By the Bernina Express over the Alps

01.09.22

Just like yesterday ended, the new day begins: with delicious food 😉 Just after half past six we are sitting in the dining room and enjoying a great selection for breakfast.

The scenery around Chur becomes visible on the short way to the train station. High mountains and partly still clouds. But the sun ⛅ is trying its best! At 8:32 am we take the Bernina Express over the Alps to Italy 🙂.

The Bernina Express of the Rhätische Bahn crosses the Alps between Chur and Tirano (Italy) in about four hours. We start in Chur at 8:32 am and it begins an incredibly great ride on the Bernina Express. The Bernina Express is just part of a regular train on the route to Tirano. There are panoramic cars and lots of tourists. But it is a train that has many stops and serves as a means of transportation for the Swiss and many hikers to work, home or on an excursion. Therefore, the normal carriages are also in the majority and can be used with normal train tickets.

In Filisur we take E. with us, who has a brilliant picnic in his backpack! We have tickets for the first class, in the part of the train that has no panoramic windows, which in no time turns out to be a better alternative. We can open windows and take photos outside and the three of us are placed on six seats on both sides of the train, because there are hardly any people here, while in the panoramic cars everything is occupied and no windows can be opened.

In the time until Tirano we cross 196 bridges, go through 55 tunnels and overcome inclines of over 60%.

The highest point is at an altitude of 2235 meters above sea level and we pass the European watershed. The weather is brilliant and we have a magnificent view of mountains, glaciers, waterfalls, lakes and small towns.

We started at 592m in Chur and wind our way up and down in curves and loops, because Tirano is at 441m. The railway line was built from 1898 and is one of three railway lines that belong to the UNESCO World Heritage Site.