Bernina Express: January 2024 timetable?
A traveler shared their excitement about returning to Switzerland in December 2023 after a canceled trip in 2020. They plan to travel from Kloten to Chur and want to ride the Bernina Express to Tirano in early January 2024, seeking information on train schedules and daily departures during winter.
- Check the SBB timetable for exact train schedules closer to your travel date, as updates typically occur in autumn.
- Reservations are necessary for the Bernina Express, so make sure to book your tickets in advance.
- The Bernina Express operates daily, but limited departures may occur during winter months, so plan accordingly.
- Consider staying overnight in Samedan or Pontresina for better chances of experiencing snow, as these areas have higher altitudes.
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With the help of this forum we took this train (bus from Lugano to Tirano and Bernina to Chur) in August 2018. Our plans to return in 2020 (and do this train again in winter) were cancelled by Covid. We now have tickets to return to Switzerland December 2023! (from Australia)
We plan to take the train from Kloten to Chur on around the 1st or 2nd January.
We would like to take the Bernina Express Chur to Tirano but believe there are limited departures during winter? Where would I find out what days (and departure times) it is running from Chur to Tirano in January 2024?
Ideally 2nd or 3rd January, but will work with what is available (we have some options). Do not want to continue by bus to Lugano, but take a train from Tirano to Bologna (and fly from Bologna back to Kloten).
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Hello Barsal,
That’s great you are set to return this December!
You can check the train schedules via the SBB timetable: https://www.myswissalps.com/timetable That said, you may need to wait a few months to view exact timetable departures for next year. Timetables will be updated later in the year – autumn time.
Trains labeled PE (Panorama Express) are the Bernina Express.
More information on the Bernina Express can be found here, don’t forget reservations are necessary for the Bernina Express too:
Kind regards,
Yolanda
Thank you Yolanda
We are excited to spend Christmas in Leuggern (Aargau) with family and friends. My husband is keen to see the Ducati Museum and factory in Bologna and I am keen to do Bernina Express in the snow. In August it was very bare (we had just been to Jungfrau – so it was a stark contrast to see no snow). Chur is a well-kept secret. I want to revisit. Last time this is where we disembarked the train. Beautiful town, and Arosa would be lovely to see in winter.
I remembered that I must book, but I had forgotten the PE (thx for the reminder). I think the schedules come out in periods of 3 months. I just want to be sure it will be running every day in January 2024 – even if only once a day – as I will make bookings around that assumption.
regards, Sally
Hello again Sally,
Sounds great!
I agree, Chur is lovely – you’ll be able soak in the Christmas atmosphere with all the Christmas markets too during December.
Arosa, yes I hear it’s lovely as is nearby Lenzerheide. More information about the area can be found here: https://www.myswissalps.com/graubunden
That’s right, the Bernina Express does operate daily but during winter it is limited. (If not, there are the regular train options too.)
Kind regards,
Yolanda
Thank you again. Yes we went to Arosa in August – a delightful train journey but it seemed barren at the summit without snow. I would like to go again. Of course – good point – I can make the commitment and always take the local trains (just don’t take much luggage!). They go on the same tracks and see the same sights!
The Bernina Express (the direct version from Chur to Tirano – there are others just from St Moritz) always runs at least once a day. The timetable doesn’t change much because the time taken to get from Chur to St Moritz means that the all year round train has to leave Chur promptly in the morning so that the round trip can be covered mainly in daylight during the winter season of short daylight hours.
You might also consider staying over in Samedan or Pontresina. The Engadine is at a much higher altitude than Chur so the chance of a complete snowy landscape even at valley floor level is higher. In that case, you could take the regular hourly express from Chur to Samedan / St Moritz which does not need advanced booking.
By the way the draft 2024 timetable is already available – The all year round Bernina Express departure time is exactly the same as it is now (08.28 from Chur)
Excellent idea. I did think about staying in St Moritz and getting the train to Tirano from there. As we plan to take the train from Tirano to Bologna (probably the same day) it would make a little less train time – although on that day it is all about the journey, not the destination.
thank you for the advice about the timetable – much appreciated.
regards
Sally
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