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The railway is unique, blending perfectly with the alpine landscape, and for this reason the Bernina Express line has been declared a Unesco World Heritage Site. The train negotiates 55 tunnels, 196 bridges and inclines of up to 70% per mile with ease.
THE BERNINA EXPRESS TRADE SITE THE BERNINA EXPRESS IMAGE LIBRARY THE BERNINA EXPRESS TIMETABLE & PRICES THE BERNINA EXPRESS B2B MANUAL 2026
Groups on the Bernina Express and regional trains: reservation@rhb.ch
Groups on the Glacier Express: glacierexpress@rhb.ch
FIT on both panoramic trains and general requests: railservice@rhb.ch
The main routes are Tirano to St. Moritz, which is a two-hour journey and Tirano to Chur, which is a four-hour journey. Of course travellers can also start in Chur instead of Tirano. If the excursion by panoramic train is planned as a day trip, we suggest taking the panoramic train one way and boarding a regional train on the return journey.
All sorts of guests enjoy a journey onboard the Bernina Express. Older guests as well as families with kids. We do recommend that people who enjoy being outdoors in nature and like walking take a regional train. There is a hiking trail along the Unesco world heritage railway route, and the regional train allows for more flexibility. It ensures guests can really discover the region and take a train when they would like to rest, returning to their starting point. Please bear in mind there is no supplement charged on the regional train, however on the Bernina Express there is a small fee charged for the compulsory seat reservation.
The Bernina Express runs all year round, and every season and every type of weather makes the experience a completely different one. In winter the red train might cross a perfectly white landscape, in autumn the sun will create a warm and unique atmosphere whilst the leaves change colour and in summer nothing compares to the fresh mountain breeze you can feel at the highest point.
The experience is unlike any other, with incredible views. Due to the duration of the journey there are no meals served at your seat, however we do have a selection of drinks and sweet and salty snacks. There is also information onboard, for anyone who wants to learn more about the railway, the highlights and the surroundings.
There are many highlights. The Landwasser Viaduct, our landmark, is on the Albulaline, the first part of the line when travelling from north to south, from Chur to Tirano. There are amazing helical tunnels near a lovely mountain village called Bergun.
On the Bernina line – the part of the line closer to Tirano in Italy – we have the highest point of the entire route at Ospizio Bernina, passing the beautiful crystal clear lake, called Lago Bianco. Alp Grum is another favourite with the Palu Glacier in the background, and the spiral viaduct of Brusio just before reaching Tirano.
There are single train tickets that one can use or a regional or national pass. The Graubunden Pass covers the region and the Swiss Travel Pass allows for travel on the entire Swiss railway network. Prices differ according to the journey, so does the supplement for the seat reservation, and prices are based according to the length and time of travel (high season or off season). All prices can be found in the Sales Manuals under www.rhb.ch/b2b
Agents can book directly on our website. We also work with many different tour operators such as Switzerland Travel Centre which specialises in rail journeys in Switzerland.
The Bernina Express is accessible for travellers with reduced mobility such as wheelchairs. However, these requests have to be made in advance and separately. Assistance at the train stations can be requested via SBB, the Swiss Railways.
The Swiss Travel Pass is most likely the best ticket to use. It is valid on the entire Rhaetian Railway network and on the panoramic trains, including the Bernina Express and gives you access to trains in all of Switzerland. Keep in mind each passenger needs to have a seat reservation in addition to a valid train ticket. A simple point-to-point-ticket is of course also possible.
