If you’re considering doing the Bernina Express with kids, this post is a real-life look at exactly how our trip went and our route. From flying into Zurich, staying overnight in Chur, taking the panoramic train to Tirano, and continuing on to Lake Como and Milan.
We travelled in February half term with four children (7, 11, 13 and 17), and I’ll be honest, I expected the 4+ hour train ride to feel really long.
It didn’t. It flew by and I kind of wish we had chose to return that way so I could of seen it all again.
Important note before we start: This is our personal itinerary and experience. If you want the full planning breakdown (best time to go, routes, maps, ticket types, reservations, prices, best seats, airports and booking steps), head straight to my Complete Bernina Express Guide for 2026 — it’s the post I keep updated.
Here’s the route we did:
Day 1: Fly in → Zurich Airport to Chur by train (1 night in Chur)
Day 2: Bernina Express (Chur → Tirano) → continue to Bellano, Lake Como (2 nights)
Day 4: Lake Como → Milan (1 night)
Day 5: Fly home from Milan
We chose this split because Switzerland accommodation was much pricier (especially for a family of six), and we found Italy far more budget-friendly for rooms, food, and space.
I also should note that we flew from Dublin with Aer Lingus. It was cheaper for us to fly from Manchester to Dublin, have 24 hours there (including two hotel rooms in the city centre), than to fly direct from Manchester to Zurich. This was a great way to extend our trip, whilst also seeing somewhere new.
The total cost with return flights, 5 nights accommodation (Dublin, Chur, Lake Como & Milan), regional trains plus the Bernina Express was £389pp.
Zurich is one of the easiest airports I’ve ever used for onward travel by train, because the station is directly underneath the airport.
Once you land, you literally:
Follow the train signs to Zürich Flughafen
Check the departure boards
Hop on the train to Chur
We didn’t pre-book our tickets for this leg, because with kids and flights, I like having flexibility in case of delays.
Around 1 hour 35 minutes by train (airport to Chur)
This journey was surprisingly scenic and a really good “warm up” for what came next in terms of scenery.
We arrived in Chur mid-afternoon, checked in, and still had plenty of time to wander the old town.
The next morning we packed up early and headed to Chur station for the panoramic Bernina Express.
There are typically two panoramic services per day from Chur (morning and early afternoon), but timetables and seasonal services can change - so I keep the latest details inside my Complete Guide for 2026.
If you're not bothered about taking the Panoramic train, there are more frequent regional services which run along the same line. You can see the key differences in the two trains in our Bernina Express vs Red Train guide. One option would be to take the panoramic train to Tirano and then the regional train back.
To travel in the panoramic Bernina Express carriages you usually need:
a travel ticket
plus a seat reservation for the panoramic coach
We reserved 2nd class panoramic seats and found them more than comfortable enough as a family.
➡️ For the up-to-date booking steps, prices, and the difference between 1st and 2nd class seats, I’ve put everything in my Complete Bernina Express Guide for 2026 (including the exact reservation fees by season).
I expected the “are we nearly there yet?” phase to begin at around minute 37. It didn’t happen.
The scenery changes so often - tunnels, bridges, forests, frozen lakes, dramatic mountains and that it genuinely kept all four of them engaged, even our 7-year-old. It just went so fast.
The spiral tunnels and looping track sections (kids love this because it feels like the train is doing something clever)
Crossing iconic Landwasser Viaduct (the “wow” moment)
The high mountain section where everything feels suddenly arctic
The gradual change as you descend toward Italy and it starts feeling totally different
Not really. We brought snacks, took loads of photos, played a couple of simple card games, and honestly it felt like it
Along with the reserved seats in the panoramic carriage, we received a small onboard treat which was a Lindt commerative Bernina Express tin train filled with chocolates whicjh the kids were delighted with (and it made the experience feel a bit special). You also receive a cold carton of tea, I can't say any of us liked this.
We arrived into Tirano around lunchtime.
Tirano is a lovely little town, and if you have the time, it’s absolutely worth a gelato or pizza stop.
But because we were heading straight to Lake Como for our base, we continued onwards the same day.
The onward station connection is straightforward, you don’t need to trek across town with luggage. The regional line is right across from the station. It’s set up for travellers doing exactly this route.
This is one of the parts people message me about most.
How you get from Tirano to Lake Como can vary by season.
In summer there can be additional seasonal transport options, but in winter we simply took the train onwards.
We travelled to Bellano and used it as our base for two nights because:
it was more affordable than the “headline” towns
it gave us easy rail access to other places on the lake
it was calmer (especially in winter)
We stayed in an apartment-style Air B n B place which was:
much cheaper than Switzerland
more spacious for a family
and had a lake view (which felt unreal for the price)
📌 Tip for families: Lake Como accommodation can be expensive in peak season. Winter felt like a totally different destination, quieter, easier, and far less “day-tripper busy”.
Click here for the Air B n B we booked
During our Lake Como stay we took the short train to Varenna which costs just £1.37 for an adult from Bellano (4 mins on the train).
Even in winter it was beautiful and because we travelled in February, it was peaceful rather than packed.
If you’re doing this route with kids, Varenna is a great “easy win” because:
it’s quick to reach
it feels instantly pretty
and it doesn’t require a huge day of logistics
After two nights in Bellano, we spent one night in Milan.
I’m glad we did Milan, but I’m also glad we didn’t do more than one night with kids.
It worked perfectly as:
a final city stop
somewhere to explore for a few hours
and a practical base for an early flight home
We stayed at a family-friendly chain hotel close to public transport - this hotel has changed to a hostel and has since gained poor reviews so I would link it. We got a good night’s sleep, and flew home the next morning.
We were very lucky, in that during our stay in both Lake Como and Milan, the locals were celebrating 'Carnevale Ambrosiano', which was amazing to join in with at both stops.
If we repeated this trip, here’s what I’d change:
Stay two nights in Chur if budget allows (it’s a lovely place to slow down)
Build in a proper lunch stop in Tirano
Consider doing the panoramic train one way and a standard train the other if we wanted more flexibility (especially for photo stops)
But overall? This route was one of our best family trips, mainly because it felt like an adventure without being stressful. It's definitely on we will repeat.
Yes! The changing scenery, tunnels, and “big moments” make it one of the most kid-friendly scenic trains we’ve done.
For us, February was brilliant: winter scenery, crisp views, and a really special atmosphere.
If you're looking to experience the Bernina Express with a snowy backdrop, then Dec to Feb is the best time to take this train.
You can, but with kids I personally loved breaking it up (one night Chur, two nights Como, one night Milan). It kept it fun rather than rushed.
If you’re now thinking “okay I want to do this exact route” start here:
➡️ Bernina Express: A Complete Guide for 2026
That post includes the full planning details: routes and maps, best seats, ticket/reservation info, costs, airports, seasonal changes, and booking steps.
Copyright © Build a Break | Website by Furness Media