Bernina Express from Lugano to St. Moritz

Hello,

i read the Kwong's post Arno's responses. They were. Really helpful, but I am still very confused! Like Kwong's, I want to be sure that there is availability on the Bernina Express for Aug. 3rd from Lugano to St. Moritz when my husband and I will be traveling. I tried to follow your instructions, but never did reach a page to check reservations.

Here are my questions:

1. Is there a place that shows step by step what to do to make reservations / check availability with screen shots?

2. When I selected Lugano to Torino, it came up with a lot of stations in Lugano. How do I know which one to select?

3. I am planning to buy a Swiss travel pass tomorrow, but thought your posting noted that you can check without having the pass "in hand". If so, I hope you can he guide me in the step by step process.

4. How to check availability for August 3rd...two people

5. How do I then proceed in purchasing both the Swiss pass and the reservations needed for the Bernina Express for both the bus and the train.

Thanks much...very glad I found this forum!

till

Hi Till,

Welcome to MySwissAlps! As for your questions:

1. No, but it's really not that difficult. Please see my next answers.

2. Do not select Torino, that's a different city elsewhere in Italy. The town is called Tirano.

The main station is simply called Lugano. The other names you may see are bus stops. I think you are booking on the wrong website though. Use the link under "More on other websites", on myswissalps.com/bernin aexpress/tickets, although there are other ways to book seats too. Select Swiss Travel Pass when asked for reductions.

3. Buying a pass and a seat reservation are two different things. You don't have to do one before the other. All that matters is that you have both in hand when you board the train/bus. You can print your pass at home. Please see www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass/price, and also check the Promotions tab.

4. See answer 2 please. You won't be able to book a seat if none are available.

5. You do not need a Swiss Pass, that's a different product for Swiss citizens only. You need a Swiss Travel Pass. Answer 2 and 4 explain how to buy.

I hope this helps. Just let us know if any questions remain.

Hello Arno,

Sorry, in my questions I meant to say the Swiss Travel Pass ... Thanks.

Now, I am still unable to see how to reserve/ view availability for seats. After selecting several options, I selected this at the bottom of the page...https://www.rhb.ch/en/home

Bernina Express timetable and standard ticket prices...I am at a screen to select my seats for the coach. This is through www.rhb.ch/en/home or Rhaetian Railways.....is this site legitimate? Will I be able to pay for these reservations on the coach and the reservation for the train through this site?

I hope I am getting there,.,this site seems to be very well organized in a step by step manner.

Thanks again...

Till

Hi Till,

No worries, we only link to legitimate websites! The RhB is the company operating the Bernina Express. You can book seats for the coach and the train there.

Thanks much....I wasn't able to get reservations for the Bernini Express. I sent a couple of (hopefully, final) questions via E-mail because the "post reply" was not available once I wrote my questions.

I greatly appreciate all your help!

Till

1. Bellini Express - it looks like there are no reservations available. Is there any way to watch for cancellations?
2. Swiss Travel Pass- for the 8 day continuous pass, do you have to use it every day for 8 days or can you "save" one day to be used for a mountain lift at the end? I know you use one day if you use it for example, Jungfraujouc .
3. Swiss Travel Pass We are only going to be in Switzerland for 10 days. The first two will be in Zurich. We are not planning to use the travel pass for those days. We are planning to start it on the day 3 when we head to Lauterbrunnen to be with friends for a few days. We are planning to purchase the 8 day consecutive pass. Here is our basic itemerary. My question is should we start our pass on day 3 when whe go to Lauterbrunnen or pay for that day and start it on day 4 so that we have the pass for the cable lift in Jungfraujouc and for our trip back to Zurich from Lugano via St. Moritz?

1. Zurich
2. Zurich
3. Lauterbrunnen
4. Lauterbrunnen - Jungfraujouc
5. Lauterbrunnen - Lucerne
6. Lauterbrunnen -Interlaken
7. Zemott
8. Lugana
9. Lugano -day trip to Lake Como
10. Lugano back to Zurich via St. Moritz

Thanks, again, for all your help ...still hoping the Lake Bernini trip will work out. Any suggestions based on this itinerary would be greatly appreciated!

Hi Till,

I found your e-mail and added the questions to your post. Not sure what went wrong there.

1. No, the only way is to check the reservation site for your date like Arno explained. There are plenty of seats available when I checked for August 3. Note that the train's name is Bernina Express.
2. The pass is for 8 consecutive days. Using a lift or a train does not make it a travel day. All 8 days are travel days, whether you actually make use of it or not. It is explained in more detail here: www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass/howtouse.
3. The 8-day pass will be valid from day 3 to day 10. There is no day 11 in your trip, right? So starting it on day 3 is fine. By the way, I don't know what you mean by the Lake Bernini trip.

I hope this was useful!

Thanks, Annika...

1. If I use the pass for Jungfraujouc can,e to the top of the mountain, this does not take away one of my days? Just want to be sure...

2. I will try again. Also, I got this message previously. If I am able to make a reservation on the train, how am I assured a seat on the coach?

Thank you so very much.. You both have been so very helpful...I appreciate it!

Till

Hi Till,

1. It does not work like that. Please see Annika's answer, and read everything on the linked page too.

2. The attachment shows a different trip. Can you please rename the file and upload it again? That might help. The coach and the bus can both be reserved on the same website in the same way (see my second post).

Thanks much, Annika... Sorry, a few more questions...(I sent a previous reply with the same questions, but I don't see it posted so I am writing again)

1. If we go to Jungfraujoch and use the pass to go up the mountain, it will not count as one of our days on the pass? Correct?

2. I tried to make a reservation again to check availability and I got these messages (see attached). Am I not fury teed seats on the coach? What happens if we don't make it on the coach? Also, devote I didn't not have to pay for the coach before proceeding to the train portion, but this time I do? Do I need to pay for this first? If I pay, I assume Reservations will be available for the train to St. Moritz?

3. Is it likely to sell out? Should we just wait to get these when we arrive in the 25 th of July?

Thanks, again, so much.....you both have been great...Till

Ok ....disregard this second post..I will try again based on what Annika said.....thanks

I am still working on this and appreciate your help very much.

1. Do you think it is necessary for mr to get the Berninia Express tickets before we get to Switzerland?
2. We arrive on Jult 25 th and will not be doing the trip until either Monday, Aug. 1st or We'd., Aug 3rd?

Thanks, again!

Till

Hi Till,

Assuming you'll buy the Swiss Travel Pass, you don't need tickets but only seat reservations. Theoretically you can buy them even an hour before the trip, but waiting longer increases the chance of the train being booked out. There are plenty of other trains as well which do not require a reservation. So if you don't care about the train type you can indeed book seats while in Switzerland take a regular train if needed. The Lugano - Tirano bus is a bigger risk though. It's the only direct bus. If it would be booked out by the 25th there is no alternative for that route (that I know of). You would have to go through Milan by train (not covered by the Swiss Travel Pass). I am not sure how likely that is to happen. Personally I would book seats online if my travel date was fixed.

Hello, Arno

We have our Swiss travel passes and are now considering just waiting until we get to Zurich to decide about the Bernina Express Scenic Train (or may use Bernina Standard, regional train if reservations aren't available).

If we decide to skip the bus trip (we have planned a day trip to Lake Como), is there a train or other transportation to get from Lugano to Tirano to get either the scenic train or a standard, regional train to St. Moritz? Your advice and suggestions are greatly appreciate. Thanks, again!

Till

Hi Till,

If you skip the bus you can travel to Tirano by train via Milan. Schedules can be found in the timetable.