Tirano train station

Old Jun 1st, 2015, 07:23 AM
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Tirano train station

Can anyone tell us if ten minutes is sufficient time to change trains in Tirano? We'll be coming from Varenna and heading to St. Moritz on the Bernina Express.
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Old Jun 1st, 2015, 07:40 AM
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Well IF the Italian train is on time it should be enough - the two stations - teh Italian one and the Swiss (Rhaetische Bahn) one lie kitty-corner from each other - about a 1-minute walk between them at most.

Though Switzerland is now in Schengen there could be passport control in spite of that - get over there pronto - if you could take an earlier train from Varenna-Esino I would - again those trains could always be late - whether you could change your BEX ticket to a local train I don't know - but you should have reservations of course on the BEX because they are often IME full - local trains over the same scenery you can always hop on and they are not that expensive either.

For lots about the Bernina Pass Railway and Swiss trains I always spotlight: www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.
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Old Jun 1st, 2015, 08:14 AM
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We did it in just a few minutes inlcuing buying our tickets coming from Switzerland and going to Italy. We were moving at a fast clip. We did forget to stamp the tickets, but the train conductor was ok with it. I don't recall passport control.

If you havent already bought your tickets for the BE, you might think aobut taking a local train as suggested above. We did the BE route on the local in the fall (opposite direction of you) and for the BE was not worth the money. You don't have the window on the ceiling in the regular cars, otherwise you really do get the same view. Our car was pretty empty and it was easy to go from side to side to catch all the views.
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Old Jun 1st, 2015, 10:00 AM
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You don't have the window on the ceiling in the regular cars, otherwise you really do get the same view. Our car was pretty empty and it was easy to go from side to side to catch all the views.>

In warm weather local trains have the ultimate observation car - a flatbed open-air car with just some low railings - 2nd class ticket only needed - no reservations possible but yes teh ultimate observation cars on the BEX instead of the penultimate observation cars the official train has.
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Old Jun 1st, 2015, 10:20 AM
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Perhaps the Swiss would hold up their departing trains a tad if they knew the Italian one was a tad late but don't count on it - I was going in reverse once and dashed off the Swiss train - ran to the Italian station for a train that was due to leave imminently but when I got there I could only see the Italian train taking off just as I got to the platform.
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Old Jun 1st, 2015, 12:31 PM
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If you haven't already, you can check the schedules for train departures from Tirano on this site: www.trenord.it and compare those with the scheduled arrivals of the Swiss trains.

As you can see, the time to get between these two buildings varies depending on whom you talk to and how fast they move.

As has been said, you can see one station from the other so it really shouldn't take you that long to get from one to the other even with luggage. Ten minutes? You could probably do it three different times.
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Old Jun 2nd, 2015, 02:42 AM
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Swiss trains cannot wait longer than about 5-8 min, because the line has only 1 track and there are many crossings with trains coming down.
But standard trains run about every hr and the BEX tickets are valid there of course!

I would never take a earlier Italian train:
Italian trains on this line are usually in time.
The standard train ride over the Bernina Pass is fine too.
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Old Jun 2nd, 2015, 04:18 AM
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Years ago our train was delayed coming from Milano to Tirano by 10 minutes. When we reached Tirano the Swiss train had already departed and it was the last train on the day. We spent a night in Tirano in a hotel and caught a morning train the next day.

So, we've also made the the connection inside the 10 minute window, but we were moving quickly and it was uncomfortable with such little time. As mentioned above. the Swiss station is to the left about 30 meters from the Italian rail station.

Someone above mentioned taking an earlier train from Varenna and that seems to be a cogent strategy.

Buon viaggio,
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Old Jun 2nd, 2015, 06:14 AM
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I would never take a earlier Italian train:
Italian trains on this line are usually in time.>

but read what rbciao47's experience was - I'd take an earlier train for sure - why not? Have a coffee in Tirano.
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Old Jun 2nd, 2015, 07:35 AM
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Trains run in and out of Tirano about twice per hour; there are two tracks, one on each side of the platform. There is certainly more than an 8 minute wait for the rolling stock. This, of course, has absolutely nothing to do with how long it takes to get between stations.
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Old Jun 2nd, 2015, 08:29 AM
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Trains run in and out of Tirano about twice per hour; there are two tracks, one on each side of the platform. There is certainly more than an 8 minute wait for the rolling stock. This, of course, has absolutely nothing to do with how long it takes to get between stations.>

What does this have to DO with ANYTHING relevant to the OP or anyone else?

and where did you get that twice and hour - at best hourly and during many parts of the day every two hours!
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Old Jun 2nd, 2015, 08:52 AM
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Whatever you do, it's not a problem.
You can either leave Varenna at 7.24 instead of 8.24 (most probably without prepaid breakfast) wait an hour at Tirano and go on at 10.03 by BEX
or
leave Varenna at 8.24, catch the 10.03 BEX in most of the cases and arrive at St. Moritz at 12.36
or
leave Varenna at 8.24, miss the BEX, take the following slow train Tirano dp 11.00 and arrive at St. Moritz at 13.11.

The last BEX of the day leaves Tirano at 15.12, followed by standard trains at 15.40, 17.00 and 17.40
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Old Jun 2nd, 2015, 09:07 AM
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Or if just miss sit by a few minutes perhaps hop in a taxi and outrun the world's slowest express train in a few stations up the valley?
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