The Bernina Express is a breath-taking famous railway journey that takes you from Chur (Switzerland) to Tirano (Italy), passing through stunning mountain landscapes and charming villages.
The journey can also be made from Tirano to Chur or even travel both legs within the same day, each leg taking 4hrs and 21 minutes. Alternatively, you can do a shorter route and start/end in St. Moritz.
This blog is an account of our holiday which included the Bernina Express Train, plus an onward trip to Lake Como and Milan.
In our other blog post 'Bernina Express: The Ultimate Guide For 2024 With FAQ’s Answered' you will find everything you need to know for booking and planning your own journey from anywhere in the World on the Bernina Express, including a FREE 21 Page Guide to download.
We are a budget travel family, trying to see as many amazing places for as little as possible, before our children fly the nest.
For reference we took this journey in February half term, travelling with 4 children (ages 7, 11, 13 and 17). We stayed 1 night in Chur, 2 nights in Lake Como and 1 night in Milan (not including the 1 night we also stayed in Dublin beforehand).
The day before our train trip from Switzerland to Italy, we flew in to Dublin with Aer Lingus. Flights from Manchester were exceptionally high for February half term (school holidays), so we decided to incorporate a trip to Dublin for one night which still worked out cheaper overall.
Zurich is the nearest airport to Chur (120km), and the journey from the airport takes 1hr 20m by car or 1hr 35 mins by train.
Getting from Zurich airport (Zurich Flughafen) to Chur was very easy. There is a train station located underneath the airport- just follow the signs and find your platform on the screens.
We did not pre-book train tickets for this journey in case of any delays en route. You can purchase tickets using the machines in the airport.
A train ticket purchased on the day from Zurich to Chur is approximately £43 ($55) for an adult ticket. Day Pass train tickets are available for children up to age 16 years and these cost £17.35 ($22.60).
The journey from Zurich Airport to Chur was very scenic, we arrived in Chur around 2pm, meaning we had the rest of the day to explore the town.
As a family of 6, we struggled to find any rooms big enough to accommodate us, we also only booked this trip 6 weeks beforehand so that also effected the choices available.
In the end we booked two adjoining rooms at 'Central Hotel Post Chur' which was located in the centre of Chur and just a 6 minute walk from the station.
As a family, we found accommodation in Chur to be expensive. For this reason we chose to spend just the one night in Switzerland and to then spend the next three nights in Italy, which was much more budget friendly.
At Central Hotel Post Chur we had 2 triple rooms costing £279 in total. This included breakfast which we highly rated! The hotel was basic but clean.
The staff at this hotel were nothing more than amazing though. They communicated with us personally by email right up until our trip, recommending local attractions and things to do in the area. On check in, we were also given a 'guest card' which will entitled us to a 50% discount on cableways and FREE use of local transport, entry to three museums and the local swimming pool- you will find this is commonplace with all hotels in Switzerland.
The next morning we packed up early and left to take the Bernina Panoramic Express from Chur.
Trains leave Chur daily at 8.28am and arrive in Tirano at 12.49pm (there is also a further train at 1.28pm).
Tickets for the Bernina Express train can be purchased here. However, it’s important to remember that you need to purchase the actual train tickets AND make a seat reservation to travel in a panoramic carriage.
When looking at the train scheduled, make sure the train is 'PE' (Panoramic Express)- these run twice daily.
You can reserve your seat once you've purchased the ticket via the official website
To be seated within the panoramic carriages you need to ensure you reserve a 1st or 2nd seat.
We chose to reserve a 2nd class seat which cost us 20 CHF per person (approximately £18).
On researching the trip we couldn't see much difference between the 1st and 2nd class carriages apart from a slightly larger seat pitch (2nd class were more than adequate) and a different colour scheme. We were more than happy with our 2nd class seats for sure!
It's important to note that the Bernina Express is a popular route, especially during peak travel seasons, so it's advisable to book your tickets in advance to secure your preferred travel date and seat selection.
For a full explanation of tickets and prices check out our full Guide on the Bernina Express
The journey between Chur and Tirano takes 4 hours and 21 minutes. I expected this to feel really long (especially with children) but with the beautiful scenery it seemed to pass way too fast.
The train winds its way through the mountains, crossing impressive viaducts and making its way through spiralling tunnels. The route includes the famous Landwasser Viaduct and the Brusio Circular Viaduct.
Throughout the trip, you'll have the opportunity to take in the sights of glaciers, alpine meadows, and crystal-clear lakes.
The train stops for 20 minutes at Alp Grüm (the highest point) to allow passengers to get off, stretch their legs and take photographs before descending down in to Italy.
Along with your train fare and guaranteed seat, for those travelling in the panoramic carriages, a beverage and commemorative metal Lindt train with little chocolates in is included in the ticket price.
After completing the scenic journey on the Bernina Express, we arrived in the small town of Tirano, Italy, shortly after lunch.
We then continued on to Lake Como by train for a further 2 nights stay in an Air B 'n' B located in Bellano.
The station in Tirano is located right next to where the Bernina Express arrives and departs so you can't miss it.
How to get from Tirano to Lake Como differs depending on the time of year. During the summer months a special bus runs from Tirano train station to Lake Como.
Through the winter, a train can be taken from Tirano straight to Bellano (or even Milan) for around £7 per person.
Details of which service is running at the time of your travel can be found using Trip.com
Bellano was a lovely town, which gave us easy access by train to other areas of Lake Como and also for onward travel to Milan. Alternatively, there is also a ferry service which runs from the town to others around the lake.
The cost of the Air B 'n' B was just £168 a night, so much cheaper than the nights stay in Chur, plus we had much more room (2 bedrooms) and a beautiful view of the lake from both the living room and kitchen. I'll link it below but please don't book it up as I'd love to return some day!
During our stay here, we also took the train to Varenna, which cost us less than £2 per person (under 15 min journey). This is definitely a place you don't want to miss, especially if visiting in winter. In Summer it can be over run with day trippers from Milan, however, in February we found it very quiet.
After 2 nights in Bellano, we then spent a further night in central Milan exploring the sites. One night is more than enough for Milan in all honesty, especially when travelling with children and I was pleased we had chosen to spend the 2 nights in Lake Como instead (plus it was cheaper!)
In Milan we stayed at Novotel Milano Ca'Granda which was just 5 minutes walk to the nearest tube station. Again, we had to get two hotel rooms to accommodate us all, but the hotel was perfect for what we needed in terms of location and comfort and we got a good night's sleep before our flight home from Milan the next morning.
Copyright © Build a Break | Website by Furness Media