St. Moritz is not on the way to anywhere from Lucerne. It sits deep in the Upper Engadine valley in the canton of Graubünden, closer to the Italian border than to central Switzerland, and getting there takes most of a morning. What you find at the end of the journey is a genuinely different landscape from the lake and the mountains around Lucerne: a chain of turquoise-green lakes at nearly 1,800 metres, glaciers you can reach by cable car, and one of the most scenic rail lines in Europe.
Getting from Lucerne to St. Moritz
There is no direct train. The standard route runs Lucerne–Zurich–Chur–St. Moritz, with the last leg on the Rhaetian Railway’s Albula line, itself part of the UNESCO-listed Rhaetian Railway network. Total journey time is around 3 h 45 minutes to 4 hours depending on connections, similar to the time it takes to reach Zermatt from Lucerne and noticeably longer than the run to Lugano through the Gotthard base tunnel.
| Route | Approx. time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lucerne → Zurich HB | 45 min–1 h | Frequent departures |
| Zurich HB → Chur | 1 h 15 | Change here for the Albula line |
| Chur → St. Moritz | 2 h | Rhaetian Railway, narrow gauge, scenic |
| Lucerne → St. Moritz total | ~3 h 45–4 h | 1–2 changes |
A Swiss Travel Pass covers all three legs, including the Rhaetian Railway sections, and is the simplest way to do this trip without buying separate tickets. If you only hold a Half Fare Card, budget roughly CHF 90–100 one way, second class.
Because of the distance, most visitors either stay overnight in the Engadine or arrive from the Italian side, on the classic Bernina Express run up from Tirano. Travellers based in Lucerne who want the Bernina experience without relocating often join it from Milan or Tirano as a standalone excursion — a guided train ride up from Tirano with a private guide or a full-day Bernina Express trip from Milan both cover the UNESCO section without needing a Graubünden base at all.
The lakes of the Upper Engadine
St. Moritz sits on its own lake, Lake St. Moritz, but the real draw is the chain of lakes running down the valley towards Maloja: Lake Silvaplana, Lake Sils and Lake Champfèr. In summer the water is genuinely swimmable, if cold, and the valley is wide enough and windy enough that Silvaplana is a serious windsurfing and kitesurfing spot rather than a scenic backdrop. Walking or cycling the lakeside path from St. Moritz to Sils Maria takes about 3 hours on foot or under an hour by e-bike, flat the whole way, with views back towards the Bernina peaks.
In winter the same lakes freeze solid enough to host horse racing, polo and a golf tournament played on the ice — genuinely, not a gimmick, and worth checking dates for if you are visiting in February. It also means the lake is walkable, which locals do, though the tourist board’s assurances about ice thickness are not a substitute for common sense.
Diavolezza and the Corvatsch
Two cable cars give access to glacier terrain without a mountaineering guide. Diavolezza, on the Pontresina side of the valley, rises to 2,978 metres and puts you face to face with the Piz Bernina massif and the Morteratsch glacier from above — this is the classic postcard view of the region. The round trip cable car costs around CHF 64 and runs year-round, weather permitting.
The Corvatsch cable car, closer to Silvaplana, climbs to 3,303 metres, higher than Diavolezza, with views over the whole lake chain rather than the glacier itself. Both are covered partially by regional passes but not fully by the Swiss Travel Pass — check current terms before assuming a discount, as Graubünden’s mountain railways are largely outside the main national network.
Neither cable car is a good idea in low cloud: the whole point is the view, and Engadine weather can close in within an hour, particularly in early autumn.
Morteratsch glacier
The Morteratsch glacier is reached by a short train ride from St. Moritz or Pontresina to Morteratsch station, followed by a flat, well-marked walk along the valley floor. The walk to the current glacier snout takes 45 minutes to an hour each way and needs no special equipment beyond decent shoes. Signposts along the path mark where the ice front stood in past decades — 1900, 1950, 2000 — and the retreat is stark enough that it needs no commentary. This is one of the more honest things to do in the region: free, unhurried, and not dressed up as an “experience.”
Do not attempt to walk onto the ice itself without a guide; the surface is unstable and crevassed even where it looks solid from a distance.
Pontresina
Pontresina, a 15-minute train ride from St. Moritz, is quieter and noticeably cheaper for accommodation while sitting closer to both Diavolezza and the Morteratsch glacier trailhead. It suits travellers who want the Engadine landscape without St. Moritz’s prices and its clientele of watch shops and fur coats. The village also has an active marmot population on its lower slopes, easily seen without a long hike, which is the basis of a dedicated photography walk aimed at spotting marmots and ibex in the early morning when they are most active.
For a first stay in the region, Pontresina as a base with day trips into St. Moritz is often the more sensible arrangement than the reverse.
The Bernina line: a UNESCO World Heritage railway
The Bernina line, running between St. Moritz (or Chur) and Tirano in Italy, is jointly listed with the Albula line as a UNESCO World Heritage Site — the trains themselves are ordinary Rhaetian Railway rolling stock, but the route is anything but. It climbs to 2,253 metres at the Ospizio Bernina without a single tunnel over open ground, crosses the Landwasser Viaduct and the spiralling Brusio viaduct, and drops from high alpine terrain into Italian-speaking Valposchiavo’s vineyards in under two hours. Reservations are compulsory in high season and the panoramic carriages sell out days ahead in July and August.
If your priority is simply riding the line rather than basing yourself in St. Moritz, joining it from the Italian side is usually cheaper and shorter: both the guided trip from Tirano and the day trip from Milan handle the border crossing and timing for you, which matters more than it sounds given the limited number of daily connections.
Fitting St. Moritz into a Lucerne-based trip
Given the distance, St. Moritz rarely works as an add-on day. The two realistic ways to include it:
- A dedicated 2–3 night detour from Lucerne, ideally combined with an onward or return leg on the Bernina or Glacier Express rather than retracing the same route twice.
- A standalone Bernina Express excursion from Milan or Tirano, for travellers whose trip already includes northern Italy, leaving Lucerne itself untouched.
Neither is a casual decision, and both cost more in time than most other day trips from Lucerne, including comparable high-altitude runs to Andermatt or the Aletsch glacier region near Fiesch, which sit closer to central Switzerland. Travellers building a longer rail-focused itinerary should read the Bernina Express guide and the Glacier Express guide before deciding which line, or both, fits the trip; a 7-day Lucerne itinerary has enough slack to include one, a shorter stay generally does not.
For visitors who want to sample the Engadine’s culture rather than just its scenery, a private walking tour through St. Moritz’s old town and lake shore covers the belle-époque hotel history and the town’s Roman-era mineral spring, which most visitors walk past without noticing.
What a day actually costs
| Item | Typical cost (CHF) |
|---|---|
| Diavolezza cable car, return | 64 |
| Corvatsch cable car, return | 64 |
| Lunch at a mountain restaurant | 25–40 |
| Coffee and cake, St. Moritz | 12–15 |
| Mid-range hotel, per night | 220–350 |
| Mid-range hotel, Pontresina | 150–230 |
Two cable cars and a mountain lunch alone can exceed CHF 150 per person before accommodation. This is one of the most expensive corners of an already expensive country, and the region’s tourist board pricing reflects a clientele used to it.
When to go, and when lifts are closed
Like the lifts around Lake Lucerne, the Engadine’s cable cars close for scheduled maintenance in spring and again in autumn — typically parts of April to May, and a window in November, though exact dates shift year to year and should be checked directly before travelling. Winter (December to March) is ski season and the region’s busiest and most expensive period; summer (June to September) suits hiking, lake activities and the glacier walk. Late September and early October can be genuinely good, with clear air and thinner crowds, but shorter daylight and a real risk of early snow closing higher trails.
Travellers using a Swiss Travel Pass for the wider trip, or considering the regional Tell-Pass around Lucerne, should note that Graubünden’s cable cars and the Bernina line are covered differently — read the Swiss Travel Pass guide for what is and is not included before assuming a blanket discount. For winter travellers weighing this against closer options, the ski day trips from Lucerne guide and a luxury 4-day Lucerne itinerary both cover how St. Moritz compares to resorts nearer central Switzerland, such as those around Chur or Davos.
For active travellers wanting more than the cable cars, a tandem paragliding flight over the lakes runs from spring through autumn, weather permitting, and gives a different angle on the valley than either Diavolezza or Corvatsch alone.
St. Moritz and the Engadine: frequently asked questions
How do you get from Lucerne to St. Moritz by train?
Take a train from Lucerne to Zurich HB, change for Chur, then change again onto the Rhaetian Railway’s Albula line to St. Moritz. The full journey takes about 3 h 45 minutes to 4 hours and is covered by a Swiss Travel Pass.
Is the Bernina Express worth the extra cost?
The Bernina line itself is ordinary-priced regional rail; the “Bernina Express” name applies to trains with compulsory seat reservations and panoramic windows, which add a moderate reservation fee. The scenery, particularly the Ospizio Bernina summit and the Brusio spiral viaduct, is worth it, but you can ride the same physical route on a non-reserved regional service for less if seats are unavailable.
What is there to do in St. Moritz without skiing?
Summer options include lake walks and cycling to Sils Maria, the Corvatsch and Diavolezza cable cars, the Morteratsch glacier walk, and museums covering the town’s belle-époque tourism history. Windsurfing and kitesurfing on Lake Silvaplana are also active outside ski season.
How difficult is the Morteratsch glacier walk?
It is an easy, flat walk from Morteratsch station along a marked path, taking 45 minutes to an hour each way in normal footwear. Walking onto the glacier ice itself requires a guide and proper equipment and should not be attempted independently.
Is St. Moritz expensive compared to Lucerne?
Yes, noticeably. Hotel rates, restaurant prices and cable car tickets in St. Moritz generally run higher than equivalent options in and around Lucerne; Pontresina, 15 minutes away by train, is a cheaper base with access to the same attractions.
When do the Diavolezza and Corvatsch cable cars close for maintenance?
Both typically have closure windows in spring (around April–May) and again in November for scheduled maintenance, though exact dates vary each year. Check the operators’ current schedules before building a trip around either cable car.
Is Pontresina cheaper than St. Moritz?
Generally yes, for both accommodation and dining, while remaining a short train ride from St. Moritz itself and closer to the Morteratsch glacier trailhead and Diavolezza cable car base station.
Can you visit St. Moritz as a day trip from Milan instead of Lucerne?
Yes, and for many travellers it is the more practical option. The Bernina line’s Italian end at Tirano is much closer to Milan than St. Moritz is to Lucerne, and guided day trips from Milan handle the border crossing and reservation timing directly. faq:
- question: “How do you get from Lucerne to St. Moritz by train?” answer: “Take a train from Lucerne to Zurich HB, change for Chur, then change again onto the Rhaetian Railway’s Albula line to St. Moritz.
The full journey takes about 3 h 45 minutes to 4 hours and is covered by a Swiss Travel Pass.”
- question: “Is the Bernina Express worth the extra cost?” answer: “The Bernina line itself is ordinary-priced regional rail; the “Bernina Express” name applies to trains with compulsory seat reservations and panoramic windows, which add a moderate reservation fee.
The scenery, particularly the Ospizio Bernina summit and the Brusio spiral viaduct, is worth it, but you can ride the same physical route on a non-reserved regional service for less if seats are unavailable.”
- question: “What is there to do in St. Moritz without skiing?” answer: “Summer options include lake walks and cycling to Sils Maria, the Corvatsch and Diavolezza cable cars, the Morteratsch glacier walk, and museums covering the town’s belle-époque tourism history.
Windsurfing and kitesurfing on Lake Silvaplana are also active outside ski season.”
- question: “How difficult is the Morteratsch glacier walk?” answer: “It is an easy, flat walk from Morteratsch station along a marked path, taking 45 minutes to an hour each way in normal footwear.
Walking onto the glacier ice itself requires a guide and proper equipment and should not be attempted independently.”
- question: “Is St. Moritz expensive compared to Lucerne?” answer: “Yes, noticeably. Hotel rates, restaurant prices and cable car tickets in St. Moritz generally run higher than equivalent options in and around Lucerne; Pontresina, 15 minutes away by train, is a cheaper base with access to the same attractions.”
- question: “When do the Diavolezza and Corvatsch cable cars close for maintenance?” answer: “Both typically have closure windows in spring (around April–May) and again in November for scheduled maintenance, though exact dates vary each year.
Check the operators’ current schedules before building a trip around either cable car.”
- question: “Is Pontresina cheaper than St. Moritz?” answer: “Generally yes, for both accommodation and dining, while remaining a short train ride from St. Moritz itself and closer to the Morteratsch glacier trailhead and Diavolezza cable car base station.”
- question: “Can you visit St. Moritz as a day trip from Milan instead of Lucerne?” answer: “Yes, and for many travellers it is the more practical option. The Bernina line’s Italian end at Tirano is much closer to Milan than St. Moritz is to Lucerne, and guided day trips from Milan handle the border crossing and reservation timing directly.”
