Bernina Express Timetable 2026/27: Winter and Summer Times

Winter timetable: 26 October 2026 to 23 April 2027

In winter one Bernina Express leaves Chur in the morning and one leaves St. Moritz in the afternoon, with the mirror pattern running north. A new timetable period starts on 13 December, and from then an extra pair of trains runs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, daily over the holidays from 26 December to 5 January, and on Monday 29 March 2027.

Southbound to Tirano:

Train	Departs	Arrives Tirano	Runs
PE 951	Chur 08:17	12:50	Daily
PE 975	St. Moritz 15:30	18:00	Daily
PE 977	St. Moritz 16:14	about 18:50	Fri–Sun from 13 Dec, daily 26 Dec–5 Jan

Northbound from Tirano:

Train	Departs Tirano	Arrives	Runs
PE 970	09:18	St. Moritz 11:45	Fri–Sun from 13 Dec, daily 26 Dec–5 Jan
PE 972	10:06	St. Moritz 12:35	Daily
PE 952	14:24	Chur 18:31	Daily

Light is the catch in winter. Around 21 December the sun sets at about 16:35 in St. Moritz, and the mountains cut it off earlier, so the 15:30 and 16:14 departures cross much of the high section at dusk or after dark. For daylight on the Bernina Pass, take PE 951 from Chur or PE 972 from Tirano. Our Bernina Express in winter guide covers snow, clothing and which months suit.

Summer timetable: 24 April to 3 October 2027

Summer brings five Bernina Express trains each way. Two run the full route between Chur and Tirano over the Albula line, past the Landwasser Viaduct; the other three run only between St. Moritz and Tirano.

Southbound to Tirano:

Train	Departs	Arrives Tirano
PE 951	Chur 08:17	12:50
PE 971	St. Moritz 09:17	11:32
PE 973	St. Moritz 13:17	15:31
PE 955	Chur 13:35	18:00
PE 977	St. Moritz 16:14	18:50

Northbound from Tirano:

Train	Departs Tirano	Arrives
PE 950	08:06	Chur 12:31
PE 972	10:06	St. Moritz 12:35
PE 974	13:17	St. Moritz 15:45
PE 952	14:24	Chur 18:31
PE 976	16:06	St. Moritz 18:25

RhB opens Bernina Express reservations for the whole timetable period, and tickets go on sale six months ahead. A reservation stays valid while you wait for ticket sales to open, but you must show a ticket on board. Weekends and public holidays fill first, Monday to Thursday is quieter, and the SBB app flags trains with high demand. The seat reservation guide explains the supplement and how to book it.

How long each journey takes

RhB quotes about 2 hours 15 minutes for St. Moritz to Tirano and about 4 hours for Chur to Tirano. The real timetable runs a little longer on some trains:

Route	RhB headline	Range across the trains above
St. Moritz → Tirano	about 2 h 15 min	2 h 14 min to 2 h 36 min
Tirano → St. Moritz	about 2 h 15 min	2 h 19 min to 2 h 29 min
Chur → Tirano	about 4 h	4 h 25 min to 4 h 33 min
Tirano → Chur	about 4 h	4 h 07 min to 4 h 25 min

The fastest southbound run is PE 973 in summer, the slowest PE 977. If you have a connection to make in Tirano or Chur, plan on the timetable minutes, not the headline.

Regional red trains: roughly every hour

The ordinary red regional trains use the same track between St. Moritz and Tirano and run about once an hour in each direction, all year. They have windows that open, no catering and no panoramic cars. You need only a ticket; a seat reservation is optional at CHF 5 per person and route, and RhB says individual reservations cannot be made for April 2027.

Resellers publish example times that show the rhythm. The Tirano to St. Moritz Bernina red train return day ticket (our breakdown) lists departures from Tirano at 07:41, 09:00, 09:41, 11:00, 11:41, 13:00 and 13:14. The Tirano to St. Moritz red train ticket gives 09:41 to 12:11 as an example, and its sister St. Moritz to Tirano red train ticket shows 09:48 to 12:23. Treat those as samples and check the current times on the day.

The return day ticket costs from $123 per person in 2nd class (1st class from $212), rated 4.5 from 1,140+ reviews, and you can hop off at any station and board a later train. It cancels free up to 5 days before. The one-way resellers start from $75 and cancel up to 7 days before. For the differences in comfort and price, read Bernina Express vs the regional train.

Getting to Tirano from Milan by train

Trenord runs direct regional trains from Milano Centrale to Tirano in about 2 hours 30 minutes, with no change. Departures run roughly every one to two hours, depending on the time of day, and a 2nd-class ticket costs about EUR 12.50 with no reservation needed. Check the Trenord timetable for your date, since works on the Lecco to Tirano line have replaced trains with buses in past years.

In Tirano the Italian station and the RhB station sit a few metres apart on the same square. RhB still advises leaving a buffer at Tirano and St. Moritz, so pick a Trenord train that lands you at least half an hour before your departure. The full door-to-door plan, with costs, is in Milan to St. Moritz by Bernina train.

Disruptions: the Vereina diversion and the reported 2027 closure

From 29 October until 13 November 2026, engineering works between Thusis and Preda sent Bernina Express trains 951 and 952 the long way round, via Landquart, Klosters and the Vereina tunnel to Pontresina. Those runs skipped Thusis, Tiefencastel and Filisur, so passengers missed the Albula line and the Landwasser Viaduct. The St. Moritz departures and the Bernina line south of Pontresina ran as normal, and regular routing returns from 14 November. RhB ran similar autumn closures in November 2024 and 2025, so check before you book a Chur departure for November 2027.

The bigger one is still unconfirmed. Two independent rail sites report that the Bernina line will close between Cavaglia and Tirano from 4 October 2027 until about 25 or 26 November 2027, with replacement coaches on that stretch. RhB has not announced it on its own pages, although its summer 2027 timetable does end on 3 October. Poschiavo and the Brusio spiral viaduct sit inside that section. If your trip falls in October or November 2027, check rhb.ch before you pay for anything non-refundable.

Which departure suits your trip

Full route with the Albula line: PE 951 from Chur at 08:17 runs all year. Details in Chur to Tirano on the Bernina Express.
Day out from St. Moritz with lunch in Tirano: in summer, PE 971 at 09:17 and PE 976 back at 16:06 give you about four and a half hours in town. See St. Moritz to Tirano and things to do in Tirano.
Round trip from Tirano: PE 972 at 10:06 reaches St. Moritz at 12:35. In winter, PE 975 at 15:30 brings you back by 18:00.
No timetable stress at all: a guided day trip from Milan handles the connections. Most ride the red train; the Milan: St. Moritz and panoramic Bernina Express tour (our breakdown) puts you on the panoramic train from St. Moritz in the afternoon. Compare them in Bernina Express from Milan.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Bernina Express run every day in winter?

Yes. Two trains run each way every day from 26 October 2026 to 23 April 2027: PE 951 and PE 975 southbound, PE 972 and PE 952 northbound. From 13 December a third pair runs on Fridays to Sundays and daily from 26 December to 5 January.

What time does the Bernina Express leave St. Moritz?

In summer 2027 the St. Moritz departures are 09:17, 13:17 and 16:14. In winter they are 15:30 daily and 16:14 on Fridays to Sundays from 13 December. The Chur trains reach Tirano via Pontresina, so check your boarding station in the SBB app.

How often do the red trains run between Tirano and St. Moritz?

About once an hour in each direction, all year. Ticket resellers list several morning departures from Tirano, including 09:00 and 09:41. A seat reservation costs CHF 5 per person and is optional.

Is the 2027 Bernina Express timetable out yet?

Yes. RhB’s timetable already covers the winter period to 23 April 2027 and the summer period from 24 April to 3 October 2027. Times after 3 October 2027 have not been published, and a closure between Cavaglia and Tirano is reported for that autumn.

How long is the train from Milan to Tirano?

About 2 hours 30 minutes on the direct Trenord regional train from Milano Centrale, for about EUR 12.50 in 2nd class. Trains run roughly every one to two hours, and the RhB station is across the square when you arrive.

Bernina Express Timetable: Winter 2026/27 and Summer 2027