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Davos WEF Guide 2027: Trains, Getting Around and Tips

Updated: October 2026. Some details in this guide (security zones, shuttles, access rules, timetables) are set again each year by the Swiss authorities and the World Economic Forum, so they may change before January. Before you travel, check the official pages: wef.gr.ch, rhb.ch and sbb.ch. We will update this article as soon as the 2027 guidance is published.

✨ A week like no other

Every January, a small resort in the Swiss canton of Graubünden becomes the centre of the business world for five days. Packed trains, snowy streets, security checks and overflowing calendars: WEF week takes planning. This Davos WEF guide covers what you need to get there, get around and make the most of your time on the ground.

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📅 WEF Davos 2027: dates and how the week works

The 57th Annual Meeting, WEF Davos 2027, runs from 18 to 22 January 2027 at the Davos Congress Centre, with around 3,000 participants expected (Davos Tourism).

The official programme and the side events

The official programme is for Forum members and invited guests only. Around it, more than 400 side events take place on the Promenade and in nearby venues, most of them with no formal link to the WEF (Belkin Marketing). Shops, restaurants, bars and hotel lobbies are turned into lounges, stages and meeting spots for the week (Opus Letter). For the full picture, read our article on the Houses of Davos.

When to arrive

The Promenade houses and side events usually get going on Monday evening, so regulars recommend arriving on Sunday (Belkin Marketing). It's also the best time to pick up badges and scout your venues before the crowds arrive.

🚆 How to get to Davos

By train from Zurich: change at Landquart

The train to Davos is the most reliable option in January. There is no direct service from Zurich: the fastest connection from Zurich HB to Davos Platz takes about 2h20 with one change at Landquart (Joy della Vita). From Zurich Airport, which has its own station, allow about 2h40 (World Economic Forum, participant guide). At Landquart you switch from Swiss Federal Railways to the Rhaetian Railway (RhB), which serves Klosters and Davos.

Davos Platz or Davos Dorf?

Davos has two main stations, roughly 2.5 km apart (Wikipedia). The Promenade, the main street where most side events happen, runs between them. Pick the station closest to your hotel or first meeting. It saves real time, especially when you're dragging a suitcase along a snowy pavement.

From Geneva, Bern or Klosters

From Geneva, expect around six hours by train via Zurich and Landquart (Rome2Rio). If you're staying in Klosters, regular trains link the two villages, and the road transfer takes about 25 minutes depending on traffic (World Economic Forum).

Car, private transfer and helicopter

By car, Zurich Airport is about 154 km from Davos Platz, just under two hours without traffic (Joy della Vita). During the forum, checks can slow down access to Davos, and the authorities advise following live traffic updates on rhb.ch and strassen.gr.ch (Swiss Federal Government). Many participants also fly in by helicopter from Zurich, Altenrhein or Friedrichshafen (Joy della Vita), and air traffic is tightly controlled all week (Swiss Federal Government).

🚶 Getting around Davos during the WEF

The Promenade, on foot

Walking is the best way of getting around Davos. Almost every event sits on or near the Promenade, on snowy and sometimes steep pavements. Some attendees clock more than 15,000 steps a day (Norah Casey, LinkedIn). Traffic is heavy, and security may ask a driver to loop around again instead of stopping (OSAC).

Buses and shuttles

Official WEF badge holders ride buses and trains in Davos and Klosters for free (OSAC). In previous years, local public transport was also free with the guest card handed out by your hotel (World Economic Forum), so check this with your accommodation for 2027. The Forum shuttles, meanwhile, check official badges more and more strictly (Belkin Marketing).

Security zones and the Hotel Badge

In 2026, the security zones covered the area around the Congress Centre, the Kongress Hotel and the Hilton Garden Inn, the AlpenGold and Belvédère hotels, the ice rink and the lake heliport. Every other hotel, shop and venue remained freely accessible (Swiss Federal Government). The 2027 perimeter will be published on wef.gr.ch.

The Hotel Badge, which gives access to the secured hotels, is issued by the Graubünden cantonal police, not by the WEF (Belkin Marketing). The good news: the vast majority of side events don't require one (unDavos Playbook).

🏨 Where to stay during WEF week

Book as early as you can

Accommodation in Davos is the first headache of the week. At least 80% of hotel beds are reserved for Forum participants (Swissinfo), and specialists recommend booking six to nine months ahead (Leo Trippi). A popular solution: a chalet in Davos that houses your team and doubles as a place to host guests. See our selection of spaces for WEF in Davos.

Exclusive Davos chalet for events and executive retreats

Exclusive Davos chalet for events and executive retreats

Klosters and the neighbouring valleys

The WEF itself houses part of its staff in neighbouring Klosters (The Local). Arosa, Lenzerheide and the Engadine are also good fallback options (Südostschweiz). Chur and Landquart sit on the railway line and work well if you don't mind a daily commute.

🧳 Our tips to survive the week

Shoes and clothing

Davos sits at 1,560 metres (CV VC, Medium). Regulars swear by a single pair of good snow boots, smart enough for dinners (Belkin Marketing), and some add crampons for the Promenade (Joe Technologist). Davos doesn't salt its streets and spreads sand on the busiest stretches instead (Norah Casey, LinkedIn). Wear layers: it's freezing outside and very warm indoors.

Eating, paying and staying connected

Event buffets will keep you going, but carry snacks. The grocery stores at either end of the Promenade are a good backup (Joe Technologist). Set up an eSIM before you leave, as the SIM counter queue at Zurich Airport gets long just before the forum. Bring some cash too: a few smaller venues switch to cash when card terminals are overloaded (Belkin Marketing).

Build buffers into your schedule

Getting to a meeting inside the secure zone from the other end of the Promenade often takes longer than you'd expect (Joe Technologist). Leave at least 30 minutes between meetings and group them by area.

🎯 Plan your Davos event with Native Spaces

A panel, a private dinner, a lounge for client meetings: hosting an event in Davos during the WEF starts months in advance. The rules are changing too, with the town capping temporary constructions from 2027 (our breakdown of the new rules). Our team knows which venues are available, from chalets to addresses on the Promenade, and supports you from brief to event day. Bookmark this Davos WEF guide: we'll add the 2027 details as soon as they're published.

Alpine event venue in Davos for corporate events

Alpine event venue in Davos for corporate events

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📚 Sources

Information checked in October 2026. Details on security, transport and accommodation may change for the 2027 edition.