Bernina & Glacier Express with a Swiss Travel Pass: What's Covered and the Seat Reservation
Does the Swiss Travel Pass cover the Bernina Express and the Glacier Express? The Pass covers the fare; the seat reservation is extra. What each railway says it costs, checked November 2026.
The Swiss Travel Pass covers the fare on the Bernina Express and the Glacier Express; the seat reservation is extra on both. SBB lists the Pass as unlimited travel “by train, bus, boat and on panoramic trains (excluding seat reservation and/or surcharge)” (sbb.ch, checked 12 November 2026). Glacier Express AG says the same of its train: apart from the obligatory seat reservation, the trip is covered by the Swiss Travel Pass, and its price page lists that reservation at CHF 54.00 in 1st and 2nd class (glacierexpress.ch, 12 November 2026). For the Bernina Express the Rhaetian Railway tells Pass holders to select the seat reservation only; its pages say the reservation is subject to a charge and print no amount.
The seat reservation, train by train
| Train | Seat reservation | What the railway states | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glacier Express | Mandatory | CHF 54.00 in 1st and 2nd class, CHF 590.00 in Excellence Class on long journeys; the Pass covers the trip but not the reservation | glacierexpress.ch, 12 November 2026 |
| Bernina Express (panoramic car) | Mandatory | “Subject to a charge”; no amount on the railway’s pages; Pass holders select the seat reservation only | rhb.ch, 12 November 2026 |
| Regional red trains on the Bernina line | Optional, St. Moritz to Tirano only | CHF 5.00 per person; a ticket or a Pass is all you need to board | rhb.ch, 12 November 2026 |
Glacier Express AG adds two conditions for Pass holders. For 1st class and Excellence Class you need a Pass in 1st class, and reservations for 1st and 2nd class open 93 days before the date of travel. The Rhaetian Railway says Bernina Express seats are often fully booked well in advance, so it advises reserving early, and that individual seat reservations cannot be made for regional trains in April 2027. The Glacier Express does not run between 11 October and 4 December 2026 (glacierexpress.ch).
On the Bernina line you can ride a regional red train with no reservation at all. When the reserved seats on a regional train are sold out, the Rhaetian Railway says you can still make the journey without a reservation, though longer waiting times may occur in periods of high demand.
What else the Pass covers
| On the Pass | Covered? | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Trains, buses and boats in Switzerland | Yes, for the days of the Pass | SBB |
| Panoramic trains | Travel yes, seat reservation and surcharge no | SBB |
| Local buses and trams in more than 90 towns and cities | Yes | SBB |
| Most mountain railways and lifts | 50% discount, not free | SBB |
| More than 500 museums | Free admission | SBB |
SBB sells the Pass for 3, 4, 6, 8 or 15 consecutive days, from CHF 254.00 in 2nd class and CHF 405.00 in 1st; the Flex version, with travel days chosen within a month, starts at CHF 289.00 and CHF 461.00 (sbb.ch, checked 12 November 2026).
One detail sits outside the table. The Bernina line ends in Tirano, which is in Italy; if your plan relies on the Pass for the last stretch, ask the Rhaetian Railway before you travel.
A Pass or a day tour?
The Pass wins when the train is the holiday: several lines over several days, the Glacier Express one day and the Bernina line another, with a few lakes and museums in between. It does nothing for a coach day from Milan, which is a tour with its own ticket.
The day tour wins when you have one day in Milan. Milano Art Discovery’s Bernina red train day carries you from Milan Centrale to Tirano, puts you on the regional red train to St. Moritz, which needs no reservation, and brings you back the same evening, from US$166 a person (checked November 2026).
From Milan to the Swiss Alps: Bernina Red Train & St. Moritz
Milano Art Discovery: coach from Milan Centrale, 2.5 hours on the regional red train from Tirano to St. Moritz, 1.5 hours in St. Moritz, back the same evening. Meals not included.
Check dates →Price, rating and review count (GetYourGuide, checked November 2026). Operators price by date and season, so treat the figure as the shape of the market, not a quote.
swisstravelpassunlimited.com covers the Pass itself in depth: the versions, the activation and the extras it brings.
Book the Bernina Red Train Day from Milan
A coach from Milan Centrale and back, the Bernina red train from Tirano to St. Moritz, and a live guide in English. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check dates