Landwasser Viaduct (Filisur)
A 65-metre-high stone viaduct that ends directly inside a tunnel cut into the cliff face — the icon of the Albula line. The train slows here for photos.
Bernina Express UNESCO · tratta completa
Coira → Tirano: il Bernina Express in tratta completa
4 h 20 min attraverso due ferrovie patrimonio UNESCO. Da Coira, la linea dell'Albula sale a St. Moritz passando per il Viadotto di Landwasser. Poi la linea del Bernina supera il Passo del Bernina a 2.253 m fino a Tirano in Italia. Treno panoramico, prenotazione del posto obbligatoria, prenota diretto con RhB.
~4 h 20
Tempo sola andata
144 km
196 ponti · 55 gallerie
2.253 m
Punto più alto della linea
- Due linee patrimonio UNESCO
- Carrozze panoramiche
- Biglietti RhB ufficiali
How to book the full Chur → Tirano route
For the complete route in a single panorama train, the Bernina Express must be booked directly with Rhätische Bahn (RhB). Online resellers often only cover the shorter Tirano ↔ St. Moritz section. RhB has the full timetable, all booking windows, and reliable seat availability for both PE 951 (Chur → Tirano) and PE 952 (Tirano → Chur).
Recommended
Book directly with Rhätische Bahn (RhB)
- Full Chur ↔ Tirano route (PE 951 / PE 952)
- Reservation booking up to 3 months ahead
- Mandatory seat reservation included (CHF 40–44)
- Train ticket: CHF 66 one-way · CHF 132 round-trip (2nd class)
- Half-Fare Card, Swiss Travel Pass, Interrail/Eurail valid
Book on RhB (official)
Bookings open about 3 months before departure. Last-Minute tickets from CHF 79 when available.
Cheaper alternative: the regional Red Train covers the same route with a change at St. Moritz (or Pontresina/Samedan). No reservation, normal windows that open, ~CHF 33 cheaper than the Bernina Express. For details and the Red Train timetable, see Tirano → St. Moritz and St. Moritz → Tirano.
Highlights on the full route
Albula Tunnel & loop tunnels
Between Bergün and Preda, the line gains 400 m of altitude over just 5 km through a series of spiral loops — no rack railway, all engineered with curves and tunnels. A masterpiece of 19th-century engineering.
St. Moritz & the Engadine
The line passes through Samedan and stops at Pontresina before climbing into the Bernina Pass. St. Moritz itself is on a short branch — get off here if it's your destination.
Morteratsch Glacier & Piz Bernina
Just south of Pontresina, the train passes directly below the Morteratsch glacier and the Piz Bernina massif (4,049 m). One of the most dramatic alpine sections of the whole Swiss network.
Lago Bianco & Ospizio Bernina (2,253 m)
The summit of the line and the European continental watershed. Lago Bianco is glacier-fed; the smaller Lej Nair next to it drains the opposite way.
Brusio Spiral Viaduct
An open stone spiral viaduct just before Tirano — one of the most photographed bridges in the Alps. You can usually see the front of the train as it curves below you.
The full route
Bernina Express timetable Chur → Tirano (2026)
Summer schedule from 2 May to 25 October 2026. Outside this window the Bernina Express runs on a reduced schedule with the same panorama carriages.
Southbound · Chur → Tirano
| Treno | Departure Chur | Filisur | Pontresina | Poschiavo | Arrival Tirano |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PE 951 | 08:17 | 09:32 | 10:25 | 12:01 | 12:49 |
| PE 955 | 13:34 | 14:43 | 15:41 | 17:15 | 18:00 |
PE 951 connects in Tirano with the Bernina Express bus to Lugano (departing ~14:20, arriving Lugano ~17:30). The Vereina diversion from 29 October to 13 November 2026 affects PE 951/952 — check rhb.ch for the diversion timetable.
Domande frequenti
Is the Chur → Tirano trip a day trip or two days?
The full one-way takes about 4 h 20. A return trip in a single day is 8 h 40 on the train alone — possible, but exhausting. Most travellers split it: Chur → Tirano one day, stay overnight in Tirano or Poschiavo, return the next day. With the Bernina Express bus you can also continue from Tirano to Lugano (~3 h 10) and loop back via train.
Do I need a Bernina Express seat reservation for the full route?
Yes. On the panorama Bernina Express trains (PE 950–957), reservation is mandatory. The reservation fee for Chur → Tirano is CHF 40 in low season and CHF 44 in high season (2 May – 25 October 2026). Book online at rhb.ch — reservations open about three months before travel.
Can I use the Regional Red Train for Chur → Tirano?
Technically yes, but you have to change trains: Chur to St. Moritz on the Albula line, then St. Moritz/Pontresina to Tirano on the Bernina line. Total time is similar (~4 h 20–4 h 40), and the Red Train ticket is cheaper. No reservation needed, but you sit on regional rolling stock with normal windows.
What about the Vereina diversion in autumn 2026?
From 29 October to 13 November 2026, Bernina Express services PE 951/952 are rerouted via Vereina due to engineering works on the Albula line. Travel time changes — check rhb.ch for the exact diversion timetable before you book.
Bernina Express o Trenino Rosso — qual è la differenza?
Percorrono gli stessi binari sul Passo del Bernina e hanno lo stesso panorama. Il Bernina Express è il treno con vetri panoramici: 1–3 partenze al giorno, prenotazione obbligatoria, ristoro al posto, Wi-Fi. Il Trenino Rosso è il treno regionale: circa ogni ora, senza prenotazione, finestrini normali apribili, nessun servizio a bordo. Il biglietto del Trenino Rosso è valido tutto il giorno su qualsiasi treno nella stessa direzione.
Mi serve il passaporto?
Sì — porta un documento con foto. Il treno attraversa un confine internazionale tra Italia e Svizzera. I controlli alla frontiera sono casuali ma capitano, soprattutto in alta stagione estiva.
I treni viaggiano in inverno?
Sì, entrambi tutto l'anno. Il Bernina Express usa carrozze panoramiche tutto l'anno, con orario invernale ridotto. Nota: dal 29 ottobre al 13 novembre 2026 il Bernina Express viene deviato attraverso il Vereina per lavori — controlla rhb.ch per le date interessate.
Ready for the full Bernina Express?
For the panorama train across the full Chur → Tirano route, book directly with Rhätische Bahn. Reservations open about three months ahead — popular departures fill up early in summer.