Chur, Davos & Graubünden
Graubünden is a network of valleys; use Chur as the rail hinge, then commit to one mountain corridor instead of collecting resort names.
Chur is a compact historic city and the practical gate to multiple Rhaetian Railway corridors. Davos, Arosa and the Rhine Gorge are not neighboring attractions in walking terms; each is a distinct rail or road day. Treat the canton as a set of transport corridors with different weather and seasonal functions.
Two nights in Chur can support one city and one excursion; more time belongs in the mountain base itself if hiking or winter sports are the purpose.
RhB trains are the organizing system. Arosa, Davos and the Rhine Gorge use different branches; through-ticket ease should not be mistaken for geographic closeness.
Resort lifts, hiking trails and winter operations vary strongly by season. Chur remains usable year-round and is the safest fallback when high terrain closes.
Do not make every rail line, lake and summit compete for the same day.
Each guide below has its own access contract, choice set, four-stage route, fallback and current-source check.
Chur Old Town & Rhine Gorge
Use Chur’s old town as a compact urban anchor, then choose a specific Rhine Gorge rail or walking segment rather than treating the entire gorge as one roadside viewpoint.
Open the field guide →
Davos & Parsenn
Treat Davos as a high-valley base whose useful plan changes by season, then choose Parsenn or a lower lake/valley day according to lift status and weather.
Open the field guide →
Arosa & the Mountain Railway
Make the Chur–Arosa railway part of the excursion, then keep the resort day focused on the lake, village or one open mountain area rather than chasing multiple lift systems.
Open the field guide →Three different reasons to leave the hotel.
Chur Old Town & Rhine Gorge
Chur plus a short gorge segment gives city-and-landscape contrast in one day. A longer gorge hike requires more time and trail planning, leaving less room for the old city.
Half a day for Chur, full day for a meaningful gorge extension. Allow two to three hours for the old town alone and most of a day when a verified gorge rail or walking segment is part of the plan; the transfer to the chosen exit station belongs inside that time budget.02Davos & Parsenn
Davos gives robust infrastructure and broad mountain access but less compact old-town character. It suits outdoor travelers; visitors seeking historic urban texture may prefer Chur as the overnight base.
Give Davos a full day even without a major hike. Mountain routes need separate condition checks and more margin.03Arosa & the Mountain Railway
Arosa offers a self-contained resort basin and scenic rail arrival. It is a poor add-on to another corridor because the train consumes meaningful time in both directions.
Most of a day from Chur; longer if hiking or winter activities are the actual purpose.Chur, Davos & Graubünden FAQ
How long should I give Chur, Davos & Graubünden?
Two nights in Chur can support one city and one excursion; more time belongs in the mountain base itself if hiking or winter sports are the purpose.
What transport decision matters most around Chur, Davos & Graubünden?
RhB trains are the organizing system. Arosa, Davos and the Rhine Gorge use different branches; through-ticket ease should not be mistaken for geographic closeness.
What should I do if mountain, lake or weather conditions change?
If mountain plans fail, use Chur’s old town, museums and a shorter rail excursion. Keep a second corridor ready instead of forcing a closed lift or exposed trail.
Official sources and photo credits
Planning facts and image licensing were reviewed on 12 September 2026. Recheck transport, trail, lift, boat, weather and attraction status before travel.
- Graubünden Tourism.
- Rhaetian Railway.
- Davos Klosters Tourism.
- Arosa Lenzerheide.
- Chur (Altstadt).jpg — Freaktalius, CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized, display-cropped and converted to WebP; no other material edits.
- Davos as seen from Älplihorn (summer).jpg — Capricorn4049, CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized, display-cropped and converted to WebP; no other material edits.
- Arosa, Switzerland - Lake (2).jpg — Aileen's Pics, CC BY-SA 2.0. Resized, display-cropped and converted to WebP; no other material edits.