Bernina Express: From Glaciers to Palms

On arrival into Zurich Airport, you will be met by our representative, who will transfer you to Zurich Station for the beautiful journey south to St. Moritz, for those already in the city a transfer will take you straight from the hotel. In Switzerland the train is king and traveling by rail is very easy. Trains are clean, on time, and always depart from the same platform, so there’s very rarely any confusion. The journey time to St. Moritz is approximately 3.5 hours and the route will take you across the fertile plains around Zurich and up into the Alps, via the country’s oldest city, Chur, where you will make a change. On arrival in St Moritz it’s an easy walk to the hotel or a private transfer can be arranged at an additional cost.

Note that alternative routes from other larger cities such as Geneva can be arranged at no extra cost. Trains also run from northern Italy.

This morning return to the station in St. Moritz and enjoy the spectacular journey south to Tirano in Italy. This is one of Switzerland’s if not the world’s most beautiful train rides. The trip takes approximately 4 hours covering a distance of 40 miles, through 55 tunnels, and a whopping 196 bridges! The main highlights include the Bernina Pass, past the Morteratsch Glacier, reaching its highest point at Ospizio Bernina,7,391 feet above sea level, where even in the height of summer icebergs dot the lake. While on the descent the train runs round the famous nine-arched Brusio Spiral Viaduct opened in 1908. On arrival in Tirano, there is time for lunch before boarding the coach for the pretty run to the sub-tropical resort town of Lugano where you will stay overnight.

After some free time to enjoy Lugano, the largest Italian-speaking town in Switzerland, board the train for the easy, but beautiful journey back to Zurich. The journey time is approximately 2 hours with services running every 30 minutes. On arrival, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

Alternatively, you might want to stay a couple more nights in Lugano or travel onward to another destination within Switzerland or Italy, it’s your choice.

At the appropriate time today, you will be transferred from your hotel to Zurich Airport for your return flight home. If you’re not ready to leave Switzerland just yet, contact our travel experts who will be happy to create a bespoke addition to your itinerary.