Today we took another of the World’s Great Train Journeys, well following the route, not on the fancy train.
We started with breakfast at the hostel, then a walk across the carpark to the station where we bought a ticket to Colico in Italy. The first part of the journey was through conifer forests as we steadily climbed.
A picture shows where a glacier has travelled over this large boulder and smoothed and grooved the surface.
The great scenic train route, and it lived up to its name. We went through high and rough terrain and surprisingly isolated. Though the ‘express’ part is somewhat exaggerated – there was NOTHING fast about the ride.
We descended steeply in to a beautiful valley were we got off the train – push the button to stop – at Cavaglai, where we went for a walk with plans to catch the next train in an hour.
We waited at the station for the train, in picture, it is winding and dropping steeply (it is a rack/cog rail) into the valley. From here we kept descending until we reached a lake in the valley.
Most dramatic was this very interesting railway construction where we travelled in a complete circle as we descended, and the train travelled under itself. If the train had been longer we could have looked at our own roof !
And then we were in Italy !
- The good and the bad of the Bernina Express route
- Not an express
- The non-tourist train has opening windows and free seating
- Fantastic changing views
- Really high up in the mountains
- A long day if you find train travel time consuming
- Endless changing surroundings
- Comfortable, but non designed for comfort
- Peaceful
or – Mow a Meadow
or – Continue into Italy – Introduction to Italy in 2016