Bernina Express to Lake Como: A three-country adventure
Crossing the Alps on the Bernina Express route from Switzerland into Italy is one of Europe’s most famous rail journeys, and Lake Como is one of Europe’s most beautiful lakes. They’re both wonderful trips by themselves, but what if I told you that you could combine a trip on the Bernina Line with a stay on Lake Como?
By flying into Basel or Zurich and out of Milan, you can easily combine the Bernina Express route past snowy peaks and across dramatic viaducts with a stop in Liechtenstein and a few relaxing days on the picturesque shores of Lake Como.
Sounds good? Let’s start in Switzerland for a fantastic three-country adventure.
Contents
Route map: Bernina Line and Lake Como
Day 1 – fly into Basel or Zurich
I flew into Basel because I found cheap flights from Manchester on easyJet, but if you fly into Zurich that works even better for this itinerary. Basel airport is very cool because it sits right on the border between Switzerland, Germany and France, and has exits to all three countries!
I stayed overnight at the Hotel Schweizerhof Basel, right next to Basel’s main train station. The famous art museums were closed but I spent a lovely evening wandering through Basel’s pretty old town and riding on the cool ferries that work with the river current to take you across to the other side.
Day 2 – Train to Sargans, Liechtenstein and Chur
The next morning I took a train to Zurich and on towards Chur, but I stopped off along the way to take a side trip to Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein. The easiest way to get to Vaduz is to get off at Sargans station; frequent buses leave from outside the station heading to the centre of Vaduz.
Vaduz and Liechtenstein
Vaduz is the third-smallest capital city in Europe, after Valletta and San Marino. There isn’t an awful lot to do in the city other than getting your passport stamped, but you can take a road train ride to see the outside of Vaduz Castle and some of the vineyards and old houses on the edge of the city.
If you have a little longer in Liechtenstein, there’s amazing hiking outside the city, but this was just a quick stopover on my trip to Switzerland and Lake Como.
Back at Sargans Station, I took a train to Chur, my stop for the night before taking the Bernina Express route the next day.
Chur
Chur is the capital of the Graubünden canton and the primary starting point for the Bernina Express and the regional trains that run along the same route. It’s reputedly the oldest town in Switzerland, with a settlement history stretching back over 5,000 years.
The main sights are concentrated in the narrow streets of the Altstadt. For a quick evening wander, you can visit the 800-year-old Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption, visit Arcasbrunnen Square and see the remains of the old town walls.
I only had one night in Chur, but I would have been happy to stay longer. With a bit more time, I could have taken the scenic train up to Arosa, visited the Rhaetian Museum or taken a ride on the cable car to Brambrüesch, the mountain above Chur.
I stayed at the Ambiente Hotel Freieck, a historic hotel in the old town around 10 minutes’ walk from the train station. Chur is full of restaurants (try the traditional Rhaetian rosti) although this being Switzerland, nothing’s particularly cheap!
Day 3 – the Bernina Express route to Italy, and on to Lake Como
I had breakfast at the hotel and set off for the train station. I’d chosen to take the regional train rather than the Bernina Express, and my train set off just before 9am.
I’ve written a whole blog post about tips for the Bernina Express and what it’s like to take the regional train so I won’t repeat all that here, but in summary:
- The Bernina Express with its panoramic coaches is scheduled once a day in winter and twice a day in summer. You have to pay to book a seat, and the trains sell out months in advance.
- There are local trains that run along the same route. No reservations are needed on these trains, and they tend to be pretty empty.
- On the local trains you can hop on and hop off along the route.
Albula Line from Chur to St Moritz
The first part of the route is along the Albula Line. If you take the Bernina Express you’ll go straight through to Tirano but if you travel on the regional train you’ll probably need to change trains. Rather than take the fastest route, I chose to break my journey in St Moritz, where I had lunch by the lake.
Bernina Line from St Moritz to Tirano, Italy
The next stage of the route is along the Bernina Line proper. The line climbs further into the mountains and reaches the summit at Ospizio Bernina, where the line is 2253m above sea level.
I loved this section of the Bernina railway; at the Bernina Pass the train runs along the edge of Lago Bianco, which was partially frozen even in May when I travelled along the route. There were even a few late skiers taking advantage of the snowy peaks.
One advantage of the Bernina Express over the regional train is that it gives you a 15-minute stop at Alp Grüm, where you can get out on the station platform and look down the valley towards the Palü Glacier. On the regional train it’s just a normal stop, but it’d be a nice place for lunch if you visit when the restaurant on the platform (Albergo Ristorante Alp Grüm) is open.
Just before arrival in Tirano the train crosses the Italian border – the third country on this trip!
Tirano to Lake Como
Tirano is the end of the line for the Bernina Line, but your next train is right across the Piazza delle Stazioni (Stations Square). I had just over an hour before my train from Tirano to Lake Como so I had a wander around this pretty little town; you can go and watch the departing Bernina Line train cross in front of the Basilica della Madonna di Tirano.
Where to stay in Lake Como for the train
The train from Tirano to Lake Como takes 1 hour 42 minutes. I recommend staying in either Bellano or Varenna; both have train stations and both are in the middle section of the lake where you’ll find the best views and the most tourist attractions, including Bellagio, the lake town that you’ve probably seen on Instagram.
Lake Como is so big that the ferry routes across it are divided into lower, middle and upper lake services, so if you stay in the wrong bit of the lake then it can be difficult, time-consuming or expensive to get around.
I stayed in Bellano, which is cheaper and quieter than Varenna but still has great ferry connections. My Airbnb was perfect and had a beautiful view of the lake.
Day 4 – Lake Como: Villa del Balbianello, Bellagio and Varenna
On day 4 I visited some of the major sights on Lake Como, all a short ferry journey from my Airbnb in Bellano. Villa del Balbianello in Lenno was my top priority for its lovely gardens and use as a filming location in Star Wars and James Bond, so I took a ferry there first.
In the afternoon, I visited the picture-perfect village of Bellagio. Bellagio is the most famous place to visit on Lake Como, so it’s very busy with tourists, but it is absolutely gorgeous.
On my way back to Bellano, I stopped off in Varenna for some aperitivo by the shore of the lake. Varenna is another lovely village and would be a great place to stay as, like Bellano, it has its own train station on the Tirano to Milan railway line.
Day 5 – Orrido di Bellano and Menaggio
On my last full day on Lake Como I spent the morning at the Orrido di Bellano, an amazing attraction that lots of tourists miss. It’s a beautiful natural gorge, formed 15 million years ago, with narrow walkways running along the sides and across waterfalls.
After visiting the Orrido, I took the ferry over to Menaggio, on the other side of the lake. Mennagio is one of the larger villages on Lake Como and has a lovely lakeside promenade and pretty central square.
Day 6 – train to Milan and flight home
I checked out of my Airbnb on my last morning in Italy, walked to Bellano’s train station and caught a train to Milan Central. The direct train takes 1 hour 10 minutes.
Milan has three airports and is well-served by low-cost airlines. The airports are:
- Milan Malpensa (MXP), 28 miles from the city centre, connected by frequent direct trains and buses
- Milan Linate (LIN), 4 miles from the city centre, connected to Milan Central by direct buses
- Bergamo Orio al Serio (BGY), 31 miles from the city centre, connected to Milan Central by coach transfers
My easyJet flight back to Manchester left from Milan Malpensa, so the last step of my journey was the airport train.
So that’s it! 6 days, 3 countries, one amazing adventure.
That sounds like a lot of moving around, wasn’t it stressful?
Not really! The most confusing part of planning my Bernina Railway, Lake Como and Liechtenstein trip was planning how far to go each day, so that’s why I’ve put this post together. I also did a ton of research about where to stay for the Bernina Express and if it was a good idea to stay in Bellano for the Lake Como section of the trip.
The other confusing thing about the Bernina part of the journey was understanding the difference between the Bernina Express and the regional trains, which is where my other Bernina Express guide comes in.
Is a trip combining the Bernina line and Lake Como worth it?
I think the Bernina line and Lake Como is the perfect combination. Both Basel and Chur were surprisingly lovely, the journey across Switzerland was easy and beautiful, and getting to visit Liechtenstein was a great bonus.
The day I spent on the Bernina Express route was one of the most magical of my life – I couldn’t stop grinning at the wonderful mountain scenery, winding tunnels and epic viaducts. After a busy couple of days, spending some time on beautiful Lake Como was the perfect way to relax before flying home again.
The only thing I’d change is perhaps spending an extra day in Chur and choosing a later flight home from Milan so I could have seen a bit more of the city.
I hope you’ve found this post helpful! If you’re thinking about a Bernina Express and Lake Como trip, let me know if you have any other questions in the comments.
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About Helen
Hi! I’m Helen, and I love a good train journey. I’ve loved railways of all types since I was a kid and I love nothing more than travelling through a beautiful landscape to my next destination.
I live near Manchester, UK and work full time, so I’m all about making the most of my annual leave with day trips, weekend getaways and short breaks.
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