Zurich Airport to Davos
About 150 km east. SBB then the Rhaetian Railway reach Davos in ~2h30 via Landquart; advance rail fares from ~€45.
Davos spreads along a high valley in the Grisons, Europe's loftiest town and host of the World Economic Forum, ringed by the Parsenn and Jakobshorn ski areas and cross-country trails.
How far is Davos from Zurich Airport?
Davos is 150 km (93 miles) from Zurich Airport by road, about 2h 30m by car outside rush hour. In a straight line it is 121 km. By public transport, SBB + Rhaetian Railway (RhB) takes about 2h 30m including a change and costs CHF 42.3.
Every way to get there
Our verdict: SBB + Rhaetian Railway (RhB) is the one to take: CHF 42.3 with a change on the way, and only about 20 minutes slower than going by car.
What it costs for your group
The train is charged per person, while a private transfer is one price for the whole car — so the more of you there are, the better door-to-door value looks.
| Group | Train (per person) | Private transfer (per car) | Best value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo · 1 traveller | CHF 42 | CHF 357 | Train |
| Couple · 2 travellers | CHF 85 | CHF 357 | Train |
| Family of 4 · 4 travellers | CHF 169 | CHF 357 | Train |
Which option should you choose?
| If your priority is… | Our pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest price | SBB + Rhaetian Railway (RhB) | From CHF 42.3, about 2h 30m, with a change on the way. |
| Speed | Welcome Pickups · Grisons transfer firms | 2h 10m and door-to-door, from CHF 357.2. |
| A group of 4 | SBB + Rhaetian Railway (RhB) | Four tickets still come to about CHF 169.2 — less than a car. |
| A late-night arrival | Pre-booked transfer | SBB + Rhaetian Railway (RhB) does not run all night; check the last departure before you land. |
By transport mode
Train
About 2h30 total, the final hour on the scenic RhB line. Full fare near CHF 60 (~€62); Supersaver tickets can open around €45. Davos has two stations — Davos Dorf and Davos Platz, so check which is nearer your hotel.
Where to catch it: Zürich Flughafen station under the terminal; change at Landquart onto the red RhB narrow-gauge train that climbs to Davos.
Best for budget travellers near a stationPrivate transfer
Runs straight up the valley without the Landquart change — the choice ski parties make when they're carrying a week's worth of gear. One fixed price for the whole car, typically up to 4 with luggage.
Where to catch it: Driver greets you in arrivals and loads skis and boards into the vehicle.
Best for families, groups & late arrivalsCar rental
About 2h10 via the A3 and the Landquart–Davos road. Winter tyres or chains are essential on the climb; book a car with them fitted, and factor Davos's paid parking into a longer stay.
Where to catch it: Rental desks in the Airport Center.
Best for travellers who want to exploreDavos & Zurich in photos
Buying tickets in Zurich
Zurich Airport has its own rail station beneath the terminal. A single ZVV ticket covering the zones to Zurich HB (zones 121 + 110) costs CHF 6.80, and S-Bahn trains take about 10 minutes; a 24-hour pass for the same zones is CHF 13.60. Buy from the blue SBB/ZVV machines or the SBB Mobile app, or simply tap a contactless card/phone at the yellow ZVV readers on the platform. A ZürichCARD (unlimited transport plus discounts) is worth it if you plan several trips or sightseeing.
Taxi scams & safety in Zurich
Zurich is one of Europe's safest airports for ground transport. Metered taxis at the official rank are legitimate but expensive, typically CHF 50-70 to the centre; there is no fixed fare, so a train is far cheaper. Touts are essentially non-existent. Uber operates in Zurich and picks up from a designated ride-hail zone, though prices are high and not always below taxi rates; Bolt has little presence here. Keep a valid ticket, as ZVV inspectors fine fare-dodgers on the spot.
Step-free access in Zurich
The station is directly beneath the airport and reached by lift, and trains into the city take about 10 to 15 minutes.
- SBB trains have accessible carriages with designated wheelchair spaces.
- Boarding assistance must be booked in advance — call SBB on 0800 007 102 at least 24 hours before departure. Staff then meet you 10 minutes before the train, either at the Mobilift (the yellow lifting platform), at the folding ramp usually positioned mid-platform, or at a point agreed when you book.
- At Zurich Hauptbahnhof the SOS Bahnhofshilfe desk provides free information and help with mobility aids.
The 24-hour rule matters here: without a booking there may be no one on the platform to operate the lift.
Getting from ZRH to Davos
Davos sits at the far end of a high Graubünden valley, about 150 km east of Zurich Airport and higher than any other town in Europe. That altitude is the whole story of getting there: the last stretch is a genuine mountain climb, and how you handle it in January is different from how you'd handle a flat run to Lucerne. The good news for a ski traveller is that the Swiss solved this a century ago with a narrow-gauge railway that grinds up the grade in almost any weather. The train takes about 2h30 with one change; a private car does it in roughly 2h10 for a lot more money. Here's how each holds up when there's snow on the passes and skis on your shoulder.
The Landquart change is where the alpine railway takes over
From the SBB station directly beneath the terminal, you ride the national network east to Landquart, then step across the platform onto the red Rhaetian Railway train — the RhB narrow-gauge line that hauls itself up the valley to Davos. That single change is the pivot of the trip, and the hour that follows it is the scenic part: tight curves, viaducts, and the valley opening up as you climb. Trains run roughly hourly from around 06:00 to 20:00, so you rarely wait long even off-peak. A walk-up full fare lands near CHF 60 (about €62); book a Supersaver ticket in advance and it can drop to around €45. One thing to sort before you board — Davos has two stations, Davos Dorf and Davos Platz, several minutes apart, so check which one your hotel sits closer to and buy through to it.
In deep winter, the rails stay open when the road climb doesn't
This is the practical argument for the train, and it's a strong one. Swiss mountain rail is engineered for winter and cleared aggressively; the RhB keeps running through storms that slow the road to a crawl. A car on the same route means the A3 out of Zurich and then the Landquart–Davos climb, where winter tyres or chains aren't a suggestion but a requirement — if you rent, book a vehicle with them already fitted rather than assuming. Rental desks in the Airport Center run about €45 to €95 a day depending on the vehicle and season, and the drive is quicker on paper at roughly 2h10. But that figure assumes clear tarmac. Add fresh snow on the final ascent, and the train's steady, weatherproof schedule starts to look like the faster bet, not just the calmer one. A car earns its keep if you plan to tour the wider Grisons or reach trailheads the train doesn't serve: just budget for Davos's paid parking across a longer stay.
A ski group landing together makes the private car add up
The train is the sensible default, but it isn't the answer for everyone. If four of you arrive on the same flight with a week of skis, boards, and boots, the case for a pre-booked transfer gets real: the driver meets you in arrivals, loads the gear, and drives straight up the valley with no Landquart change and no hauling bags across a platform. Grisons transfer firms and services like Welcome Pickups quote one fixed price for the whole vehicle, roughly €380 to €520, typically for up to four passengers with luggage. Split across a full car, the per-head cost narrows against four separate rail fares, and you trade the scenic railway for a door-to-door ride that ends at your hotel rather than a station. For a family with tired kids or a group that wants to keep its gear in one place, that's the trade worth making.
WEF week rewrites the road rules
Once a year, in late January, the World Economic Forum takes over Davos and road access into the town tightens sharply — checkpoints, restricted vehicle zones, and delays that can undo any time advantage a car once had. If you're travelling during the Forum, the train is not just the reliable choice but often the only smooth one, delivering you into the middle of town without a security cordon between you and your bed. Delegates and ski travellers alike tend to default to the RhB that week for exactly this reason.
What to do
For most people heading up to Davos, book a Supersaver rail ticket in advance, note whether you want Davos Dorf or Davos Platz, and let the RhB do the climbing — it's cheaper, it's punctual, and in a snowstorm it's the one thing on the mountain that keeps moving. Reserve a private transfer only if you're a group of three or four landing together with heavy ski gear, when the fixed car price and door-to-door delivery really earn back their premium. Skip the rental car unless you'll be driving the region beyond Davos itself.
