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12 Pass trips and panoramic routes with the yellow Postbus

The Postbus is a popular and well-known means of transportation throughout Switzerland. There is hardly a village that is too remote for a Postbus to travel to at least a few times a day. But you'll also find the iconic yellow buses in the cities.

The fact that Postbuses can be found all over Switzerland and are particularly well-known for traveling to remote villages and valleys has a great side effect: many of the journeys are extremely scenic and can be described as panoramic. For this reason, we would like to introduce you to what we consider to be the most beautiful postbus journeys in Switzerland.

Many of them lead over a mountain pass and therefore only run in the summer months. Let us surprise you..

The best thing about these trips is that you can travel all these routes with the Swiss Travel Pass. You don't need another ticket as the journeys are all included. If you live in Switzerland, it is best to use the GA travelcard, a normal route ticket or even a Saver Day Pass. You can buy these up to 6 months before the planned journey and the earlier you buy them, the cheaper they are.

A selection of well-known road passes in Switzerland

**The following passes take place from the end of June to the beginning of October The longest ride on offer takes you over four passes and 208 km in 8:45 hours. It starts and ends in Meiringen. You will cross these four passes on the way:

• Grimsel Pass
• Nufenen Pass
• Gotthard Pass
• Susten Pass

There are a total of 120 road passes in Switzerland. The best-known passes include the following:

road pass	connects the valleys	height (m above sea level)	length (km)	special feature en route
Grimsel Pass	Haslital (Bernese Oberland) and Goms (Valais)	2164	6	particularly Grimsel reservoir and power stations
Gotthard Pass	Valley of Urseren (Lucerne region, Lake Lucerne) and Valle Leventina (Ticino)	2091	11	Gotthard fortress, view of the Tremola (old pass road)
Julierpass	Oberhalbstein (Graubünden) and Engadin (Graubünden)	2284	36	countless small lakes on the pass (including Lai da Marmorera) and Engadin lake district
Sustenpass	Reuss Valley (Lucerne-Lake Lucerne Region) and Haslital (Bernese Oberland)	2224	45	through 25 tunnels and over 25 bridges; Devil's Bridge, Schöllenen Gorge
Nufenen Pass	Aegina Valley (Valais) and Val Bedretto (Ticino)	2478	18	Griessee, Gries Glacier
Maloja Pass	Bergell (Graubünden) and Engadin (Graubünden)	1815	31	Silssee, Silvaplanersee
Furkapass	the upper valley of the Reuss (Urserental in Lucerne Lake Lucerne) with Goms (Valais)	2436	16	Rhone Glacier with the ice grotto
Albula Pass	Albula Valley (Bergün, Graubünden) and La Punt (Engadin, Graubünden)	2315	22	Piz Ela, a mountain massif in the shape of a huge dome
Lukmanier Pass	Surselva (Graubünden) and Blenio Valley (Ticino)	1920	18	Lai da Sontga Maria
Stilfserjoch (Italy)	Lombardy, Switzerland and Trentino (South Tyrol)	2757	24	48 winding hairpin bends on the Italian side

Here we present some particularly beautiful panoramic and pass rides. Some of them are served several times a day by PostBus, so you can easily get off and get back on the next PostBus. On other trips, you're better off staying seated as they only run once a day.😃

Palm Express over the Maloja Pass (line 631): St. Moritz - Lugano

The Palm Express connects two extreme landscapes. You travel from St. Moritz directly along Lake Silvaplana and Lake Sils. The Postbus leaves the glaciers and lakes of the Engadin via the Maloja Pass. The rest of the journey takes you via Italy to Lugano with its palm trees. On the way, you will pass Lake Como and Lake Lugano. It is popular in both directions and well worth seeing. Line 631 runs once a day and requires a seat reservation.

• Book Palm Express with Swiss Activities

Route: St. Moritz - Silvaplana - Sils - Maloja - Casaccia - Chiavenna - Gravedona - Menaggio - Cima - Gandria - Cassarate (Monte Brè) - Lugano, Stazione Nord

Steepest Postbus ride (line 220): Reichenbach im Kandertal - Griesalp

It is a very special experience to take the Postbus between Kiental and Griesalp on the 20 hairpin bends. On this short route, you have to climb 550 meters in altitude and the Postbus takes you over roads with a gradient of 20 to 28%. You will be amazed at how the driver negotiates the bends with almost centimeter precision. This last section of the Postbus ride is on a one-way road.

You reach Kiental from Reichenbach im Kandertal via the Scharnachtal valley. This section also climbs 250 meters in altitude.

Line 220 runs several times a day. As this Postbus does not have an integrated lift, wheelchairs must be registered.

• Book your PostBus trip Reichenbach-Griesalp with Swiss Activities

Route: Reichenbach i. K. - Scharnachtal - Kiental - Pochtenalp - Griesalp

Gotthard Pass trip (line 110): Andermatt - Airolo

This pass has connected central Switzerland and southern Ticino for centuries. The old stagecoaches used the winding Tremola route, which you can still admire from the Postbus today. It is now a protected monument.

Today's Tremola still has 13 bridges, a tunnel and long avalanche galleries. The two Devil's Bridges over the Schöllenen Gorge are particularly worth seeing. You can get off on this pass road and continue later if you have checked the timetable carefully beforehand.

• Book a Postbus ride on the Gotthard Pass with Swiss Activities

Route: Andermatt - Hospental, village - Mätteli - Gotthard Pass summit - Airolo

Julier Pass trip (line 182): Chur - St. Moritz

From Chur, you travel along the Heidsee and Lenzerheide and have a magnificent view of the Albula Valley. The journey continues along the regional nature park Ela until you reach the Julier Pass at Bivio. The line runs several times and if the onward journey is secured, you can safely get off on the way and enjoy the lake landscape at the pass. On the other side, you have a view of the mountains and the ice giants around Piz Bernina.

• Book the Julier Pass post bus trip with Swiss Activities

Route: Chur - Churwalden - Lenzerheide - Tiefencastel - Mulens - Marmorera - Julier - Silvaplana - St. Moritz

Nufenen Pass trip (line 111): Airolo - Oberwald

The Nufenen Pass lies at 2478 m above sea level, making it the highest Alpine pass in Switzerland. It connects Ticino in the east with Valais in the west. From Airolo to the top of the pass, the post bus climbs 1300 meters in altitude. On the other side, it then descends 1100 meters in altitude. This line takes 2:10 hours to cover the distance and only runs twice a day.

The view from the top of the pass offers the Bernese Alps to the west with the Finsteraarhorn at 4274 m above sea level. To the south-west, you can see the Gries Glacier, still gleaming white from afar, the Griessee and the Nufenenstock, whose summit reaches 2866 m above sea level.

• Book the Nufenen Pass post bus trip with Swiss Activities

Route: Airolo - Bedretto - Nufenen Pass summit - Ulrichen - Obergesteln - Oberwald

Lukmanier Pass trip (line 481): Disentis/Mustér - Lukmanier

You can reach the Swiss Alpine pass by postbus from the north via the Val Medel. This valley connects Graubünden with Ticino further south of the Lukmanier Pass.

The Vorderrhein accompanies you during your journey, sometimes on the left, later on the right in the direction of travel. In the Lai da Sontga Maria, it is finally dammed at the Lukmanier Pass. The pass is 1920 m above sea level and can be reached in 0:34 hours by post bus.

This line runs several times a day, so you can get off if you know when the next Postbus will arrive.

• Book the Lukmanier Pass post bus trip with Swiss Activities

Route: Disentis/Mustér - Mumpé Medel - Curaglia - Platta - Lukmanier Pass summit

Grimsel Pass trip (lines 161 and 111): Meiringen - Oberwald - Airolo

This route is very beautiful, but also very long. It first takes you to the Grimsel Pass at 2163 m above sea level. It connects the Bernese Oberland with the Upper Valais. The large Grimselsee is a reservoir and can be admired from the pass. Later, you will admire the Gries Glacier and Lake Gries on the Nufenen Pass.

The Postbus line 161 runs from Meiringen to Oberwald. From Oberwald, the Postbus is renamed line 111. The Postbus takes 3:30 hours to cover the entire route. However, it runs several times, so you can get off and get on the next bus on the way. But make sure you check beforehand when the last Postbus leaves to avoid any nasty surprises.

• Book a PostBus ride on the Grimsel and Nufenen Pass with Swiss Activities

Route: Meiringen - Aare Gorge - Innertkirchen - Grimsel Pass - Oberwald - Obergesteln - Nufenen Pass summit - Bedretto - Airolo

Stelvio Panorama Express Postbus ride (line 821): Müstair or Tirano - Stelvio Pass

At 2757 m above sea level, the Stelvio Pass is the second highest mountain pass in the Alps. It is located in South Tyrol, in Italy. You should therefore take your passport or ID with you on the trip. The trip is only made once a day, so it's not a good idea to get off on the way.

From Müstair, the Panorama Express first travels through the Münstertal valley and along the Umbrail Pass. The Umbrail Pass is already at 2500 m above sea level and merges into the Stelvio Pass, which reaches 2757 m above sea level. The views along the way are indescribably beautiful and certainly make up for the many torturous hairpin bends.

• Book the Stelvio post bus trip with Swiss Activities

Route: Müstair - Umbrail - Stilfserjoch/Stelvio - Bormio - Tirano

Val Sinestra Postbus ride (line 925): Scuol - Val Sinestra

This journey takes you by PostBus through the beautiful Lower Engadine. Val Sinestra was even voted Valley of the Year in 2011. The Lower Engadin is wilder and narrower than the Upper Engadin. Here, the Inn rushes over rocks and also wends its way between narrow walls.

The trip takes about half an hour and is made several times a day. So you can get off on the way and enjoy the scenery or go hiking. Get back on the next Postbus, but don't leave this to chance. Please check the timetable beforehand.

• Book the Val Sinestra post bus trip from Scuol (return) with Swiss Activities

Routing: Scuol - Sent - Val Sinestra

Maloja Pass day trip to Soglio (lines 4 and 632): St. Moritz - Soglio

The Postbus on line 4 starts its journey in St. Moritz and travels along Lake Silvaplana and Lake Sils. The Maloja Pass lies at 1812 m above sea level and connects the Engadin with the Bergell in Graubünden. The Maloja Pass was already an important link in Roman times. They built the first mule track here. However, the first road was not built until the 18th century.

To get to Soglio, change to the 632 line in Promontogno and travel along the southern Bergell mountains to Soglio. Piz Bacun and Ago di Sciora are clearly visible on the left-hand side in the direction of Soglio. You will reach an altitude of around 3200 m. The journey takes around 1:30 hours and takes place several times a day.

• Book post bus trip Maloja Pass St. Moritz - Soglio with Swiss Activities

Route: St. Moritz - Silvaplana - Sils - Maloja Pass - Vicosoprano - Promontogno - Soglio

Domleschg and San Bernardino journey (line 171): Chur - Bellinzona

From Chur you travel by post bus through a wide valley. The Domleschg valley is known for its many castles. The route then continues along the Viamala Gorge to Thusis. The journey continues through the 6.6 km long San Bernardino Tunnel along the Lepontine Alps, whose mountain ranges reach up to 3500 m above sea level.

The PostBus takes 2:19 hours to cover this distance and the route runs several times a day. So if you know when the next Postbus is coming, you can get off on the way and explore the area.

• Book a Postbus ride between Chur and Bellinzona with Swiss Activities

Route: Chur - Thusis - Splügen - Medels - Nufenen - St. Bernardino - Lostallo - Bellinzona

Postbus ride to the highest village in Switzerland (line 552): Andeer - Juf

The highest village in Switzerland served by a PostBus is Juf (Avers). It is inhabited all year round and lies at 2126 m above sea level above the tree line. On the way there, you first drive past the Roflaschlucht gorge and then through the Ferreratal valley.

The postbus takes 0:51 hours to complete the route and runs several times a day. You can therefore get off on the way during the day and continue on a later Postbus.

• Book a post bus trip Andeers - Juf with Swiss Activities

Route: Andeer - Ferrera - Avers - Juf (Avers)

Swiss passes are known for their breathtaking landscapes. The PostBus journey allows you to experience this beauty up close. From snow-capped peaks to picturesque valleys and crystal-clear lakes, they offer an impressive backdrop.

Whichever of these passes you choose, you won't regret it. On the way, the view of a beautiful and varied landscape is guaranteed. The narrow roads, steep climbs and winding serpentines also offer an exciting driving experience.