Bernina Express "layover" ~ lockers or haul luggage?
 

When we made our reservations we planned 2 hrs in between when the Bernina Express gets into Tirano, and when we leave on the bus to Lugano. ( want to go eat Gelato!)

Then it occurred to us ~ we will have a suitcase! Are we doomed to toodle it behind us or are there secure lockers there to leave it in?

Whew.............new to this train travel thing!

Hmmm... good question. There must be, because I did this same trip in 2003, with the 2 hr layover at Tirano where I ate lunch at a restaurant. I doubt I carried my backpack with me during that time.

Hopefully someone with more recent info (and better memory) can answer this more definitively.

While waiting for the bus a few years ago, we were able to leave our luggage in an anteroom/waiting room there, which doubles as a Customs area for the Swiss/Italian train arrivals.

The bus leaves from the same area, just a few steps from Customs. Tirano is a charming place to spend a few hours on foot.

hmmm, that doesn't sound very safe or secure.

did they have claim tickets or something?

Safe? Secure? In Tirano? You're sweating too much. The two stations are within a few yards of one another. When I was there this past April I didn't notice lockers in either station; there's a somewhat small restaurant/eating place in the Trenitalia station and it isn't a very far walk to oher eating places.

Hi wrenwood,

There is another option. You can send your luggage separately using the Swiss rail's baggage service; I've done it many, many times.

The fast service takes one day (put it in by 09.00 and retrieve it after 18.00); costs 20 chf per bag. The regular service takes two days and costs 10 chf per bag. Here's a link to a website:

http://mct.sbb.ch/mct/en/reisemarkt/...isegepaeck.htm

Travelling in Switzerland is truly user-friendly!

s

I don't think they have lockers available in either station. However, what exactly do you plan to do in Tirano? I'd suggest you have lunch in a pizzeria or osteria right by the train station - just ask them to hold your bags while you wander around afterwards for an hour. Nothing to fear.

For 5 swiss francs a suitcase they put a numbered claim check on it, gave us the numbered receipt and put it in a locked room right there at customs. It was nice to walk around without our suitcases!

Thanks for reporting back, wrenwood! Good info for others who may make this same trip (eg, my parents).

Interesting they take CHF instead of €. I guess it is operated by SBB then?

up must be the customs you pass thru going out of the Swiss station - i do not think the Italian station has any customs but Italian customs are also in the Swiss station cater-corner to the Italian station.

If you have wheels you can easily walk the half mile or so to the proper town center though as Ingo says there are some eateries in the square around the station. Tirano is one of Europe's busiest transit towns - a gap in the mountains and thus has lots of eateries.

Yes, the people we asked were behind glass on the left just as you walked from the trains into the building. It may have been SBB ticketing. They stored the suitcases in a windowed room directly opposite.

We did not want to drag the suitcases even though wheeled as we did keep my camera case with us, and we wanted our hands free to eat gelato as we walked!!!