Bernina or Glacier Express in May?
A traveler named Gilly is planning a trip to Switzerland in May and is trying to decide between the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express. They only have time for one scenic train ride and need advice on which would provide the best experience for their itinerary.
- Choose the Bernina Express for a shorter journey with more scenic variety.
- Consider basing yourself in Chur for 1-2 nights to explore nearby areas like Arosa or Davos.
- You can break the journey along the Bernina route in towns like Pontresina before reaching Tirano.
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We are thinking of doing either the glacier express or the bernina express at the beginning of May next year. This seems to be a good time to get both snowy peaks and green valleys with spring flowers which we would enjoy. We only have time to do one. Which would you recommend? Thank you
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Hello Gilly, thanks for joining MySwissAlps!
The Bernina Express and Glacier Express are both great journeys with fantastic scenery. I agree that May is a very good season for both of them. Which of the two is best, may depend on the rest of your itinerary. Have you already decided where you’ll be staying?
If you’re limited in time, I’d recommend the Bernina Express. It’s a shorter journey with lots of variety in the scenery.
You can compare both journeys with the information below. Make sure to check the “Route” sections. That can help you figure out which of the two can more easily be combined with your other plans:
In my opinion the Glacier Express is overhyped. Bear in mind that the Glacier Express started in the 1930s as one semi-special train per day on the routes covered by lots of normal regular trains (the same still applies although there are not several Glacier Express services each day). Bear in mind that you see very few glaciers from the Glacier Express…as it was named after the Rhone Glacier which you no longer see from the train because (a) the railway not tunnels underneath it and (b) the glacier is receding and melting so fast due to global warming that you hardly see it from anywhere any more!
As has already been said we can’t advise if we don’t know the rest of your planned itinerary. Depending on where you are going on your trip makes a difference to how much of the Glacier Express route you can cover on separate on off tours by normal regional train.
Thank you very much, that’s very helpful. Looking at our itinerary I think the Bernina express is going to fit in better and I like the sound of more variety of scenery.
Thank you. It was so useful to read your comments. That’s reinforced our decision to do the Bernina express.
It would still be helpful to know the rest of your itinerary. Of course you don’t need to travel on either train to see spectacular alpine scenery
We will only be a few days in Switzerland before heading to Italy. We like to take the train so thinking London to Zurich ( staying 1 night there) then onto Chur to board Bernina express. Do you have any suggestions for places for us to stop to break the journey somewhere on that route? Is Chur worth 2 or 3 nights or somewhere else between Zurich and Chur? Totally agree about Swiss scenery, we have spent 2 wonderful walking holidays in Wengen and Kandersteg.
Hi Gilly,
Based on your travel plans, taking the Bernina Express makes more sense if your next destination is Italy. Chur would be a good base for 1 or 2 nights to explore the surrounding region. For example, you can make a day trip to Arosa or Davos, before taking the Bernina Express. Along the Bernina Express route, you can break your journey in Pontresina before continuing to Tirano. You can find more details about the Bernina Express route here: http://www.myswissalps.com/berninaexpress/gettingthere
Regards,
Anna
Yes, the Bernina route is absolutely the right plan in that case.
Anna’s suggestions are spot on if you want to stop over in Chur and the take the Bernina Express in one single journey from Chur to Tirano. The downside to the long distance (Chur – Tirano) version of the Bernina Express is that you are stuck inside a sealed window train all day. (see below)
However there are some other alternatives:
Zurich – Appenzell region – Chur then south
Chur – Bernina – Tirano in sections to avoid being stuck in a train. The Bernina Express traverses two railways, the Albula railway Chur – Samedan and the Bernina Railway Samedan – Tirano. It can be worthwhile stopping over at one of the villages on th Albual railway. I can vouch for both Filisur and Berguen Bravuogn (where I have stayed in a detached holiday house several times.). Both are really beautiful tradtional Graubunden villages
Thank you for those options of breaking the journey in one of those 2 villages. We may well do that. This forum is so helpful! Glad I came across it.
Thanks Anna
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