15 Scenic Railways in Switzerland to Build a Day Around

1.Milan to St. Moritz: Scenic Bernina Train Tour with Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,840 reviews · 12.5 hours · from $123Our pick

Travel from Milan to St. Moritz by air-conditioned coach, with an English- or Spanish-speaking guide and a scenic Bernina rail journey. Depending on train availability, you may board in Tirano, St. Moritz, or Thusis. Expect mountain passes, Morteratsch Glacier, openable train windows, and about two hours of free time in St. Moritz.

“It was a great experience, better than expected! We’ve been there in 9th of November and we had a beautiful sunny day. Scenic was amazing, the guide provided us lot of inside informations. We loved it so much that we’ll do it again for sure!”

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2.Bernina Train, Swiss Alps & St. Moritz Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,120 reviews · from $120

Travel from Milan by air-conditioned coach to St. Moritz, then ride the Bernina Red Train through high Alpine scenery to Tirano. Your English-speaking guide, who may be Alejandro, Maria Cristina, Chiara, or another TAOTRAVEL leader, handles the day while you enjoy open-window views, free time, and a chocolate stop.

“Alejandro our guide was great. Funny, explainable and punctual.”

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3.Bernina Train Guided Tour to St. Moritz

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 948 reviews · from $127

Spend 11 hours traveling from Milan through Tirano and the Bernina Range to St. Moritz. Your English-speaking guide leads the train journey, points out the Palü Glacier from Alp Grüm, and gives you free time in St. Moritz. Guides such as Patrizia, Luigi, and Monica have been praised for their warmth and organization. Meals are not included.

“It was a great experience and guide was very knowledgeable and experienced.”

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4.St Moritz & Alps Day Trip with Bernina Red Train

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 851 reviews · from $104

Travel from Milan to St. Moritz by coach, then ride the Bernina Red Train with opening windows through the Alps to Tirano. An English-speaking guide stays with you all day. Expect grand scenery, limited free time, plenty of walking, and a long return ride.

“Jo and Luca provided a wonderful trip. Breath taking scenery and great knowledge shared.”

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5.Hop-on Hop-Off Bus & Scenic Mini-Train Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 501 reviews · 1 day · from $43Best value

Use a 24-hour ticket for Geneva’s International District bus route, Old Town mini-train, and seasonal parks-and-residences train. Expect multilingual audio, short photo stops, and scenic views of Lake Geneva. It is best understood as a set of three sightseeing routes, not a classic hop-on, hop-off service.

“24 hour ticket was great, did two of the tours one afternoon and the third the following morning. One bus trip but its not hop on hop off really, and two road trains, which are also not hop on and off. Good commentary.”

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6.Bernina Red Train to St Moritz Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 258 reviews · 13 hours · from $162

Travel from Milan by luxury coach through Lombardy and Lake Como country, then ride the Bernina Red Train across the Alps toward Tirano or St. Moritz. Your guide leads in English or Spanish, with guides such as Hajo, Andrea, Marco, Monica, and Tati praised for warm, capable service. Expect a long day, strong mountain views, and limited free time in St. Moritz.

“Wonderful trip! Our guide Tati was very knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful! I wish we would have had more time in St. Moritz.”

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7.Scenic Alps Day Trip with Bernina Train Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 100 reviews · 12.5 hours · from $206

Travel from Milan to Lake Como, Tirano, and St. Moritz with an English-speaking guide in a small group of up to 18. The highlight is a 105-minute Bernina Train ride through alpine valleys, gorges, glaciers, and high passes. Guides such as Luca, Silvia, Mari, and Paola are praised for clear explanations and thoughtful help.

“Our tour guides were excellent very knowledgeable. Everything was perfect. Amazing time.”

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8.St. Moritz Day Tour by Bernina Train

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 94 reviews · 12 hours · from $167

Travel from Milan to St. Moritz with an English or Spanish-speaking assistant, taking the Bernina route between Tirano and St. Moritz. You get reserved train arrangements, bus transfers, and free time in the resort town. Marina is one guide named in recent feedback. Bring your passport and expect a very long day.

“We had the most fabulous day x the Bernina express was the highlight x amazing”

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9.Round-Trip Bernina Red Train to Saint Moritz

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 80 reviews · 1 day · from $200

Travel from Milano Centrale to Tirano on a booked regional train, then ride the Bernina Red Train to Saint Moritz. You get free time in town and a flexible return schedule on the Bernina route. The train is regional, not the panoramic Bernina Express, and seats are unreserved. A first-class option is available.

“Expresul Bernina foarte frumos, merită de vizitat. De luat în considerare pe timp de iarnă orele la care întunecă ca să puteți să vă bucurați de peisaj.”

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10.From Saint Moritz: Bernina Red Train to Tirano

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 65 reviews · from $72

Take a self-guided day trip from St. Moritz to Tirano on the regional Bernina Red Train. The ride reaches 2,253 meters and includes roundtrip or one-way travel, standard first or second-class carriages, a timetable guide, and free time to explore Tirano independently. Seats are unreserved, and this is not the Bernina Express panoramic carriage.

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11.Tirano: Bernina Red Train and Cablecar to Diavolezza Refuge

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 35 reviews · 1 day · from $177

Travel from Tirano into Switzerland on the UNESCO-listed Bernina Red Train, passing Alpine villages and the Valposchiavo Valley. At Diavolezza, a cable car takes you to the 3,000-meter refuge for views of Piz Bernina. Bring your own food, allow a full day, and arrive 30 minutes early with your printed ticket.

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12.Glacier Express Panoramic Train Round Trip from Zürich With Private Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 34 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $951

Travel from Zurich to Chur, then cross the Swiss Alps by Glacier Express to Brig with a private English-speaking guide. Enjoy reserved second-class seats, a three-course lunch, and brief walks in Chur, Disentis, Andermatt, and Brig. Guides have included Michael, Oskar, Dominique, Anja, Rolf, and Uli.

“Mr. Oskar did an amazing job of guiding our day. The sights, sounds and tastes of Switzerland left us planning our next visit. While we could have planned our day adventure on our own, having Mr. Oskar walk us through personal experiences and history of this beautiful land was well worth every penny.”

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13.Bernina Express Train and St. Moritz Tour by Bus

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 29 reviews · from $113

Spend 14 hours traveling from Milan into Switzerland by coach and Bernina Express train. You’ll pause in Tirano, ride second-class with opening panoramic windows, then enjoy free time in St. Moritz. An English, Italian, or Spanish-speaking coordinator handles the day, while lunch and drinks remain your responsibility.

“Everything was perfect, girls guide super nice and willing to help! Really amazing day!”

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14.Bernina Train Day Trip to Tirano & St. Moritz

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 21 reviews · from $141

Travel from Milan to Tirano and St. Moritz with a live English- or Spanish-speaking guide, then ride the Bernina Express through glaciers, waterfalls, lakes, tunnels, and mountain passes. You get round-trip transport, free time in both Alpine towns, and a scenic rail journey, but bring food and warm clothes.

“Andres was a very good and knowledgeable guide. We had a lot of problems with the bus. It was a real dump. Luckily, it didn't affect the schedule too much.”

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15.From Basel: Premium Panoramic train, Lucerne & Interlaken Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews · 8 to 11 hours (approx.) · from $488Top rated

Start at Basel SBB at 8:40 am for a full-day rail journey to Lucerne and Interlaken. A private local guide leads city walks, while your included train pass and panoramic seat reservation cover the scenic route. Expect a small group of up to 15, free time for lunch and shopping, and a return to Basel the same day.

“We had a fantastic day out exploring Lucerne and Interlaken. The scenery from the trains are beautiful (not just the panoramic train but the return journey too). The day was long, but felt effortless, all planned and ran smoothly by our warm and welcoming guide, John. We learnt a lot about the Swiss towns, had some scrumptious chocolate, and enough free time to wander. We really enjoyed our day and would highly recommend Viva tours and John. Note that if you have suitcases/luggage that you don't want to take with you, there is luggage storage in Basel train station. Very easy to use and cost us 8 chf for the…”

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