Malpensa to St. Moritz: Maloja pass or train

Into the Engadine: which pass

Two roads lead from Italy into the Engadine, and the weather decides which one you take.

• Maloja. Along Lake Como to Chiavenna, then up the pass. It's the shorter way and the one used on a clear day. The pass stays open all winter but closes in heavy snowfall. The road twists a great deal, with gradients of up to 11%.
• Julier. The climb starts at Thusis. It's longer but more dependable in bad weather.

There's also the Bernina pass on the Tirano side. The Albula and the Flüela, north of the Engadine, are closed in winter.

On the morning of your trip, the driver checks the forecast and road reports and chooses the pass. Over the Maloja the drive takes about 3 hours, which is the time given in the tables. If the Maloja is shut and the driver goes over the Julier, it comes to as much as 3 h 40 min.

Winter tyres and chains are always on board, and you don't pay separately for them.

The border and Swiss roads

This route takes you into Switzerland, so each passenger needs a passport. The border lies within the Schengen area and cars aren't usually stopped.

Swiss motorways require a vignette. On a trip with us it's already part of the fare, as are the Italian tolls. If you hire a car, the vignette and winter tyres are your responsibility, and you can't drive without them.

The Bernina Express

Plenty of people take the train to St. Moritz for the ride itself. An ordinary service runs from Milan to Tirano, where the Bernina line begins. The line is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The train climbs past glaciers on looping hairpins, without spiral tunnels. The whole trip from Milan takes about five hours.

The Bernina Express panoramic carriages must be reserved. Regular trains run on the same line; they're cheaper and need no reservation.

Operator fares and timetables were checked on 5 September 2026. For winter dates, check them again.

Dorf or Bad: tell us in advance

St. Moritz is made up of two parts, each with its own lifts and car parks.

• Dorf sits around the station and the funicular up to Corviglia. The Serletta garage is close by.
• Bad lies by the lake, and the Signal cable car leaves from here.

Some hotels are inside the pedestrian zone. So when you book, give us not just the hotel but also "Dorf" or "Bad", and the driver will head straight for the right entrance.

Season and events 2026/27

The skiing comes under the Engadin St. Moritz Mountains name: Corviglia, Corvatsch, Diavolezza and Lagalb. One ski pass covers every area, with buses and trains running between them.

The official dates for the 2026/27 season haven't been announced yet. It usually runs from late November to early May.

Hotels and roads are busier than usual on these dates:

• 18–20 December 2026: the women's FIS World Cup races at Salastrains;
• 22–24 January 2027: the Snow Polo World Cup;
• 7, 14 and 21 February 2027: White Turf horse racing on the frozen lake;
• 14 March 2027: the Engadin Skimarathon, a cross-country ski marathon.

The valley gets around three hundred days of sunshine a year, so the slopes aren't the only reason people come.

Fares to St. Moritz

Tap a row to book this route.

The times in the table are for clear weather. In snow, with a detour, the drive takes longer, but the price stays the one you saw when you booked.

The fare includes the vignette, motorway tolls, luggage, ski carriage and 60 minutes' waiting at the airport. Child seats are free. The return trip is 10% cheaper.

You pay the driver on the spot, by card or in cash, with no prepayment. We meet late flights too: if a night-time pick-up has a supplement, you'll see it before you confirm.

How to decide

If you have time to spare and no more than a suitcase, take the Bernina line: here the journey becomes part of the holiday.

The car is the better choice if you land in the evening, travel as a group with skis, or a snowstorm closes the pass. Four people in a minivan pay about €119 each, and you're set down at your own hotel in Dorf or Bad.