We have never used the SBB app and are traveling very soon, planning to take the regional trains from Varenna, Italy all the way to Zurich but following the Bernina Express route from Tirano to Chur along the way. I have read many posts about this but in looking at the SBB app, I am getting confused about the actual train station names to choose for the cities etc. Can anyone share the correct train stations to use for Tirano and Chur? Also, if you have any tips for portions of our route from Varenna to Tirano OR Chur to Zurich as well, I would love the insight. I have gotten very nervous after trying to look up the routes in the SBB app, especially since we are traveling with teenagers. Thanks!
Posted by
San Diego, California
4702 posts
The regional train from Varenna to Tirano is an Italian train. In Tirano, cross the plaza to the Swiss train station, then the SBB app should show all the needed details.
We took the SBB regional trains on the Bernina Express route, and loved them- not crowded, no seat reservations needed, being able to open the windows and breathe the mountain air.
Have a wonderful trip!
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16273 posts
I use the SBB website. Not the app, so I don’t know if it even will show the Italian train from Varenna to Tirano. But the station name you want for the start is Varenna-Esino, and the Tirano station for that train is Tirano FS. Then you cross to the Swiss station Tirano SBB to go to Chur, which is listed as just plain Chur.
Note that if you take the regional train rather than the actual Bernina Express, there will be train changes on the way to Chur, maybe at St. Moritz, or Pontresina, or elsewhere. SBB.ch is showing lots of variations, including ones that do not use the Bernina Express route, when I check the schedule for next week.
What date are you actually traveling?
Posted by
Wengen
1653 posts
Just use city names in the SBB planner, and let it pick the best stations for you. No need to overthink this. This is mass transit, not rocket surgery.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thank you everyone. We will actually be traveling this coming Sunday, March 10th.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16273 posts
They are not overthinking. If they want to take the Bernina Express route, it will not work to “let SBB pick the stations for you”. The website shows a variety of routes, most of which do NOT take the Bernina Pass route the whole way. For example, If I put in Varenna-Esino to Chur departing at 10 am on Sunday 10 March, it shows 5 options:
10:35. V-E —- Monza—-Bellinzona—bus to Chur, arriving at Chur Postautostation (not the station asked for). None of this is on the Bernina Pass route. Yet if they wanted to earliest departure after 10 am, and were not familiar with the geography and the names of the stations on the Bernina Pass route, they might pick this one, and be very disappointed.
11:25 V-E—-Colico—-Chiavenna—- bus to St. Moritz—-Chur. This one skips the Bernina Express route between Tirano to St. Moritz
11:25. V-E —-Tirano—-ST. Moritz—bus to Chur Postautostation. This one skips the Abula route (part of the Bernina Express route) over the Landwasser Viaduct.
11:25. V-E. —-Tirano—-Chur. This is the actual Bernina Express train on the route they want.
12:35 back to the V-E—-Monza—-Lugano—-Bellinzona—-Bus to Chur.
So how do they know which to choose, if we don’t tell them the names of the stops they want, and just as important, the ones they don’t want? (Like Monza, Chiavenna, and Bellinzona).