Stunning images show the highest railway service in Europe

Rolling across a 213-foot-high viaduct in the Alps, the red carriages of the Bernina Express add a splash of colour to the spectacular snow-covered Swiss surroundings.

The passenger train was pictured on the Landwasser Viaduct, which towers over the Landwasser River in Filisur, Switzerland.

The Bernina Express, which connects Chur in eastern Switzerland to Tirano in northern Italy, is famed for being on the highest railway line in the Alps.

Rolling across a 213-foot-high viaduct in the Alps, the red carriages of the Bernina Express add a splash of colour to the spectacular snow-covered Swiss surroundings.

The Bernina Express, which connects Chur in eastern Switzerland to Tirano in northern Italy, runs along the highest railway line in the Alps. Pictured is train in the Albula valley, Graubünden.

Italian photographers Marco Bottigelli, 34, and Francesco Vaninetti, 36, travelled on the Bernina Express and photographed the views from the train. Pictured is the Schmittentobel Viaduct in Schmitten.

The highest point on the line is situated at the Swiss station of Ospizio Bernina, which sits at 7,391 feet above sea level.

Italian photographers Marco Bottigelli, 34, and Francesco Vaninetti, 36, travelled on the Bernina Express and photographed the views from the train.

The pair also captured the Bernina Express itself.

Having disembarked, they scouted locations and photographed the train as it travelled through Schmitten and Filisur in Switzerland.

Marco, of Castellanza, Italy, says: 'I have never seen views like this on a train - it was absolutely spectacular.

'Our favourite part of the trip was seeing the train travel over the Landwasser Viaduct.

'The train comes out of a mountain cave and right onto a 213-feet-high, six-curved arch limestone bridge.

'The bright, red colour of the train carriages really stood out against the crisp snow and blue skies.'

The photographers said their favourite part of the trip was seeing the train travel over the Landwasser Viaduct (pictured). The train travels out of a mountain cave and right onto a 213-foot-high, six-curved arch limestone bridge.

The duo from Morbegno, Italy, spent a day travelling on the railway which spans 75 miles of railroad, passes through 55 tunnels and crosses 196 bridges while covering areas such as Albula Valley.

Bottigelli photographed stunning lakes with cracked sheets of ice in Silvaplana as the pair travelled on the Bernina Express.

Marco and Francesco, of Morbegno, Italy, spent a day travelling on the railway, which spans 75 miles of railroad and passes through 55 tunnels and crosses 196 bridges.

Marco says: 'The day before we arrived, there was a lot of heavy snowfall.

'The whole area turned into an amazing winter wonderland.

'It was like we were in a fairy-tale book.'

The photographers say they were extremely lucky to be able to capture the images as the locals believe so much snow is becoming a rare occurence in the area.

The Bernina railway line was built between 1908 and 1910 and was operated independently until the 1940s, when it was acquired by the Rhaetian Railway, a Swiss transport company.

Marco says: 'We were extremely lucky to be able to capture this day because snowy scenery like this is becoming rarer as the years go by.

'The locals believe that it is due to global warming.

'And I really hope that these photographs can act as a reminder that action needs to be taken to protect the beauty of our planet.'

Looking like a scene from a fairy-tale, a snow-dusted Filisur is nestled in a valley surrounded by trees.