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Hi Alpenrose666
“You have to go further than that”.
You are absolutely right! Anyway am still waiting for Happy Rail’s email. Too scared to cancel my reservation !!!
Is there a Bernina Express website that is similar to shop. glacierexpress. ch /gex_en ?
When I went to www. rhb. ch/en/panorami c-trains/bernina-express#cart, I couldn’t get pass the “Trip Planner” to the “Passenger” button.
Sim
Did you click “Search for Connections” for your travel date and route? Passengers is not a button.
Hi Alpenrose666 & rockoyster
Its ok now. I found how to drill down the www. rhb .ch/en/panorami c-trains/bernina-express#cart website after pressing all the buttons here and there. The price for 4 reservations is CHF40 and my journey should start from Pontresina at 11.04am and end at Lugano 5.30pm. I cannot choose my seat on the Bernina Express but I can choose my seat on the bus from Tirano to Lugano.
Are my findings correct before I proceed with my booking? (After my Glacier Express “booking adventure”, I better seek advice before I press more buttons. LOL
Tq again and again
Sim
For the real Bernina Express I’m pretty sure you want 10:22 departure from Pontresina. It arrives Tirano at 12:49. Denoted BEX per attached.
Look at the timetable here http://www.rhb.ch/en/panorami c-trains/bernina-express#info
I don’t know why that is not showing up when you search for connecitons. But if you can’t reserve seats on the train that is a pretty good indication that it is not the actual Bernina Express. Maybe bookings aren’t open yet?
Attachments:Hi rockoyser
Yes I saw the timetable that states 10.22am but in the outward journey it says 11.04am. I click the button “Book the Bernina Express” at the bottom of the time table.
I also check St. Moritz and it states 10.48am. For both locations I cannot choose the seat on BEX? But the title of the page says Bernina Express??
Can you check on your end which button to press and advice?
TQ
Sim
I checked and the RHB website is not showing the BEX on 13 April.
I checked a few other dates in April – no luck. For interest I checked in May. The timetable changes on 10 May but attached is what a real BEX conneciton looks like. Note the badge and everything.
Any bright ideas Alpenrose? I’m thinking there is a bug in the RHB booking system. Or am I doing something wrong?
Attachments:Hi rockoyster
I’ve also checked a few dates in Feb, Mar, April and until 9 May 2018. None has BEX.
Even from 10 May 2018, only Train 961 is operating at 11.17am. The 10.22am train from Pontresina is not appearing in the reservation.
Can anyone who has taken the BEX recently also share their experience on this? Waiting for Alpenrose666 for advice too.
Help! Need to know what to do next!!
TQ all, Sim
The timetable changes on 10 May. Hence the 11:17 changing from 10:22.
I did Chur to Lugano late last May. No probs booking using this site.
>> Any bright ideas Alpenrose? I’m thinking there is a bug in the RHB booking system. Or am I doing something wrong?
At that time of year, there is only one Bernina Express daily, from Chur to Tirano, departing Chur at 8:32.
Starting in St Moritz, you need to take a local train to connect with the Bernina Express at Pontresina at 10:22, arriving Tirano at 12:49.
You then have a bit of a wait for the Bernina Express bus, which leaves Tirano at 14:20.
If the timetable search for St Moritz-Lugano isn’t bringing up a connection with the Bernina Express train, that is probably because it’s always trying to get you somewhere as quickly as possible by default, and assumes you don’t want to wait around in Tirano for the bus. It will therefore suggest a later train to reduce the connection time at Tirano, but that later train will not be the Bernina Express, just a regional train.
If you do the bookings separately: Bernina Express Pontresina to Tirano departing 10:22, Tirano to Lugano on the Bernina Express bus departing 14:20 that should do it. I would start with the bus, then the Bernina Express. The train from St Moritz to Pontresina won’t be able to be reserved.
Alpenrose
Hi Alpenrose666
If you do the bookings separately: Bernina Express Pontresina to Tirano departing 10:22, Tirano to Lugano on the Bernina Express bus departing 14:20 that should do it
I tried your advice above and it works ie BEX from Pontresina to Tirano 10.22am + BEX Bus thereafter to Lugano. However as the booking is made in two tranches, the seat reservation will cost CHF 20 (CHF 10 x 2). Is that the correct ?
As we will be from St. Moritz to Pontresina with our luggage, I think we will likely use the train. What is your view?
TQ, Sim
Are you kidding me? After all this research? Take the proper train already! 🤓
>> as the booking is made in two tranches, the seat reservation will cost CHF 20 (CHF 10 x 2). Is that the correct ?
The reservation fee for the Bernina Express train in winter is CHF 10. For the bus it is CHF 14. So that would be a total of CHF 24 each. It would be the same regardless of whether you booked it in one go or separately.
Reservations are only ever for one train or bus sector. Every time you change trains, or buses, or from a train to a bus, you have to pay for a new reservation.
>> As we will be from St. Moritz to Pontresina with our luggage, I think we will likely use the train. What is your view?
Yes, that’s probably better, as you can keep your luggage with you on the train. If taking the bus, you load your luggage into the luggage compartment under the bus, then have to get it out again at Pontresina. The train is also a little bit quicker.
Alpenrose
>> Cracked it! Elementary my dear Alpenrose.
Great, we’re cooking with gas!
Alpenrose
Hi all
Just received my email from Happy Rail for my GEX reservation. Just to update everyone helping me & following (hugs)!
Sim
>> Just received my email from Happy Rail for my GEX reservation
Great! Enjoy the ride – it is a wonderful trip!
Alpenrose
Hi Alpenrose666
The reservation fee for the Bernina Express train in winter is CHF 10. For the bus it is CHF 14. So that would be a total of CHF 24 each. It would be the same regardless of whether you booked it in one go or separately.
I probably was confused with the reservation fee of only CHF10 from Pontresina to Lugano, which was NOT the BEX.
I saw the surcharge of CHF 14 at another website – http://www.myswitzerland.com/ en-au/transport-travel/getting-around/panorama-bernina-express.html.
However when I use, http://www.rhb.ch/en/panorami c-trains/bernina-express#c1109 , to check for the Bus from Tirano to Lugano, the price came up as CHF10. There was also no BEX badge on the bus but the time is 2.20pm.
Am I getting on the correct bus? I attach the print screen for your view.
Sim
>> However when I use, www. rhb. ch/en/panorami c-trains/bernina-express#c1109 , to check for the Bus from Tirano to Lugano, the price came up as CHF10. There was also no BEX badge on the bus but the time is 2.20pm. Am I getting on the correct bus? I attach the print screen for your view.
Yes, that’s the right bus. The Bernina Express bus is the only one that operates between Tirano and Lugano, and it leaves Tirano at 14:20.
It looks like the reservation fee for the bus is also reduced in winter, so CHF 10 is right.
Alpenrose
Hi Alpenrose666
Thanks for your advice.
I’ve booked reservations for both BEX and the Bus to Lugano. Looks like we are almost there!!
Thank you all so much for your patience and assistance in helping me book the seat reservations. I will now go through my itinerary in greater detail (and reduced stress whew!!!) ……
Cheers
Sim
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