Zurich to Davos: Three Routes Compared for the Discerning Traveller

Every WEF Davos arrival begins with the same question: how does the principal move from Zurich to Davos? There are three answers, and none is universally correct. The right choice depends on aircraft size, schedule flexibility, security level, and tolerance for weather disruption.

The direct road transfer from Zurich Airport to Davos covers approximately 150 kilometres via the A3 motorway and the Landquart-Davos approach road. Under normal conditions, journey time is two hours and twenty minutes. During WEF week, with convoy protocols and security checkpoints on the Davosersee approach, three hours is the operating assumption. We pre-allocate convoy positioning in August and block the specific passing bays on the Landquart-Klosters climb that allow the lead vehicle to hold position while police escort rotates.

Option A — Direct road convoy

The road option is the most flexible and the least weather-dependent. Snow chains are carried on all winter transfers. A mechanical failure on one vehicle in a multi-car convoy triggers an immediate substitution protocol: the principal transfers to the reserve vehicle without stopping. The road is the default for principals who require continuous ground contact and those whose security detail requires land-based operational continuity.

Its weakness is time. Three hours in a vehicle, however well appointed, is three hours. For a principal arriving from Dubai, Singapore, or New York, the road transfer adds to an already extended travel day. For those who value arrival as the boundary between transit and work, the road is the correct choice only when helicopter and jet options are foreclosed.

Option B — Helicopter relay from Zurich

A helicopter departure from Zurich's Heliport Bülach or from the Flughafen Zurich apron reduces the Davos transfer to thirty-five minutes of airtime plus twenty minutes of ground positioning at both ends. In standard WEF weather — overcast, gusty, with valley fog between Davos and Landquart — the helicopter operates reliably provided IFR certification is current and the operator holds a valid slot at the Davos Bolgen heliport.

The coordination requirement is higher. Slot availability at Bolgen is managed through a centralised WEF system with limited capacity. We block slots for confirmed principals from October. A principal who decides in December that they would prefer helicopter transfer will typically find the primary slots taken. Late requests can sometimes be accommodated through cancellation monitoring, but this is not a reliable strategy for a principal with a fixed Monday morning board commitment.

Option C — Private jet to Samedan

Samedan Airport in the Engadin valley accepts aircraft up to the Bombardier Challenger 300 class on its 1,800-metre runway. The approach is IFR-certified, and the terminal provides the discreet, rapid-processing experience expected at a dedicated FBO. From Samedan, Davos is forty minutes by road, with no security checkpoint friction outside the immediate village perimeter.

The Samedan option is best suited to principals whose aircraft already positions in the mid-size jet category, or those arriving from a single-sector departure that matches Samedan's range capacity. It is not the correct solution for ultra-long-range arrivals from the Gulf or Asia, which require Zurich or Geneva for fuel and range reasons. For Samedan transfers, FFGR Swiss maintains a dedicated ground fleet positioned in St. Moritz year-round, enabling same-day activation for principals with confirmed aircraft reservations.