Celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, the Rhäetian is, amazingly, not a tourist train. But it is one of only three inscribed on Unesco’s World Heritage List, featuring 84 tunnels as well as 383 spectacular bridges and stone viaducts that cross the landscape’s lacework of glittering rivers and glaciers.
Need I say more...
Here are the links:
The Swiss train tourists don’t take Part 1
The Swiss train tourists don’t take Part 2
I have done this trip many times and I can highly recommend it.
My husband and I took the Bernina Express a couple of weeks ago from Tirano to St. Moritz. It was a definite highlight of two weeks traveling around Italy. I will say our train was made up of tourists, but enthusiastic tourists who appreciated the spectacular climb. Each bend revealed one sight better than the last. While St. Moritz does not have much to offer those without a lot of $$$, it was fun to walk around and window shop. Be sure to know that if you spend Euros there the change you will be given will be in Swiss francs. If you have the opportunity to take this train, go for it. We took the yellow bus back down on a two-hour, 39 stop ride to Chiavenna, Italy. This bus ride was almost as good as the train. Switchback turns, mountains, streams, lakes, villages. Amazing.
Who says tourists don't take it.
End to end. Twice. I guess I'm not a tourist. Cheers. Ta. Tanks.
Jim,
Although the author appears to be starting in Thusis rather than Chur, that sounds like the classic Bernina Express route, so I would question that "tourists don't take" that train. It was loaded with tourists on the day I travelled from Tirano to Chur. Although the Rhäetian Railway has several different branches, the route described is probably the most popular with tourists.
