Hi all,
We wanted to do the Bernina Express Tirano - St Moritz on Oct 31 as we will be traveling anyway from Varenna Italy to Zurich. The panoramic train is sold out but a regional train leaves at the same time, 9:41, and obviously is doing the same route from Tirano. I have purchased 2 first class tickets, half fare was available, for traveling at this time on this route. My main questions are: We will be taking a train that morning from Varenna arriving in Tirano at 8:52. I know the two stations are next to each other but is this cutting it too close time wise? Will it allow enough time to get on the regional train and find good seats together? Making an actual seat reservation on a regional train does not seem possible, even in first class. I am sure we are not the only one using this solution to travel to St Moritz for the beautiful views so I don't know if people actually arrive super early for the best seats? I am almost thinking cutting the Varenna visit short and overnighting in Tirano. Thank you for any insight or suggestions you have!
Posted by
Green Bay
21140 posts
You have 49 minutes to walk about 300 feet between the stations. I think you can do it. You have 1st class seats, I don't think you will have a problem. There is such a thing as overthinking it.
Looking at the schedule, a regional train from Switzerland arrives in Tirano at 9:17, and that train is probably the the one you will be boarding to head back to Switzerland, so you will probably be at the station when it is ready to board and you will be one of the first people on the train and get your pick of seats.
Posted by
OP
7 posts
Hi Green Bay. I appreciate the insight, and yes you are right perhaps I was overthinking a bit. But I live in Orlando, the land of Disney, where people queue up early for Everything! :-)
Posted by
San Diego, California
5603 posts
We took the regional train of the Bernini Express route in fall, 2021, and were very happy with the second class accommodations. You have a beautiful ride to enjoy. The windows open, so you can get great pix, and breathe the fresh mountain air when you climb to 7000 feet elevation. Perhaps you would consider staying in Chur or Pontressina
Instead of the very commercial St Moritz? In any case, enjoy all your planned nights in Varenna, and it only gets better as you travel to Switzerland. I'm so jealous! Safe travels!
Posted by
Wisconsin
466 posts
We took your planned Bernina Express journey last year in mid-September. Our train from Varenna was going to get us to Tirano a couple minutes before 11 a.m. We knew there was an 11 a.m. Bernina Express regional train departure out of Tirano, but we didn't think we'd be able to catch that one, so our plan was to hang out at the station, maybe buy some sandwiches to take on board, and catch the 11:40 a.m. regional train. However, when we exited the train from Varenna, we could see that the 11 a.m. Bernina Express train was still waiting to depart, and it was just steps away. We hustled and hopped on board. We had Swiss Travel Passes that covered the journey. There were plenty of great seats still available.
Posted by
Wengen
2493 posts
With an 8:52 arrival you could probably still make the 9:00 regional. Otherwise take the 9:41. The BEX leaves at 10:06, so that is not the same time.
The 9:41 does have two panoramic cars attached to it in the winter, but they are both second class cars, hence why you could not reserve a 1st class seat in them...
You cannot get reservations on the normal cars in regional trains. You can get on the IC to Zurich, but nobody bothers. Your ticket is valid on any train on the route on that day, and you can even take a Bernina Express, as there are tow or three cars at the front that do not require reservations. (I do hope you bought a Tirano - Zurich ticket, and not two separate tickets, and that you do have the Half Fare Card...)
Usually loadings on Swiss trains are low, so that there is no scramble for seats.