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railtour suisse · Panoramic train journey

Bernina Express

Alpine rail journey from Chur through UNESCO heritage lines to Lugano

Illustration of Bernina Express

Railtour Suisse operates the Bernina Express, a one-day panoramic train journey that showcases the Alpine landscape of Switzerland and Italy. The journey departs Chur and climbs through St. Moritz on the Albula and Bernina lines, both designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites by the Rhaetian Railway. Passengers travel in cars with large windows designed to frame the scenery: glaciers, mountain lakes and steep slopes appear as the train crosses 196 bridges and tunnels through 55 mountain passages. At Tirano in Italy, travellers board a coach that descends through the Valtellina valley and follows the shorelines of lakes Como and Lugano, arriving in Lugano. The experience moves from Alpine peaks to Mediterranean warmth in a single day. Railtour Suisse positions this as a scenic escape for anyone seeking a memorable train ride without the commitment of a multi-day tour.

What to know before you look closer

  • The operator publishes no detailed day-by-day itinerary for this package; confirm exact departure times and the coach route from Tirano to Lugano with Railtour Suisse before booking.

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Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. The Bernina Express train is included from Chur through St. Moritz to Tirano. A coach then carries passengers through the Valtellina and along lakes Como and Lugano to Lugano.
Which trains does this journey use?
The Bernina Express, which runs on the UNESCO World Heritage Albula and Bernina lines of the Rhaetian Railway.
What countries are covered?
Switzerland and Italy. The train departs Chur in Switzerland and reaches Tirano in Italy before the coach leg continues to Lugano.
How many tunnels and bridges?
The route crosses 196 bridges and passes through 55 tunnels as it traverses the Alpine terrain.

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