Cross from glaciers to palm trees through the Swiss and Italian Alps with guaranteed seat reservations, custom travel packages, and hassle-free booking through GoRailTours.
Connecting Chur to Tirano across 196 bridges, 55 tunnels, and the stunning 2,253m Bernina Pass, this UNESCO World Heritage journey takes you from Swiss glaciers to Italian palm trees. We handle every detail, from prime window seat reservations to seamless connections.
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92 Reviews
Dublin
Galway Cliffs of Moher Dublin 87 Reviews
Lucerne Interlaken Montreux Zermatt St. Moritz Tirano Lucerne St. Gallen Tirano Romanshorn Schaffhausen Zurich 88 Reviews
Paris Lausanne Lucerne Bellinzona Milan Rome 98 Reviews
Brussels Dinant Namur Mons 116 Reviews
Madrid Granada Ronda Tarifa Seville Córdoba Valencia Barcelona 156 Reviews
Oslo Myrdal Flåm Gudvangen Voss Bergen Ålesund Ålesund Trondheim OsloWhile there is no dining car on the Bernina Express, a catering trolley comes through the carriage throughout the journey. Enjoy coffee, cold drinks, and local Swiss snacks delivered right to your seat as the Alpine scenery unfolds outside. (Note: Onboard purchases are cashless only).
A rotating selection of Graubünden specialties and light Swiss snacks — think sandwiches, pastries, and regional bites — served trolley-side throughout the roughly 4-hour Chur–Tirano route.
Coffee, tea, soft drinks, and a short list of Swiss beers and wines, poured right at your seat. Coffee options are simple — expect straightforward black coffee or café au lait rather than an espresso menu.
First-class travelers receive a small welcome gift of Swiss chocolate, shaped like a Bernina Express carriage, along with herbal tea — a sweet, local touch to the journey.
Trolley selection is limited and can't always suit every diet, so packing your own food and drink is common practice — and fully welcomed on board if you'd rather bring a picnic for the ride.
Panoramic seats sell out months in advance. We secure your preferred seats early so you enjoy unobstructed Alpine and glacier views.
Ascend without cogwheels to 2,253 meters at Ospizio Bernina—the highest open-air rail crossing in the Alps, featuring zero dark tunnel detours.
Witness famous engineering feats firsthand, including the towering Landwasser Viaduct and the 360-degree spiral loop of the Brusio Circular Viaduct.
Enjoy sweet and savory Swiss treats, regional drinks, and coffee delivered right to your seat as you travel through dramatic landscapes.
Extend your journey from Tirano to Lugano aboard the seasonal Bernina Express Bus, fully coordinated within your customized GoRailTours itinerary.
Skip confusing seat reservation systems and complex cross-border ticket logistics. Our rail specialists handle every detail from start to finish.
It’s a UNESCO World Heritage scenic train running between Chur (or St. Moritz), Switzerland, and Tirano, Italy, famous for its panoramic windows and the dramatic Alpine scenery it crosses, including glaciers, viaducts, and the Bernina Pass.
Yes — a seat reservation in the panoramic carriages is mandatory. In high season from 2 May to 25 October 2026 it costs CHF 36 (€38), and in low season at all other times it costs CHF 32 (€34) for the St. Moritz–Tirano stretch, while the longer Chur–Tirano journey runs CHF 40 in low season and CHF 44 in high season. You can skip the fee only by riding in the unreserved seats of the Allegra unit hauling the train.
A Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Travel Pass Flex counts as your Bernina Express ticket — you only need to add the seat reservation, which is priced the same as a regular ticket’s reservation fee.
Reservations can be made up to 365 days in advance, and for the following year they typically open around mid-October.
Children under 6 travel free, and those aged 6 to 16 pay half the adult ticket fare — though kids aged 6–16 still pay the full adult reservation fee.
The full Chur–Tirano route takes about 4 hours. Without a travel pass, a standard full-fare round trip runs roughly 106–110 CHF in 2nd class or 153–157 CHF in 1st class for the full route, plus the mandatory reservation fee.
“GoRailTours handled our Bernina Express reservations effortlessly! Booking panoramic seats can be confusing, but having guaranteed window seats made watching the glaciers and spiral viaducts an absolute dream.”
October 2025
“Flawless service from start to finish. The team arranged our full itinerary from Chur down to Tirano and coordinated our hotel seamlessly. Crossing the Alps by train was the highlight of our entire Europe trip!”
June 2025
“Breathtaking views the entire ride! GoRailTours secured perfect panoramic seats for us and gave great advice about the route. Seeing the scenery change from snowy peaks to Italian palm trees was unforgettable.”
May 2025
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Make your personalized tour unique
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Make your personalized tour unique
to get the best price.
Make your personalized tour unique
to get the best price.
