Davos

Davos is a winter and summer resort village located in the heart of the Graubünden in the east of Switzerland. In the early 1990s, Davos became famous for hosting the World Economic Forum, an annual winter gathering of international politicians and financiers who represented a transnational elite. Together with the nearby town of Klosters, Davos offers a wide variety of winter sports activities, and summer hiking trails, set amid stunning Alpine scenery.

Get in
Davos is accessible by train, bus or car.

By plane
The nearest commercial airport with scheduled airline service is Zürich.

By train


It takes nearly 3 hours to reach Davos by train from Zürich. There are train connections from Zürich’s Hauptbahnhof (main station) to Davos every hour between 06:00 and 23:00. You can check timetables and other information on the official Swiss Federal Railways website.

Fares to Klosters (one stop nearer to Zürich) are cheaper at Fr. 96 return in second class. The train journey between Klosters Dorf and Davos Platz, stopping at Klosters Platz and Davos Dorf on the way, takes just under half an hour. It is free for tourists with the inclusive Davos/Klosters visitor card (Gästekarte).

Air travellers may also take advantage of the Fly & Rail baggage service where baggage may be deposited, after clearing customs in Zürich, at the railway counter in the station for direct transfer to Klosters and Davos. Using this service saves the passenger the trouble of carrying luggage when changing trains at Zürich’s Main Station and Landquart. The Fly & Rail rate for luggage is Fr. 20 (US$15) per item.



By bus
Buses from Chur to Davos run daily. Travel time is approximately 2 hours.

During the ski season, buses travel from Zürich airport to Davos Dorf or Davos Platz every Saturday and return from Davos Dorf or Platz to the airport every Saturday in December through April. The trip takes approximately 2 hours, with a pickup at the train stations three times daily.

By car
It will take about 2 hours (160 kilometres/103 miles) to get to Davos by car from Zürich. From Zürich-Kloten Airport: take A51 to Zürich and look for the road signs to Chur (Expressway A), take Exit “Landquart-Davos” and follow road signs to Davos.

Get around
The municipal bus system is very convenient, traversing from one end of the Promenade to the other. Davos is only around 3 or 4 km long and about 1 km wide, so it is easy to get anywhere by bus or a short walk. Cabs are also available, but run about Fr. 12-15 during the day and double that at night. You should ask Gästekarte from your hotel or from the tourist office. With the Gästekarte almost all local buses, local trains and lifts are free!

See



 * Lose yourself in the Schatzalp (1861m), an alpine botanical garden that has such stunning scenery, it inspired German author Thomas Mann to write his novel “The Magic Mountain”, published in 1924. It contains around 800 different species of plants from all over the world and is truly impressive in June and July, when flowers are in bloom.
 * Lose yourself in the Schatzalp (1861m), an alpine botanical garden that has such stunning scenery, it inspired German author Thomas Mann to write his novel “The Magic Mountain”, published in 1924. It contains around 800 different species of plants from all over the world and is truly impressive in June and July, when flowers are in bloom.
 * Lose yourself in the Schatzalp (1861m), an alpine botanical garden that has such stunning scenery, it inspired German author Thomas Mann to write his novel “The Magic Mountain”, published in 1924. It contains around 800 different species of plants from all over the world and is truly impressive in June and July, when flowers are in bloom.
 * Lose yourself in the Schatzalp (1861m), an alpine botanical garden that has such stunning scenery, it inspired German author Thomas Mann to write his novel “The Magic Mountain”, published in 1924. It contains around 800 different species of plants from all over the world and is truly impressive in June and July, when flowers are in bloom.

Do



 * Paragliding is a popular activity all-year round in Davos. The flying area at the Jakobshorn mountain provides reliable thermals and launch sites for all wind directions. Booking for tandem flights can be made at the local flying school Air-Davos Paragliding, phone: [tel:+41793115784 +41 (0)79 311 57 84], email: [mailto:info@air-davos.ch info@air-davos.ch].
 * O’Neill SB-JAM Davos&mdash; This freestyle snowboarding event takes place every year in Davos, with the qualifying rounds open to everyone (December/January).
 * Young Artists in Concert&mdash; Occurring in July and August, this concert is where young musicians from all over the world perform as soloists or in chamber groups at the Davos Conference Centre, in the Kirchner Museum and in various churches.
 * International Hiking Rally&mdash; Occurring annually in September, this hiking rally covers four routes in the mountains around Davos, with stamps for the number of kilometres walked and coveted medals.
 * Young Artists in Concert&mdash; Occurring in July and August, this concert is where young musicians from all over the world perform as soloists or in chamber groups at the Davos Conference Centre, in the Kirchner Museum and in various churches.
 * International Hiking Rally&mdash; Occurring annually in September, this hiking rally covers four routes in the mountains around Davos, with stamps for the number of kilometres walked and coveted medals.

Davos is internationally recognised as the largest resort in the Alps for mountain holidays and a top travel destination. Ski and snow activities are a must do in the winter, and at altitudes between 1124 and 2844 m, guests will find 54 ski lifts, 320 km of slopes, 75 km of cross-country ski tracks, two artificial ice-skating rinks and Europe’s largest natural ice rink for people to skate or to curl. And no fewer than five sledging runs to have fun on! For skiing fanatics, the best areas are the Parsenn and Weissfluhjoch which connect up with the neighbouring resort of Klosters. The Jakobshorn, on the other hand, is the in place for snowboarders, with its half-pipe and monster pipe. For a quieter time, take a ride by horse-drawn sledge into the snowy side valleys, or experience the Davos mountains from 84 km of beautifully prepared winter footpaths and snow-shoe trails.

In the summer, the cable-cars on the Jakobshorn (2590 m), Parsenn including the Weissfluhjoch und -gipfel (2844 m), Pischa (2483 m), Rinerhorn (2490 m) and Schatzalp/Strela provide access to four hiking areas with a total of 450 km of marked footpaths. Anyone seeking rest and relaxation amid unspoilt nature should head off on foot, by bike or by horse-drawn carriage up the romantic side valleys of Sertig, Dischma or Flüela. For a change of scene, visit the Davos Lake with its swimming area and a sailing and surfing centre. In addition, there are opportunities for hang-gliding and paragliding and mountain bike and inline skating routes. Davos is also the starting point for excursions on the famous Glacier Express, and the Heidi and Bernina Express trains.

Nearby Klosters offers access to the Madrisa and Gotschna peaks in summer and winter, and a similar variety of walking trails and pistes, depending on the season.

Buy
You will be surprised by the huge variety of shops located along the main thoroughfare. There you will find trendy sports shops, fashion boutiques, antique and book shops, gift and souvenir shops, gourmet shops with Graubünden specialities. A big department store (Migros) is located at each end of Davos (Davos Platz and Davos Dorf). There is a Denner near the station.

Eat




Drink
The après-ski scene is relatively good- there are lots of bars, discos and nightclubs, and a large casino at the Hotel Europe. However, the nature of the clientele at Davos itself means that the guests are often quieter, the drinks more sophisticated, expensive and sometimes less exciting.



Sleep
In Davos there are more than 40 different hotels and other sleeping possibilities. You can find anything from the two five star hotels (the Flüela and the Steigenberger Belvedere) over several holiday homes to a camping place. The prices range from Fr. 26 for the camping up to well over Fr. 500 per night and per person in one of the five star hotels.

The camping place is about half a kilometre away from the train station Davos Frauenkirch.

Splurge




Go next
If you need a break for perfect skiing locations, or want a change of scenery, hop aboard the Glacier Express "The Slowest Fast Train in the World" and take a ride through Swiss mountains. See the real Matterhorn and enjoy amazing views of the Alps. Tickets start at Fr. 73. Alternatively you can take the Bernina Express to Tirano in Italy. This train route have been declared as UNESCO World Heritage site and shows you beautiful landscapes, visits the highest point of Swiss railways and drives trough spiral viaducts. The Davos to Stelios pass (as featured on the Top Gear UK TV show) is a stunning way to exit Davos too.