Bernina Express

Day Trip

Your day begins in St. Moritz, where your private guide meets you at your hotel for a relaxed introduction. A chauffeured transfer then brings you to the railway station.

During the briefing, your guide introduces the Bernina route, explaining how this extraordinary railway connects glaciers and palm trees while bridging Swiss and Italian cultures. It’s the ultimate way to incorporate rail travel into bespoke Switzerland tours.

Boarding the Bernina Express in First Class, you’ll settle into spacious panoramic carriages as the train begins its ascent through the Engadin Valley. Alpine forests give way to open highland scenery, with lakes and glacial rivers shimmering beside the tracks.

Your guide shares insight into the region’s geology, history, and rail engineering, transforming this train tour in Switzerland into a fully narrated experience.

As the train climbs higher, the landscape shifts. Lago Bianco appears, its pale waters contrasting sharply with snowfields and rock. At the Bernina Pass, you reach the highest point of the route at 2,328 metres.

Passing Ospizio Bernina, your guide will explain the challenges of building and maintaining a railway at this altitude.

One of the journey’s most memorable moments comes at Alp Grüm. From this isolated mountain station, you’ll enjoy sweeping views over the Palü Glacier and surrounding peaks – a scene that often becomes a favourite photo of the day.

Soon after, the train descends toward the 9-arched Brusio Spiral Viaduct, a masterpiece of engineering where the railway loops gracefully over itself. Seeing it from the train brings the UNESCO designation vividly to life.

The transition into Tirano feels almost cinematic. Alpine terrain softens into Mediterranean tones, with palm trees and warmer air welcoming you across the border.

Your guide leads a short walk around the historic station area before allowing time for lunch or exploring. It’s a relaxed contrast that highlights why this journey is so distinctive when considering the different tours in Switzerland.

On the return leg, the experience continues with optional stops tailored to your interests. In Poschiavo, a charming Italian-speaking Swiss town, you may enjoy a dessert and a gentle stroll through its historic centre. Alternatively, a stop near Morteratsch offers glacier views paired with coffee or dessert. This flexibility is part of what defines our private tours in Switzerland.

Back in St. Moritz, your guide escorts you to your hotel and offers recommendations for the evening or onward travel. Whether this day stands alone or forms part of a broader Switzerland itinerary, it closes with a sense of completion rather than haste.