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Lake Lugano or Bernina Express/ Two scenic long trains in consecutive day

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I am having 7 day itinerary with Swiss Travel Pass. First four days I am completing the Alps/Lucerne Area (Lucerne, Bern, Interlaken and Geneva). After visiting the Matterhorn in Zermatt, I intend to complete the Switzerland trip by taking Glacier express from Zermat. My next destination is Venice. I have booked Glacier express from Zermatt to St Mortz. I have two options to go to Venice.

My first option is get down at Chur from Glacier Express and take a bus to Bellinzona/Luganao spend night there and travel next morning to Venice, by briefly spending an early morning walk in Lake Lugano. This option provides less travel time in Trains and I can visit Lugano for a brief time.

The other option is I can go up to the final destination St Mortiz and stay night there and catch the Bernina express in next morning and travel to Venice Via Tirano. This route provide option for travelling in both Glacier and Bernina express in two consecutive days. The travel time is more; but no activity. Which is the best option?

Posted by
17422 posts

I highly recommend the Bernina Express route---it is the most scenic of Switzerland's "scenic" trains, in my opinion.

On our last trip to Venice I booked our flight into Zurich specifically for the purpose of taking the Bernina Express. After four trips to Switzerland we had not made it to the Engadine area nor ridden the Bernina Express. So after landing in Switzerland we caught the train to Samedan ( close to St. Moritz with less expensive lodging) and spent two nights, so we could enjoy a hike on the intervening day. Then we rode a regional train on the Bernina Pass route to Tirano and onward by Italian train to Varenna, where we spent another night. Then to Milan and Venice. It was a beautiful trip and I was sorry we had not explored the area sooner.

Posted by
16895 posts

I would stay at St. Moritz. If you depart St. Moritz at 8:48, you can make changes at just Tirano (8 minutes to go across the piazza - be prepared to hop right off) and Milan and arrive to Venezia S Lucia station at 17:10. Personally, I have taken this train, and have not (yet) visited Lugano, and am happy with that balance. You'll see Lake Como from the train as you head south from Tirano.

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