To get from Milan to Tirano by train, take the direct Trenord Regio Express from Milano Centrale. It needs no change, takes about 2 hours 32 minutes and costs EUR 12.50 in second class. On the 2025/26 timetable it leaves at 20 past every hour from 06:20 to 20:20, and you sit wherever you like: these trains take no seat reservations.
At Tirano you step off, cross the square and board the Bernina red train to St. Moritz. Trenord has not published a readable 2026-27 timetable yet, so check trenord.it for your date.
Tirano–St. Moritz Red Train Return Pass
Milan to Tirano train schedule
The Milan to Tirano train runs on an hourly pattern in both directions. These are the 2025/26 times. Last year the timetable changed on 14 December, and Trenord’s hourly patterns rarely move much at the change, but treat them as a guide until you see your date on trenord.it.
| Direction | First train | Pattern | Last train | Journey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milano Centrale to Tirano | 06:20, arrives 08:52 | every hour at :20, arriving :52 | 20:20, arrives 22:52 | about 2 h 32 min |
| Tirano to Milano Centrale | 06:10, arrives 08:43 | every hour at :08 from 08:08, arriving :43 | 20:08, arrives 22:43 | about 2 h 35 min |
That gives about 15 direct trains a day each way. Trenord’s own route page mentions a last Milan departure at 21:20, one hour later than the timetable listing, so check before you count on a late train north. You may also see a 04:20 departure quoted online. It appears to have run during the February 2026 Winter Olympics, so do not plan on it.
The train you want depends on your plan for the Bernina line:
- The 06:20 reaches Tirano at 08:52, in time for the 08:58 red train (a tight 6 minutes) or the 09:41 (49 minutes). It is the earliest train that connects to St. Moritz.
- The 07:20 reaches Tirano at 09:52, 14 minutes before the 10:06 Bernina Express.
- The 08:20 reaches Tirano at 10:52 for the 11:00 red train, or for a slow morning in Tirano.
The red-train times are from the winter weekday timetable for 13 December 2026 to mid-February 2027. For the full day plan, both directions, see doing the Bernina train on your own.
Use Milano Centrale. The direct trains do not call at Porta Garibaldi or Lambrate, and routes from other stations need changes and take about 4 hours. Departure boards show the platform on the day.
Fare, tickets and the no-reservation rule
| Ticket | Second class | First class |
|---|---|---|
| Milano Centrale to Tirano, one way | EUR 12.50 | EUR 19.00 |
| Return (two singles) | EUR 25.00 | EUR 38.00 |
| Child under 12 | half price | half price |
The fare is fixed: it costs the same booked a month ahead or bought on the platform. Buy from the machines at Milano Centrale, from the station café-bar if the ticket office is shut (cash), or online at trenord.it, Trenitalia or Trainline. Online sales usually open two to four months ahead. Interrail Global passes are reported to cover this train. A Swiss Travel Pass does not appear to, because the whole line is in Italy.
There are no seat reservations and none are possible, so board a few minutes early if you want a window seat. The trains have air-conditioning, toilets, luggage space and level boarding, but no catering, so bring breakfast.
Buy your return at the same time. Tirano’s Italian ticket office is reported to close in the afternoon, exactly when day-trippers come back down from St. Moritz.
Other experiences
Other Bernina train trips from Milan
If you would rather skip the Trenord timetable, these Bernina, St. Moritz and Lake Como day trips leave from central Milan by coach.
Stops on the way, and which side to sit for Lake Como
The train calls at the same stations in both directions. Read north from Milan, the stop list is Monza, Lecco, Mandello del Lario, Varenna-Esino, Bellano-Tartavalle Terme, Colico, Morbegno, Sondrio, Tresenda-Aprica-Teglio and Tirano. Here is one evening train southbound on the 2025/26 timetable, to show how the time splits:
| Station | Train 2839 (Tirano to Milan) |
|---|---|
| Tirano | 18:08 |
| Sondrio | 18:39 |
| Colico | 19:13 |
| Varenna-Esino | 19:34 |
| Lecco | 19:58 |
| Monza | 20:26 |
| Milano Centrale | 20:43 |
The line follows the east shore of Lake Como from Lecco to Colico, at the northern tip of the lake, then turns up the Valtellina past Morbegno and Sondrio to Tirano.
Because the track runs along the east shore, the lake lies on its west side. Heading north from Milan, sit on the left for the water between Lecco and Colico; coming back, sit on the right. After Colico the views switch to the vineyards and peaks of the Valtellina on both sides.
Arriving in Tirano and walking to the red train
Tirano has two stations side by side: the Italian station where your Trenord train ends, and the Swiss RhB station where the Bernina trains start. They stand a few metres apart across the same square, so the walk takes a couple of minutes. The Bernina trains cross into Switzerland farther up the valley, at Campocologno, so carry your passport or ID card: Switzerland requires one for entry.
What to sort out before you arrive:
- Have your RhB ticket in hand if your connection is under 10 minutes. The Tirano to St. Moritz red train return day ticket (our review) costs from $121 per person and is valid all day on your date, so a late Trenord train only moves you to the next departure.
- If you are buying on the spot, the RhB station sells tickets; a red-train single to St. Moritz costs about CHF 33–35 in second class.
- The Bernina Express needs a reservation, reported at CHF 32 per person per direction, which you should book well ahead online.
With time to spare, walk into town. The Madonna di Tirano basilica, built where an apparition of the Virgin was reported in 1504, is a short walk of roughly 10 to 20 minutes from the stations. On the way back to the red train, watch for the Bernina tracks running through the streets near the station.
Getting back to Milan the same day
Trains leave Tirano for Milan at 8 minutes past the hour, and the last one leaves at 20:08 and reaches Milano Centrale at 22:43. The red train from St. Moritz arrives in Tirano at about :00 or :23 past the hour, so you get a short change or one of about 45 minutes.
The last red train from St. Moritz that reaches Tirano on winter weekdays leaves at 16:48 and gets in at 19:02. That leaves you 6 minutes for the 19:08, or a safe 66 minutes for the 20:08.
The Italian ticket office is the trap. If you did not buy a return in Milan, you are left with the station machines, the café-bar or the RhB ticket window, which is reported to sell Tirano to Milan tickets.
Joining from Lake Como
If you are staying on the lake, you can join the same train at Varenna-Esino, about 65 to 70 minutes out of Milan. From Varenna it is about 1 hour 26 minutes to Tirano. Colico is about 20 minutes farther north. Como town is on a different line, so from there you go via Milan or by road. For guided options that add a boat ride, see the Lake Como and Bernina train tours; for a full plan that starts on this train, see the itineraries guide. The broader overview of getting to the Bernina Express from Milan compares the train with coach tours.
If the Trenord train is your way up to the red train, book the Tirano day ticket for your date in the availability box above, and check trenord.it the week before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the train from Milan to Tirano?
About 2 hours 32 minutes northbound and 2 hours 35 minutes coming back, on a direct Trenord train with no change. Trenord rounds it to 2 hours 30 minutes. Engineering works have replaced some trains with buses in past years, so check trenord.it for your date.
How often does the Milan to Tirano train run?
Roughly every hour. On the 2025/26 timetable there were 15 direct trains a day from Milano Centrale, at 20 past the hour from 06:20 to 20:20, and 15 back from Tirano. Check trenord.it for the 2026-27 timetable, expected from mid-December.
Do I need to book the Milan to Tirano train in advance?
No. The fare is a fixed EUR 12.50 in second class, there are no seat reservations, and you can buy at the station machines on the day. Buying online ahead saves queueing, and buying your return in Milan avoids Tirano’s Italian ticket office, which is reported to close in the afternoon.
Which side of the train has the Lake Como views?
The line runs along the east shore, so the water is on the left heading north to Tirano and on the right heading back to Milan. The lake section runs from Lecco to Colico, about 45 minutes of the trip.
Is the Milan to Tirano train the Bernina Express?
No. It is an ordinary Italian regional train run by Trenord. The Bernina Express and the Bernina red train are Swiss RhB trains that start at the station across the square in Tirano. Read Bernina Express vs red train to choose between them.
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.
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