No train runs from Milan straight onto the Bernina line. Both the Bernina Express and the regional red train start in Tirano, just over the border on the Italian side, or in St. Moritz, and the Bernina Express also runs from Chur. From Milan you reach them in one of three ways: a guided coach day trip (about 11 to 13 hours, from $121 per person), the direct Trenord train from Milano Centrale to Tirano (about 2 hours 30 minutes), or a longer route through Switzerland.
For a single day, nearly everyone takes a coach tour or the train to Tirano. Here is how each one works and whom it suits.
Milan: Bernina Train & St. Moritz Trip
Where the Bernina Express and the red train start
The Bernina line runs about 61 km from St. Moritz to Tirano. Two kinds of train use it: the panoramic Bernina Express, with a compulsory seat reservation, and the roughly hourly regional red train. Our Bernina Express vs red train guide explains the difference.
Tirano is the end of the line on the Italian side and the start that matters most from Milan. Both trains leave from the Swiss RhB station on the station square, a few metres from the Italian station where the Trenord trains from Milan arrive.
St. Moritz is the other end, about 2 hours 15 minutes away by train. Both trains start there for the run down to Tirano, and many Milan coach tours drive to St. Moritz first and ride the train south.
Chur, in eastern Switzerland, is the far end of the full Bernina Express route. Trains from Chur take about 4 hours to Tirano and cross the Albula line first, with the Landwasser Viaduct, then join the Bernina line.
In between, the red train stops at stations along the way, including Poschiavo, Alp Grüm and Bernina Diavolezza, so you can break the ride and take a later train.
Three ways from Milan, side by side
| Guided day trip | Trenord train to Tirano | Through Switzerland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you go | Coach or van from Milan, train one way | Direct regional train, then the Swiss train | Road or rail into Switzerland, to St. Moritz or Chur |
| Milan to the line | About 2.5–3.5 h by coach | About 2 h 30 min | Roughly 3 h by road to St. Moritz |
| Whole trip | About 11–13 h | A long day you plan yourself | Usually an overnight trip |
| Cost per person | From $121 (private from $1,071, min. 2) | About EUR 12.50 each way, plus the Swiss ticket | Varies with route |
| Border paperwork | Passport or ID; the tour times it | Passport or ID | Passport or ID |
| Planning | Book one product | Timetables and two tickets | The most |
Prices for tours are from listings checked 12 November 2026. The Trenord fare is the published 2nd-class fare; the Swiss ticket from Tirano to St. Moritz costs about CHF 33 to 35 one way in 2nd class.
Every route crosses the Italian–Swiss border, and a day trip crosses it twice. Carry a passport or national ID card whichever way you go; some tour operators accept only a passport.
For a single day, the first two columns are the realistic choices. The third makes sense when the Bernina line is one stop on a longer trip through the Alps.
Other experiences
Other Bernina train trips from Milan
Other guided Bernina train, St. Moritz and Lake Como day trips that collect you in Milan and handle the border crossing for you.
By guided day trip from Milan
A coach day trip is the simplest way to the Bernina Express from Milan. You meet in the city, the operator holds your train ticket, and the coach drives to one end of the line and collects you at the other. The coach takes roughly 2.5 to 3.5 hours each way, either along Lake Como and up the Valtellina to Tirano or over the Maloja Pass to St. Moritz.
Meeting points vary by operator:
- Piazza Duca d’Aosta, in front of Milano Centrale: the TaoTravel Bernina train and St. Moritz day trip (our review), from $131, and the red train and St. Moritz day trip (our review), from $131.
- The Autostradale bus stop near Centrale: Autostradale’s trips, including the Lake Como cruise and red train day, from $192.
- Piazza della Repubblica, about 10 minutes’ walk from the station: the Frigerio Viaggi panoramic Bernina Express tour, from $185.
- Porta Garibaldi station: the City Wonders St. Moritz and red train trip, from $121.
- Your hotel: private tours such as the private Bernina and Lake Como tour, from $1,172 per person for at least two adults.
The City Wonders trip from Porta Garibaldi is the lowest-priced day trip we review, on the Bernina or Albula red train depending on the option. On the TaoTravel trip you get about 100 minutes in St. Moritz, then about 2 hours 20 minutes on the train down to Tirano, in 2nd class on the regional train. Like most tours, it does not use the panoramic Bernina Express. The comparison of Bernina tours from Milan sets all of them side by side.
By Trenord train from Milano Centrale to Tirano
The direct Trenord regional train links Milano Centrale and Tirano with no change in about 2 hours 30 minutes. It runs roughly hourly; on the 2025/26 timetable trains left Centrale at 20 minutes past the hour from 06:20. The new timetable starts in mid-December, so check trenord.it for your date. The fare is about EUR 12.50 in 2nd class and EUR 19 in 1st, with no seat reservations. Leave from Centrale: these trains do not call at Porta Garibaldi.
The line follows the east shore of Lake Como through Lecco and Varenna, then climbs the Valtellina to Tirano. At Tirano you walk across the square to the RhB station and board the red train or the Bernina Express. On a 2025/26 pattern, the 07:20 from Milan reached Tirano at 09:52, in time for the 10:06 Bernina Express to St. Moritz.
You need a separate Swiss ticket. Buy it from RhB on rhb.ch, or book the Tirano–St. Moritz red train return day ticket (our review) from $121, which lets you hop off on the way. If you want the Bernina Express, add its reservation of about CHF 32.
Staying on Lake Como? Varenna is on the same line, about 1 hour 26 minutes from Tirano. Como town is on a different line.
The Milan to Tirano train guide has the full timetable and tickets, and the Bernina train from Milan on your own plans the whole day step by step.
Through Switzerland to St. Moritz or Chur
By road, St. Moritz is roughly 3 hours from Milan, about 170 to 180 km via Chiavenna and the Maloja Pass, in good conditions. The pass road stays open all year, but winter tyres are compulsory and chains can be required at short notice. This is the coach route that many tours use on one leg.
Chur is the start of the full Bernina Express. The first train leaves Chur at 08:17 and takes the Albula line before the Bernina line, so this is the route for the Landwasser Viaduct. From Milan it suits a trip with a night in Chur or St. Moritz.
Which way suits you
- One day, no planning: a coach tour from Piazza Duca d’Aosta or Piazza della Repubblica.
- A low budget and your own pace, with a stop at Alp Grüm: Trenord to Tirano and the red train.
- The panoramic Bernina Express in a day: the Frigerio tour on its panoramic option, or Trenord to Tirano with a Bernina Express reservation.
- A base on Lake Como: the train from Varenna, or the Frigerio departure from Como, from $218.
- A longer Alpine trip: through Switzerland to Chur.
For the guided route, check dates for the TaoTravel day trip from Piazza Duca d’Aosta above.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Bernina Express leave from?
The Bernina Express runs between Tirano and St. Moritz, and between Tirano and Chur. From Milan, the nearest departure is Tirano, where the RhB station sits on the same square as the Italian station.
Can you take the Bernina Express directly from Milan?
No. You take the Trenord train from Milano Centrale to Tirano, about 2 hours 30 minutes, and change there, or you join a coach day trip that takes you to Tirano or St. Moritz.
How do I get from Milan to Tirano?
Take the direct Trenord regional train from Milano Centrale, which runs roughly hourly and costs about EUR 12.50 in 2nd class. It takes about 2 hours 30 minutes with no change. See the Milan to Tirano train guide for times.
Is a tour or the train better for the Bernina Express from Milan?
A tour is easier: one booking, a guide and a coach at both ends, from $121 per person. The train costs less in fares and lets you stop along the line, but you plan the connections and buy the Swiss ticket yourself.
Can I see the Landwasser Viaduct on a trip from Milan?
Not on the Bernina line; the viaduct is on the Albula line between Chur and St. Moritz. A few Milan day trips use the Albula line on some dates or options, and the City Wonders trip includes a viaduct viewpoint stop on its Albula option.
Pick your day over the Alps
Most day trips from Milan ride the regional red train; only some sell a guaranteed seat on the panoramic Bernina Express. Check what your date offers.
Check dates and prices
