Travel from Bolzano to Tirano
 

After walking in the dolomiti I want to get from Bolzano to Tirano to enter La Suisse from there. Has anyone found a bus that does this route from Bolzano to Tirano?

If you can get to Edolo there's a bus from there to Tirano.

The best place to ask is the official tourist agency of Bolzano,
Azienda di Soggiorno e Turismo
email: [email protected]
or calculate the time difference and call them at +39 0471 307 000 (for the USA the + stands for 011)

The obvious route is over the Stelvio pass- open only three months every year in summer, long and tiring to drive if you have a car. Not sure if it has bus service, I suspect it should be really sparse.

The obvious way to enter Switzerland from Bolzano is taking a train to Malles Venosta, where in summer there is a Swiss bus service to/from Zernez over the Swiss national park. Zernez is on the Rhaetische Bahn railway network, so you can even go to Tirano over the Bernina if you want -but getting to Tirano first may be quite difficult.

In winter most itineraries in the area may be closed.

thanks for your advice, appreciated. trying to make my dream journeys happen before I'm any older.
regards
ST

Bolzano - train - Mals - bus - Zernez - train - Pontresina - Bernina - Tirano:
Bolzano dp every hr from 5.35am until 15.35, all the year round. 7 hrs journey. Swiss Pass valid.

Swiss Pass valid FROM MALS onwards only, sorry!

Cheaper itinerary via Trento - Male - Tonale - Edolo, but extremely few connections and many changes.

Neckervd - this route takes OP through and back out of Switzerland to Tirano, whereas OP wants to get to Tirano to enter Switzerland from Tirano.

Now if OP doesn't care about Tirano (and hence the Bernina stretch), just wants to get from Bolzano into Switzerland, then this is a fine way of getting from Bolzano into "La Suisse".

As close as Bolzano and Tirano may look as the bird flies, they are separated by difficult mountains that get mostly unpassable in winter. The fastest route between Bolzano and Tirano is through Switzerland. In the Alps often you have to travel not the route you would like but the route that is possible.

Michel: I suppose Stuart to be intelligent enough to realize that he will enter "la Suisse" at Mustair Claustra, all the more I told him that the Swiss Pass is valid from Mals up to Tirano.
Up to him to go towards Zurich or whatever he likes or to leave Switzerland again at Campocologno/Piattamala.

BTW: find below the timetable for the "itinerario italiano" via Tonale (all connections):
Bolzano/Bozen dp 5.37 - Mezzocorona/Kronmetz 6.15/6.40 - Male 7.52/8.10 - Tonale 9.27/12.40 - Ponte di Legno 13.10/13.45 - Edolo 14.15/15.15 - Tirano ar 16.20
Bolzano/Bozen dp 9.07 - Mezzocorona/Kronmetz 9.41/9.57 - Male 10.59/12.20 - Tonale 13.33/15.20 - Ponte di Legno 15.50/16.10 - Edolo 16.40/17.15 - Tirano ar 18.20

Well, we forgot to check the "water level route" Bolzano-Verona-Milano-Tirano. An extremely long detour but can be done as fast as 6.30 hours, depending on connections. Probably not what the original poster had in mind.

If Stuart is more interested in Val Poschiavo and Engiadina than in Tirano, the first mentioned route via Val Venosta - Val Monastero is shorter.
BTW: no need to travel through Milan if you come from Verona. There is a shortcut like this:
Bolzano/Bozen dp 11.31 - Brescia 14.19/15.07 - Edolo 17.07/17.15 - Tirano ar 18.20