Help - I am completely confused about making reservations on the Bernina Express. We have Swiss Saver Passes, 1st class, and will be traveling to Tirano on May 12. I have seen both reservations required and reservations NOT required. I tried raileurope.com and it came up reservations not available. I understand there are panoramic cars and regular cars and don't know which is best for us. Will it be too crowded on a Sunday in May to go without a reservation? We are retirees and have some luggage, so what does everyone suggest? Thanks!
Posted by
Green Bay
20802 posts
There's your first problem, Raileurope. Try http://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html
Thats the Swiss National Railway.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17169 posts
For seat reservations only, you want the Bernina Express (RHB or Rhaetischebahn) website: http://www.rhb.ch/Bernina-Express.2188.0.html?&L=4 Reservations are separate for the train and bus portions. Reservations are compulsory for the panoramic cars and the bus. The RHB website is nice in that it shows you a diagram of the coaches with the available seats.
Posted by
Bern, Switzerland
1021 posts
Hi Dianne, There are two types of train running on this line - the official Bernina Express train (BEX), which includes panorama coaches and there is the normal regional train (R) that is used by the locals. If you wish to go in a panorama coach you will need to make a reservation and take one of the following trains (departing St. Moritz): 09:29, 11:22 or 15:22. Otherwise just take the normal regional train, where no reservation is required nor possible, as far as I can see! There are plenty of regional trains running through out the day, so I don't think you need to worry about it being crowded - I've done it a few times and never had a problem (often almost half empty in 1st class in fact). Although you don't have the panorama coaches on the regional train, one advantage you do have is that you can usually switch from side to side depending on the view, assuming there are empty seats. One note, if you were to take the 17:45 from St. Moritz, you would need a reservation as the second part is by bus from Poschiavo. Jim (Switzerland)
Posted by
OP
Stanwood
6 posts
I think we will just jump on the regional train, especially since we already have 1st class passes and it shouldn't be crowded. Thank you all for your replies. This is such a great forum!
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17169 posts
Good choice---and I should have been clearer in my post that reservations are nNOT required on the regular regional trains, only for the official BEX with the panoramic cars. You will have more flexibility in terms of time with the regular trains.
Posted by
Mission Viejo, Calif., USA
1010 posts
You will love the Bernina Express. Three years ago we took the William Tell Express out of Lucerne. It was part boat around Lake Lucerne. We ended in Lugano. We spent five nights in Lugano. During that time we did day trips over to Milan, Lake Como and Lake Maggiore. Then at the end of the five nights, we boarded the Bernina Express bus part in Lugano. The tour included a beautiful ride around Lake Maggiore. We boarded a few trains and ended up in Zurich in the evening. We absolutely loved the Bernina Express and the William Tell excursions.