Menaggio/Varenna to St Moritz and back
 

We will be staying in Bellagio from June 11 – 16 and would like to travel to St Moritz, and may be staying a night near St Moritz (Chesa La Veglia Margna - Via Chalchera 9, 7505 Celerina), and return to Bellagio the next day.

We may bus from Menaggio to St Moritz and bus back to Menaggio, or
do a one way train from St Moritz back to Tirano - Varenna

Hope to find out how long is the journey to and from St Moritz, and the ticket prices, and schedule by bus and train.

If its feasible, we can also consider doing just a day trip.

Should we book bus / train tickets in advance, or to check the weather forecast when we arrive on June 11, then book at the station?

Your help would be highly appreciated.

Go one way by bus and train and the other back - don't miss the awesome Bernina Pass Railway- to me amongst the very most scenic in all of Europe!

the Maloja Pass bus ride is different but also awesome - especially those hairpin turns when the bus driver honks loudly in that iconic Swiss Postal Bus style when going around each tight curve.

But don't miss the Bernina Pass Railway:

https://www.google.com/search?q=bern...HbtaAYYQsAQIHA

Now as to booking - there are two types of trains that trundle over the exact same tracks and thru the exact same scenery- the spiffy tourist-oriented Bernina Express with trappings of a tour for which reservations are mandatory and cost more and often sell out in advance (really popular with tour groups)- and these trains have super-duper panoramic or observation cars with basically all glass domes instead of individual windows.

but there are also regular local trains that again go over the exact same scenery and which have large enough windows (that actually open so you can stick your nose outside - but not too far or have it sliced off perhaps!)

In any case sit on the western side of the train for most of the fab views.

these trains take no reservations I believe and you can always just show up and buy a ticket- they go frequently throughout the day - the official Bernina Express fewer times. Unlike the official BEX they are often not as crowded and times I've taken them I could move from side to side as scenery dictated.

And in summer the locals have the ultimate panoramic cars - open-air flatbed cars with just rails - I've taken these and it is surreal - almost like levitating thru such stupendous scenery (but even in August it was a bit chilly in them!)

I've done a day trip Maloja Pass bus from Lugano (stops in Mennagio) to St Moritz then Bernina train to Tirano and back to Lugano that way so from Menaggio is a bit shorter. And from the Tirano train you'd take it to Varenna-Esino for boats to Bellagio.

Anyway for more info check the official Rhaetische Bahn site (operators of Bernina Pass Railway trains) and Swiss Postal bus site for Maloja Express. for more info check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com (good write-up on it in their free online European Planning & Rail Guide; and www.ricksteves.com.

Well do NOT miss the Bernina Pass Railway!

Note there is also a Bernina Express bus Tirano to Lugano that goes via Menaggio but it does not have a scheduled stop there so avoid that.

Having done it more than once I would not do the trip BOTH ways by rail; I'd go by rail one way and return in some other mode if possible.

I would also strongly suggest you go to YouTube and watch one of the several videos of the trip which cover the route from Tirano-North or vice versa and get a taste of the entire experience.

No, it is "not the same" as "actually doing it" but the vids may give you an idea of whether or not to spend what would be a LONG day is worthwhile.\

Pal is correct about the bus: it does NOT stop in Menaggio and the www.rhb.ch site is the place to book tickets usually around 90 days out or so. This is a VERY popular trip in the summer months particularly.

Having done it more than once I would not do the trip BOTH ways by rail; I'd go by rail one way and return in some other mode if possible.>

they say they are going by bus from Mennagio to Maloja Pass and going perhaps both ways by bus - but yes train one way bus the other - both very different and tremendously scenic.

Taking locals allows you to get off at the summit stations and if you have only a day pack maybe walk to the nearby glacier or just sit on the sun terrace if weather nice at the hotel restaurant- then hop the next local.