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Why a St. Moritz day trip from Milan is worth it
If you have an extra day on your Milan trip, consider crossing the border into Switzerland for the day. One of the easiest ways is a full-day tour from Milan to St. Moritz, the famously glamorous Alpine resort.
The highlight is the journey back: the Bernina Express, the little red mountain train that glides past glaciers, valleys and soaring viaducts on a route so beautiful it’s a UNESCO World Heritage railway.
Piecing the buses and trains together yourself is a lot of work — but on a guided tour you get the whole day sorted in one. For a woman travelling solo in her 40s, it was a relaxed, worry-free way to see it.
This page contains affiliate links (Viator). If you book through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
The tour at a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Tour | Milan to St. Moritz with the Bernina Red Train (full day) |
| Duration | About 12.5–13 hours (early start, evening return) |
| Transport | Coach out, Bernina Express red train back |
| Train leg | About 2.5 hours on the UNESCO World Heritage route |
| Language | English-speaking guide |
| Price guide | From around €110 (approx. $120 / £95) — varies by date |
| Bring | Your passport (you cross into Switzerland) |
| Booking | Online via Viator |
| Cancellation | Free cancellation up to 24 hours before |
It’s a popular route, so booking ahead — especially in summer and autumn — is the safe bet. Your exact meeting point comes in the confirmation email after you book.
🚂 Bernina Express & St. Moritz full-day tour from Milan (about 12.5 hrs, English-speaking guide) — free cancellation up to 24 hours before
What to expect on the day
Morning: the coach into Switzerland
You leave Milan early and head north by coach, crossing from Italy into Switzerland and winding up into the Alps towards St. Moritz. Watching the landscape turn steadily more mountainous is part of the fun.
Midday: free time in St. Moritz
Once you arrive, the time is yours: stroll by the lake, browse the boutiques, or settle in for lunch. At around 1,800 m the air is crisp and the Alpine views are something else.
Afternoon: the Bernina Express red train
The star of the day. You board the red Bernina Express in St. Moritz and spend around 2.5 hours crossing the Alps — glaciers, mountain passes and the famous spiralling Brusio viaduct all roll past your window, one World Heritage view after another.
Tirano, then back to Milan
The train ends in Tirano, just over the Italian border. After a little time to look around, you rejoin the coach back to Milan. It’s an evening return, so leave the next morning relaxed.
A glimpse of St. Moritz glamour — my experience
Here’s what stayed with me after actually visiting — my honest take.
From St. Moritz station up to the town centre, you ride a sleek, spotlessly modern escalator. (And the public toilets? Japan-level clean — and free. That alone earned my respect.)
What I couldn’t stop noticing were the adverts lining that escalator: private jets and Ferraris — a world most of us simply never see day to day, casually presented here as the everyday backdrop.
At the top, the street opens onto Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Loro Piana and a cluster of the world’s luxury houses, all packed together. It drove home, in the most tangible way, that St. Moritz is a genuine playground for the wealthy — and experiencing that high up in the mountains was honestly fascinating, the kind of first that stays with you.
One more thing worth mentioning: the Engadiner Nusstorte I bought at a well-known local pâtisserie was delicious — and so was the Swiss chocolate I picked up at the convenience store by the station. I ate them both on a bench by the lake, which somehow made them taste even better. Simple, homely bites amid all that glitter — one of those small, happy travel moments.
Local tip: the Engadine valley around St. Moritz is famous for Engadiner Nusstorte — a rich traditional tart packed with walnuts and caramel. The fresh tart is hard to find outside Switzerland, but you can still bring home a taste of the Alps with Swiss chocolate and treats on Amazon.
How to book & what to pack
Book through Viator
🚂 Bernina Express & St. Moritz full-day tour from Milan (about 12.5 hrs, English-speaking guide) — free cancellation up to 24 hours before
What to bring
- Your passport (you cross the Italy–Switzerland border)
- A warm layer — it’s high up and stays cool even in summer. A packable down jacket folds away small and is ideal for the train.
- Comfortable walking shoes for the town’s cobbled streets and station platforms
- A Switzerland power adapter — Switzerland uses its own Type J plug, so a standard EU adapter may not fit. Easy to forget! Grab a Switzerland (Type J) travel adapter before you go.
- A portable power bank to keep your phone charged through a long day of photos
- A little cash — Switzerland uses the Swiss Franc (CHF); cards are widely accepted, but some coins help
- A camera for those train-window views
📖 Planning to see more of Switzerland? A good Switzerland guidebook is handy for ideas beyond St. Moritz.
Prices & what’s included
- Typical price: from around €110 (varies by date and group size)
- Included: round-trip transport (coach plus your Bernina Express ride) and an English-speaking guide
- Book ahead: sells out in peak summer and autumn
Pair it with the rest of your Milan trip
Back in Milan, there’s plenty more to enjoy within easy reach:
- 👉 Visiting La Scala, Milan — a guided theatre & museum tour
- 👉 The Devil Wears Prada 2 filming locations in Italy — full guide
Viator also lists plenty of other day trips and tours from Milan:
🚂 Lake Como, the Swiss Alps and more — all day trips from Milan
In short: who this day trip is for
- ✅ You want to add “one more country” to your Milan stay
- ✅ You’ve always wanted to ride the World Heritage Bernina Express
- ✅ You’d rather not piece the logistics together yourself
- ✅ You want to enjoy the scenery with the reassurance of a guided group
- ✅ You’re curious to glimpse the glamour of an Alpine luxury resort
In a single day from Milan, you get the drama of the Swiss Alps and a taste of dazzling St. Moritz. If your schedule allows, it’s well worth building in.
This article contains affiliate links. Everything here reflects my own honest experience.