Night halt at Pontresina or St. Moritz?
 

Hello dear Fodorites.
I would like to have your opinion, where [Which town and ?Hostel] to stay for a night / day, when we visit The Engandine V. in May? We would be catching Bernina Exp coming from Lugano.We would be catching Glacier Exp after a days halt in Engandine Valley.
Whether it should be Pontresina or St. Moritz? [or Chur?]

We will be on low budget.

Thanks in advance.

Sankt Moritz is not nicknamed Mo-Ritz for nothing - a swank and posh place, where Rolls Royces and Porsches feel at home, a dime a dozen.

But there is a hostel where you can stay for 33 Swiss Francs, in a 4-bed dorm room, with breakfast included! And you can book ahead!

And there are others in the region - go to http://www.youthhostel.ch/, and look at every hostel in the selector that has the letters GR after it (Graubünden/Grisons, the name of the canton). Check a map and see if it is close to where you need to be.

I travelled from Venice to Zurich in January 2005 so I could go on the Bernina Express. As the days were short and the trip long, I needed to break my journey so as to be on the Bernina Express in daylight hours. After examining all the alternatives i chose to stop over in Poschiavo. I stayed at Hotel Suisse, which is part of the Minotel group, for a very reasonable price half board was about $AUD100 back then. I was very happy with the hotel, but I didn't see much of Poschiavo!

Thanks WallyKringen. I had kept Sankt Moritz as first choice. But some where I read about Pontresina,probably in R.S guide to Switzerland.
Actually, we would be having so little time to explore [17:00 evening to 09:00 next day] this beautiful valley. At the same time, don't want to miss the 'once in life time' occasion of 2 of the best Swiss scenic rides.
I would like to have suggestions to explore St. Moritz within this short time.
Thanks.
Kamlesh

Yes, eigasuki. That is a possibility when travelling the way, you did. I will be staying in Lugano. It will be a day journey for us. Limited time. Otherwise Poschiavo has a good church and other things.

Hi kamleshrut,

I thought Pontresina was waaay more charming than St. Moritz. Pontresina sits on a sort of ledge over a very green valley, and it's just lovely. I didn't like SM much at all but did think I would return to Pontresina.

s

St. Moritz, although posh, is very sterile and, for the most part, modern. From what I've read, Pontresina is much nicer. I would recommend stopping there.

Swandaw,Cimbrone, thanks, I am looking at Pontresina again.
kamlesh

As I hinted - sleep in St. Moritz for the sake of savings at the hostel, but sightsee elsewhere. Hope this trip is in the middle of summer, otherwise your entire stay (5PM to 9AM) will happen just about all in the dark.

Oh! There would not be much day light in May 3rd week, time of my visit, either.

I spent 3 nights in Pontresina last September and really loved the town. It is a very convenient place to stay in that region. I took the train to St. Moritz one night for dinner (about a 10 minute train ride), just to see what St. Moritz was like. I really didn't get a good impression from St. Moritz and didn't even stay for dinner - just walked around for a while and hopped back on the train to get back to lovely Pontresina.
Martha

There should be quite alot of daylight by the 3rd week in May. That is only one month from the summer solstice which is the longest day of the year.

I have also been looking for low budget places to stay in that area about the same time. The hostel in Pontresina is not open in May. The one in St. Moritz is open. Nothing there (including hostels) is really my idea of low budget. Unfortunately.

Kristinelaine, yes, you are right. I was also worried about that aspect. YH Tolais is closed from Mid April to early June.

I have read similar recommendation for Pontresina in tripadvisor forum also.

Segantini & Engadiner Museums in St. Moritz are closed in May.

So what I can ambitiously plan to do is to visit Pontresina by keeping our bags in Luggage room after disembarking from Bernina express from Lugano at 04:45 pm or so at Pontresina Rly station [I hope there should be a cloak room/luggage room over there]and visit Muottas Muragl. Then come back for catching last direct train at 07:56 PM to St. Moritz. Sleep at YH SM Bad.
kamlesh

I'm confused. My understanding is that the Bernina express departs from Tirano, Italy. Not Lugano.

Cimbrone, Actually, the projected scenic tour of Bernina departs from Lugano--Post bus. Change to the Bernina train ride from Tirano.That's what I have in mind. If not some one please correct.
K.

Now that you mention it, I do remember something about a bus from Lugano. I believe it may be summer only. Make sure that it's running when you go.

Thanks. Yes, it operates from 20 May onwards. I have planned accordingly.
K.