[marilou]

17 January 2018 at 17:27:29 #814067

My family & I are traveling to Le Prese, Switzerland from Lake Como via Tirano in May. We are staying there overnight. The next day, we change to a hotel in Pontresina, staying overnight as well. While in these areas, we would like to go back & forth along the Bernina Pass. We plan to explore places like Val Poschiavo, Bernina Diavolezza, the Morteratsch glacier and Saint Moritz. What means of transportation do we take and any Swiss pass that we will need? In addition, on the 3rd day, we will stay in Lugano for 2 nights, traveling via Maloja Pass & Chivenna before we go back to Milan. Please I need help sorting out the means of transportation that we will use.

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[rockoyster]

18 January 2018 at 4:02:40 #874508

Hi marilou and Welcome to MySwissAlps,

You can use the Swiss Train Timetable (http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable) to work out how to get anywhere in Switzerland. It will always default to the fastest route so if you want to follow a different path you need to enter VIA “wherever”.

Which pass is best? I’m afraid no one can tell you which is the best pass without knowing what trips you plan to do on trains, boats, cable cars, mountain railways etc. You then need to do the sums to work out the full-fare cost of these activities and compare that with the cost using some form of pass (including the cost of the pass of course).

You should read about “how to chose the best travel pass” (http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses/prac tical/chooserailpass) where you will find a handy spreadsheet to help do the sums.

You can find out fares using the Swiss Train Timetable (http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable) bearing in mind that the first fare you see will normally be the half-fare rate and you’ll need to double it to correctly work out savings.

The Swiss Travel Pass (http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass) has the advantage of being super convenient as you don’t need to buy tickets most of the time.

If you were just in the Bernina area I would suggest the Graubunden Pass (http://www.myswissalps.com/gr aubundenpass) but your plan to head over to Lugano suggests the Swiss Travel Pass may suit your needs better.

[marilou]

21 January 2018 at 18:35:32 #874509

To rockoyster:

Thank you very much for all your suggestions. After doing all my homework that you had suggested, we have decided to purchase a Swiss Travel Pass which although it will cost a few dollars more, we save on time and worry, not to mention, how convenient it is.

[rockoyster]

21 January 2018 at 19:28:37 #874510

Hi marilou,

Have a great trip. 😎

[Removed user]

25 January 2018 at 1:41:16 #874511

Hi marilou,

>> My family & I are traveling to Le Prese … in May … Pontresina … back & forth along the Bernina Pass … Val Poschiavo … Bernina Diavolezza … the Morteratsch glacier … Saint Moritz. What means of transportation do we take and any Swiss pass that we will need?

As rockoyster mentioned, the Swiss Timetable will tell you how to get anywhere. In your case, you will probably be mostly using regional trains along the Bernina Express line, perhaps supplemented by local buses and Postbuses depending on time of day and starting/finishing points for any particular trip.

The cable car to Diavolezza is not covered at all by the Swiss Travel Pass, but if you stay more than one night at a participating hotel, they will give you a pass for free transport on the local railways, buses, cable cars and funiculars. Participating hotels include budget hotels.

There is more information about the free mountain transport pass here:

http://www.engadin.stmoritz.c h/sommer/en/bergbahnen -inclusive/

However, with the exception of the Diavolezza cable car, most of the mountain transport in the St Moritz area does not operate in May.

If the restaurant at Alp Grüm railway station is open, that is a lovely place to stop off for views and refreshments. It usually reopens on the 2nd Saturday in May after a one-month break, so might be open when you are there, depending on your exact dates.

>> we will stay in Lugano for 2 nights, traveling via Maloja Pass & Chivenna … I need help sorting out the means of transportation that we will use.

This is the Palm Express PostBus route, which runs from St Moritz to Lugano. In May, it runs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, departing from outside St Moritz railway station at 12:20. It is covered in full by the Swiss Travel Pass. Reservations are compulsory and free, and can be made here:

http://www.postauto.ch/en/exc ursion-tips/palm-express

Alpenrose