Panoramic Bernina Express car or the red train with open windows
Two trains share the Bernina line, and tour listings often call both of them the Bernina Express. Most day trips from Milan put you on the red regional train in 2nd class, where the windows open. Only Frigerio Viaggi sells a guaranteed seat in the panoramic car, and only as an option.
Two trains on one line
The Bernina line climbs from Tirano in Italy over the Bernina pass and down into St. Moritz. Regular red regional trains run it through the day, and the panoramic Bernina Express runs the same track with its own carriages.
Both trains pass the same viaducts and glacier views. What differs is the carriage and the seat reservation, along with whether you can open a window to lean out with a camera.
Listings use the name loosely. A tour titled "Bernina Express" may well seat you in the regional train, so read the itinerary rather than the headline.
The red regional train, windows down
Four of the five tours on this site ride the red regional train in 2nd class. TaoTravel and Autostradale say so plainly in their listings, and both mention that the windows open.
That open window is the reason many photographers prefer this train. You shoot without glass in front of the lens, so there are no reflections from the carriage lights or from other passengers' jackets.
TaoTravel's day at ~$155 spends about 2 hours 20 minutes on the red train from St. Moritz to Tirano, with explanations on board. It scores 4.8 from 3,800+ reviews on Viator.
The seats are ordinary regional ones, and on a busy day you may stand for part of the way or share a window. The train is open to everyone, not reserved for one tour group.
The panoramic car, glass overhead
The panoramic carriages have big side windows that curve up into a glass roof. You see the peaks above the train as well as the valley beside it, which suits the steep climb past the glaciers.
Those windows do not open. Photos go through glass, and on a bright day the reflections of the carriage interior can show up in your pictures.
The panoramic train needs a seat reservation on top of the ticket. On a tour that is handled for you, provided you book the right option.
Frigerio Viaggi is the one panoramic tour
Frigerio Viaggi's day from ~$154 rides the panoramic Bernina Express from St. Moritz down to Tirano. The guaranteed seat in a panoramic car comes only with the option that says so, chosen at booking.
Seats are guaranteed but not assigned ahead, so you will not know in advance which side you sit on. A first-class upgrade is possible only on request on board, not when you book.
The scores are lower than TaoTravel's, at 4.5 from 4,000+ reviews on GetYourGuide and 4.3 from 280+ on Viator. The price comparison shows how the options change the fare.
A seat under the glass roof
Frigerio Viaggi's 12.5-hour day from Piazza della Repubblica, with a guaranteed panoramic Bernina Express seat when you book that option and a short stop in Tirano.
Which train suits whom
The view is the same mountain either way. The choice comes down to how you like to watch it and how warm you want to stay.
- Photographers who want clean shots without glass: the red train, at an open window
- Travelers who feel the cold: the closed, heated panoramic car, since the pass sits at about 2,253 m (7,392 ft)
- Families with small children: the panoramic car for a sure seat, or the red train if the kids love leaning out
- People who want the top of the peaks in view: the glass roof
- Anyone choosing by reviews: TaoTravel's red-train day scores higher than Frigerio's panoramic one
An open window at the top of the pass lets in cold air even in summer. Bring a layer either way, as our packing guide explains.
What stays the same on both
Both trains cross the Brusio spiral viaduct and pass Lago Bianco near the highest point. Our route guide follows the line from Tirano to St. Moritz, stop by stop.
Neither train can promise a view. Cloud can sit on the peaks and the Morteratsch glacier on any day, and our guide to the best season covers how light and weather change through the year.
Some dates run the train in the other direction, or end at Thusis on the Albula line. The route changes guide explains what that means for your day.
Booking the option you want
On Frigerio's booking page the versions sit in a list, and they can look alike at a glance. Pick the one whose name says panoramic, then read the summary again before you pay.
If you choose the Diavolezza lunch version, your free time in St. Moritz goes in exchange for a meal at the mountain station. That suits people who would rather eat well than walk the shops.
Every other tour on this site rides the red train whatever option you pick. If a listing elsewhere promises the panoramic car, look for the words guaranteed seat and reservation before you trust it.
Our view
For most people the red train is the better buy. The windows open, and our pick runs it with stronger scores than the panoramic tour.
Book the panoramic car if a glass roof is the point of the trip for you, or if you would rather stay warm and seated. Then make sure the option name on Frigerio's booking page says panoramic.