From Milan to the Swiss Alps: Bernina Red Train & St. Moritz

About This Experience

The coach leaves Milano Centrale in the morning and drives about 1.5 hours to Colico at the top of Lake Como for a 15-minute break, then another 1.5 hours up the Valtellina to Tirano. You get about 45 minutes in Tirano for a short walk and a coffee before boarding the train. An English-speaking guide runs the day, with an English audio guide as backup.

The train is the regional Bernina red train, not the panoramic Bernina Express. The coaches are ordinary RhB carriages with windows that open, which is the reason many photographers prefer them. The itinerary gives about 2.5 hours for the ride from Tirano up to St. Moritz, climbing through Val Poschiavo to Alp Grüm, where the Palü Glacier comes into view, and over the top of the line before dropping into the Engadine.

In St. Moritz the guide leads a short walk and then leaves you about 1.5 hours to stroll by the lake or sit down for coffee. The coach then drives about three hours back to Milan over the Maloja Pass and down through Chiavenna. All in, you spend roughly six hours on the coach and 2.5 on the train. The operator says the day can run in reverse, or be adjusted for weather or traffic.

This tour suits travelers who want the classic red train with open windows on a tight budget and a shorter day. It is not for children under 6, pregnant women, wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments, and it involves a moderate amount of walking. If you want a glass-roofed panoramic coach, look at the Frigerio tours instead; if you want more time in Tirano, this is not the one.

Highlights

• Ride the regional red train from Tirano up to St. Moritz with windows you can open
• See the Palü Glacier from the line at Alp Grüm
• Climb from the Valtellina vineyards to the Bernina high country in one ride
• Walk the lakefront of St. Moritz with your guide, then explore on your own
• Drive home over the switchbacks of the Maloja Pass

What's Included

• ✓ Round-trip coach from Milano Centrale
• ✓ Live guide in English
• ✓ Audio guide in English
• ✓ Bernina red train ticket, Tirano to St. Moritz (regional train with opening windows)
• ✓ Guided walk and free time in St. Moritz
• ✓ Short break at Colico and free time in Tirano

Not Included

• Meals and drinks
• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• A seat on the panoramic Bernina Express
• Tips

What to Bring

• Passport or national ID card
• Comfortable shoes
• Warm clothing
• Camera

Good to Know & Caveats

• Carry a passport or national ID card: the day crosses the Swiss–Italian border twice, and the operator requires the document.
• The train is the regional Bernina red train with opening windows, not the panoramic Bernina Express.
• The itinerary may run in reverse (St. Moritz first) or change because of weather, traffic or operations.
• You cannot choose your seat side on the train. Many travelers suggest the right-hand side going south (St. Moritz to Tirano) and the left going north, but you take what is free.
• Expect a moderate amount of walking in Tirano and St. Moritz.
• Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.

Meeting Point

Milano Centrale railway station, Piazza Duca d'Aosta; the coach returns to the same spot.