Glacier Express or Bernina Express from Chur
WTandBeyond is planning to take a scenic train ride from Chur to St Moritz and wants to know whether the Glacier Express or Bernina Express is the better option. The main concern is about which train offers a more convenient route and service times.
- The Glacier Express runs directly into St Moritz while the Bernina Express stops in Pontresina, requiring a train change to reach St Moritz.
- Make sure to book a seat reservation for the Glacier Express if you choose that option.
- Check the train schedules in advance to find the best departure times for your trip.
AI-generated summary-
I would like to take one of the scenic trains from Chur to St Moritz or Pontresina. It seems as though both the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express run this same route. Is one better than the other for this section of their trips?
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Hi WTandBeyond,
Yes, the Glacier Express (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/glacier-express/) and Bernina Express (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/bernina-express/) run almost the same route between Chur and St Moritz.
Where they differ is that the Glacier Express runs right into St Moritz, whereas the Bernina Express from Chur bypasses St Moritz. It stops in Pontresina, where you would change trains to get to St Moritz.
But more important is probably what time of day you want to travel. Without knowing what date you have in mind, I can only generalise, because there are more services at some times of the year than others. But in general, the Bernina Express leaves Chur fairly early in the morning, whereas the Glacier Express starts its journey in the morning from Zermatt, and gets to Chur in the early afternoon, from where it continues to St Moritz.
Hope this clarifies things for you!
Alpenrose
Hi WTandBeyond,
The Bernina Express departs from Chur, so might be more practical if you are based in Chur.
You can find more information about the Bernina Express route and timetable here: https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/bernina-express/
Regards,
Anna
Hi Anna, it would appear from the timetable that the Glacier Express can also be caught in Chur (states it arrives at 14:25, departs at 14:34). Does it not allow passengers to join the train at that point? Seat reservations aren’t available for my date yet on GE (but are on BE), so I can’t confirm if that’s the case or not.
Anna,
Your answer to WTandBeyond caught my attention.
You mentioned to WTandBeyond that “the Glacier Express runs right into St Moritz, whereas the Bernina Express from Chur bypasses St Moritz. It stops in Pontresina, where you would change trains to get to St Moritz”.
Going in the other direction, I plan on taking the Gotthard Express from Lucerne to Lugano, then the Bernina Express from Lugano (taking the bus to Tirano, to then switch to the train) to St. Moritz, then the Glacier Express from St. Moritz to Zermatt. I have several stop over days at the end of each Express Train. Does the Bernina Express from Lugano go non stop to St. Moritz (other than switching from bus to train in Tirano) or must I change trains from Tirano to get to St. Moritz?
Thanks
Hi Big Dad,
The Bernina Express trains run between Chur and Tirano and St Moritz and Tirano. Please consult the timetable for exact timing. You can find the link to the timetable here: https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/bernina-express/#dates
If you’re travelling from Lugano, the Bernina Express bus drops you off at the train station in Tirano. Here you’ll board the Bernina Express train to St Moritz.
Regards,
Anna
Hi WTandBeyond,
Yes, you can also take the Glacier Express from Chur to St Moritz. But you will need a Glacier Express seat reservation.
https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/glacier-express/#price
Regards,
Anna
Hi Big Dad,
Some Bernina Express services from Tirano go direct to St Moritz (and terminate there). Others (the ones going to Chur) bypass St Moritz, so you need to change trains in Pontresina.
The Bernina Express trains going all the way to Chur leave Tirano at 8:06 (11 May to 27 October 2024) and 14:24 (all year). Those going direct to St Moritz leave Tirano at 10:06 (for selected dates), 13:17 and 16:06 (11 May to 27 Oct 2024).
But you don’t really have to worry about it, because if you book Lugano-St Moritz, or Lugano-Chur on the Rhätische Bahn site, they will offer you the best connection based on the arrival time of the bus from Lugano in Tirano and your final destination.
The Bernina Express bus from Lugano arrives in Tirano at 13:00. So if your final destination is St Moritz, they will book you onto the 13:17 train to St Moritz. If your final destination is Chur however, they will book you on to the 14:24 instead, and you will have a slightly longer layover in Tirano.
You can see all the details of which Bernina Express services stop where on this site:
https://tickets.rhb.ch/en/pages/bernina-express
Hope this clarifies things for you!
Alpenrose
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