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Bernina Express

Connecting Switzerland and Italy via the highest mountain railway in the Alps, the Bernina Express train rises to the challenges presented by snow, ice and the steepest gradients to delight passengers with a four-hour journey of breath-taking beauty through this iconic mountain range.

Beginning in the north at Chur, capital of the canton of Graubünden and the oldest city in Switzerland, the narrow-gauge railway that carries the scarlet-liveried  Bernina Express winds its way south-eastwards through the Alps, crossing into Italy shortly after Poschiavo, to its destination in Tirano.

Highlights

The Alpine passage that the Bernina Express makes from Switzerland to Italy has been acclaimed as Switzerland's most scenic journey, and passengers have much to admire from the train's panoramic windows.

The first part of the route from Chur passes through the area of Switzerland most populated with castles. As the train ascends into the glacier-dominated region of Bernina itself, the scenery becomes increasingly breath-taking. However, the views are at their most magnificent at the mountain-ringed Lake Bianco, whose placid waters mirror the sky above.

Of the 55 tunnels and 196 bridges that help the train negotiate the trickier natural elements of the route, Solis Viaduct and famous Landwasser Viaduct are particularly spectacular.

 

 

Landwasser Viaduct

 

 

 

19 results matching: Bernina Express

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Classic Glacier Express
Tour of the Week
4.6 stars(227 reviews)
2024AprMayJunJulAugSep
2025AprMayJunJulAug...
9 days from
£2,445 pp £2,245 pp
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Tour of the Week
9 days from
£2,445
£2,245
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  • DestinationSwitzerland
  • Starts / EndsSt Pancras International, London St Pancras
  • AccommodationHotel
  • TransportRail
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Glacier Express
4.6 stars(233 reviews)
2024AprMayJunJulAug...
8 days from
£1,995 pp
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8 days from
£1,995
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  • DestinationSwitzerland
  • Starts / EndsSt Pancras International
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Glacier Express & St Moritz
4.2 stars(73 reviews)
2024MayJunJulAugSep
9 days from
£3,145 pp
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£3,145
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  • DestinationSwitzerland
  • Starts / EndsSt Pancras International
  • AccommodationHotel
  • TransportRail
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Glacier Express All Inclusive
Rail Discoveries
2024AprMayJunJulAug...
Rail Discoveries
8 days from
£1,799 pp £1,699 pp
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8 days from
£1,799
£1,699
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  • DestinationSwitzerland
  • Starts / EndsSt Pancras International
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Grand Alpine Explorer
4.5 stars(16 reviews)
2024MayJunJulAugSep
14 days from
£3,895 pp
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14 days from
£3,895
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  • DestinationAustria, Germany, Switzerland
  • Starts / EndsSt Pancras International / London Heathrow
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Engadine Valley
4.4 stars(40 reviews)
2024MayJunSep
9 days from
£3,745 pp
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  • DestinationSwitzerland
  • Starts / EndsSt Pancras International
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9 days from
£3,795
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7 days from
£2,395
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8 days from
£1,975
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8 days from
£1,999
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  • DestinationSwitzerland
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Our customers love our Bernina Express tours
Classic Glacier Express at New Year
16/Jan
Clifford Smy
5 stars
“Great scenery. Kay, our tour manager, was brilliant.
Collected by Trustpilot
Traditional Glacier Express
30 Oct 2023
Alec
5 stars
“Great views and great travel experiences. Guide was first class in planning and cummunicatopin.
Collected by Trustpilot
Mountaintops of Switzerland
16 Oct 2023
T Yeoman
5 stars
“Good choice of hotels in interesting places. Excellent tour guide.
Collected by Trustpilot
First-Class Glacier Express, Zermatt and Matterhorn
10 Oct 2023
Tom A.
5 stars
“It was the best trip we have ever taken. Of course, we have perfect weather throughout the trip, a great group and the BEST Tour Director in Patricia Issac.
Collected by Trustpilot
Traditional Glacier Express in Winter
17/Mar
Simon Vidler
4 stars
“Great experience the only reason I haven't score 5 stars is on a couple of occasions when leaving the train stations we had a long walk with our luggage to the hotel, although you had the option of using the "sherpa " service you still needed to carry anything you needed eg. wash kit and some clothing until your suitcase arrived at the hotel, apart from that I would highly recommend this experience wonderful.
Collected by Trustpilot
Classic Glacier Express
17 Oct 2023
Susan
4 stars
“The rail tour was an excellent experience and the tour manager we had was very good at making sure we knew exactly what we were doing every day and managing any small issues that arose. The hotel accommodation and food on the whole did not match the quality of the rail journeys.
Collected by Trustpilot
Grand Alpine Explorer
05 Oct 2023
Roger Wicker
4 stars
“Stunning scenery, excellent excursions, overall good holiday
Collected by Trustpilot

A touch of class

Bernina Express trains typically comprise two or three First and Second class carriages separated by a bar and services carriage at the train's centre. The carriages in both classes are spacious and offer air conditioning, panoramic windows, comfortable seating and an at-seat trolley service providing light refreshments.

Second Class carriages are designed to carry more passengers and are configured with two rows of tables, one each side of the carriage, each of which provides seating for four people.

First Class carriages comprise one row of four-seater tables and one row of double seats. Carrying fewer passengers than Second Class carriages means that First Class passengers enjoy more space and greater legroom and larger, leather-upholstered seats. Fewer seats in First Class also mean that the views from the carriages' larger panoramic windows are less obstructed.

 

 

Bernina Express Interior

 

 

 

The section of the Bernina Express's route that passes through the Albula and Bernina regions between the Swiss Town of Thusis and the Italian town of Tirano became a UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2008.

This prestigious status recognises the supreme feats of engineering that were achieved by railway builders in the early twentieth century in overcoming natural obstacles to connect remote Alpine settlements whilst simultaneously minimising the impact upon the stunning landscape.

Passengers can learn more about the route, its history and its highlights courtesy of an on-board commentary during the journey.

From the train's terminus in Tirano, the connecting Bernina Express allows passengers to continue their journey by road along a route that follows the shores of Lake Como and Lake Lugano to the city of Lugano itself on the Swiss/Italian border.