Bonaduz to St. Moritz with the Bernina Express train?
A traveler is planning a trip from Bonaduz to St. Moritz on a Sunday in late January and is looking for a way to secure first-class seats since the SBB booking site doesn't offer seat reservations. They are considering using the Bernina Express but need clarification on how to reach St. Moritz, as the train does not stop there directly.
- Take the S1 train from Bonaduz to Thusis, then switch to the IR38 to St. Moritz for a direct route.
- Consider staying overnight in Chur to simplify travel.
- Reserve first-class seats on the IR38 train, which are located at the back of the train.
- Avoid using the Bernina Express unless you want scenic views from the front car, as it requires additional transfers.
AI-generated summary-
I noted that the SBB booking site does not offer seat reservations for my trip from Bonaduz to St. Moritz so I am thinking of using one of the Bernina Express trains so I can book seats. We are traveling on a Sunday in late January so I believe the trains will be crowded with skiers, etc. and want to have confirmed first class seats. We will be using a Eurail pass.
So my question is how do I get to St. Moritz using Bernina Express? The train stops in Pontresina but not St. Moritz.
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Hi wh242
The Bernina Express leaves Chur at 08 17 (on the new timetable in force from December 15th) Like the hourly IR 38 Chur to St Moritz trains, the Bernina Express does not stop at Bonaduz.
If travelling from Bonaduz to St Moritz, the route which the electronic timetable recommends is to leave Bonaduz at 07 59 on the S1 local train to Thusis, arrive there at 08 19. You change to the IR38 train for St Moritz leaving at 08 28, arriving at St Moritz at 0953. (This S1, change to IR38 pattern repeats itself every hour.)
Now on a Sunday in January IR38 trains are likely to be (very) busy in both classes.
Now on arriving at Thusis at 08 19, you could let the 08 28 IR38 leave without you and wait for the Bernina Express which leaves Thusis at 08 52 and gets to Pontresina at 10 20.
But this course of action will have two drawbacks. You will have to pay the (expensive) reservation fee for travelling in the panoramic carriages of the Bernina Express.
Secondly, you will have to wait at Pontresina for a local train to St Moritz. That train will be at 11 01, arrive St Moritz at 11 11.
https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/bernina-express/
The Peace of Mind Option which will Cost You Nothing
Leave Bonaduz at 07 59, but on the S1 train heading for Chur! (The S1 trains pass each other at Bonaduz!). Get off at Chur at 08 18.
Go immediately to platform 10, the platform from which the IR38 trains always depart. The moment the 08 58 to St Moritz is available for boarding jump on and grab seats on the right hand side of the train. First class carriages will be AT THE BACK of the IR38 train. Do not put luggage on seats,
At 08 52 the double-deck 16-carriage IC train will arrive from Geneva via Bern and Zurich. Already comfey in your seats, you will enjoy the spectacle of several hundred people (mostly Swiss residents) making the cross-platform interchange.
Oh, I nearly forgot!: the IR38 from Chur at 08 58 reaches St Moritz at 10 53.
Best wishes
Roger
Thank you Roger for these helpful suggestions. I think I will revise my plan and stay overnight in Chur rather than Bonaduz to make it easier. Am I correct in assuming that the seats offered for reservation on Bernina Express trains comprise the entirety of the first class seats? Or do they also have unreserved seats on the same train? I as because I do not mind paying for the seat reservation but on our day of travel there are only 10 seats shown as available and they are not ones we would want. So if there were also additional first class seats to choose from we might prefer to get on that train. Otherwise I am happy to do as you suggest and arrive and board early ahead of the connecting train. Thank you again!
As a followup – I read about the “Allegra unit” consisting of three cars that is attached to each Bernina Express train and seats are not available for reservation. Each car has a first class section. So it seems like this could be an option if I want to take the Bernina Express train.
Hello wh242
I would stay overnight in Chur, and get either the 07 58 or 08 58 IR38 train direct to St Moritz from .Chur. There is absolutely no point in using the Bernina Express, even in the Allegra unit which on the Bernina express is always at the FRONT, not a good position for viewing the iconic Landwasser viaduct. You want to be at the BACK, on the right hand side in the direction of travel. As I have already said, on the IR38 trains, the first class carriages are at the BACK.
They key point is that, at whatever time of day you decide to travel, you want to board the IR38 BEFORE 52 minutes past the hour, say at approx 40 past the hour. The Intercity train from the Zurich direction arrives at 52 past the hour, and on a Sunday in late January that train will be packed with people wanting to go on towards St Moritz.
(For the record, though it is irrelevant to your needs, the train arriving at 08 52 will have come from Basel via Zurich. The 16-carriage double deck train from Geneva is the IC which arrives at 09 52.)
Best wishes
Roger
I agree with Roger and did almost exactly this a few weeks ago, when I traveled from Chur to Samedan and beyond. I boarded the regional direct Chur-St. Moritz train when it was not busy yet. For a trip to St. Moritz, that’s much easier than the Bernina Express with the extra change and extra costs. The views are great either way. Both trains are very comfortable.
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