Chur – Oldest Town in Switzerland

At the end of the Bernina Express, we got out at Chur, Switzerland. Supposedly the oldest town in Switzerland. We mostly enjoyed the ‘old town’ which was only 300-600 years old.

We were there on a rainy spring day which suited us fine. Normally this town is crowded during ski season. We had it pretty much to ourselves.

I didn’t get Swiss fondue but I was tickled pink by the sausage dispenser on the side of the street. Sometimes the necessities need to be easily had, at any time of the day.

Swiss practicality.

The Bernina Express

If you want to see some spectacular vistas, glaciers, and cute alpine towns, try taking the Bernina Express. We went first class. We had table service and large picture windows that curved up the roof of the train carriage.

Taking this train in the spring allowed us to see both green valleys and snow capped mountains.

The best part was driving through a snow flurry which created an ethereal magical world of dancing flakes and frozen waterfalls.

The staff encouraged us to use the open windows at the end of the carriage to stick our heads out and enjoy the wind. It was refreshing, making returning to the warm carriage even cozier.

The Bernina Express is 110 years old and historic for many reasons. One can learn all about it by using the WIFI audio guide. Or you can just stare out at the passing scenery and imagine the lives lived there, far from the megatropolis of Rome. We dreamed of staying at one of those remote cottages for a few weeks…

The difficult part is that one must have both a reservation and a ticket. Make sure to screen shot those as the phone service may not be so strong up in the alps.

We took the train from Tirano to Chur. The journey was four hours long. They have various tours so one could do this more than once.