Railway Dreaming… Riding the Bernina Express Part 1: Chum to Alp Grüm, CH

Bernina Express Train in Alp Grüm Station
Alp Grüm (2,091 m) is the first station south of the Swiss Alps. The sleek Bernina Express trains stop here briefly after (or before) crossing through the Bernina Pass.

Morning Rails
We had to get up early to meet our RegionalExpress service from Pfäffikon to Chur, where we would join the Bernina Express.

Inside the Bernina
The rail carriages are modern and spacious.

Rising Sun
As we start off south, the sun rises over the mountains near Chur.

Church on a Hill
The view from our moving window is impossibly picturesque.

The Tail of the Train
The morning light glints off the trees and makes reflections in the train windows as we watch our tail follow us around one of the many limestone viaducts.

Almost Abstract – Trees in the Train

Tiefencastel Station (884 m)
There are a few small stations on the Albula Railway line from Chur to St. Moritz; we stop in Tiefencastel to pick up a tourist group.

The Conductor

Almost Abstract – Impossible Bridges
We watch the front of of our train head towards the tunnel on the mountain opposite us. The natural dolomite lime pillars of the Landwasser Viaduct in Graubünden stretch across 142 meters, 65 metres above the rugged Landwasser Valley below. This impressive structure was built between 1901 and 1902, and constructed so well that the first renovations were not performed until 2009.

“How Green is my Village?”
We come out of the tunnel and drop down to Bergün, a charming town set in impossibly green mountain meadows. This is the town that made international headlines in 2017 when it voted to ban tourist photography because it is “Too beautiful!”, and people seeing the pictures on social media would be jealous and unhappy. Not everyone appreciated the joke, but it certainly generated lots of free publicity!

Bernina Mountain Goat
I am a Capricorn: I couldn’t resist buying myself an official Bernina mountain goat.

Scene from the Train
Meanwhile, the beautiful alpine meadows continue to roll past our windows.

In the Shadow of the Mountains
It is hard to imagine a more sublime location for ordinary housing.

Inn River Valley
The mountain village of Pontresina, flanked by the Bernina Massif, is popular for hiking, biking, glacier walks and spa retreats. It is a stone’s throw from the luxury resort town of St. Moritz.

Almost Abstract – “Selfie” Inside the Bernina

Bernina Pass
Like the road beside us, we climb up again, …

Train in the Bernina Pass
… across the Bernina Pass and towards Ospizio Bernina (2,253 m), the highest station on our route.

Lej Pitschen (“Small Lake”) – Bernina Pass

Walking Paths
Well-marked trails lead from Ospizio Bernina station past the tiny Lej Nair, …

Lago Bianco
… along Lago Bianco (“White Lake”), and on to Alp Grüm. You can just see the dam at the other end of the glacial waters; water on this side flows back to the Inn River and empties into the Black Sea, while the water on the other side flows toward the Adriatic.

Alp Grüm Station
We had a chance to alight from the train at the southern-most end of the Bernina Pass: Alp Grüm Station. This marks the southern border of the Romansh speaking part of the country; we will soon be in Italian-speaking territory.

Trains at Alp Grum Station
As high as we are (2,091 m) already, the mountains rise steeply around us.

Dreams of Snow-Dusted Alpine Peaks

Alpine Meadow
Alp Grüm means “Alpine Garden”, which is a pretty accurate description of our beautiful surrounds.

View from Alp Grüm

Lago Palü
We have wonderful views over Lake Palü and towards the Vadret da Palü – the Palü Glacier – behind it.

Trains in the Trees
Too soon we are back on the train, as it follows countless curves through the tall trees to descend into the Poschiavo Valley.

Trains that Pass
We pass trains heading up hill; the Bernina Express trains run a full schedule in summer.

Village in a Valley
We drop into the Poschiavo Valley, where lunch and a whole other adventure awaits us.