A weekend on the Bernina Express

For the 2 June long weekend we decided to treat ourselves to a trip on the legendary Bernina Express, the little red train that takes us from Tirano (still in Italy) to Sankt Moritz (in Switzerland). The choice turns out to be particularly interesting because just these days the Giro d'Italia passes through Tirano, with its bikes, colourful jerseys and, of course, the great support of the locals, who crowd in from the morning to watch their idols go by... In fact, of the three days we took, the train trip occupies only 1 June, leaving early in the morning from Tirano station and returning in the late afternoon, after a lovely walk through the streets of Sankt Moritz.

The landscapes we pass through are truly enchanting, and on at least one of the two legs it's worth buying the ticket (available at the station too, but we had booked online) for the carriages with panoramic windows, which are much bigger and let you admire the view better and take a few photos (glass reflections permitting). There are several intermediate stops and a few route variants: we go right to the terminus, while some fellow travellers stop to take the chairlift up to the glacier and others get off at the many walking or cycling trails.

There's no denying it, Switzerland is really very well organised for this kind of thing! The choice to go all the way to Sankt Moritz turns out to be partly wrong: on this June Saturday, with the winter season already over and the summer season not yet begun, many shops and restaurants are closed and in some spots roads and buildings are being renovated. We don't, however, miss a stop at the century-old Hanselmann chocolate shop (Via Maistra 8), where we also buy the few souvenirs we'll take back to Milan. As for the ideal period, it could suit any season, because mountain landscapes know how to offer different views with every change: from the intense green of fresh spring grass to the white, icy expanses of the long winter. For plenty of information on the route, I suggest consulting this website: which contains lots of guidance, plus suggestions for routes, where to eat and so on.

And for the train's timetable and buying tickets, the Rhaetian Railway website: (available only in English, German and French). Oh, the company has submitted the candidacy of the "Rhaetian Railway in the Albula/Bernina landscape" for UNESCO World Heritage status. In our view it deserves it!!!!