train travel

When are you going. Which one fits in your trip better? Are you going to Italy too?

Thank you for your reply,
In June and not to Italy. I see that some of the same route is covered by both with the Bernia Express being the shorter. It's the difference between taking rail tour or coach/rail and if you are able to see the most spectacular part on the Bernia Express then I might opt for that. Thank you.

My choice would be the Bernina Express route as far as Tirano. I will qualify that by admitting I have not been on that train yet, even after 4 trips to Switzerland. But from the photos I have seen it is spectacular, and just the type of scenery I love (peaks, high meadows, and glaciers). I have ridden the Glacier Express route from Andermatt west, not as a scenic tour but to get to where we were going for our hiking trips. There are some very scenic portions but overall it is a very long train ride with some highlights on the way. I have been on the platform at a waystation near Brig when the Glacier Express passed on its way to Zermatt. At that point the passengers had been on the train for about 6.5 hours. The train is going slowly at that point, so we could see the passengers clearly through the windows. Most looked bored, eyes glazed over. I say Bernina Esxpress just to Tirano as I know nothing about the bus ride from there to Lugano and the type of scenery one encounters there. Maybe someone who has ridden the whole Bernina Express can speak to that. But I do know of Swiss residents who ride the BE as an out and back, to and from Tirano, as an annual excursion.

Thank you. This was very helpful. Harry

I have been searching the archives before posting this same question - unfortunately, I don't see too many answers from people who have taken both trips. Anyone out there who would care to comment? We'll be going in August and will be based near Interlocken focusing on the Berner Oberland.

As someone who does both of those trips almost each year I can't say I favor one over the other in terms of scenery. I think it really comes down to how much you enjoy traveling: the GE is a very long trip so if long train rides are not your thing then I'd go for the BE as far as Tirano and back. Going on from Tirano is an option but only if you enjoy traveling in a packed coach during tourist reason.