The Bernina Express is easy to admire and slightly less easy to plan well, since the choice of ticket type, seat and season all shape how much you get out of the ride. This guide focuses purely on the planning decisions: what to book, where to sit, when to travel and how to fit the line into a longer trip through the Alps.
Choosing the right ticket
There are three broad ways to ride the Albula and Bernina lines, and they suit different budgets and priorities:
The panoramic Bernina Express service
The dedicated tourist train with panoramic glass-roofed carriages, a mandatory seat reservation and commentary. This is what most people picture when they think of the Bernina Express, and it is worth the extra cost for the uninterrupted views — the panoramic glass extends up into the roofline in a way ordinary carriage windows do not match.
Ordinary Rhaetian Railway (RhB) trains
The same Albula and Bernina lines are also served by regular RhB regional trains, using standard carriages with opening windows, no reservation requirement and noticeably lower fares. The scenery is identical — you are on the same track — but without the panoramic glass roof or the commentary. This is a genuinely good option if you are budget-conscious or if the express is sold out.
A short section rather than the full line
You do not have to ride the whole route in one sitting. A shorter segment — Pontresina or St Moritz to Poschiavo or Alp Grüm and back — covers many of the highlights in half a day, which suits travellers based in the Engadin who don't want to commit a full day to Tirano and back.
When to book
Book the panoramic car reservation as early as you can, particularly for July and August departures, when window seats and entire trains sell out weeks in advance. Reservations open several months ahead through Rhaetian Railway's own booking system. If you are travelling with an Interrail or Eurail pass, the pass covers the base fare but you still need to pay the panoramic car reservation fee separately — see our seat reservations explained guide for how that works in practice across Switzerland.
Picking the best seat
Which side matters, and it changes partway through the journey:
- Chur to St Moritz (Albula line): sit on the right-hand side for the Landwasser Viaduct and the best views into the gorge as the train climbs.
- St Moritz to Tirano (Bernina line): sit on the left-hand side for the glacier views around Ospizio Bernina and the open spiral of the Brusio viaduct as the train descends toward Italy.
Because the best side flips partway through, travellers doing the full Chur-to-Tirano run in one seat will inevitably face away from something at some point — there is no single perfect side for the entire journey. Some visitors compromise by choosing an aisle seat and moving to the window when the train empties out on quieter sections, which is usually tolerated informally, though your reserved seat is your reserved seat.
How much time to allow
The full Chur-to-Tirano run takes about four hours; Davos to Tirano is a little less; St Moritz to Tirano is about two and a half hours. If you are doing it as a day trip rather than continuing into Italy, factor in the return leg or an onward bus to Lugano or Como — trains back up the same route run on a similarly spaced timetable, but check specific connection times before committing to a same-day return, since gaps between departures widen outside peak season.
Best time of year to go
Summer (June to September) gives the longest daylight and the clearest chance of good weather, but it is also by far the busiest and most expensive period, with the panoramic cars booked out well ahead. Winter is strikingly different — snow-covered passes, frozen Lake Bianco near Ospizio Bernina, fewer crowds and lower fares — and the line runs year-round without seasonal closure, unlike some Alpine routes. Spring and autumn shoulder seasons offer a reasonable middle ground: fewer crowds than summer, milder weather than winter, though some high-altitude stretches may still show snow into late spring.
Combining the Bernina Express with the rest of your trip
The Bernina Express pairs naturally with the Glacier Express (Zermatt to St Moritz) for a longer Alpine rail circuit, since both start or end in St Moritz. A common pattern is Zermatt to St Moritz by Glacier Express one day, an overnight in the Engadin, then St Moritz to Tirano by Bernina Express the next — two of Europe's most celebrated train journeys back to back. See our guide to Europe's most scenic railways for how the wider network of Alpine lines connects.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to book the panoramic car in advance?
Yes, especially for summer departures, when window seats and whole trains sell out weeks ahead. Book through Rhaetian Railway's website as early as your dates allow.
Which side of the train has the best views?
It changes partway through: the right side from Chur to St Moritz for the Landwasser Viaduct, then the left side from St Moritz to Tirano for the glacier views and the Brusio spiral viaduct.
Is the ordinary RhB train a good alternative to the panoramic Bernina Express?
Yes. It runs on the same track with the same scenery, at a lower fare and without a mandatory reservation, though without the panoramic glass roof or commentary of the dedicated tourist service.
Can I do the Bernina Express as a day trip?
Yes, particularly the shorter St Moritz to Tirano section (about 2.5 hours each way), which fits comfortably into a day with time to look around Tirano before returning.
Sources and further reading:
- Booking, timetables and reservation fees: Rhaetian Railway / RhB (rhb.ch).
- Route and seat guidance: The Man in Seat 61.
- Swiss pass options: Switzerland Tourism and Swiss Travel System.