... no wonder! It is wonderful! The swiss train pulls from the train station, passes slowly in to the city, in front of the Madonna of Tirano church in the back, and starts climbing towards Switzerland. Travelled in october, the train was empty and I was the only traveller in the first class carriage!Breathtaking scenery unfold in front of you during the climb you pass through small swiss villages and accelerate in the Alps. There is a guide you can buy in the store near the station that explains the history of each train stop. It is well worth the investment as there is no description during the climb (not like in some tourist train), bar service is possible, during the approx 2h30 hour climb. It is like a travel in time as you go from "tropical" to alpine weather in a few minutes. There is a climb that is spiral, then bridges, through tunnels and across viaducts to reach the Piz Bernina at 4,049 m. My stop was St-Moritz where I took a small lunch (and caught my breath!) to pursue the trip to Zurich.This is a scenic train ride that is a "must" for train and nature lovers!
We travelled from Tirano to St Moritz on the same day in first class of the panoramic train 212 CHF plus a booking fee (34CHF?) paid at the time of making the online reservation for 2 people and our 18 month old traveled for free on our laps, which in reality was not necessary as there is plenty of space in 1st class and you spend most of the time standing, camera in hand. We had a whole carriage to ourselves coming back! Could do with a buffet cart on the train rather than having to go and find the conductor.It was raining when we went and sunny when we returned so we got very lucky and could take as many photos as we wanted with different feeling due to the weather.St Moritz was a bit disappointing, yes it was wealthy when you were in the centre but if you walk around the lake you see that the local council has approved some very sad grey bland buildings around the lake, out of character with Swiss postcard style we imagined.
- short but helpful bits of information about the train itself and the route- nice catering service if you book a seat in the Bernina Express train doing the route in opposite directions each once a day. Book your seat in advance on www.rhb.ch- the Unesco world heritage route itself is so amazing.- it is a rather long journey so i can recommend a night in tirano ( btw: rather than Poschiavo)
Simply amazing. If you're visiting Tirano and you don't take this trip you are mad. If you have kids and want a shorter trip with the best of the scenery don't go all the way to St Moritz, alight at Mt Grum, have lunch and return from there.
We travelled from St Moritz to Tirano . A very scenic and enjoyable journey through one of the best parts of Switzerland . Being a two hour journey , it maintains your excitement level . You see snow clad peaks , lakes and beautiful villages during the journey .
Outstanding scenery - very new and clean train - commentary provided - an ideal link between Italy and Switzerland - could not fault
The poschiavo valley has a particular silent beauty. It makes a lot of sense to discover the whole valley, starting from tirano up to the bernina pass. The train is a great way to do so.
If you want to experience stunning alpine scenery that changes at almost every turn, and do this in comfort, then the Trenino rosso del Bernina is the little train that can make this happen. I've done this a few times and never cease to be amazed by the beauty of the scenery as this Unesco listed train goes from the Italian town of Tirano to St. Moritz. To make the most of a day trip, I took the 8:50am train and enjoyed the journey of almost two and a half hours, through the Bernina Pass, seeing quaint townships, lakes and snow capped mountains. The one-way trip cost approximately 20 euros - definitely one trip I'll do again when I return to Tirano. This is a journey that can be taken in winter as well as the warmer months of the year and it's equally spectacular.
Woke up in Tirano to low cloud and snow, so expected this part of my journey (Malta-Scotland mostly by train) to be a disappointment. Nothing of the sort. Before long we were out above the clouds and the scenery was utterly breathtaking. Huge panoramic windows (an additional 5 Euro to travel in these carriages) proved their worth as we climbed into the Alps. from the brusio Spiral on the scenery just got better and better.
You can travel on two types of train from Tirano to St. Moritz - the famous Bernina express (which charges a supplement) or the standard 'Treno rosso'. The express is designed for tourists and has very large glass windows. Even on a dull day there are spectacular views, and the steep gradients of the line make it a thrilling experience for all ages. Throw into the mix glaciers (although low cloud will prevent you from seeing them) and the glamourous destination of St. Moritz and you have a great, albeit expensive, day trip.Try to book early for a window seat in high season (August and Winter). We booked the Bernina Express about a month before travelling, but only got the return standard ticket for the Treno Rosso the night before at the booking office - you can't book seats on this. We would thoroughly recommend this trip.You do cross an international border, although we were not asked to show our passports, it is a possibility.