Bernina Express 2026: Tickets, Reservation, Route and the Bus to Lugano

The Bernina Express from Chur to Tirano costs CHF 110 in second class in summer 2026: CHF 66 for the ticket and CHF 44 for the mandatory seat reservation (about US$133). From St. Moritz it is CHF 65, with a Swiss Travel Pass you pay only the reservation of CHF 32 or CHF 44, and the connecting Bernina Express bus from Tirano to Lugano adds CHF 41 plus CHF 18 reservation. The train takes about four hours from Chur and 2 hours 15 minutes from St. Moritz over the Bernina Pass, through a UNESCO World Heritage railway, down to the palm trees of Italy. The cheapest way to ride the same tracks is a regular regional train with an optional CHF 5 reservation. We have not ridden it ourselves; this guide uses the 2026 fares and rules of the Rhaetian Railway and the prices of Swiss Activities. It is part of our comparison of Swiss scenic trains.

Bernina Express prices 2026

A Bernina Express trip always has two parts: the normal train ticket and a mandatory reservation for the panoramic car. From Chur to Tirano that is CHF 66 plus CHF 44 in summer, CHF 110 in total in second class; from St. Moritz CHF 33 plus CHF 32, CHF 65 in total.

The reservation is charged in full for everyone: children, Half Fare and pass holders. Children under 6 travel free, children from 6 to 15 pay half the ticket. The Rhaetian Railway notes that the reservation applies to the train you choose, whatever section you book, so a short hop costs the same reservation as the full route.

Swiss Activities sells exactly these components at the same prices: the train ticket from CHF 33, the reservation from CHF 32 from St. Moritz or CHF 44 from Chur, the bus ticket for CHF 41 and the bus reservation for CHF 18. The Rhaetian Railway also offers a special return for two people including lunch for CHF 249, sold on rhb.ch.

With Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card

With a Swiss Travel Pass the train and the bus to Lugano are covered and you only pay the reservations: CHF 44 from Chur, CHF 32 from St. Moritz, CHF 18 for the bus. With a Half Fare Card you pay half the ticket plus the full reservation, CHF 77 from Chur to Tirano in summer.

The Half Fare prices are our calculation from the official fares: half of the ticket, full reservation. The Rhaetian Railway lists the Half Fare Card, GA, Swiss Travel Pass, Eurail and Interrail as valid on the line. Because the reservation stays the same, the pass saves less on the Bernina Express than on longer journeys: the ticket from Chur is worth CHF 66, so it covers about a quarter of a 3-day Swiss Travel Pass at CHF 254. On a tour that also includes long transfers like Zurich to Chur and Tirano or Lugano back north, the pass adds up; our guide is the Swiss Travel Pass worth it shows how to check.

If you spend several days in Graubünden only, look at the regional Graubünden Pass as well, and compare all options in our overview of Swiss rail passes.

How the reservation works

To ride in the panoramic cars of the Bernina Express you need a valid ticket and a seat reservation for a specific train. You can book both together, or the reservation alone if you have a pass. Seats are often sold out well ahead in summer, so book the reservation early and the ticket later if you like.

The Rhaetian Railway itself recommends this order: secure the reservation first, because the trains fill up, and buy the regular ticket later; you just need both when you board. With a Swiss Travel Pass, GA or day pass, select “reservation only” in the shop.

You cannot choose which side of the train you sit on. For the southbound trip from Chur or St. Moritz to Tirano, the right side is often recommended for the views; northbound the left. Panoramic windows run up into the roof, so you see a lot from either side.

The Bernina Express also has a Pullman Class in nostalgic 1930s-style coaches, limited to 32 passengers per journey, with personal service and selected food. It is booked separately on rhb.ch and fills up early.

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The route: Chur, St. Moritz, Bernina Pass, Tirano

From Chur the Bernina Express follows the Albula Line to St. Moritz, then climbs the Bernina Line over the pass at Ospizio Bernina and drops to Tirano in Italy. On the way it crosses 196 bridges and runs through 55 tunnels, according to the Rhaetian Railway, and both lines have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since July 2008.

• Landwasser Viaduct: the curved stone viaduct near Filisur on the Albula Line, which leads straight into a tunnel in the rock.
• Albula spiral tunnels between Bergün and Preda: the line turns in loops to gain height.
• Bernina Pass and Lago Bianco: the highest point of the line at Ospizio Bernina, with the lake right beside the tracks.
• Palü Glacier and Alp Grüm: the view down to the glacier and into the Valposchiavo.
• Brusio spiral viaduct: the famous stone circle where the train turns a full loop to lose height before Tirano.

If you start in St. Moritz, you miss the Albula Line but still get the Bernina Pass, the glacier and the Brusio viaduct. That is why many travellers who come over the Albula on the Glacier Express board the Bernina Express in St. Moritz the next morning.

The Bernina Express bus to Lugano

From Tirano the Bernina Express bus continues to Lugano in about three hours, mostly through Italy along Lake Como and Lake Lugano. It costs CHF 41 one way in second class plus a reservation of CHF 18 in peak season, and it runs daily from March 26 to October 25, 2026.

With the bus you can do the classic loop: Chur or St. Moritz to Tirano by train, Tirano to Lugano by bus, then north again from Lugano through the Gotthard. The bus connects with the morning train from Chur, which arrives in Tirano at 12:49. Because the bus runs through Italy, carry your passport. With a dog, bring the documents you need for the border crossing, such as the EU pet passport; the Rhaetian Railway mentions this explicitly.

Coming back north, the Gotthard Panorama Express links Lugano with Lucerne by train and boat in the summer season, which makes a three-day circle possible.

Timetable and season

The Bernina Express runs all year. The main train leaves Chur at 08:17 and arrives in Tirano at 12:49; the return leaves Tirano at 14:24 and reaches Chur at 18:31. In summer there are more trains, including departures from St. Moritz.

The 2026 peak season with the higher reservation price runs from May 2 to October 25; the rest of the year is low season. Two practical notes for late 2026: from October 29 to November 13, 2026, trains 951 and 952 are diverted via the Vereina Tunnel and do not run over the Albula Line because of engineering works, and the bus has its winter break from late November. For the new timetable from December 2026, check rhb.ch before you book.

Winter is a strong season on this line: the snow on the Bernina Pass and the frozen Lago Bianco are spectacular from the warm panoramic car. Ideas for a winter rail trip are in our guide to Switzerland in winter by train.

Regional train instead: the honest alternative

Regular regional trains of the Rhaetian Railway run on exactly the same line between St. Moritz and Tirano, more often during the day, at the normal ticket price and without a mandatory reservation. A voluntary seat reservation costs CHF 5 per person, so St. Moritz to Tirano comes to CHF 38 instead of CHF 65.

What you give up: the panoramic cars with windows up to the roof, the onboard catering and the digital commentary. What you gain: windows that open, which many photographers prefer because there are no reflections, more departures, and the freedom to get off at Alp Grüm or Poschiavo and take the next train. The Rhaetian Railway explains the difference on its own website and recommends the CHF 5 reservation on busy days, because the regional trains can be full too.

From Chur to St. Moritz regional trains also run over the Albula Line, so you can build the whole day on regional trains. If budget matters more than the panoramic roof, this is our recommendation. If it is a once-in-a-lifetime day and you want the classic experience, take the Bernina Express at least on the Bernina section from St. Moritz.

Is the Bernina Express worth it?

Yes, the Bernina Express is worth it for most visitors, because it packs a glacier, a mountain pass, a UNESCO railway and a descent into Italy into two to four hours, at a moderate price. It is shorter and cheaper than the Glacier Express and, in our reading of the route, more varied per hour.

Who should go: anyone in Graubünden or the Engadin, travellers heading to Ticino or Lake Como, and families, because the ride is not too long. Who might skip it: travellers who have already ridden the Albula Line on the Glacier Express and are short on time, and anyone who would rather pay CHF 5 than CHF 32 to 44 and take the regional train.

A personal note: we travel with our dog Miley, and on the Bernina Express a dog is welcome, small dogs in a carrier for free and larger dogs with a dog ticket. That makes it the one big panoramic train we would choose with our dog, unlike the Glacier Express.

How to plan the day

The simplest plan is the morning train from Chur at 08:17 to Tirano, a short lunch in Tirano, and either the train back at 14:24 or the bus at 14:20 to Lugano. From St. Moritz you can start later and still be in Tirano for lunch.

1. Decide your card: with a Swiss Travel Pass you only book reservations; with a Half Fare Card select it in the shop; without a card consider the regional train.
2. Book the reservation early: it decides whether you get a seat in the panoramic car.
3. Choose the direction: southbound in the morning brings you to Italy for lunch and leaves the afternoon for Tirano or the bus to Lugano.
4. Bring a passport: Tirano is in Italy, and the bus runs through Italy.
5. Luggage: racks are limited; for big suitcases use a luggage service, see our guide to luggage in Switzerland.

Arriving from the Bernese Oberland or Zurich, you reach Chur in about an hour and a quarter from Zurich. Our guide from Zurich Airport to Interlaken covers the other main arrival route into the mountains.

FAQ: Bernina Express

How much does the Bernina Express cost in 2026?

Chur to Tirano costs CHF 66 in second class plus a CHF 44 reservation in summer, CHF 110 in total. From St. Moritz it is CHF 33 plus CHF 32, CHF 65 in total.

Is the Bernina Express free with the Swiss Travel Pass?

The train and the bus are covered, the reservations are not. You pay CHF 44 from Chur or CHF 32 from St. Moritz, plus CHF 18 for the bus to Lugano.

Do I need a reservation for the Bernina Express?

Yes, for the panoramic Bernina Express it is mandatory. On the regular regional trains on the same line it is optional and costs CHF 5.

How long does the Bernina Express take?

About four hours from Chur to Tirano and 2 hours 15 minutes from St. Moritz. The bus from Tirano to Lugano takes about three hours.

Can I take my dog on the Bernina Express?

Yes. Small dogs up to 30 cm shoulder height travel free in a carrier, larger dogs need a dog ticket. Bring the documents for the border to Italy.

Bernina Express or Glacier Express?

If you can do only one, the Bernina Express gives more variety in less time and costs half as much. The Glacier Express is the better choice if you need to get from Zermatt to St. Moritz anyway.

Check Bernina Express reservations and tickets →

Before you book, decide between the panoramic train and the regional train, then secure the reservation early. How the Bernina Express compares with the other famous lines is in our scenic train comparison, and more Swiss trips start on the Swiss Detours home page.