Having trouble figuring out the Berina Express. We need to know if we can take the regular train to Tirano from Pontresino, but then make a reservation on the Bus from Tirano to Lugano. We are traveling in Sept.
Posted by
Firenze
500 posts
You look somewhat confused. Ticino is a region of Switzerland. Lugano is the main city of Ticino. The Bernina railway goes from Pontresina/St. Moritz to Tirano, Italy, where it connects to a railway along the east shore of Lake Como going down to Milan.
The only easy way to go to Lugano from St. Moritz area is going by bus from St. Moritz. You have to cross a stretch of Italy and go along the east shore of Lake Como. As the railway is on the opposite shore, there is no way to go to Lugano with the Bernina railway unless you go all the way to Milan and then backtrack - or with a combination of ferry and bus to cross the lake in its middle.
Another way to go to St. Moritz to Lugano is train to Thusis, post bus to Bellinzona, train to Lugano.
Maybe you mean Tirano and not Ticino, in which case the reply would be no, there are no buses between Tirano and Lugano.
Posted by
Green Bay
20028 posts
Actually, there is the single Swiss Post Bus every day as a continuation of the Bernina Express. It is Bus No 5951, departs Tirano at 14:20 and arrives Lugano at 17:30. Cost is 33 chf plus a mandatory reservation fee of 5 or 10 chf. You can buy a separate ticket for that at www.sbb.ch, or at the RhB station in Tirano.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16187 posts
I do not see any confusion. The question is whether they can take the Swiss bus that forms part of the Bernina express route (from Tirano to Lugano) if they have ridden a regional train rather than the designated Bernina express train to Tirano. The answer is yes as Sam explained. Reservations for the bus are made separately from the train portion.
You can reserve on the Rhätischebahn website: