Davos and Klosters sit in the same valley in eastern Graubünden, sharing lift infrastructure but little else. Davos is the bigger, blunter of the two: a long strip town built around conference centres and ski schools, best known outside Switzerland for hosting the World Economic Forum every January. Klosters, ten minutes down the valley by train, is smaller, quieter and considerably more expensive to sleep in on a per-square-metre basis. Together they give access to one connected ski and hiking area — Parsenn — plus Jakobshorn, Rinerhorn and Madrisa, four separate mountains reached from four separate base stations.
Getting from Zurich to Davos and Klosters
There is no direct train. From Zurich HB, the standard route changes at Landquart, with a total journey of around 2 hours 15 minutes to Davos Platz (Klosters is about 25 minutes shorter, since it comes first). Trains run roughly hourly and are covered by the Swiss Travel Pass and Half Fare Card in the normal way. Driving takes about the same time via the A3 and A28 through the Prättigau valley, longer if the Flüela or Wolfgang passes are affected by snow.
Because of the distance, treat Davos and Klosters as a base for two or three nights rather than a rushed single day. For visitors who want a guided taste without committing to an overnight stay, a private day trip that combines Davos with St Moritz covers both resorts and the Landwasser Viaduct in one outing — see the private day trip from Zurich to St Moritz and Davos for the logistics of doing it in a single (long) day.
Parsenn: the big shared ski and hiking area
Parsenn is the area most people mean when they say “Davos skiing.” The Parsennbahn funicular runs from Davos Dorf up to Weissfluhjoch, and the Gotschnabahn cable car climbs from Klosters Platz into the same connected network, so skiers can start in either town and cross between them on snow. The area totals well over 100 km of marked runs, mostly intermediate cruising rather than steep terrain, plus the long Parsenn descent back to Küblis that runs close to 12 km when conditions allow. A one-day adult lift pass for the combined Davos Klosters area runs to roughly CHF 75–85 depending on season; a multi-day pass brings the daily rate down noticeably.
In summer the lifts keep running for hikers and mountain bikers rather than skiers. The Weissfluhjoch–Parsenn ridge walk gives long views over the Landwasser valley towards the Silvretta range, and the descent options range from gentle path back to Klosters Dorf to steeper trails aimed at trail runners. For a broader comparison of which Swiss mountain is worth the ticket price, the guide to Pilatus, Rigi and Titlis is aimed at day-trippers from Zurich rather than Graubünden, but the same cost-per-view logic applies here.
Jakobshorn: snowboarders and freeriders
Jakobshorn, reached by cable car directly from Davos Platz, has a different reputation from Parsenn: it is the area locals and visiting snowboarders go to, with terrain parks, steeper pitches and a younger, louder après-ski scene at the mid-station. It is a separate lift ticket network from Parsenn under the same combined pass, so there is no need to choose in advance — a multi-day Davos Klosters pass covers both. Non-skiers get less out of Jakobshorn than Parsenn in winter, since the hiking network up top is smaller, but the views down the Landwasser valley toward the Bernina range are comparable.
Davos in summer: the lake, not just the peaks
What separates Davos from most Alpine resorts is Davosersee, the lake at the southern edge of town. It is genuinely swimmable from around June to September, has a signed circular path of roughly 5 km, and rents rowing boats and pedalos from a kiosk on the northern shore in summer. It is not a dramatic Alpine lake — no cliffs, no turquoise water — but it is a real reason to spend an afternoon in Davos that has nothing to do with a lift ticket, which is more than most Swiss resort towns can offer. For a wider view of what a Grisons lake day looks like, the Lake Thun and Brienz cruises guide covers the Bernese equivalent, though Davosersee is smaller and unserved by any boat line.
Klosters: quieter, and not cheaper for it
Klosters splits into Klosters Platz (the centre, with the Gotschnabahn) and Klosters Dorf (quieter, closer to Madrisa). It has long been associated with British visitors — the late Prince Charles skied here for decades, which locals mention more than they promote — and the tone is a notch more reserved than Davos: fewer conference hotels, more chalet-style buildings, and restaurant prices that do not come down for it. Chesa Grischuna, a wood-panelled hotel restaurant in the centre of Klosters Platz, is the kind of place where a main course runs CHF 45–60, which is the honest going rate here rather than an inflated one-off.
Madrisa, Klosters’ own gondola-accessed area on the Dorf side, is smaller and more family-oriented than Parsenn or Jakobshorn, with a summer toboggan run and shorter, gentler hiking loops. It is the better choice with young children; it is not the reason experienced skiers come to this valley.
Arosa and Lenzerheide: worth the detour, with a catch
Both Arosa and Lenzerheide sit in the same corner of Graubünden but are not directly connected to Davos by road or rail — getting to either means backtracking through Chur first, adding 45–60 minutes each way on top of whatever time is spent in Davos itself. That makes them a separate excursion day rather than an add-on to a Davos afternoon.
Arosa is reached from Chur by the narrow-gauge Arosa line, one of the more scenic branch lines in the country, climbing through forest and past the Schanfigg gorge before opening onto Arosa’s own lake and ski area. A guided outing that also takes in Chur and the Caumasee near Flims is available as the private day trip covering Arosa, Chur and Caumasee, which is a reasonable way to see three unconnected places in one booked day rather than piecing together the trains yourself.
Lenzerheide, on the road between Chur and the San Bernardino route, has its own cable cars up the Rothorn and a genuinely warm lake (Heidsee) by Swiss standards, since it sits at a lower altitude than Davos. It’s also popular for mountain biking in summer. A guided photography walk through the area — the scenic photography walk in Lenzerheide with edited photos included — is a niche option worth knowing about if a polished set of photos matters more than the walk itself.
Where to stay
| Base | Character | Typical double room (high season) |
|---|---|---|
| Davos Platz | Central, most restaurants and shops, conference-town feel | CHF 220–320 |
| Davos Dorf | Closer to Parsennbahn, slightly quieter | CHF 200–300 |
| Klosters Platz | Villagey, closer to Gotschnabahn, pricier per square metre | CHF 260–380 |
| Klosters Dorf | Quietest, best for Madrisa and families | CHF 220–320 |
Prices spike hard during the World Economic Forum in January, when much of central Davos is under security lockdown and normal tourism is actively discouraged for that week — check the WEF dates before booking a January stay, since hotel rates can double and some restaurants close to the public entirely.
What a day actually costs
A one-day lift pass across the combined Davos Klosters area runs roughly CHF 75–85 in winter; summer lift access for hiking is cheaper per ride but adds up if several cable cars are used in one day. Lunch on the mountain — the standard rösti-and-a-drink at a mid-station restaurant — is CHF 25–35, noticeably more than the same meal in the valley. A modest dinner in Davos runs CHF 35–50 per person without wine; in Klosters, add another CHF 10–15. Budget travellers can cut costs by buying supplies at the Coop or Migros in either town rather than eating every meal out, which is standard practice for Swiss residents too, not just visitors watching spend.
The lift-maintenance trap
Cable cars and gondolas across Graubünden close for scheduled maintenance twice a year: roughly late April to early June, and again from late October to early December, with exact dates varying by lift and by year. Parsenn, Jakobshorn and Madrisa all follow this pattern. A visitor who times a shoulder-season trip around these windows can arrive to find the main lifts shut and only lower-altitude walking trails open — check each lift company’s published dates before booking spring or autumn accommodation, since this is the single most common way a Davos trip goes wrong.
Getting around once you’re there
Davos and Klosters are connected by a frequent local train (RhB) taking about 10 minutes, plus a free local bus network within Davos covering Platz, Dorf and the lake. A car is not necessary for the towns themselves but is useful for reaching Lenzerheide or Arosa without backtracking through Chur by rail. For a wider comparison of how the different regional and national travel passes stack up on a trip like this, see the Swiss Travel Pass guide and how Swiss trains work before buying tickets.
Combining Davos with the rest of Graubünden
Most visitors who make it this far east are not stopping only in Davos. Chur, Switzerland’s oldest town, is the rail hub for the whole region and worth two or three hours in its own right; a themed outing there is covered separately in the private day trip linking Bad Ragaz, Davos, St Moritz and Chur for anyone building a longer loop.
St Moritz and the Engadine lie on the far side of the Flüela Pass or reachable by the Bernina line, and are worth reading up on via the Bernina Express guide if the plan includes that route. Heidiland and Walensee and the thermal baths at Bad Ragaz sit on the way back toward Zurich and make a sensible stop to break up the return journey. Travellers extending south can also read up on Liechtenstein, a short detour from the Chur–Sargans line.
For planning the ski or hike side specifically, cross-check against the skiing day trips from Zurich and best mountain excursions from Zurich guides, and the best hikes near Zurich page for trail options closer to the city if Davos turns out to be more distance than the itinerary allows.
Broader seasonal advice sits in Zurich in winter, and multi-day route ideas that include the Alps are laid out in the Zurich summer Alps 5-day itinerary and the Zurich winter 5-day itinerary. A general overview of what to expect from a Grisons day trip, without committing to Davos specifically, is at day trips from Zurich.
Davos and Klosters: frequently asked questions
Is Davos worth visiting if I’m not skiing?
Yes, mainly for the lake in summer and for hiking on Parsenn and Jakobshorn once the snow clears, usually from mid-June. Outside the ski season and away from the lake, Davos town itself has limited sightseeing value compared with Klosters or Chur.
How do I get from Zurich to Davos without a car?
Take the train from Zurich HB, changing at Landquart, for a total journey of around 2 hours 15 minutes to Davos Platz. Trains run roughly hourly and are covered by the Swiss Travel Pass and Half Fare Card.
What’s the difference between Davos and Klosters?
Davos is larger, more built up, and dominated by conference hotels and the January WEF summit. Klosters is smaller, quieter, and marginally more expensive for accommodation and dining, with a more villagey feel and its own smaller ski area at Madrisa.
Can I visit Davos as a day trip from Zurich?
It’s possible in good weather but tight: over 4.5 hours round trip on the train alone leaves limited time on the mountain. A guided private day trip that pairs Davos with St Moritz makes better use of the long travel time than a self-organised single-resort visit.
Is Davos more affordable than St Moritz?
Slightly, but not by a wide margin. Lift passes are broadly comparable, and Klosters accommodation can cost as much as St Moritz in high season. The real saving in Davos comes from having more mid-range hotel options rather than lower prices at the top end.
When do the Davos and Klosters lifts close for maintenance?
Roughly late April to early June, and again late October to early December, though exact dates vary by lift and by year. Always check the current maintenance calendar before booking a spring or autumn trip.
Should I visit Arosa or Lenzerheide instead?
Not instead — alongside, if time allows, since neither connects directly to Davos and both require routing through Chur. Arosa suits travellers who want a scenic narrow-gauge train ride and a smaller ski area; Lenzerheide suits those who want a warmer lake and strong mountain biking.
How many days should I spend in Davos and Klosters?
Two to three days covers Parsenn, Jakobshorn and a look at Klosters without rushing. A single day, given the 2h15 train each way from Zurich, only really works as part of a guided outing that also includes St Moritz or Chur.
