Burgenstock-Bellagio

Yes, it is possible to do the Bernina Express from a connecting train from Luzern. Just be aware that if you are going to Bellagio, the connection to Varenna (where you get a ferry to Bellagio) from Tirano is partly by replacement bus while they rebuild the railroad tracks.

Alternative way is to travel to Como with a single connection from Luzern on a different route that also goes over the mountains and is quite scenic. At Como S. Giovanni station, you can get a bus to Bellagio.

Schedules are at https://www.sbb.ch/en/buying/pages/fahrplan/fahrplan.xhtml

Thanks! Any estimate on how long each method will take? With the relatively short time we will have in each place, we probably have to plan by the hour!

Taking the Bernina Express would involve quite a few transfers between Luzern and Tirano on the Italy-Swiss border, then a bus to Colico, train from there to Varenna, and lastly the ferry to Bellagio.

The other scenic route mentioned by Sam is over the Gotthard Pass from Luzern to Lugano (the Gotthard Panorama Express) or Bellinzona (Treno Gottardo).

The Gotthard Panorama Express, a boat plus train experience in First class, would be simplest, as you can check luggage at Luzern and pick it up in Lugano—-they handle the transfer from boat to train at Flüelen.

https://www.gotthard-panorama-express.ch/en/stories/luggage-service

https://www.gotthard-panorama-express.ch/en/stories/erlebnis

From Lugano, you have several options: bus from there to Menaggio and ferry from there across the lake to Bellagio (might be a transfer in Varenna); train from Lugano to Como San Giovanni and ferry up the lake from there; or train from Lugano to Milano Centrale and train from there to Varenna, then the ferry. That last one is probably the simplest, as you would have the fewest transfers with luggage.

With the Bernina Express, about 10 hours, with more direct path via Como S. Giovanni, about 5 hours.

Thank you Sam and Lola!
We will probably take the Gotthard Panoramic. Their website does not seem to give me the option to select first class (defaults to 2nd class and no way to change). I have sent an email through their website. Otherwise I am sure the concierge at Burgenstock can arrange.

However, looking at the map, Lugano ==> Milano Centrale ==> Veranna ==> Bellagio seems like a long way compared to Lugano ==> Como ==> Bellagio. If we take the luggage issue out of the picture, does this sound like a better way to go? Or Lugano ==> Varenna ==> Bellagio?

You are right about the Lugano—- Como—- Bellagio route. I did not realize how short a time it could be from Como to Bellagio it would be if you take one of the fast Servizio Rapido (SR ) boats—- less than hour because they go to Bellagio with no changes and fewer stops than the regular boats.

https://www.navigazionelaghi.it/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Orario_Pieghevole-E24.pdf

You would need to get a taxi or other transfer from the Como train station down to the ferry dock, but otherwise that appears to be an easy route. Hopefully the ferry schedule lines up well with the Gotthard Panorama Express schedule ( only one trip a day). If not, you could take one of the regular trains on the Gotthard route and manage your own luggage.

We will probably take the Gotthard Panoramic. Their website does not seem to give me the option to select first class (defaults to 2nd class and no way to change)

The Gotthard Panorama Express train is all 1st class. It does not run on Monday. Another problem is that it arrives in Lugano at 4;41 pm, meaning that taking the next train to Como (dep 5;02 pm, arr 5:35 pm) , transfer to ferry, then fast boat to Bellagio (dep 6;35 pm, arr 7;22 pm), gets you there rather late. then there is the logistics of getting from Buergenstock to Fluelen to catch the GPE. that is the 8.33 boat from Buergenstock to Luzern and a train to Fluelen.

Easier would be to stay on that same train from Luzern to Fluelen, as it continues by the same route of the GPE to Bellinzona, the change to a train to Como, arriving at 1:08 pm with plenty of time to get to Bellagio at a decent hour.

Thanks. So if I understand you correctly, you are suggesting the regular train (not the GPE). Will that be a scenic ride even though it is not panoramic?
Also, the GPE handles transfer from Luzern to Fluelen, so it seems like that will not be a problem. So the choices are :
1. GPE leaving at 11:12 from Luzern, change at Lugano to a train to Como, then high speed ferry to Bellagio
2. Regular train (not GPE), leaving Luzern in the morning, change to train at Bellinzona, arriving Como at 13:05. Then ferry to Bellagion.

So both the above options have the same changes - either Lugano-Como, or Bellinzona-Como. The key differences are the arrival times, and whether we want the panoramic experience or can we still get a good sceninc experience from the other train.
Right?

The GPE and Treno Gottardo travel the same scenic route over the mountains, just no panorama cars on the later, but no reservation fee either (24 CHF PP).

I hope Sam return to explain, as I do not understand what he means by “stay on that same traiin at Fluelen” and you arrive at Como San Giovanni at 13:08.

The only connection I see that arrives at Como S.G. At 13:08 departs Luzern at 10:39 as the Voralpen Express. You change at Arth Goldau to the EC 327, which does not stop at Fluelen; it enters the deep Basistunnel after Arth-Goldau and skips all the other stops (and the scenery) until Bellinzona. At least that is the schedule for early September, which I believe is when you will be doing this. But you do not change at Bellinzona, or in Lugano; the EC 327 itself goes to Como S. Giovanni. So this train combo minimizes changes, but also minimizes scenery.

You keep mentioning the “GPE” but as Sam pointed out, this route takes much longer and you would arrive in Bellagio pretty late. The GPE runs only once a day, and departs Luzern as a boat, cruising down the lake to Flüelen where you board the special First Class train that takes the tracks over the Alps under of the tunnel under them. The GPE, as I noted, is the only service that will take checked luggage—-you check it at Luzern and pick it up in Lugano. But is only an option if you are willing to arrive in Bellagio late, in the evening.

It appears they are scheduling more and more trains through the tunnel in early September, and it may be back to the regular system, where one has to “force” the system to show a route over the Gotthard Pass by putting in Göschenen as a stop, to avoid the tunnel. But that adds train changes, which you want to minimize.

The alternative is to take the Treno Gottardo, a regular scheduled regional train that goes over the pass on the same tracks as the GPE, and passes the same scenery. The windows on this train are large, although to my recall they do not curve up into the ceiling of the car. They are certainly large enough for great views of the scenery on both sides of the train.

The Treno Gottardo departs Luzern as IR26 at 9:18 and 11:18. This is the train you would need to leave at Bellinzona to change to a train heading to Como. I will leave it to you to check the schedules to see which one is a better match with the ferry schedules from Burgenstock to Luzern, and Como to Bellagio.

Thank you, Sam and Lola, for the great suggestions. I have abandoned the idea of the GPE. Looking at the Treno Gottard, there is a train (2319) that starts at 11:18 from Luzern and goes via Goschenen, without changes to Bellinzona. It arrives at 2PM. That seems to be the most practical. I will look into schedules for the other legs.

That is the 11:18 Treno Gottardo I mentioned. good choice.