Basel to Chur then Bernina Express & Lake Como

Next year 13th may we will be in Basel and wish to get to Chur on the 14th to catch the bernina express at 0830, then onto Tirano and then catch a train to lake Como for 3 days.We can probably only leave Basel around 1100 as we are disembarking from a river cruise.

1. should we stop in Zurich for a couple of hours to view sights or travel straight to Chur? But we will have luggage.
2. is there things to see in chur if we arrive mid afternoon?
3. are we best to buy point to point tickets or is a pass better?
4. do we have to book seats for the Bernina express as there is 3 of us travelling?
5. from lake Como we want to catch a train to cinque Terre is point to point to best ticket option?

we also wish to train to Florence and Venice and fly out of Venice.

we are looking forward to our trip even though it is a long way off, regards Ian

Hi ianfr,

1. Basel to Chur takes about 2h15, so you will manage to spend a couple of hours in Zurich along the way. Our Zurich page may help you decide whether you think it's worth a visit. Depending on the amount of luggage you carry along, you can store it in lockers or at the luggage department of the Zurich railway station. Alternatively, you can have it sent ahead using on of the SBB's luggage services.

2. Yes, Chur has a nice old town centre. Information can be found here.

3. If Basel-Chur and Chur-Tirano are the only journeys you plan to make, regular tickets will be cheaper. If you plan any further (side) trips, a rail pass may be more economical. Here's how to find out.

4. Yes, seat reservations are required. The appropriate information can be found at our Bernina Express page.

5. Yes, that's probably the case, but you should calculate all of your plans for Italy (similarly to the process linked to above) and then decide whether point to point tickets or a rail pass make more sense.