abi_maha

Noted, we are now also researching Pontresina. A friend of ours who stays in Basel was actually recommending that we put off our trip until end of September since the tariffs will all come down. SO now we are reworking our travel itinerary to see how best we can leverage our time there. Gosh, truly this is such a beautiful country and 10 days seems like so little time!!!

swandav2000

Hi again,

Some other towns to consider in the Upper Engadin:

Sils
Celerina
Samedan

And, yes, Pontresina.

Have fun!

s

PalenQ

Try to take the Maloja Pass bus from Lugano up to St Moritz - certainly one of the most gorgeous bus rides in all of Europe - from Lugano the bus heads over to Lake Lugano, follows its shores (stopping for a break in Menaggio (hope I got the name right) before negotiating the sinuous Maloja Pass - via a series of hairpin turns with the bus horn blasting at each turn warning oncoming cars - just a wonderfully scenic trip and utilitarian in a way of getting from central Switzerland to St Moritz - Lugano being on the main rail line between Milan, Italy and Zurich/Lucerne.

FoFoBT

I took the bus last month and the driver didn't use the horn once on the Maloja Pass hairpin turns. He did use it extensively, however, on the narrow road along lakes Como and Lugano.

IMO, the Maloja Pass ride is better going from St. Moritz to Lugano than vice versa because the view as you go down the pass along the hairpin turns is simply stunning. You don't get the same vista or experience going up.

FoFoBT

Also, our break was in Chiavenna not Menaggio. Enough time to use the facilities (there are none on the bus), snap a few photos and get some gelato and/or a drink from the very nice cafe across the street from where the bus parks.

PalenQ

We did stop in Menaggio for about a half hour - time to amble around that sweet lakeside resort town - but I see Chiavenna being a more strategic stop - being more half way than Menaggio. This bus is also called I believe the Palm Express.

abi_maha

Thanks FoFOBT and PalenQ!

PalenQ

I made my bus reservation (with a Swiss Pass, valid the whole way, even the Italian portion) at the train station in Lugano - the bus stops there after starting from somewhere on the lake. reservation may have cost a few francs, cannot remember.