Albula line The train leaves the city of
Chur () in
Graubünden and follows the course of the
Rhine to
Bonaduz (). From there it enters the Domleschg Valley and follows the
Posterior Rhine from
Rhäzüns () to
Thusis (). The train continues toward
Tiefencastel () following the
Albula and then crosses the
Landwasser Viaduct before arriving at
Filisur (). Shortly after Filisur the train passes its first
spiral tunnel and continues to
Bergün/Bravuogn. Between Bergün/Bravuogn () and
Preda (), at the end of the valley, the train has to achieve a difference in height of about with an horizontal distance of without using
rack-and-pinion, but with many spirals. Then the train enters the
Albula Tunnel at under the
Albula Pass. It emerges in the Val Bever, where it reaches
Bever () on the
Engadin plain. The train continues toward
Samedan () and arrives at the
Pontresina station () in the Val Bernina (Bernina Valley).
Bernina line The train leaves
Pontresina and ascends progressively through the valley to the
Bernina Pass over the Morteratsch station (), where the
glacier and the highest summit of the
Eastern Alps,
Piz Bernina () are visible. Before arriving at the
Bernina Pass, the train stops at Bernina Diavolezza () for
cable-car connections to
Diavolezza (). The Bernina Express reaches the summit at the
Ospizio Bernina station at above
Lago Bianco.
Alp Grüm () is the first station south of the
Alps, situated above
Lago Palü and right below
Piz Palü (+) and its
glacier. After many
hairpin turns the train reaches
Cavaglia () above the
Val Poschiavo, then the Swiss
Italian-speaking town of
Poschiavo (). The train then follows the course of the
Poschiavino and stops at
Le Prese () and
Miralago (), both on
Lake Poschiavo's shore. After Miralago it continues its descent toward
Brusio (), where it passes the
spiral Brusio Viaduct. Shortly after the
Italian border at
Campocologno (), the Bernina Express ends its journey at
Tirano station ().
Route During the summer, the Bernina Express comprises a special separate train that travels from to with very few stops. In Pontresina, the locomotive is changed (because of the Bernina line's different electricity current) and the train continues with few stops to Tirano. During autumn, winter and spring, the Bernina Express comprises several cars that are attached to regional services. From Chur to , they are part of a
RegioExpress (RE) train Chur – ; from Samedan to Pontresina, they are part of a
Regio (R) train – Pontresina; from Pontresina to Tirano, they are part of a Regio train from St. Moritz – Tirano. Each of these Bernina Express trains includes designated carriages for passengers with only regional train tickets. There is a bus transfer between Tirano and (
Swiss canton of
Ticino), which links the Bernina Express with the
Gotthard Panorama Express. At St. Moritz, it connects with the
Glacier Express, another tourist train. ==See also==