-rate season ticket, day tickets and junior ticket are valid
Children aged 6 to 16 pay half fare
Children aged under six years are exempted from payment, provided they do not occupy a seat. If a seat is required, children must have both a seat reservation and a valid ticket.
Groups of ten persons and more receive a 20% discount, plus one free ticket for every nine paying passengers (The seat reservation must be paid for in any event)
Valid passport or ID card required for Tirano (l) border crossing
Your free Bernina Express certificate can be obtained at the railway stations of Chur, St. Moritz, Davos, Poschiavo or Tirano
We reserve the right to amend fares