Railway Experiences
Railway Experiences
Railway experiences par excellence can be enjoyed when mounting the Glacier Express or the Bernina Express or travelling in elegant dining cars, historical steam trains and open observation carriages or indulging in a nostalgic and luxurious 20’s-style journey. Excursions to Nationalpark Müstair, the old city of Chur (the oldest city of Switzerland), trips through the Rheinschlucht, the Via Mala or leading along the railway-historic trail Preda-Bergün complete the range on offer. A truly paradisiacal and compelling choice. The Hotel Station next to Pontresina station is the perfect starting point for these trips.
Three special railway highlights that are always worth a trip:
GLACIER EXPRESS
Two world-famous places are situated along the route of this exciting and varied journey: St. Moritz, the sophisticated destination, the elegant and exclusive venue amidst the breathtaking mountain scenery of the Engadin and Zermatt, the car-free village at the foot of the world’s most photographed mountain, the Matterhorn. But actually the journey in the Glacier Express itself is a spectacle. The panoramic trip leads through the Alps, crossing 291 bridges, passing 91 tunnels and, at an altitude of more than 2000 m.a.s.l., crossing the Oberalppass – an unforgettable and breathtaking experience.
www.glacierexpress.ch
BERNINA EXPRESS
The most spectacular way to cross the Alps: The Albula and Bernina line of the Rhaetian Railway. It connects northern and southern Europe in an absolute unique and beautiful way. A pleasure that leads along glaciers and encompasses the southern love of life as well as alpine nature. Since summer 2008, the section between Thusis and Tirano is classed as UNESCO World Heritage site.
www.rhb.ch
VENICE-ST. MORITZ-TOUR
The Venice-St.Moritz Tour is a new, comprehensive journey by train and coach, launched in 2008. It connects the Adriatic lagoon city of Venice with Olympic St. Moritz, at 1856 m.a.s.l., in the Swiss Alps and six UNESCO World Heritage properties plus the Swiss National Park. The journey takes around eight hours and can be made at any time of the year in either direction. A perfect starting point for any of these train journeys and only a few minutes train ride from St. Moritz is Pontresina station.
www.venice-stmoritz.com
UNESCO
In 2008 the UNESCO World Heritage committee accepted the Swiss-Italian candidature for the ‘Rhaetian Railway in the Albula/Bernina cultural landscape’. It was the third railway worldwide to be considered ‘universally outstanding’ by UNESCO. The picturesque journey covers 122 kilometres from Thusis via St. Moritz to Tirano, leading over 196 bridges, through 55 tunnels and past 20 villages. At its steepest point the train masters an inclination of 70mm per metre without the aid of cogwheel technology. The approximately 100 years old authentic railway infrastructure is in perfect condition.
THE HOTEL STATION – SITUATED DIRECTLY NEXT TO UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE
The Hotel Station is situated directly next to the UNESCO World Heritage-classed railway, thus the perfect starting point for this dreamlike railway journey.
