Changing platforms at St. Moritz – time needed?
Shoaib and his kids are planning a trip from Zurich to Tirano, with a quick 4-minute transfer at St. Moritz to catch the Bernina Express. He’s looking for advice on whether this short connection is manageable for first-time travelers with luggage and children.
- Arrive in Zurich 30 minutes earlier to allow for a comfortable connection and a break.
- If you don’t have a Swiss Travel Pass, you’ll need separate tickets for Zurich to St. Moritz and the Bernina Express.
- Make sure to move quickly during your transfer to avoid missing the train, especially if you have heavy luggage.
AI-generated summary-
Hi All,
Me and my kids (8,11,15,16) planning to travel from Zurich to Tirano. We found an option where we can catch Bernina Express at St.Moritz. transit time between the two trains is only four minutes from platform 6 to plat form 3. Is it really do able for the first timer at station with luggage and kids.
Please guide, as we have do some changes in our plan, if we need to catch this train.
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Welcome to MySwissAlps Shoaib!
The station in St. Moritz is small. You will have to go down the stairs, walk 20 meters, then up the stairs (from the top of my head). It’s certainly doable in 4 minutes, but of course it’s not a lot of time.
If you depart Zurich 30 minutes earlier, you can probably change trains in Chur and arrive with plenty of time left for a break. Or you change in Chur and Samedan to reach Pontresina. The same Bernina Express stops there as well and you’ll bypass St. Moritz.
Definitely doable, although sometimes the train my arrive late and you may have to miss the departing train. Out of 7 days, I remember 2 times when my train was 6-7 mins late (Wengen to Lauterbrunnen – had a buffer of 10 mins luckily). I made it to next train in time but saw an old couple miss train because of luggage. I just wish the departing trains wait for late trains to arrive but they dont. So just something to keep in mind.
<<“I just wish the departing trains wait for late trains to arrive but they dont. So just something to keep in mind.”>>
Hi Boshyd –
Sometimes they do, but usually they do not. I think they have some reasons.
1.- They don’t wish to miss the next connection at Lauterbrunnen,
and,
2.-Another train will be along at Wengen in 30 minutes.
Depending on track usage and flexibility at the next connecting station, I have seen trains wait in the Emmental, for example. But, I certainly don’t count on it.
At Wengen, the track between Wengen and Lauterbrunnen is single track, so the trains going up and down must coordinate their schedules carefully.
I observe that the Swiss are very much on time when they keep appointments, so I guess that they expect the trains to keep to schedule, too.
Slowpoke
Yes! Just move fast, hope you do not have heavy suitcases! Your 4 year will be ok
Thanks a lot all. I will follow Arno. Instead of one booking will break the ticket into two parts. Thx once again all of you.
Hi Shoaib,
Either way you go (short connection or longer one which Arno noted) you need 2 tickets (Zurich to St. Moritz and then the Bernina Express ticket and mandatory seat reservation.
If you don’t have a rail pass to cover the train tickets that is.
A regular ticket, bought for Zurich to St. Moritz is valid all day so it doesn’t matter which train departure you take.
I have seen this happen at Interlaken too. The train from Lauterbrunnen arrived late. Now 90% of the time the passengers getting down that train either will exit the station or take the Interlaken-Basel train for example. The Basel train should ideally wait same minutes the Lauterbrunnen train was late as this is the only major train departing the station at that time so is a connecting train for number of folks. Cutting the 10min gap to 3min is not ideal.
<<“Cutting the 10min gap to 3min is not ideal.”>>
Especially at IO, with the narrow pedestrian passage.
Slowpoke
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