Bernina Express in one day?

Switzernooganmom · #1 13.12.2011, 21:54

I have a few questions about the Bernina Express train.

First (and probably dumbest): is this run by SBB or another company? Trying to figure out half fare situation.

Second question (and likely just as dumb): Can this trip be done in one day? From Chur to Tirano? If so, do you just come back on the same train ride?

Third question: Are there 'provisions' available on the train (ie. food and snack)? I will be traveling with kids and they will no doubt get hungry on the ride.

Thanks for any help you can provide with these questions!

Odile · #2 13.12.2011, 22:02

If you do a search on Bernina Express you will find lots of previous threads giving masses of useful information.

jrspet · #3 13.12.2011, 22:08

Price table is here as well:

http://www.rhb.ch/Bernina-Express.33...&L=4#splash100

I have done it in one day - Wädenswil -> Chur -> Tirano ( quick lunch only ) then bus to Lugano and train back to Wädenswil. Using a GA ( alternatively a Gemeinde Tageskarte ), I only had to pay the "reservation fee".

	Quote:
	Fares include VAT, but exclude seat reservation fees Travel at half-fare with the half-rate season ticket The junior ticket allows your children up to the age of 16 to travel free of charge if accompanied by at least one parent GA and day tickets are valid Groups of ten persons and more receive a 20% discount, plus one free ticket for every nine paying passengers Group reservations cannot be guaranteed free seats Valid passport or ID card required for Tirano (l) border crossing We reserve the right to amend fares Seat reservation fees The Bernina Express operates only with first- and second-class observation cars. Seat reservations are obligatory on the Bernina Express.

Dan of the dead · #4 14.12.2011, 07:47

My wife and I took the Bernina Express last weekend and enjoyed it very much. We stayed overnight in the Bernina Hotel, just opposite the train station in Tirano. I'm not sure if it's possible to take the journey there and back on the same day, though I would imagine it's possible. Having said that, 8 hours on a train with kids in tow doesn't sound like much fun to me.

There is no buffet car, but on the outward journey someone came around quite early in the journey with a basic refreshments cart. Just around the corner from Chur HB is a Migro zentrum which is open early in the morning (at least on the Saturday morning when we travelled), so you could stock up there before boarding. On the return journey, there were no refreshments, but we took a slightly different train which was still part of the Bernina Express service, but it went to St. Moritz and we had to change train in Pontressina and Samedan to get back to Chur.

One word of advice, don't forget your sun glasses because the sun is very bright up on the pass.