Davos, Switzerland

The six sectors have sharply different characters. Parsenn-Gotschna is the flagship — vast, rolling intermediate terrain accessed from Davos Dorf by the Parsennbahn funicular or from Klosters by the Gotschnabahn gondola. It is one of the great classic ski mountains of the Alps, and the 12 km Weissfluhgipfel-to-Küblis descent is a run every strong intermediate should do once. Jakobshorn is the freestyle and snowboard hub, with JatzPark terrain park and halfpipe, accessed from Davos Platz.

Pischa is a dedicated freeride area — deliberately low-key, with ungroomed powder terrain and ski-touring routes. Rinerhorn is a quiet family mountain with the "Enchanted Forest" fun zone and a 3.7 km night-lit toboggan run. Madrisa, above Klosters-Serneus, is the other family pick: sunny, south-facing, with the Madrisa-Land adventure park. And Schatzalp-Strela is the retro oddity — a tiny area reached by funicular from Davos Platz, with no snowmaking, minimal lifts and deliberate nostalgic charm; the "slow mountain."

57 lifts across the six sectors. The Parsennbahn funicular (Davos Dorf) and Gotschnabahn gondola (Klosters) are the two main feeders — queues form on peak mornings, so start early or use the quieter sectors.

Davos-Klosters rewards intermediates above all, but every level has a home if you pick the right sector:

• First-timers & familiesSkipParsenn's long descents and Jakobshorn's steeper blacksGoMadrisa (sunny, gentle, Madrisa-Land) and Rinerhorn (quiet, Enchanted Forest fun zone, beginner lifts)
• Cruising intermediatesSkipthe small, freeride-only PischaGoParsenn — vast, rolling reds and the 12 km Weissfluh-to-Küblis classic; Jakobshorn for variety
• Freestylers & snowboardersSkipthe traditional sectorsGoJakobshorn — JatzPark terrain park, halfpipe, young snowboard culture
• Freeriders & ski-tourersSkipthe groomed circuitsGoPischa for dedicated ungroomed powder; the Parsenn flanks for accessible off-piste; the SLF avalanche bulletin is published from Davos itself

Cross-country skiers get over 100 km of prepared trails — one of Switzerland's premier XC networks, and Davos has hosted FIS World Cup cross-country races. The Engadin valley is next door for even more.

Davos's inner-Alpine location, south of the main Alpine chain and shielded from warm maritime influences, gives cold, dry snow that preserves well — lighter and drier than the heavier snowfalls of the northern Alps. January averages 101 cm of snow, February 74 cm; the base depth typically peaks in late February to early March.

The WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, part of the ETH domain, is headquartered in Davos Dorf. It publishes the Swiss national avalanche bulletin twice daily in season — so Davos has the best local avalanche information of any resort in the world. If you ski off-piste here, the SLF bulletin is the essential starting point.

Quietest value weeks: early-to-mid January (after New Year, before the Swiss sport holidays) and late March into early April for spring skiing with longer days. Avoid mid-to-late February unless you have no choice — it is the crunch.

The regional pass covers Parsenn-Gotschna, Jakobshorn, Pischa, Rinerhorn, Madrisa and Schatzalp-Strela on one ticket. There is no meaningful "which pass do I need?" dilemma — you buy the regional and ski everywhere. Single-sector day passes (CHF 45–58 for Parsenn or Jakobshorn alone) exist but rarely save enough to be worth the restriction unless you are only skiing one afternoon.

Every overnight guest receives the free Davos Klosters Premium Card — it covers local bus travel, the RhB train between Klosters Dorf and Filisur, and access to ~70 free activities and discounts. It is your guest card, not a lift pass, but it makes getting between sectors free.

The Swiss Ski School Davos is the main school in Davos; the Swiss Ski and Snowboard School Klosters covers Klosters and the Madrisa/Parsenn side. Both offer group and private instruction across all levels. TOP SECRET Ski & Snowboard School specialises in children's instruction and private lessons — the go-to for young beginners in Davos.

For off-piste, Adventure Skiing Davos provides licensed freeride guides for powder days on Pischa, the Parsenn flanks and further afield. Multi-day freeride camps (e.g., 3-day Wed–Fri) and private off-piste guiding from about CHF 85/hour are available. With the SLF avalanche institute next door, the local freeride knowledge here is as good as it gets.

Group lessons fill fast during Swiss sport holidays (mid-February). Private lessons cost more but progress far faster for beginners. Book ahead for peak weeks.

The family infrastructure here is spread across two sectors. Madrisa, above Klosters-Serneus, has the Madrisa-Land adventure park — four magic carpets, themed slopes, fun rider, bouncy castle — and it is the first adventure park in the Swiss Alps designed for physically and visually impaired children. Rinerhorn has the "Enchanted Forest" fun zone with waves and small jumps, plus the resort's best toboggan run: 3.7 km, night-lit.

In Davos itself, Bolgen and Bunda at the base of Jakobshorn have beginner fun slopes and the Magic Park. Selfranga in Klosters has a pony lift. The Snowli Club, run by the Swiss Ski School Klosters, takes children from 18 months for non-ski childcare.

Klosters is often the better family base: smaller, quieter, direct access to Madrisa, the Snowli Club for childcare, and a gentler village atmosphere than Davos's long, urban-feeling main street.

The rail journey is the natural way in: Zurich HB to Davos Platz is about 2 hours 40 minutes — SBB to Landquart, then the metre-gauge Rhaetian Railway (RhB) up through the Prättigau valley. Klosters Platz is on the same line, about 50 minutes from Landquart. The journey itself is scenic, especially the stretch from Klosters up to Davos through the narrow valley.

By car from Zurich it is about 2 hours via the A3/A13 motorway to Landquart, then the cantonal road through the Prättigau. In winter, the Vereina car-train tunnel — 19 km, the world's longest metre-gauge tunnel, opened 1999 — runs a car-carrying shuttle between Klosters-Selfranga and Sagliains in the Lower Engadine, replacing the avalanche-prone Flüela Pass. Journey time is about 20 minutes; it provides a snow-safe, year-round connection to the Engadine and Scuol.

Davos Dorf (the north-east end) is closer to the Parsennbahn funicular — the most convenient base if Parsenn is your main mountain. Davos Platz (the south-west end, the main commercial centre) is closer to Jakobshorn and the Schatzalp funicular, and has more shops, restaurants and bars. The two are about 10 minutes apart by bus.

Klosters is 10 minutes away by train: smaller, quieter, more traditional, and famously associated with King Charles and the British royal family. It gives direct gondola access to Parsenn (via Gotschnabahn) and is the base for Madrisa. The atmosphere is upmarket and village-scale — a different proposition from Davos's long, somewhat urban main street.

Notable hotels: Steigenberger Icon Grandhotel Belvédère (5-star, Davos Platz, from ~CHF 280); Hotel Schatzalp (Art Nouveau at 1,861 m, reached by funicular — the Thomas Mann inspiration, from ~CHF 260); Hard Rock Hotel Davos (4-star, modern, dog-friendly); hostels and budget hotels from CHF 40–80 per person.

WEF week (late January) pushes Davos hotel prices to extremes — the entire town fills with delegates and security. If you are booking a ski week, check the World Economic Forum dates and either avoid them or expect to pay a premium.

Bolgenschanze, at the base of the Jakobshorn slopes, is the resort's iconic après-ski venue — large outdoor terrace and indoor dancefloor, rocking from 3 pm daily, named after the historic ski jump. Ex Bar in Davos Platz (since 1965) is the legendary town bar: live music, foosball, a mixed-age crowd from 5 pm. Cabanna Club is the modern nightspot in Davos.

In Klosters, Casa Antica (since 1959) is the centre of nightlife — three floors: DJ/dancing, piano bar, quieter cocktail bar. Chesa Grischuna is the stylish hotel with a 15-Gault-Millau-point restaurant and a Klosters institution.

On the mountain, the Parsennhütte (established 1903) is one of the oldest Alpine mountain restaurants — self-service, table service and bar. Münggahütte on Parsenn serves raclette and fondue. A mountain lunch runs about CHF 20–35 for a main course.

The Kirchner Museum houses the world's largest collection of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner's Expressionist paintings — the artist lived in Davos 1918–1938 and painted the local Alpine landscapes. Hotel Schatzalp, the Art Nouveau sanatorium at 1,861 m reached by funicular, is where Thomas Mann's wife was treated for TB in 1912 and the inspiration for The Magic Mountain.

Eau-là-là is the indoor waterpark (80 m "Black Hole" slide, fun park, diving platform, sauna, outdoor whirlpool — adults CHF 10, children CHF 7). For sport, the Spengler Cup ice hockey tournament runs annually 26–31 December (since 1923, a Davos tradition) at the Vaillant Arena. Cross-country skiing covers 100+ km of prepared trails — one of Switzerland's premier XC networks. Winter hiking has 150+ km of cleared paths. Eight toboggan runs, with Rinerhorn's 3.7 km night run the star.

The 350+ Winter Guest Programme activities (CHF 5–15 each, many free with the Premium Card) make Davos one of the better non-skier destinations in the Alps: llama winter hikes, igloo building, GPS treasure hunts, ice mini-golf, torchlight hikes.

Dogs are not allowed on groomed ski pistes or cross-country tracks in Switzerland. On cable cars and gondolas, dogs can typically ride (leashed, often at child fare or a dog ticket), and in Davos-Klosters dogs ride the mountain railways free. There are dedicated winter dog-walking trails.

Dog-friendly hotels are plentiful: Hard Rock Hotel Davos (dogs in all room categories and restaurant), InterContinental/AlpenGold Hotel (dedicated amenities), Hotel Seehof (CHF 25/night per pet), Alpine Inn (CHF 20/night, bowls provided), Club Hotel Davos (CHF 10/night) — 37+ pet-friendly hotels in the area.

GB → Switzerland paperwork: the EU Pet Passport no longer works for British dogs. You need an Animal Health Certificate (AHC), a microchip, and a rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel. The AHC must be issued by an Official Veterinarian no more than 10 days before entry. A new AHC is needed for every trip. Switzerland applies EU pet travel rules as a Schengen state.

Madrisa-Land above Klosters is the first Alpine adventure park designed for physically and visually impaired children. The Madrisa 6-seater chairlift has fully automatic safety bars for adaptive monoski users. Ski schools in Klosters Platz and Klosters Dorf have trained instructors for adaptive snowsport instruction.

The Parsenn funicular is wheelchair-accessible via a stair lift at the station, with wide doors and ramps for wheelchair/scooter boarding. A Mountain Drive electronic wheelchair is available for rent at Madrisa-Alp restaurant, designed for mountain trails, gravel roads and steps up to 10 cm. Accompanying persons get a 50% fare reduction on mountain railway tickets with documentation.

The valley floor is relatively flat along Davos's main axis, making wheelchair navigation manageable. Several barrier-free hotels exist: Hotel Waldhuus, Hotel Strela, Parsenn Resort.

Contact davosklostersmountains.ch (+41 81 830 00 00) at least 2 hours before arrival for assistance at mountain stations. The Ginto app provides station accessibility information. Davos's flat valley floor is an advantage over steeper Swiss resort villages.

The WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, part of the ETH domain, is headquartered in Davos Dorf. It publishes the Swiss national avalanche bulletin — the authoritative source for off-piste conditions across the entire country. Having it here means Davos has the best local avalanche data of any resort in the world. Check slf.ch twice daily during your trip if you ski off-piste.

On insurance: Switzerland has no reciprocal healthcare agreement with the UK (EHIC/GHIC does not apply). Swiss helicopter rescue can cost CHF 3,500–5,000+ for a straightforward evacuation, potentially far more for complex operations. Search operations off-piste are capped at CHF 5,000 by compulsory Swiss accident insurance. Rega patronage (CHF 30/year) means Rega waives rescue costs not covered by your own insurance — worth it for any Swiss ski trip.

Private travel and ski insurance is essential — minimum cover should include CHF 100,000 for helicopter rescue, medical repatriation, and explicit off-piste coverage if you plan to leave the marked runs. Standard policies often exclude off-piste; check before you go.

Here is the day-rate breakdown, so you can build your own number. Everything is per person per day unless noted.

The levers that move the number most: base in Davos rather than Klosters if budget matters; self-cater from the Coop or Migros; take the train from Zurich (half the cost of a private transfer); and aim for early January or late March rather than the Swiss sport holidays in February.