Milan to St Moritz: Bernina Red Train & Swiss Alps Day Trip

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Guide in EnglishFrom 12 Dec · 07:02

Guide in English6 departure times, from 06:00 to 07:30

Guide in EnglishFrom 3 Nov · 07:35

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You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

The Highest Train in Europe, Starting from Milan

You depart Milan by coach, travel to St Moritz in the Upper Engadine, have free time to explore the luxury shops and taste local pastries, then board the Bernina Red Train for a 2-hour 20-minute ride through Alpine peaks with opening windows for unobstructed photos. Your guide travels with you, explains the route, and the coach returns you to Milan the same evening.

Step-by-step itinerary

Milan to St Moritz and Bernina Train

• Depart Milan by coach
• Stop for breakfast
• Admire Lake Como landscape
• Arrive in St Moritz
• Short visit of St Moritz city
• Board Bernina Red Train
• Train ride to Tirano
• Arrive in Tirano
• Return to Milan by coach

The Experience

You're rolling out of Milan before dawn, the coach climbing north toward the Alps while the city still sleeps behind you. The drive to St Moritz takes most of the morning. There's a breakfast stop along the way, and somewhere between the flatlands and the foothills, Lake Como slides past the windows. By early afternoon you're standing on the platform at St Moritz, 1,856 meters up in the Engadine valley, where the air is thin and the shops are lined with names you recognize from magazines. The town itself is small enough to walk in an hour, but the real reason you're here is waiting at the station: the Bernina Red Train.

The train leaves in the early afternoon, and the next two hours and twenty minutes are the kind of ride you don't forget. The Bernina line climbs higher than any other standard-gauge railway in the Alps, and the windows open, actually open, so you can shoot photos without the glare bouncing off the glass. Your guide is on board the whole time, pointing out the viaducts and the switchbacks and the moment when you cross from Switzerland into Italy. The landscape does the rest: granite peaks, hairpin turns, valleys that drop away so steeply you stop trying to photograph them and just look. The train pulls into Tirano in the late afternoon, and then it's the coach again for the drive back to Milan, arriving in the evening.

The whole day is timed so you're not rushing through any of it, but you're also not sitting around waiting. St Moritz has free time built in, so if you want to duck into one of the pastry shops and taste the chocolates they're famous for, you can. If you'd rather walk the lakeside or just sit with a coffee and watch the mountains, that works too. The guide handles the explanations on the train itself, so you don't need to read a pamphlet or wonder what you're looking at. It's all there as you pass it.

What’s included

Your day includes round-trip coach transfers departing from the central train station in Milan (Excelsior Hotel Gallia), a breakfast stop on the way to St Moritz, free time to explore the town and visit pastry shops, a 2nd class train ticket on the Bernina Red Train with opening windows for photography, an English-speaking professional guide who travels with you and explains the route, and the return coach journey to Milan in the evening. The air-conditioned coach is used for both transfers.

Days and timesDaily · 8 departure times, from 06:00 to 07:35

AgesAges 14+ · 4 to 13 years · Under 4

Meeting point and pickupNo pickup · ends where it startsMeeting point, per the operator: “BUS STOP next to Excelsior hotel Gallia Piazza Duca d' Aosta corner with Piazza IV Novembre”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by TAOTRAVEL

Is this one for you?A good fit if you want to experience the highest train route in the Alps without arranging transport, train tickets, or timing yourself: the fixed schedule packs the drive, the mountain town, and the famous train ride into a single day from Milan, and the guide handles the logistics and the explanations.

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Top questions

Can children come?

4 to 13 years; under 4.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24h before the start.

What time does the tour leave Milan?

The coach departs early in the morning from the central train station (Excelsior Hotel Gallia). Exact pickup time is confirmed when you book.

Is the train ticket included?

Yes. The tour includes a 2nd class train ticket with opening windows, either St Moritz to Tirano or St Moritz to Thusis depending on the route option.

How long is the train ride?

The Bernina Red Train journey is 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Can I stay overnight in St Moritz?

The standard tour returns to Milan the same day. If you want to stay, contact the operator before booking to check if the train itinerary allows it. Otherwise you'll need to arrange your own return from the final station.

What's included in the tour?

Round-trip coach transfers from Milan, 2nd class train ticket, an English-speaking guide, on-board explanations, free time in St Moritz, and an air-conditioned vehicle.

Do I need a passport?

Yes. A valid passport or EU ID card is required on the day of travel, as you'll be crossing into Switzerland.

Are shops in St Moritz open year-round?

During low season (September to November), many shops may be closed. Shops are also closed on Sundays and public holidays.

Is there luggage storage on the coach?

Luggage storage is not guaranteed and depends on the train route and whether the return bus is the same. Check with your guide when you board.

How fit do I need to be?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels. Most of the day is spent on the coach and train. Walking in St Moritz is optional and at your own pace.

Can I book last-minute?

Bookings are accepted up to 1 hour before departure, subject to availability. The tour often fills up, so booking in advance is recommended.