Graubünden Pass 2026: Prices, Zones, Bernina Express and When It Pays Off
+1The Graubünden Pass (graubünden Pass) is the regional rail pass of Switzerland’s largest canton: for 2 or 5 consecutive days it covers the whole Rhaetian Railway network, including the Albula and Bernina lines of the Bernina Express, plus the PostBuses, the Bernina Express bus from Tirano to Lugano and a few cable cars. In 2026 the pass for all of Graubünden costs CHF 125 for 2 days and CHF 175 for 5 days in second class (about US$151 and US$212), a single zone, North around Chur or South in the Engadin, costs CHF 82 or CHF 115. Two children per adult travel free. It pays off when you make round trips from one base, for example a Bernina Express day there and back, and it does not pay off for a one-way transfer through the canton. Seat reservations for the panoramic trains are always extra. We have not travelled in Graubünden ourselves; this is a planning guide based on the 2026 tariff of the Rhaetian Railway (RhB), its zone map and the official Bernina Express and Glacier Express fares. It is part of our overview of Swiss rail passes.
The Graubünden Pass for all zones costs from CHF 125 for 2 days (Oct 2026), one zone from CHF 82; mobile ticket with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check Graubünden Pass pricesGraubünden Pass 2026 at a glance
| Graubünden Pass 2026 | 2 days | 5 days |
|---|---|---|
| All zones, 2nd class | CHF 125 (≈ US$151) | CHF 175 (≈ US$212) |
| All zones, 1st class | CHF 198 (≈ US$240) | CHF 277 (≈ US$335) |
| One zone (North or South), 2nd class | CHF 82 (≈ US$99) | CHF 115 (≈ US$139) |
| With Half Fare travelcard, all zones, 2nd class | CHF 95 | CHF 140 |
| Children 6 to 15 | free, up to 2 per adult; each further child or a dog CHF 30 | |
| Days | consecutive, from the first day you choose | |
| Included | Rhaetian Railway network, Chur to Bad Ragaz, Disentis to Oberalp Pass, PostBus, Bernina Express bus Lugano to Tirano, local buses | |
| Not included | seat reservations and supplements, most mountain railways | |
Prices from the Rhaetian Railway (rhb.ch) and the 2026 PostAuto leaflet, checked October 2026. US dollars at 1 CHF = 1.21 USD.
- What the Graubünden Pass is
- Prices 2026
- Zone North, Zone South or all zones?
- What is included
- Bernina Express and Glacier Express with the pass
- Calculations with 2026 fares
- Is it worth it, and for whom?
- Compared with the Swiss Travel Pass and Half Fare Card
- Families: two children free per adult
- Honest downsides
- How to buy and use it
- FAQ
What the Graubünden Pass is
The Graubünden Pass is a regional pass sold by the Rhaetian Railway. On 2 or 5 consecutive days it lets you ride its trains and the region’s buses freely, either in one of two zones or in the whole canton.
The Rhaetian Railway runs the narrow gauge network of southeastern Switzerland: the Albula line from Chur over the Landwasser Viaduct to St. Moritz, the Bernina line over the Bernina Pass down to Tirano in Italy, both UNESCO World Heritage since 2008, and the lines to Arosa, Davos, Klosters, Disentis and the Lower Engadin. The pass covers all of that, plus the PostBus network that reaches villages without a railway, such as Soglio, Vals or Savognin.
Two points make this pass different from most others. First, the zones: you can save money if you stay either in the north around Chur or in the south in the Engadin. Second, the generous child rule: up to two children travel free with each adult.
Prices 2026
For all zones the Graubünden Pass costs CHF 125 for 2 days and CHF 175 for 5 days in second class, CHF 198 and CHF 277 in first class. A single zone costs CHF 82 or CHF 115 in second class. Travellers with a Half Fare travelcard pay the reduced price, and children and dogs CHF 30 where they are not free.
| Graubünden Pass 2026 | 1 zone, 2nd | 1 zone, 1st | All zones, 2nd | All zones, 1st |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 days, adult | CHF 82 | CHF 130 | CHF 125 | CHF 198 |
| 2 days, with Half Fare travelcard | CHF 62 | CHF 98 | CHF 95 | CHF 150 |
| 5 days, adult | CHF 115 | CHF 182 | CHF 175 | CHF 277 |
| 5 days, with Half Fare travelcard | CHF 92 | CHF 145 | CHF 140 | CHF 221 |
| Child (third child onwards) or dog | CHF 30 | CHF 30 | CHF 30 | CHF 30 |
The prices do not include seat reservations or supplements. The days run consecutively from the first day you choose, and the pass cannot be paused. The RhB writes that travellers “with Half Fare” pay the reduced price; whether the visitor version, the Swiss Half Fare Card, counts is not spelled out, so check at the counter before you rely on it.
A step from 2 to 5 days costs only CHF 50 in second class for all zones. If you are in Graubünden for a week, the 5-day pass is almost always the better buy.
Zone North, Zone South or all zones?
Take a single zone only if all your trips stay on one side: Zone North covers Chur, Arosa, Lenzerheide, Flims and Laax, the Surselva up to Disentis and the Oberalp Pass, Thusis and the Albula line up to Preda; Zone South covers the Engadin with St. Moritz, Pontresina, Zernez and Scuol, the Bernina line to Tirano, the Bregaglia and Val Müstair. Davos and Klosters lie in the overlap of both zones on the official map.
- Based in Chur, Arosa, Flims or Davos: Zone North is enough for the Rhine Gorge, Arosa or the Surselva, but not for the Bernina Express.
- Based in St. Moritz or Pontresina: Zone South covers the Bernina line to Tirano, the Engadin and the Maloja road to the Bregaglia.
- Chur to St. Moritz or Chur to Tirano: the Albula line crosses from north to south, so you need all zones.
The map on rhb.ch shows the exact borders; it is valid from December 14, 2025 until further notice. A rule of thumb: if your plan includes the famous Bernina Express from Chur, buy all zones.
PDF · 18 pagesFree PDF guide
Planning the Bernese Oberland? Don't go without this.
Our free guide, made from our own week there: the 11 places really worth your time, a ready-made 3-day route, and the pass trick that cuts the Schilthorn from CHF 115 to CHF 45.70.
- The 11 best places on one hand-drawn map, all within an hour of Interlaken
- A 3-day route that puts the Schilthorn on your clearest morning
- The ticket mistake that costs many visitors over CHF 100
- When to reach the famous Iseltwald pier before the crowds
- Every link with a QR code: use it on your phone or print it
Your free Bernese Oberland Guide
100% free · PDF straight to your inbox · Unsubscribe in one click
What is included
The Graubünden Pass covers the whole Rhaetian Railway network, the SBB line from Chur to Bad Ragaz, the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn from Disentis to the Oberalp Pass, the PostBus network, the Bernina Express bus from Lugano to Tirano, local buses in Chur, Davos, St. Moritz, Klosters and Scuol, and a few cable cars.
- Trains: all RhB lines, including Albula, Bernina, Arosa, Davos, Klosters, Lower Engadin and the Surselva.
- PostBus: the PostBus network in the canton, the Palm Express route from Lugano to Chiavenna and the Splügen to Chiavenna pass route, and the bus Landeck to Mals across the Austrian and Italian borders. Some PostBus lines marked on the map only give a reduced price.
- Local buses: Chur city bus, Davos public transport, Engadin Bus, St. Moritz local bus, Silvestri Bus to Livigno, the Heidibus from Maienfeld.
- Cable cars, free: Rhäzüns to Feldis and Vals to Gadastatt.
- Cable cars, 50 percent: Brambrüesch above Chur, Lenzerheide to Rothorn and to Scalottas, Bergün to Darlux, for single rides on foot.
What it does not do is open the big Engadin mountains. Corvatsch, Diavolezza or Muottas Muragl are not on the list. The pass is a transport pass, not a mountain pass. Bikes are not included on several of the bus lines; the RhB sells a separate one-day Graubünden Pass Bike for CHF 89.
Bernina Express and Glacier Express with the pass
The Bernina Express runs on Rhaetian Railway tracks, so the Graubünden Pass covers the ticket from Chur or St. Moritz to Tirano, and the Bernina Express bus from Tirano to Lugano. The compulsory seat reservation is always extra: CHF 44 from Chur in high season 2026, CHF 40 off season, CHF 32 from St. Moritz.
| Bernina Express 2026 (2nd class) | Ticket full fare | Seat reservation | With Graubünden Pass you pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chur to Tirano | CHF 66 | CHF 44 (May 2 to Oct 25), CHF 40 otherwise | reservation only |
| St. Moritz to Tirano | CHF 33 | CHF 32 | reservation only |
| Bus Tirano to Lugano | CHF 41 | CHF 18 (high season), CHF 16 | reservation only |
The ordinary regional trains on the Bernina line need no reservation and are also covered. They have no panoramic cars, but you can open the windows, which photographers like. Note a 2026 detail from the RhB: from October 29 to November 13, 2026 the Bernina Express trains 951 and 952 are diverted via the Vereina tunnel because of construction work.
The Glacier Express is a different case. With the Graubünden Pass you are covered on the RhB section to Disentis and on to the Oberalp Pass, but not from the Oberalp Pass to Andermatt and Zermatt, and the official Glacier Express list of valid travel cards does not name the Graubünden Pass. Ask the RhB railservice (+41 81 288 65 65) before you count on it, and budget CHF 54 for the reservation. All details are in our guides to the Bernina Express and the Glacier Express.
The Graubünden Pass for all zones costs from CHF 125 for 2 days (Oct 2026), one zone from CHF 82; mobile ticket with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check Graubünden Pass pricesCalculations with 2026 fares
The Graubünden Pass saves money on round trips and loses on one-way transfers. With a base in Chur, a 2-day all-zones pass saves CHF 99 against single tickets; on a two-day transfer from Chur to Lugano it costs CHF 5 more than single tickets.
Example 1: two days from Chur, Bernina Express and Engadin
| Day | Trip | Single, CHF | Half Fare Card, CHF | Graubünden Pass, CHF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bernina Express Chur to Tirano, regional train back | 66.00 + 66.00 | 33.00 + 33.00 | 0 |
| 2 | Chur to St. Moritz and back over the Albula line | 46.00 + 46.00 | 23.00 + 23.00 | 0 |
| Price of the card or pass (all zones, 2 days) | 0 | 150.00 | 125.00 | |
| Total per adult, without reservation | 224.00 (≈ US$271) | 262.00 | 125.00 (≈ US$151) | |
Add CHF 44 for the Bernina Express reservation in summer in every column. Fares are the official 2026 full fares in second class: Chur to Tirano from the RhB Bernina Express page, Chur to St. Moritz from the Glacier Express section fares, which are the normal RhB fares.
Example 2: one-way transfer Chur, St. Moritz, Tirano, Lugano
| Day | Trip | Single, CHF | Graubünden Pass, CHF |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chur to St. Moritz | 46.00 | 0 |
| 2 | Bernina Express St. Moritz to Tirano, bus to Lugano | 33.00 + 41.00 | 0 |
| Price of the pass (all zones, 2 days) | 0 | 125.00 | |
| Total per adult, without reservations | 120.00 | 125.00 | |
On a pure transfer the pass loses by CHF 5. A Saver Day Pass, if you find one early, can be even cheaper for the long day; see our guide to the Saver Day Pass.
Example 3: the break-even rule for five days
The 5-day all-zones pass for CHF 175 pays off if your full-fare trips add up to more than CHF 35 per day. One Albula ride from Chur to St. Moritz (CHF 46) or a Bernina day from St. Moritz to Tirano and back (CHF 66) is enough for one day. If you plan a few lazy days in between, the 5-day pass still wins as soon as two or three days include one of these classic rides.
| Reference fares 2026, 2nd class, one way | CHF |
|---|---|
| Chur to Tirano | 66 |
| Chur to Poschiavo | 59 |
| Chur to St. Moritz | 46 |
| St. Moritz to Tirano | 33 |
| Tirano to Lugano (Bernina Express bus) | 41 |
Is it worth it, and for whom?
The Graubünden Pass is worth it if you stay in Graubünden for a few days and make round trips from one base, especially with children. It is not worth it if you only pass through on the way from Chur to Lugano or Zermatt.
- Worth it: a holiday in Chur, St. Moritz, Pontresina, Davos or Scuol with two or more train days; a Bernina Express day trip there and back; families with up to two children per adult; people who live in Switzerland, because anyone can buy it.
- Not worth it: a one-way transfer through the canton; a trip that is mainly about Engadin mountains, because the cable cars are not included; travellers who already have a Swiss Travel Pass.
- Consider a single zone: if you stay in the Engadin and ride the Bernina line, Zone South for CHF 82 or CHF 115 is enough.
Compared with the Swiss Travel Pass and Half Fare Card
For a stay in Graubünden only, the Graubünden Pass is much cheaper than the Swiss Travel Pass and usually cheaper than the Half Fare Card. If Graubünden is one part of a longer Swiss trip, compare the Swiss Travel Pass, which also covers the Rhaetian Railway, or combine a Half Fare Card with a few single tickets.
- Swiss Travel Pass: from CHF 254 for 3 days, covers the RhB, the Bernina Express ticket and the whole of Switzerland, reservations extra. Read our Swiss Travel Pass guide to see when it pays off.
- Swiss Half Fare Card: CHF 150 for one month for visitors living abroad. In example 1 it cost CHF 262, more than single tickets, because two days are not enough to recover the card price. Details in our Half Fare Card guide.
- Swiss Travel Pass Flex: fits if only some days of a long trip are rail days; see Flex or consecutive.
- Coming from Zermatt or Andermatt? West of the Oberalp Pass the Matterhorn Gotthard Pass is the regional pass, and in the Jungfrau region it is the Bernese Oberland Pass, which we checked against our own week there.
If you tour the whole country, the Swiss Travel Pass is the one pass that covers it all. The price is the same everywhere; some shops add discount codes.
Travelling without a car? The Swiss Travel Pass covers trains, buses and boats across the country and gives discounts on many mountain railways. Our pass guide shows when it pays off. Tip: Klook often shows discount codes at checkout (in October 2026 for example 5% off orders over US$300); whether one applies to the pass you see in the cart.
Check Swiss Travel Pass prices
Families: two children free per adult
With the Graubünden Pass, children from 6 to 15 travel free with an accompanying adult, up to two children per adult. Each further child pays CHF 30, and children under 6 are always free. A family of two adults and four children pays only for the two adult passes.
This rule is more generous than most regional passes. On the Lucerne Travel Pass each child pays CHF 30, on the Matterhorn Gotthard Pass there is a family price. On national passes, children ride free with the Swiss Family Card if a parent has a Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card. In Graubünden you get the same effect without either.
The RhB also sells a Graubünden Pass Family for CHF 35 on selected Sundays, usually the first Sunday of the month: up to two adults and two children travel through all zones in second class for that day. In 2027 the listed dates include April 4, May 2, June 6, July 4, August 1, September 5 and October 3. If your trip falls on one of those Sundays, it is a remarkably cheap family day on some of the most scenic railway lines in the Alps.
Honest downsides
The Graubünden Pass is cheap, but it has clear limits: the days must be consecutive, reservations for the famous trains are extra, the big mountains are not included and the Glacier Express is a grey zone.
- Consecutive days only. A rainy day still counts. That matters most on the 2-day pass.
- Reservations extra. The Bernina Express costs CHF 32 to 44 per person and direction on top, the bus to Lugano CHF 16 to 18.
- Mountains not included. Only Feldis and Vals are free, four others 50 percent.
- Glacier Express unclear. Covered only to the Oberalp Pass at best, and not listed by the Glacier Express itself.
- Bikes. Not included on several lines; the Bike version is a separate one-day pass.
- Half Fare price unclear for visitors. The reduced price is written for Half Fare holders; ask whether your Swiss Half Fare Card qualifies.
How to buy and use it
You can buy the Graubünden Pass online at the RhB, at any Rhaetian Railway ticket counter, at the SBB counter in Chur and at Swiss Activities, where it is a mobile ticket with free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
- Choose the zone using the map: North, South or all zones.
- Choose 2 or 5 days and the first day.
- Reserve the Bernina Express separately, as “seat reservation only”.
- Add children in the booking; the first two per adult are free.
- Carry ID. The pass is personal.
2 or 5 consecutive days, incl. Bernina Express ticket (reservation extra); 2 children per adult free
Check prices & availabilityChur, Arosa, Flims, Surselva, Davos; not enough for the Bernina Express from Chur
Check prices & availabilityEngadin, St. Moritz, Bernina line to Tirano, bus to Lugano
Check prices & availabilityThe Graubünden Pass for all zones costs from CHF 125 for 2 days (Oct 2026), one zone from CHF 82; mobile ticket with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check Graubünden Pass pricesFAQ: Graubünden Pass
How much is the Graubünden Pass in 2026?
All zones in second class cost CHF 125 for 2 days and CHF 175 for 5 days. One zone costs CHF 82 or CHF 115, first class CHF 198 or CHF 277 for all zones.
Is the Bernina Express included in the Graubünden Pass?
The ticket is, the seat reservation is not. From Chur you pay CHF 44 in high season 2026 and CHF 40 off season, from St. Moritz CHF 32.
Which zone do I need for St. Moritz to Tirano?
Zone South covers the Engadin and the Bernina line to Tirano. For Chur to St. Moritz or Tirano you need all zones.
Do children travel free?
Yes, up to two children from 6 to 15 per adult. Each further child pays CHF 30, children under 6 are always free.
Can I use the Graubünden Pass on the Glacier Express?
Only on the RhB section and up to the Oberalp Pass, and the Glacier Express does not list the pass as valid. Ask the RhB before you plan it; the reservation is CHF 54.
Are the days flexible?
No. The 2 or 5 days are consecutive from the first day you choose.
Check Graubünden Pass prices →
Planning a longer loop? Our guide to all Swiss rail passes helps you pick the right one, and the Swiss scenic trains overview compares the Bernina Express with the other panoramic trains. If you arrive via Zurich, read about the Zurich Card. The region we have seen with our own eyes is the Bernese Oberland, covered in our Bernese Oberland guide, and everything else starts on the Swiss Detours home page.
Your free Bernese Oberland Guide
Join the Swiss Detours newsletter and get our Bernese Oberland Guide as a free PDF. After that, we send you new travel tips for Switzerland from time to time. Unsubscribe anytime with one click.