Day trip Lake Como from Varenna by train to Switzerland

You are in the perfect location to ride a train over the scenic Bernina Pass route. There is a named scenic train that covers this route (the Bernina Express), but regular regional trains use the same tracks with the same views, and run hourly.

To go, you would take the northbound train from Varenna to Tirano on the Swiss border. Buy a ticket in advance on Trenitalia as there is no ticket office in the Varenna train station, and no machine. (You can buy a ticket from a travel agent in the town, but they are not always open). Use www.trenitalia.com for the schedules and to buy tickets. No reservations possible.

At the Swiss border you walk to the Swiss side of the station and buy a ticket to Pontresina or one of the closeby villages on the Bernina line. Again, no reservations required or possible. LBut if you want to ride the named Bernina Express you do need a ticket and reservations in advance. Book on their website:

https://www.rhb.ch/en/panoramic-trains/bernina-express

We rode the regional train and it was just fine, and less expensive.

Expect snow at altitudes. I watched a YouTube of Bernina Express in April and there was snow all the way to Filisur. Also, the scenic viaducts and curved tracks are near Filisur, so you could consider going all the way there.....or to Chur. Makes a longer day, but if using the regional trains, they are free enough. Bernina Express from Italy side is almost noon so a tight trip

That's a very scenic stretch of railroad and one of my favorites (and I've spent a chunk of my life living in Switzerland). The above poster gives enough detail of how to do the trip, but personally I'd only go as far as Alp Grüm. Alp Grüm is no more than a single, old stone building that contains the railroad station, a B&B and a restaurant all out on a promontory. The really cool part about it is that you can sit out on the deck and have a view of the Piz Palu glacier over one shoulder and Poschiavo and Italy over the other. The only sound will be your fellow diners, the wind, the occasional train and perhaps a cow mooing. Magical! Yes, you can go further up the line, but in my opinion but this is a great stopping point. And yes, ABSOLUTLY take the regional train, NOT the Bernina Express. Same route, a few more stops, but probably windows that open, local people onboard and no supplement.

Thanks for all the responses! Alp Grum sounds awesome and is exactly the experience we are looking for. Can anyone tell me if we purchase tickets in advance are we restricted to specific train times on either leg of the trip? Do we use Trenitalia for the whole trip?

I hate to be so picky but with the little time available to us I like to know what to expect when we get there

Those are both great suggestions for a stop and lunch, but I wonder if they will be open in late April? That is between the ski and summer season, and many mountain operations shut down for a break at that time, generally right after Easter (depending on weather and ski conditions).

We will actually be there before Easter, April 12

The problem with that part of the world and time of year is a good possibility of unfavourable weather, so take that into account if prebooking.

We have tried to purchase the train tickets from Tirano to Alp Grum on the Trenitalia website but the system says there are no tickets available, regardless of the date that we use. Is that part of the trip a different train line?

Thanks to all!

I was interested as I am making this same trip April 30th. Please note the website for the restaurant states it is not open until the end of May.
Darn it looked incredible.
http://www.belvedere-alpgruem.ch/de/

FYI
We are doing the same trip from Varenna on April 29th. When we were buying our tickets last night on Swiss Rail (Tirano to St Moritz) it would not take our visa card but it did take American Express. There was a learning curve to buying the tickets but this helped
https://www.seat61.com/BerninaExpress.htm#buy%C2%AD_tickets

Does anyone have any lunch suggestions in late April St Moritz? We will have about 3 hours.