What is this place

The Bernina Express is RhB’s named panoramic train from Chur or St. Moritz to Tirano, crossing the Bernina Pass. It runs on the UNESCO-listed Albula and Bernina lines.

Key features

  • High point at Ospizio Bernina 2,253 m; pure adhesion railway with gradients up to 7%.
  • UNESCO since 2008: Thusis–Tirano core 122 km with 196 bridges and 55 tunnels.
  • Engineering icons: Landwasser Viaduct – 65 m high, 136 m long; Brusio spiral – 9 arches, 70 m radius.
  • Travel time: Chur–Tirano ~4 h, St. Moritz–Tirano ~2 h 15 min; panoramic cars with onboard Wi-Fi.
  • Mandatory paid seat reservation – typically CHF 28–36 depending on season/route; Swiss Travel Pass/Interrail cover the base fare in Switzerland, reservation still required.

What to see

  • Albula section with the Landwasser Viaduct and spiral tunnels.
  • Bernina Pass: Lago Bianco, Ospizio Bernina and the Alp Grüm vista to Palü Glacier.
  • The descent into Val Poschiavo with the Brusio spiral and the finish in Tirano.

History

The Albula line was built 1898–1904, and the Bernina line 1906–1910 opened fully on 5 July 1910, electrified from day one.

Winter operation started in 1913/1914 but required heavy avalanche protection; the struggling private Berninabahn was taken over by RhB in 1943.

The named Bernina Express launched in 1973; in 2008 the Albula/Bernina ensemble became UNESCO World Heritage. Today the train runs year-round with panoramic stock.

Practical information

Location: Canton Grisons, Switzerland – route Chur/St. Moritz – Bernina Pass – Tirano (Italy).

Getting there: Board in Chur or St. Moritz; arrival in Tirano, with a seasonal Bernina Express Bus to Lugano.

Access: Seat reservation mandatory; wheelchair spaces bookable via RhB Railservice; no bikes on the Bernina Express.

Visiting hours: Year-round with seasonal timetables; St. Moritz–Tirano ~2 h 15 min, Chur–Tirano ~4 h.

Visit duration: ~4 h for the full run; ~2–2.5 h for the short St. Moritz–Tirano leg, with extra time for photo stops if using regional trains.

Best time: May–October for long daylight and the Tirano–Lugano bus; in winter pick daylight departures to avoid darkness on part of the route.

Notes: Reservation typically CHF 28–36; Tirano–Lugano bus reservation ~CHF 10–16 by season. Swiss Travel Pass/Interrail cover the Swiss fare but not the reservation; carry ID for the border.