SWITZERLAND
The Bernina Express
to St. Moritz
t’s been a packed year, in 2024 I probably travelled more than any other year. When I came across a travel package for Switzerland, Alsace and Heidelberg, I knew my savings were almost at zero, but the thought of finally travelling with the Bernina Express was overwhelming.
If you walk by the lake you will feel like you're walking inside a painting
We started early in the morning for a 1-hour drive to Chur and once the Bernina Express started, I knew I was in for a treat. The Bernina Express was in my bucket list for so long, I felt like I was in a trance.
The ticket costs €135 for a round trip and it’s more than worth it. If you need to choose between Bernina Express and Glacier Express, Bernina is cheaper (almost half the price of Glacier) and offers better scenery. You pass by tiny villages, stunning forests and valleys – and the famous arches but you must be quick for a snap. If you love watching nature and taking pictures sit on your right-hand side, with your back turned towards the front of the train. You will see the viaduct early and manage a few pictures. In case you’re wondering, the viaduct’s name is Brusio and it’s a nine-arched stone spiral railway viaduct on the Bernina Railway.
After 1 hour and a half, we stopped at St. Moritz. The thing about St. Moritz is that, you almost always hear it in relation to skis and rich people which make it sound like an exclusive, expensive resort. It is, though, the birthplace of Alpine winter tourism, attracting guests from all over the world who enjoy this lifestyle, top-class restaurants and hotels.
Truth is, it has extraordinary beauty before the snow falls and covers everything, and its as expensive as the rest of Switzerland (which is still a lot but don’t expect anything worse). First you need to visit the viewpoint to take it all in. It was a gloomy day but the colorful trees, the lake and the mountains made up for it. If you have time, take a walk in the main square for chocolates, souvenirs and food but make sure to leave time for a stroll by the lake.
The scenery takes your breath away. Mountains surround a landscape of golden and green trees, houses by the lake, absolute serenity and if you go before winter, there will be no crowds.
I never thought of St. Moritz beyond the winter-getaway-ski-resort for the rich but this trip made me see it in a whole new light. It’s a place with its commercial, main square with chocolatiers, cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops and other local and international stores but if you walk by the lake you will feel like you’re walking inside a painting.
