Do You Need a Seat Reservation for the Bernina Express?
Yes: every Bernina Express rider pays a reservation, pass holders and children too. The red train's CHF 5 seat is optional. When to book and what tours do.
Yes. Every Bernina Express passenger needs a paid seat reservation on top of a valid ticket, and that includes Swiss Travel Pass, Eurail and Interrail holders and children. The supplement is reported at about CHF 32 between St. Moritz and Tirano and CHF 40 to 44 from Chur. The regional red train on the same track is different: a reservation there is optional and costs CHF 5 per person and route.
Booked online, a Bernina Express reservation cannot be changed or cancelled, so fix your date before you pay.
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Who needs a reservation, and what it costs
RhB is plain about it: the Bernina Express needs a valid ticket and a mandatory seat reservation in the panoramic car, and the supplement “must be paid in full for everyone.” There is no unreserved space on the panoramic train. If it is full, you cannot board without a seat.
| Traveler | Ticket | Bernina Express reservation |
|---|---|---|
| Adult without a pass | Full fare | Full, about CHF 32 St. Moritz–Tirano |
| Swiss Travel Pass, GA, Eurail, Interrail | Covered | Full |
| Half Fare Card | Half price | Full |
| Child 6 to 15 | Half price | Full |
| Child under 6 | Free | RhB’s “everyone pays in full” rule applies; confirm with RhB |
RhB does not print the supplement on its static pages, and rail guides that track its shop agree on about CHF 32 from St. Moritz to Tirano year-round, and about CHF 40 from Chur in the winter season (to 23 April 2027) and CHF 44 in summer 2027. It is reportedly the same in 1st and 2nd class and is charged per direction, so a panoramic return trip pays it twice. Check the figure in the shop at rhb.ch before you pay.
Pass holders sometimes assume “reservation only” means cheap. With a Swiss Travel Pass, the reservation is the whole cost, about CHF 32, while the regional train costs you nothing at all. Bernina Express with a Swiss Travel Pass explains how to book it as a pass holder, and ticket prices adds up the full fare for travelers without one.
A reservation is not a ticket. RhB says a reservation stays valid even without a ticket, but you must show a ticket on board, so buy both.
When to book and how fast trains sell out
RhB opens Bernina Express reservations for the whole timetable period, and tickets go on sale up to six months ahead. The next period’s trains are activated for online booking in mid to late October. Current periods:
- Winter: 26 October to 12 December 2026, and 13 December 2026 to 23 April 2027.
- Summer: 24 April to 3 October 2027.
RhB warns that popular dates sell out quickly and that the train is often fully booked well in advance. Weekends and public holidays are the busiest days, and Monday to Thursday is quieter. On Friday to Sunday, morning trains northbound and afternoon trains southbound are in highest demand, and the SBB app flags high-demand trains.
Winter makes timing tighter. Only two Bernina Express trains run each way on most winter days, with a third on Friday to Sunday from 13 December 2026, against five each way in summer 2027. Fewer trains means fewer seats; check the Bernina Express timetable before you choose a date.
A practical order of booking: fix your travel day, reserve the panoramic train as soon as your dates allow, then add hotels and connecting trains. Leave a buffer at St. Moritz and Tirano, as RhB itself advises, so a late connection does not cost you a non-refundable seat.
What a reservation does not give you
A Bernina Express reservation gets you a seat in a panoramic car on a given train. It does not let you pick the side of the train or the direction you face. RhB says this cannot be booked, because coaches can be coupled at either end of the train. Traveling as a group, reserve seats opposite each other.
Most guides suggest the right-hand side southbound, from St. Moritz to Tirano, and the left side northbound, though some travelers report little difference. The best side to sit guide covers it in detail.
A reservation also ties you to one train. If you want to stop at Alp Grüm or Poschiavo for an hour, the next Bernina Express needs a reservation of its own. The red train suits that kind of day better: the Tirano to St. Moritz return day ticket lets you leave the train at any station and board a later one.
Changes, cancellations and refunds
RhB’s rule is short: seat reservations booked online cannot be changed or cancelled. Tickets are refundable until the day before travel, with a CHF 10 admin fee. If your plans might move, buy the refundable ticket early and add the reservation once your date is firm, keeping in mind that busy trains sell out.
Tours work differently. Every Milan day trip on this site cancels free up to 24 hours before, and the red-train ticket resellers 7 days before (5 days for the return day ticket). For an uncertain plan, a tour or reseller ticket can be the safer booking.
The regional red train: an optional CHF 5 seat
On the regional red train, a reservation is optional. It costs CHF 5 per person and route, the same for part of the route, in 1st or 2nd class, and is offered only between St. Moritz and Tirano. RhB strongly recommends it at busy times, but if reserved seats are sold out you can still travel on any free seat, with possibly longer waits.
One exception to plan around: RhB says individual seat reservations cannot be made for trains in April 2027, because of technical changes. In April you ride unreserved.
For more on the two trains, read Bernina Express vs regional train.
How the tours handle seats
Day tours from Milan book the train for you, but they promise different things, and most use the red train.
- Milan: St. Moritz and panoramic Bernina Express tour (our breakdown): on the “Tour with Panoramic Carriage” option, from $186, your panoramic coach is guaranteed and confirmed at booking. Seats are not assigned in advance, and a 1st-class upgrade is on request only. Rated 4.6 from 4,090+ reviews.
- Como: Bernina Panoramic Express & St. Moritz: the same panoramic coach from Como, from $220, without reserved seats.
- From Milan: Bernina Red Train and St. Moritz Tour (our breakdown): a reserved red-train carriage with a seat for every guest, from $128.
- From Milan: Swiss Alps Day Trip with Bernina Train & St. Moritz: a reserved 2nd-class seat on the red train, listed from $100.
- St Moritz & Alps Day Trip with Bernina Red Train (our breakdown): seats on board cannot be reserved in advance, from $122.
- Tirano: Bernina Red Train Ticket to St. Moritz (our breakdown): ticket only, seats not reserved, from $75. You can add the CHF 5 RhB reservation yourself.
On the Lake Como Cruise, St. Moritz & Bernina Red Train, infants with a free ticket do not have places booked and sit on a parent’s lap. The Bernina Express from Milan page compares the panoramic and red-train trips in full.
Frequently asked questions
Can I ride the Bernina Express without a reservation?
No. The reservation is mandatory for every passenger, including pass holders and children. Without one, ride the regional red train on the same line, where a reservation is optional.
Does the Swiss Travel Pass cover the Bernina Express reservation?
No. The pass covers the ticket only. You pay the full reservation, reported at about CHF 32 from St. Moritz to Tirano and CHF 40 to 44 from Chur.
Can I cancel a Bernina Express seat reservation?
Not if you booked it online. RhB says online reservations cannot be changed or cancelled. Tickets can be refunded until the day before travel, minus a CHF 10 fee.
How far ahead should I reserve?
As soon as your dates are fixed. RhB opens reservations for the whole timetable period, and popular dates, especially weekends and holidays, sell out.
Can I choose a window seat or a side?
No. RhB cannot assign a side or a travel direction, because coaches can be added at either end. Groups can ask for seats opposite each other.
Do I need a reservation for the red train?
No. It is optional, CHF 5 per person and route between St. Moritz and Tirano. Without one, you take any free seat. Reservations are not possible for trains in April 2027.
Check Which Train Your Tour Actually Uses
Most day trips from Milan ride the regional red train in 2nd class. Only some options guarantee a seat in the panoramic Bernina Express coaches.
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