Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > Europe
Reload this Page >

Tirano to Paris via bernina express in 1 day

Tirano to Paris via bernina express in 1 day

Old May 25th, 2015, 07:50 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Tirano to Paris via bernina express in 1 day

I want to travel from venice to Paris via bernina express.
I am planning to get to Tirano a night before and next day morning take bernina express to Chur.
From there, take a train to Zurich and from Zurich onto paris.
Is this doable or if there are any better alternatives?

I understand one option is to staying overnight in Chur or Zurich, but I wanted to save another day for Paris, if possible.


Thank you.
Gsingh is offline  
Old May 25th, 2015, 08:15 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 42,601
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Yes, you can do it and it will take between 9.5 and 10.5 hours depending upon what time you leave Tirano. You can travel on THE Bernina Express or travel over the same route but not ON that particular train. If you choose to do the latter you MAY incur additional changes and an even longer travel time.

Now, YOU can plan this YOURSELF by going to the Swissrail website


www.sbb.ch/en

Input Tirano as the departure and Paris as the final destination.

There may be a LOT of people who are going to tell you that you cannot or should not do it BUT that schedule does not LIE as far as I know.
Dukey1 is offline  
Old May 25th, 2015, 08:59 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
as long as you leave Tirano at 11 am - the last possible departure to get to Paris that night you will arrive at Paris at 21:37 - changing in Chur and Basel SBB (on that one particular time link - could change also at Zurich on others) - I would leave as early as possible from Tirano as the last possible departure leaves you at the mercy of late trains and being stranded someplace - and yes the official Bernina Express and the local trains over that exact same route are of course just as scenic.

Anyway for lots of great info on the Bernina Pass rail route, to me the most awesomely gorgeous scenic railway in Europe and trains in general check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

If wanting the official Bernina Express be sure to make a reservation ASAP - from the official Bernina Express site - those trains do fill up usually IME but the local trains are always possible to hop on and are rarely full and even then you can always board as unlike the official train locals do not demand reservations and may not even take them.
PalenQ is offline  
Old May 25th, 2015, 10:49 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The official Bernina Express departs Tirano at 10:03 most days and is the only one you could take to make it to Paris that night - you could take an earlier regular non-Bernina Express train of course - I prefer the regular trains in some ways - official ones of oft packed to the gills - tour groups book them up - on regular trains I can hop from side to side as the scenery dictates as they are often sparsely occupied and in summer some regular trains have open-air flat bed cars - the ultimate in panoramic observation cars! Not all trains have those. You could give yourself more time for late trains and missed connections by taking an earlier regular train and also save the BEX reservation fee.
PalenQ is offline  
Old May 25th, 2015, 12:09 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 42,601
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Pal, your statement about having to leave at 10:03 and still make it to Paris is INCORRECT. I suggest maybe YOU are the one who actually needs to look at the timetable.

Now, if what you MEANT was the passenger has to leave NO LATER THAN 10:03 that's another matter
Dukey1 is offline  
Old May 25th, 2015, 05:37 PM
  #6  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks you Palen and Dukey for your response.

Here are what I think, the 2 options.
I do look a mad man with both the itineraries with the number of connections.
Option#2 below as fewer connections but time to change trains at Chur is just 6 minutes.
In both the itineraries, just 7 minutes for Basel connection.
Is it possible to change a train in that much time ?
Are these trains generally on time ? Missing one would ruin the plan.


Option#1

Tirano To St. Moritz
Bernina Express
Dep. 10:03
To 12:36

St. Moritz To Landquart
RE
Dep. 12:46
To 14:36

Landquart To Chur
IC
Dep. 14:43
To 14:52

Chur dep 16:09 9
Basel SBB arr 18:27 8
IC InterCity 578

Basel SBB dep 18:34 5
Paris-Gare de Lyon arr 21:37
TGV


Option #2
Tirano To St. Moritz
Bernina Express
Dep. 10:03
To 12:36

St. Moritz dep 14:02 RE 1148
Chur arr 16:03 10

Chur dep 16:09 9 IC 578
Basel SBB arr 18:27 8

Basel SBB dep 18:34 5 TGV 9230
Paris-Gare de Lyon arr 21:37


Your suggestions please?
Gsingh is offline  
Old May 26th, 2015, 04:04 AM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Pal, your statement about having to leave at 10:03 and still make it to Paris is INCORRECT. I suggest maybe YOU are the one who actually needs to look at the timetable.>

re-read what I wwrote - the only official Bernina Express you can take is 10:03 - you could take the next regular train around 11 am but that would be the last.

I looked at schedules more than you did I suspect.
PalenQ is offline  
Old May 26th, 2015, 04:51 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
You can indeed leave at 11:00 or 11:40 from Tirano on regular trains and still get to Paris that night but then you are cutting it tight on possible missed connections.
PalenQ is offline  
Old May 26th, 2015, 05:51 AM
  #9  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Do the schedules I listed above look feasible ?
Is it possible to make connections in 6-7 minutes.
Gsingh is offline  
Old May 26th, 2015, 09:23 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 8,312
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Option 1 should be:
Tirano dp 10.03 - St. Moritz 12.36/12.46 - Landquart 14.36/14.49 - Zurich 15.53/17.27 - Paris ar 21.37, until Oct 25th


Option 2 should be:
Tirano dp 10.03 - Pontresina 12.24/13.02 - Chur 15.03/15.09 - Zürich 16.23/17.27 - Paris ar 21.37, until Oct 25th

But frankly: why do you want to sleep at Tirano?
Sleep somewhere between Lecco and Sondrio if you want to leave Venice after 5pm
or sleep at Davos if you want to leave Venice before noon.
neckervd is offline  
Old May 26th, 2015, 02:08 PM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I stayed in Tirano and thought it an interesting town - a transit town full of vehicles going thru a pass in the hills but the town center was neat or at least nice enough and hotels are reasonably priced - plus always be in Tirano IME because of those pesky Italian train strikes that may pop up stranding you inside Italy.

Swiss trains never strike - the Swiss station is smack opposite the Italian train station on a large square.
PalenQ is offline  
Old May 27th, 2015, 03:16 AM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 8,312
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I have absolutely nothing against Tirano. But in my opinion, Venice may be a bit more interesting than Tirano. But if you leave Venice in the evening, your train will go up to Sondrio only. Therefore it would make sense to sleep at Sondrio or even along Lake Como, as the 10.03 train at Tirano can easily be reached from there in the morning.

BTW: Italian railway strikes are always announced weeks ahead. The next one will take place on June 7th in Liguria; it seems that fast trains will not be affected, however.
neckervd is offline  
Old May 27th, 2015, 03:30 PM
  #13  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
neckervd , will be in Venice for 2 days and am thinking of leaving Venice in the afternoon and be in Tirano by around 9. That way , I will have travel little lesser the next day.
Gsingh is offline  
Old May 31st, 2015, 01:44 AM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 8,312
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
If you want to be at Tirano at 9pm, you will have to leave your Venice hotel immediately after (a early) lunch.
If you sleep at Sondrio, you can leave Venice railway station at 17.20. The train ride from Sondrio to Tirano lasts 30 min (Sondrio dp 9.21).
But it's up to you.
neckervd is offline  
Old May 31st, 2015, 08:25 AM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Sondrio seemed like a nice town when I took the train thru it - muchmore a proper town than the transit town of Tirano, which though I found rather interesting anyway.
PalenQ is offline  
Old May 31st, 2015, 06:36 PM
  #16  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I am sure Sondrio must be nice town as you suggest, but as I would be just staying overnight without any time to spend there , I think it might be better to stay in Tirano.

I can reach Tirano 21:50 , if I leave Venice at 4:20p.

16:20 Venezia S. Lucia
18:55 Milano Centrale 02:35 Eurocity

19:20 Milano Centrale
21:50 Tirano 02:30 Regionale 2576

Does this schedule look right to you?
Gsingh is offline  
Old Jun 1st, 2015, 04:03 AM
  #17  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Yup!
PalenQ is offline  
Old Jun 1st, 2015, 06:44 AM
  #18  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
You're right arriving late at night and leaving early in the a.m. makes Tirano the logical choice - and there are several hotels right in the vicinity of Tirano's train stations - there are two - an Italian one and kiity-corner across the square in front the Swiss one (Rhaetische Bahn station) - get a hotel there and just roll out of bed and to the train.

Yes and all those schedules check out on www.trenitalia.com.
PalenQ is offline  
Old Jun 2nd, 2015, 02:04 AM
  #19  
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 8,312
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
"Does this schedule look right to you?"

No problem! If you prefer to spend the morning only at Venice (departure from your hotel after lunch, around 3pm, I suppose), you will be fine with the Geneva bound (Swiss) 16.20 train.

At Tirano, you may sleep at hotel Bernina. But be aware that it might be difficult to get dinner after 10pm.
neckervd is offline  
Old Jun 2nd, 2015, 06:12 AM
  #20  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I would be sure to get a hotel right on the square by the station - arriving that late at night.
PalenQ is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -