kawh

Now I'm remembering why we haven't taken the Glacier or Bernina Express before. The end is a puzzlement. We just can't figure it out... Want to go on to Italy.. and car rental out of S.M. is triple the price... but no real trains either. No car rentals at all our of Tirano. (?? can this be??)

We are flexible, can either go on to below Milan or go on more east to the Verona area. Then will rent a car for Italy.

Any suggestions?? It looks to me like it's just easier to take the express back the same way?? I see mentions of a train from Tirano to Verenna... but can't seem to find it.
I'm just at the point of giving up on the express altogether. One would think that there would be huge options for such a tourist-ending spot. Any ideas? (we are truly flexible, but the less time and $$ the better.) thanks, kawh

Jean

You have to be precise with station names when searching trains. On Trenitalia, Italian spellings only, search Tirano to Varenna-Esino. Or Milano, Firenze, Venezia, Roma, etc.

There are trains from Tirano to Varenna-Esino approximately every 2 hours throughout the day at fares from 7 euros.

http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...0080a3e90aRCRD

If you want to search trains from St. Moritz (again, note the spelling), look at the Swiss railway site:

http://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html

Jean

You can rent a car at Lecco on Lake Como. It's a stop on the train line from Varenna-Esino to Milano.

http://www.autoeurope.com/

kybourbon

If you look at the line map, you will see your route at the top (Ctrl+ a couple of times to enlarge it). Trenord operates these lines and you can purchase further in advance with them online than Trenitalia. Might be helpful since the website says the ticket office at Tirano is closed and they don't list it as having self-service machines either. They do list a couple of places to buy at the station (a food place?).

http://www.trenord.it/media/616783/l...dic2012_a4.pdf

http://www.trenord.it/EN/

Dukey1

There used to be a cafe which was housed in the Tirano station and perhaps that is where tickets are sold.

I think the Op is somewhat confused since Tirano is IN Italy and there are certainly train services south as has been noted above.

kawh

ok... thanks all... now i see. really not sure what i was thinking and doing wrong... i think i had travel-research-fatigue. i see the schedule and the line map and this was very helpful, as i am a visual learner!! i have calmed down and see that it can (of course) be done without a terrible amount of time/effort/expense.

thanks for talking me down off the ledge!

neckervd

Glacier Express trains during the summer season:
Zermatt... dp 07.52, 08.52, 09.52
Samedan ar 15.46, 16.46, 17.46
St. Moritz ar 15.58, 16.58, 17.58

Connecting trains from Samedan to Italy:
Samedan dp 15.49, 16.49, 17.49 (same platform, guaranteed connection)
Tirano.......ar 18.21, 19.12, 20.05
Tirano......dp 19.10, 19.50, -----
Milan C.... ar 21.40, 22.40, -----

Connecting buses from St. Moritz to Italy:
St. Moritz.. dp 16.08, 17.08, 18.08
Chiavenna. ar 17.51, 18.51, 19.43
Chiavenna dp 18.02, --------, 20.40 by train
Milan C...... ar 20.40, --------, 22.40

Connecting trains and buses from Samedan to the Dolomites (Italy):
Samedan dp 16.14, 17.14, 18.14
Malles...... ar 18.46, 19.53, 20.53
Malles..... dp 19.03, 20.20, 21.10
Bolzano... ar 20.59, 22.27, 23.44
Bolzano... dp 21.30, 23.01
Trento...... ar 22.00, 23.48
Rome T.... ar 06.00

kybourbon

>>> Might be helpful since the website says the ticket office at Tirano is closed<<<

The ticket office is actually open weekdays (only from 6-12:45) which won't help the OP. They are not open Sat/Sun/holidays. The two places listed as selling tickets there are:

Automobilistica Perego S.P.A.
Piazza Stazione 3
Tirano SO 70 m 07:30 / 19:00 nessuno - (no closing so daily)

Buffet Della Stazione Di Tasca Massimo
Piazzale Stazione 1
Tirano SO 60 m 05:00 / 22:00 domenica - (closed Sunday)

****ONLINE TICKETS
Now you can buy your single tickets online.
It's easy and fast: you do not need to register on the website and you do not need an electronic card.
Payment is by credit card and the ticket is sent directly to the email address you write during the purchase alternatively by SMS on your mobile).

HOW CAN I BUY TICKETS ONLINE?
1. Using the timetable, search for the route, date and time of your journey, then click on the icon of your chosen journey;
2. Choose your fare (adult, senior, child) and any supplements (cycles, animals).
3. Go to your shopping basket, check that the journey details are correct and click "Confirm";
4. Enter your personal details (Name, Surname, Email). You can also request the PNR code (ticket confirmation code) to be sent via SMS to your mobile phone;
5. Complete the purchase of your tickets by credit card [Visa, Mastercard or Maestro];
6. The virtual ticket will be sent to your email address/via SMS, so that you can print it out/display it to ticket inspectors using your mobile phone.***

kawh

neckerd first-- wow-- this is some new information. 'samedan' is completely new to me-- it's not on the glacier express map i have printed out (or the bernina ex map)... so i googled it, and see that it's between chur & st. moritz.

i can't seem to find the route you suggest... when i search, it shows 5 changes for samedan to bolzano. i'm thinking it must be a bus, not a train?

and since you are an expert-- do you know why the glacier express web map shows 'visp' as a stop, but they do not allow you to buy tickets from visp-- only from brig??

kybourbon... thanks for the info on where to buy tix... and on buying online... i do want to have this part of our trip nailed down, so will buy online if possible.
thanks!!

kybourbon

Here's the list of stops (summer) for Glacier Express:

http://www.glacierexpress.ch/EN/time...s/default.aspx

neckervd

Glacier Express timetable in detail:
http://www.fahrplanfelder.ch/fileadm...s/2014/144.pdf
Bernina line timetable:
http://www.fahrplanfelder.ch/fileadm...s/2014/950.pdf

Samedan - Bolzano: you have to change at Zernez and Mals, sometimes at Meran too (distance between bus and train about 10 metres at all 3 places). Bus between Zernez and Mals.
Timetables in detail:
http://www.fahrplanfelder.ch/fileadm...s/2014/960.pdf
http://www.fahrplanfelder.ch/fileadm...014/90.811.pdf
http://www.sii.bz.it/en/siipdftimetables
http://www.vinschgauerbahn.it/en/554.asp

Shortcut via Vereina Tunnel: change at Chur, Sagliains and Zernez and arrrive at Malles and Bolzano 1 hr earlier

Huggy

Hr