Via Albula and Bernina

The hiking trail runs along the Albula and Bernina line of the Rhaetian Railway and offers enchanting views of the magnificent alpine landscape again and again, as well as of the 120-year-old railway line. Countless bridges and spectacular viaducts blend harmoniously into the landscape and the railway line is quite rightly a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The first part of the hiking route leads from Thusis, north of the Alps, through the Albula Valley to Val Bever and through the Upper Engadine to St. Moritz. The southern section finally takes you over the Bernina Pass into Val Poschiavo and, last but not least, you hike to Tirano in the Italian Valtellina.

Details about walking holidays on the Via Albula and Bernina

On this hiking holiday in Switzerland, you will discover a more than 100-year-old work of art of railway construction embedded in a magnificent alpine landscape. In eight days and six stages, the picturesque route takes you through the beautiful canton of Graubünden to Tirano in Italy.

Fantastic distant views and scenic backdrops are your constant companions along the tour. A particularly impressive photo motif is the Landwasser Viaduct, the railway bridge 65 metres high and 136 metres long on the railway line from Tiefencastel to Filisur.

The highlights of the Via Albula and Bernina walking holiday at a glance:

• UNESCO World Heritage Rhaetian Railway: In July 2008, the Albula and Bernina line was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A real speciality, after all, there are only two other railway lines that are UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Semmering Railway in Austria and the Mountain Railways of India.

• Centuries of railway history: this hiking trail along the Albula and Bernina line takes you along a true masterpiece of railway construction. The mountain railway was opened as early as 1896 and has since overcome enormous differences in altitude of more than 5,000 metres.

• Culture and cuisine of two countries: On our cross-border hiking tour Via Albula & Bernina you will experience the best of the culture and cuisine of both countries, Switzerland and Italy.

• Countless nature highlights: Countless highlights await you in the dreamlike nature on this hiking tour: the highest mountains of the canton of Graubünden, an impressive glacier world, the Stazerwald, Pontresina on the Bernina Pass, the crystal-clear Palpuognasee in the Albula Alps, as well as the 136-metre-long Landwasser Viaduct.

Interesting facts about hiking along the Via Albula and Bernina

This hiking tour Via Albula & Bernina is assigned to our hiking type 'Hiking'. The daily stages are planned with three to six hours and can be managed with a good basic condition. Some of the hiking trails are narrow or somewhat rocky, for which we recommend surefootedness and good shoes. Particularly pleasant: The hiking stages can also be shortened by taking the Rhaetian Railway in some cases.

This tour has been graded as Medium. Find out more about our walking holiday difficulty levels.