Bernina Express Route, photographers viewing area & open panoramic cars

We road the Bernina Express early March 2017, so open panoramic cars were not an option. That said, the end car back entryway had an operable window that could be opened. Note that the rail track runs down some narrow streets where I didn't really want to stick my head out of the window.

You may want to set your camera its predictive "sports" mode setting.
https://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-use-sports-mode/

You might find more information here:

https://www.seat61.com/BerninaExpress.htm

Even in June, when we took the Bernina Express, it was the closed panoramic cars, which means large windows that go up to the ceiling, but still cause reflection. At the end of each car, there an area where you can open a window to put your arms and camera outside, and got great video of the train going around the figure 8 Brusio viaduct.

Later in the summer there are open-air cars that do the route. I believe that is the "open panoramic car" that you see on SBB. https://www.rhb.ch/en/leisure-travel-and-excursions/groups-schools/charter-carriages/open-scenic-carriages As you see, it is completely open so dress for it.

Thank you for the links. Yes, I had read all the seat61 stuff. The link to the rhb website is what I was think that meant. Still undecided about what we are going to do.

Since you mentioned that your husband likes photography, and you mentioned Bergün--There is an amazing, beautiful, and easy hike along that Bernina Express route, from Preda to Bergün. It goes UNDER the train viaduct, so you see the arches and pillars from below! I was there in 2006, and it had info panels along the way explaining the railroad.

Bergün is an amazing old town, and different from anything else I've seen. You have to walk 2 or 3 blocks from the train station to get to the old town part. There you'll find painted buildings placed helter-skelter every-which-way, and a large plaza with cafes where people don't go out to eat until after 8:00 p.m. (We'd stayed there a few days, and used Bergün as our base to hike around there and in the Engadine.)

Here's a description:
https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/historic-railway-trail-from-preda-to-berguen.html

You can find a lot of semi-pro video on Youtube, I found a video once where someone stuck a camera apparently onto the outside of the train facing forward, they recorded the whole trip. See what other folks have shot and figure out how they did it.