An Alpine train in October? Explore the Bernina line while Glacier Express pauses

Two famous panoramic trains are often mentioned together, but their position on Monday 19 October 2026 is different. According to its own timetable, the Glacier Express does not run between 11 October and 4 December. The Bernina Express is a route to investigate for an autumn journey, alongside the regional trains on the same railway. The current timetable gives departures for an exact date; a general route page gives no seat availability or departure for a particular Monday. Service information is the starting point for the itinerary.

The Bernina Express travels from Chur to Tirano, taking passengers from Switzerland into Italy. Rhaetian Railway describes a route over 196 bridges and through 55 tunnels, past the Landwasser Viaduct, Bernina Pass and Brusio spiral viaduct. The Albula and Bernina lines have been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 2008. The operator gives around four hours for Chur to Tirano and about two hours fifteen minutes for St Moritz to Tirano. Those are guide times for the route, not guarantees for every individual departure. The changing scenery, from viaducts and high passes to valleys, explains the appeal of the panoramic service.

There is a simpler alternative on the Bernina line. Rhaetian Railway also operates regional trains over the striking route. They are not part of the panoramic service: they have no panoramic carriages or the Express’s additional services. A regional train seat can be reserved for CHF 5 per person, according to the operator. Once the limited reservable places have sold out, you can still make the regional journey without a reservation. Departure times and connections determine which service fits the journey. A regional train is not necessarily the same service with a different window, even when it uses the same historic line.

For the Bernina Express itself you need a seat reservation as well as a valid travel ticket. Switzerland Tourism says the same applies to the connecting Bernina Express Bus from Tirano to Lugano. The tourism agency describes the bus as a March-to-October service, but the exact final operating day in October was unclear in the information consulted. For the border crossing into Italy, carry a passport or identity card. Switzerland Tourism also says the train has no restaurant car. A meal stop in Tirano therefore fits the described journey better than an expectation of buying lunch in a dining carriage.

The Glacier Express is a journey for a later date. The panoramic train links Zermatt and St Moritz in roughly eight hours, crossing 291 bridges and passing through 91 tunnels. Its winter timetable begins on 5 December 2026, according to the operator. Seat reservation is compulsory and separate from the transport ticket or rail pass. The timetable page says reservations for journeys from December can be made from mid-October. The exact train and day matter: some additional services operate for only part of the winter season. The train’s famous name does not imply that a service runs on 19 October.

The live Rhaetian Railway or SBB timetable shows connections on the Bernina line; tickets and any necessary reservation relate to the selected journey. Rhaetian Railway reports engineering works diverting Bernina Express trains 951 and 952 through the Vereina Tunnel from 29 October to 13 November 2026. A Glacier Express journey from 5 December requires a separate seat reservation. The Bernina line is an option for an autumn trip, while the Glacier Express is an option for winter.