Bernina Express Pullman Class runs through 25 October 2026.
Book it as a full-day rail and dining programme rather than as a better seat on the ordinary Bernina Express.
A restored 1930s-style carriage, Art Deco interiors, 32 passengers maximum. Every booking includes a three-course lunch with wine at La Gatta vineyard near Tirano, even on a single direction.
Return day trip, or one way between St Moritz and Tirano. Independent rail specialists list daily operation in both directions from 1 June to 25 October in this inaugural season.
Pullman Class is not a conventional third class
The standard Bernina Express already sells first and second class in modern panoramic carriages. Pullman is not a third tier above them.
It is a separate product built around a historic saloon carriage, onboard hosting, drinks, food, a vineyard transfer and lunch. The Rhaetian Railway is selling a day rather than a distance between two stations.
Which makes the price comparison with an ordinary ticket meaningless. You are paying for 32 seats, for service and for a programmed stop, alongside the railway itself.
Want timetable flexibility, real luggage or a simple transfer into Italy? Take a regular train.
The carriage carries only 32 passengers
Teak, bay windows, individual armchairs. Thirty-two passengers per route, and no more.
That density gives a far more controlled atmosphere than the panoramic coaches in high summer, and it makes the inventory delicate: a single private group can take a serious share of the carriage.
The whole 32-seat class can be booked exclusively, with no group concession, and only by contacting the railway directly rather than through the standard booking path.
A full carriage suits a private celebration, a corporate group, a multigenerational family, or a set of clients moving together between Switzerland and Italy.
Lunch is part of every booking
Southbound from St Moritz: champagne and canapés on board, then La Gatta vineyard for a guided introduction and a three-course lunch with wine inside a former Dominican monastery.
Northbound: coffee and petits fours on board. Lunch is included either way.
Understand that before planning anything onward. A one-way Pullman ticket is not built for someone who needs to reach Tirano quickly and push straight on to Milan or Lake Como.
La Gatta takes a serious part of the day. It is the culinary centre of the whole programme rather than a refreshment stop beside the platform.
The open carriage appears on one direction
Rhaetian Railway includes access to an open scenic carriage on the Tirano to St Moritz route for Pullman Class passengers.
No panoramic glass between you and the Bernina, which changes both the photographs and the feel of the line.
Weather, temperature and railway requirements all limit how long it stays usable, so treat it as part of the northbound day rather than as an open-air run from end to end.
The route itself is unchanged
Pullman follows the Bernina line between St Moritz and Tirano. The wider Bernina Express route crosses 196 bridges and 55 tunnels, taking in the Landwasser Viaduct, the high Alpine sections, the Palü Glacier and the Brusio Circular Viaduct.
The Albula and Bernina lines have formed part of a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2008.
So a Pullman passenger sees the same engineering and the same mountains as everyone else on the line. The premium is the carriage, the service, the lunch and the 32 seats.
Regional trains provide the same railway at far lower complexity
Regional trains run the same Bernina line, and they are the flexible option.
Reservations between St Moritz and Tirano are optional and cost CHF5 per person per direction, recommended when demand is strong.
They suit anyone who wants to stop along the way, carry normal luggage, or travel without committing to a vineyard lunch. Some carriages also have windows that open, which beats sealed panoramic glass for photographs.
The standard Bernina Express provides the familiar panoramic-carriage experience and requires a seat reservation in addition to the relevant rail ticket.
The correct choice therefore depends on purpose:
- Pullman Class: a full-day hosted experience with historic interiors and lunch.
- Standard Bernina Express: panoramic travel with a defined seat and fewer additional services.
- Regional train: flexibility, more departure options and the lowest supplementary cost.
The historic carriage creates practical restrictions
Pullman Class is not barrier-free. The Rhaetian Railway puts that down to the historic carriage and points passengers needing accessible travel towards other arrangements.
Luggage storage is very limited. Larger items go in station lockers.
All of which makes this far easier as a return excursion from a St Moritz hotel than as one leg of a long multi-country itinerary with three suitcases.
The ordinary Bernina Express does have wheelchair-accessible seating through advance Railservice booking, and luggage racks, though space is tight there too.
Catering needs to be settled before the day
Vegetarian food is available. There is no vegan menu. Allergies and intolerances go to the catering operator at least 48 hours ahead and can be accommodated within limits.
Alcohol is included, with non-alcoholic alternatives. Children travel at the published fixed price.
Dogs are not accepted because of catering hygiene rules, except for recognised guide and assistance dogs with the required documentation.
Get complex dietary requirements confirmed in writing before buying. The general conditions do not promise that every menu can be adapted.
Cancellation flexibility is limited
Rhaetian Railway states that a Pullman Class booking generally cannot be cancelled, although refunds may be possible in specified cases under its terms and conditions.
That matters when the day is built around a flight, a hotel transfer or another rail connection, because a missed departure takes the lunch and the whole programme with it, not just a seat.
Take the final price from the railway’s own booking path for your direction, date and passenger type. Third-party packages bundle hotels, transfers and extra rail sectors, so compare what is inside them before comparing the number on the front.
Late September may be the more convincing window
The Pullman season continues into late October, giving travellers a choice between summer light and cooler autumn colour.
No date guarantees snow, clear skies, visible glaciers or a dry afternoon. The Bernina does what it wants regardless of ticket class.
September carries one practical advantage. Hotels, transfers and connecting services run with more depth than at the very end of October, and the school-holiday pressure has gone.
Tirano connects onward to Lake Como and Milan. Put that on the following day if you want the vineyard lunch without watching the clock.
Who should book Pullman Class
- travellers treating the Bernina line as one of the principal experiences of the trip;
- couples or small groups wanting a controlled carriage and hosted day;
- St Moritz guests making a return excursion without large luggage;
- private groups considering an exclusive 32-seat booking;
- rail travellers interested in historic carriage design as much as the mountains.
It is a weaker fit for wheelchair users, vegan guests, passengers with large luggage, travellers requiring flexible cancellation or anyone using the train primarily to reach the next hotel quickly.
Luxury.it perspective
Pullman Class earns its place because it changes the use of the day, not because it claims a better view than the train behind it.
The route stays open to panoramic and regional services alike. What Pullman adds is a historic carriage, 32 seats, hosting and a lunch at La Gatta that stops the day behaving like transport.
Book it when the railway is the destination. Take another train when the destination is waiting at the other end.
Related guides
The Best Hotels in Lake Como · Cervino The One · Villa Florhof, Zurich
For St Moritz hotels, rail reservations, private transfers and an onward Italian itinerary, contact Luxury.it Concierge.
