Guy18

I leave in just a few days for my Alpine adventure, and I have to make a decision. Do I do the route that includes the gorgeous-sounding Bernina Express to get to Zurich (a LONG 9 hours of travel with 6 changes) or do I take what is the less celebrated but still, I suppose, scenic 5 hour route (bus and train through Colico and St. Moritz)?

Will the 9 hours fly by because it is so wondrous? Or will I be so sick of sitting and changing trains so that I hardly enjoy it? Or if I do the 5 hour route, will I always wonder what I missed? What would you do?

(There's the slight chance that I will have time to do the Bernina as a daytrip from Chiavenna, in which I can have the best of both worlds, but let's assume that that doesn't work out...)

RufusTFirefly

I think it might depend on your personality. I like a pretty view as much as the next guy, but 9 hours might be stretching it a bit for me.

ira

Hi G,

It has been our experience that if the scenery is terrific the time flies by.

You can always get up and walk around for a bit.

We spent 3 days on the train from DC to Seattle, WA and consider that one of our nicest trips.

BTilke

I did a 13 hour train ride yesterday from Vienna to Brussels, most of it scenic. I love a scenic train ride. But that was only 1 change.
It would take a heckuva scenic ride to make me put up with 6 changes! Will you being carrying any luggage? Will you have seat reservations for any part of it?
I would go with the two changes option.

highledge

SIX changes?? can you post the route?

Guy18

Chiavenna 9:17
Colico 9:48
Colico 10:39
Sondrio 11:10
Sondrio 11:15
Tirano 11:50
Tirano 12:49
Pontresina 14:58
Pontresina 15:02
Samedan 15:08
Samedan 15:17
Chur 17:03
Chur 17:09
Zurich 18:23

It does include an hour in Tirano. You can find it on http://fahrplan.sbb.ch

Thanks to everyone for their votes so far.

enzian

It looks like you also have an hour in Colico? Personally, I don't mind the train changes in Switzerland at all---we often take routes with five changes. We call it exercise. . . and it makes the time go by.

Guy18

How would you rate Colico and Tirano? Could I see much of them in an hour?

Maybe I should view this as a way to see two additional towns...

Guy18

Also...maybe someone knows whether the Tirano and Colico stations have lockers? We will have luggage.

Intrepid1

Is this routing because you decided to take the "regular" train rather than the Bernina Express?????????

Guy18

I'm STILL deciding!! I had decided on the Bernina, but recently realized that it entails such an involved journey.

Suelynne

I haven't been to Colico, but have spent an hour or so in Tirano. In my opinion that's enough time to see it, look up at the villages clinging clinging , and get the next train. Like the others, I'm not sure why you need to change so often, but that aside, the main impact of Tirano is the contast of palm-lined streets with the Alpine scenery at the top of the pass.

Like the others, I'm not sure why you need to change so often, but if you're fit and have minimal luggage, I would look on the changes as the chance for exercise on an otherwise sedentary day. It is a fascinating route.

I can't remember whether you can check luggage at Tirano station, but the town's not that big, so you could just keep it with you if you're travelling light.