Summer railways from Bever
- Closest
- Muottas Muragl, 10 min by train to Punt Muragl
- Highest
- Corvatsch, 3303 m
- Cheapest
- Evening trip up Muottas Muragl
- For several days
- Multi-day hiking pass, 2 to 7 days or whole season
- Season
- roughly June to mid/late October
Up high without the climb
The Upper Engadine already lies at 1700 to 1800 m. With the mountain railways you are at 2500 or even 3300 m within minutes – above the tree line, close to the glaciers and with a view over the lake plateau. From Bever you can reach six summer railways by train and bus, most of them in under an hour.
The railways open in stages: Diavolezza usually as early as the beginning of May, Muottas Muragl and Alp Languard in early June, Corvatsch in mid to late June, and Furtschellas, Corviglia and Marguns in the second half of June. Most of them run until mid or late October. We deliberately do not quote prices here, because they change every season. Current prices and operating hours: Engadin St. Moritz Mountains for Muottas Muragl, Alp Languard and Corviglia, Corvatsch-Diavolezza for Corvatsch, Diavolezza and Furtschellas. Which railways are running today is shown in the live report from Engadin Tourism.
| Railway | Top station | From Bever |
|---|---|---|
| Muottas Muragl | 2456 m | Train, 10 min |
| Alp Languard | 2327 m | Bus, just over 30 min |
| Diavolezza | 2978 m | Train, just over 40 min |
| Corvatsch | 3303 m | Bus, just over 50 min |
| Furtschellas | 2312 m | Bus, around 50 min |
| Corviglia/Piz Nair | 3057 m | Bus to Celerina, just over 20 min |
Muottas Muragl: the little red funicular on your doorstep
The funicular has run from Punt Muragl up to 2456 m since 1907 – at the time the longest single-section funicular in Switzerland, with gradients of up to 54 %. Punt Muragl lies on the way from Bever to Pontresina: 10 minutes by train. In summer it usually runs from early June to late October, from early morning until late in the evening.
The best tip for small budgets: the evening trip is the cheapest way up the mountain. At the top you watch the sun set behind the lakes of Silvaplana and Sils and ride back down in the dark.
Hiking from the top station:
- Philosophers’ Path, 45 to 90 minutes, easy – with signs about thinkers and views.
- High-level trail to Alp Languard, 6.5 km, just under 2½ hours, moderately demanding, back down by chairlift to Pontresina (a combined ticket is available).
- Segantini Hut and down to Pontresina, around 2½ hours.
Dogs taller than 30 cm pay a surcharge; bikes are not carried.
Alp Languard: ibex without glaciers
The chairlift runs straight from the village of Pontresina up to 2327 m (in summer usually from early June to late October; dogs travel free). According to Pontresina Tourism, the largest ibex colony in Switzerland lives on the Languard. An easy descent via the Paradis Hut to Pontresina takes around 2½ hours. Ideal with children.
Diavolezza: glaciers at eye level
The cable car takes you from Bernina Diavolezza station up to 2978 m – with a view of Piz Palü, Piz Bernina and the Pers and Morteratsch glaciers. In summer it usually runs from early May to mid-October; there is also a ticket including lunch, and dogs travel free. There is an outdoor jacuzzi at the mountain inn.
Hiking: to Sass Queder (35 minutes) with a barbecue area at just over 3000 m, up Munt Pers (1½ hours), or down to Lej da Diavolezza (around 2 hours). If you want to cross the ice, book the guided glacier hike to Morteratsch (June to October).
Corvatsch: the highest top station in Graubünden
From Surlej near Silvaplana you go via the middle station Murtèl (2702 m) up to 3303 m – according to the operator the highest top station in Graubünden, with the highest whisky distillery in the world. In summer it usually runs from mid-June to mid-October; the trip only as far as Murtèl is cheaper than to the summit, and children up to 5 and dogs travel free. Bikes only on the first section at certain times.
Hiking: The queen stage is Murtèl – Fuorcla Surlej – Val Roseg – Pontresina, around 3¾ hours, with the finest view of the Bernina range. Or head down past the Hahnensee to St. Moritz in just over three hours. More about the valleys in the article Val Roseg, Morteratsch & Co..
Furtschellas: lake trail above Sils
The railway from Sils Maria to the Furtschellas middle station (2312 m) usually runs in summer from late June to mid-October (dogs travel free). At the top begin the Corvatsch Lake Trail (2 hours, past mountain lakes) and the Via Gastronomica down into Val Fex and to Sils (just over 2 hours). For experienced hikers: to Lej Sgrischus and into Val Fex, around 4 hours.
Corviglia and Piz Nair: above St. Moritz
In summer you reach the area above St. Moritz with the Signal cable car from St. Moritz Bad or with the Celerina–Marguns railway. From Corviglia (2486 m) the cable car runs up to Piz Nair (3057 m), where a bronze ibex, the “Guardiaun Grischun”, has watched over the valley since 1958. The funiculars from St. Moritz Dorf were most recently closed in summer for renewal; whether they are running again is shown by Engadin St. Moritz Mountains.
Hiking – right to our door: From Marguns the Via Engiadina (stage 3) leads gently downhill and along the slope to Bever in around three hours and just under 10 km. If you want more, hike from Piz Nair via the Jenatsch Hut to Bever – around 7½ hours, a demanding day tour.
There are single trips and a zone day pass up to Piz Nair; young people and children pay considerably less. Bikes and dogs taller than 30 cm travel at the child fare.
Fares, families, dogs
- Age limits: adults from 18, young people 13–17, children 6–12. Children up to 5 travel free.
- Families with several children get a family discount.
- Groups also get a discount.
- GA travelcard and Half Fare travelcard are not accepted at Muottas Muragl, Corviglia and Alp Languard.
- Multi-day hiking pass for all open railways in the Upper Engadine – for two, three or seven consecutive days or for the whole season; young people and children pay considerably less. Current prices: Engadin St. Moritz Mountains.
It pays to do the maths: if you ride three big railways in a week, the 3-day pass often works out cheaper. Dogs, bikes and evening trips are not included.
To be honest: Some hotels and holiday apartments offer “mountain railways included” from the second night. Chesa Michel deliberately does not take part in this offer: it would make every stay more expensive for all guests, even though many never use the mountain railways. With us, you only pay for the railways when you actually ride them.
Our week of mountain railways
- Arrival day: evening trip up Muottas Muragl (the cheapest trip), sunset over the lakes.
- Glacier day: Diavolezza, Sass Queder, and in the afternoon the Morteratsch glacier trail.
- Queen stage: Corvatsch–Murtèl, Fuorcla Surlej, Val Roseg, Pontresina.
- Family day: Alp Languard, ibex, descent to Pontresina, and in the evening to Bellavita.
- Walking home: Marguns – Via Engiadina – Bever.
You will find more ideas for hikes in the valley in the article The 10 finest hikes around Bever.
More inspiration in the Journal – or view the holiday apartments and check availability.
