dflawyer

I am planning a scenic day trip from Milan (Centrale) to St Moritz (returning to Milan the same day) and including the Bernina Express. Any comments, ideas or suggestions, including the best/fastest way travel to and from Milan to Tirano? Over all, is it worth doing?

PalenQ

It's a long day trip but IMO well worth it - take train from Milan Centrale to Tirano and cross the square to the Swiss train station and hop any train - there are official Bernina Express trains with observation cars and commentary, etc but scenery from regular trains the same and those you just hop on - BEX trains should be booked long in advance to get.

IMO no need to go all the way to St Moritz - a blah town to most only to just turn around and head back- rather consider getting off at the summit stations where the awesome scenes of glaciers are a short walk away- Bernina Ospiz and Alp Grum - can walk the few miles between those stations or just sit on sun terrace of local hotel/restaurant and ponder it all.

Anyway no need to book regular trains in advance - think they do not even take reservations. Book BEX trains on official site - for more info on Bernina Pass Railway check https://www.rhb.ch/en/home; BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. Be sure to bring passport. But probably looking at 4-5 hours each way!

Dukey1

I have done the trip more than once and have tickets to do it again this coming July

IMO it is worth it

IMO I would not do a roundtrip but if you have no choice

Book the tickets at www.rhb.ch as suggested above. Thhere is NO NEED to use BETS for this Book as soon as you can (within 90 days of departure)

PalenQ

Really only if wanting to do Bernina Express as many do just book it one-way and come back on locals where you just buy tickets once there - if BEX does not fit your day trip schedule take regular trains too and no need to buy or book any tickets in advance. Neither for Milan-Tirano (2.5 hours each way)- again NO need to book regular trains in advance as they do not even take seat reservations but you can always board and find seats is originating in Tirano where the train starts. Sit on western side of train for best views IME. And yes if booking BEX use official site Dukey gives as will be cheapest - ALWAYS book train tickets thru official sites of railway - no middlemen involved and very easy to do yourself,

6-7 hours of train in a day trip - much of it to Tirano not awesome like Bernina Pass Railway - too much for most and though I'm with Dukey about how worthy it it is that much time in transit for most - so if doing get an early start - trains start running 6 am or so to Tirano.

neckervd

IMO the best would be a circular trip like this:
Milan dp 6.20 - Tirano 8.52/9.00 - Bernina Diavolezza ar 10.30. Take then a gondola to mountain restaurant Diavolezza, in the middle of the glaciers of Bernina, go back to Bernina Diavolezza railway station, continue by train dp 13.25 and reach St. Moritz at 14.11. Leave St. Moritz at 15.15 by Postbus via Maloja Pass to Chiavenna ar 17.01 and go on by train to Milan ar 19.40. You may stop over at Sils Maria or so instead of St. Moritz
The whole trip can be done 2 hrs later as well..

PalenQ

neckervd's itinerary is better in that you do not duplicate so much scenery and the Maloja Pass bus ride is superb - it goes to Lugano too which has mainline trains to Milan.