Bernina Express consists of a set of panorama coaches which are all compulsory paid reservation.

These coaches are then hauled by a 3 car unit with 1st and 2nd class seating that has no reservations or extra charge. You are free to travel in this portion of the train with just your pass.

There are also many regular connections Chur - Tirano through the day that run on the same exact route, these also require no reservation or additional fee.

 So 1st and 2nd class seating unit windows are not like this!!

No, that is a 1st class panorama coach.

The unit hauling it is one of these

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.swissrailways.com%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fswissrailways.com_scenic_journeys_berninaexpress_summer_1.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=d03f2154fcf3019742457becf1258a46ff33f340a594c6fd598a464aefa207ee&ipo=images

such a pity!

If you want to make nice photos you better use the reservation free coaches or regional trains where you can pull down the windows. The reservation free coaches and regional trains are usually also less crowded. 

Hey, when i want to book the train from Chur to Tirano, it says that the carrier is PE 951 Panorama Express.

• Is this the Bernina Express, or another train company? 

• Does the Panorama Express has a guaranteed panorama view even if you have a second class ticket? If not, how can i have a place with ‘panorama view’ and what are the charges for such?
• What is the extra supplement that needs to be paid at the station? What does that mean and how much is that?
• I also have an option to go with a local train that stops in Samedan and Pontresina. Is it worth it as opposed to the bernina express?

Hope to hear from you guys. 

Well everything is explained right above your post…

PE simply means Panorama Express → Bernina Express

You need to pay 26 CHF for a seat reservation on the panorama carriages (book well in advance). This is the “supplement”. Not worth the cost honestly as these carriages are always full… either :

• travel on the reservation-free carriages at the front of the Bernina Express : nice carriages, pull-down windows, less crowded
• take the hourly regional trains via Samedan and Pontresina : same carriages. In summer some trains between Pontresina and Tirano have open-air carriages (AW symbol on SBB app/sbb.ch)

Here are all trains with the open-air carriages listed: https://www.rhb.ch/de/erlebniswelt-bahn/erlebnisfahrten/offene-aussichtswagen

I can highly recommend them (as long as the weather is good of course). Don't expect high comfort (you get a wooden bench) but the view is spectacular.

Hi! please follow the previous conversation for the information on how panaroma (first class) compartments look like. If you have eurail pass and if you want to reserve for the first class or panaroma view comaprtments go to this link (Bernina Express - Shop (rhb.ch)) check the availability your suitable dates. Here are the prices and time table of panbaromic express trains for your reference

Once after checing the availability and selecting the seat of your preference, select eurail pass option under “reduction” section and pay the extra fee for first class. Here is the reference for you how does it look like!

Lastly, add the same train (same date, time and route as your first class reservation) on your eurail pass app.

Have a nice day

I’m planning a family trip to Switzerland and was hoping to experience the Bernina Express. However, after checking the SBB website, I found that it’s unavailable on the day I planned (in fact, it’s not available for the entire week since they have only one Bernina express train departing at 10:06 am)). Since I can’t change my travel dates, I discovered in a forum that it's possible to take a regular train ride from Tirano to St. Moritz. We’ll be staying in Lugano and plan to take the train from Lugano to Tirano, then return to Lucerne after the Tirano to St. Moritz journey.

Could you recommend which trains to take for these 3 segments?

• Which morning train from Lugano to Tirano would you suggest between 6:30 am to 8:00 am)?
•  
• Which specific REGULAR train should we book for the Tirano to St. Moritz leg? And how much time is needed to spend on St. Mortitz before we take train to Lucern.
• Any tips for booking or traveling on this regular train, particularly for the Tirano to St. Moritz segment?
• Which coach type would be best for this route (Tirano to St. Moritz ) in this REGULAR train, and do you have any seat recommendations for better views or comfort, especially considering the January weather?
•  
• Which evening train from St. Mortiz to Lucerne would you suggest?

Also, how much time would you recommend spending in St. Moritz before continuing the journey, and what is the best option for the St. Moritz to Lucerne leg?  

Thank you so much for your help and advice. I truly appreciate your suggestions and look forward to your recommendations!

Trains in Switzerland don't need to be booked. Reservations are a waste of money. Just add the train to your pass, board and find a seat. Use sbb.ch for timetables.

The Bernina Express has reservation-free carriages at the front of the train. But you can use any regular train. The view will be the same. The advantage of regular trains or the reservation-free carriages of the BE is that they are not so full and you can open some of the windows.

St Moritz is not really special. I'd rather spend some time at e.g. Alp Grüm and give St. Moritz a miss.

Thank you, @rvdborgt, for your response! Just to clarify my understanding: we can still board the 10:06 AM train without a reservation, avoiding the panoramic view coach, and instead travel in the front carriages. Additionally, if we decide to skip St. Moritz and visit Alp Grüm instead, how much time would you recommend spending there? Any other place to visit  before we leave to Lucerne. Also, what would be the best way to travel from Alp Grüm to Lucerne?. And also does this ticket comes hop on hop or point to point tickets (I don’t plan to buy swiss pass or any other pass since I stay only 2 days)

I'd say 1 or 2 hours in Alp Grüm. You can indeed still board the 10:06 train from Tirano in the front carriages.

If you're only staying 2 days, then you could consider a Day Saver pass. They can be good value if bought in advance. If you have children, depending on their age, there are cheap tickets for them.

Also please note that sbb.ch by default shows the 50% discounted fare.

For Lugano to Tirano, the quickest way is via Italy, e.g. leaving at 6:02 or 7:02 with a change in Monza. If you already have a day pass for Switzerland on that day, then you need an extra ticket from Chiasso to Tirano, which is €15.50 for an adult.

I'll add my 2 cents:

Indeed leave Lugano fairly early as the days are short in January. It will be a long day no matter what. By leaving at 6am you'd get sunrise along Lake Como.

I'd stop 1h between trains in Alp Grüm, enough time to see the views and drink a hot beverage or 2h and you get lunch there rather than a picnic on the train.

Use the SBB app/website for timetables. Trains run very often, every 30 min on mainlines. Note that the fastest route between Engadin and Zurich/Lucerne is via the Vereina tunnel. You don't want that to travel along the Albula line. Add Chur (or Filisur) as a via point during search.

Chur - Zürich HB - Lucerne has some nice views but it will start to get dark anyway. You might be trapped under the Plateau stratus clouds as well haha. Mix of single and double-decker trains. Go to the train ends for plenty of seats (sector D in Chur).