Ride and explore the Landwasserwelt train highlights 

This post is written by MySwissAlps and sponsored by Rhätische Bahn.

Swiss train icons and nature combined: why Landwasserwelt is worth your time

What exactly is the Landwasserwelt?

The Landwasserwelt (“Landwasser World”) stretches between Filisur, Bergün, and Davos. It’s located just east of the Albula railway line: the scenic route between Chur and St. Moritz, operated by Rhaetian Railway. This stretch, which is part of the Glacier Express and Bernina Express routes, is so spectacular that it’s included in the UNESCO World Heritage List!

The name “Landwasser” comes from the spectacular Landwasser Viaduct: 65 meters high and curving into a cliff face near Filisur. It’s one of the most famous sights of the Albula line, and the most-photographed highlight. Nearby is the even taller Wiesen Viaduct (almost 90 meters), located between Filisur and Davos.

Filisur and Bergün: great train activities right around the corner

If you’re traveling the Albula line, whether it’s by a panoramic train or a normal train, you’ll get a good glimpse of it: you’ll see the stunning valleys, the villages of Filisur and Bergün, and you’ll cross the Landwasser Viaduct.

But: if you’re a fan of Swiss trains, it’s well worth it to get off at Filisur or Bergün. You’ll find platforms with amazing views of the Landwasser and Wiesen Viaducts, a historic train ride, scenic hikes, and the Albula Railway Museum here. Best of all: most of this is free with a Swiss Travel Pass!

Activities from Filisur and Bergün

Filisur: all about the Landwasser Viaduct

If you want an up-close view of the Landwasser Viaduct, you should definitely get off in Filisur. Your options:

• Viaduct Shuttle: in just 2 minutes, the shuttle train with open-air seats brings you to the stop “Schmitten GR Landwasserviadukt”. It’s close to the Hennings viewing platform, where you can overlook the viaduct from above and from the western side, making it perfect for (late) afternoon shots. The ride is free with a Swiss Travel Pass. A normal return ticket costs CHF 6, a discounted ticket with a Swiss Half Fare Card CHF 3.
• Landwasser Express: twice a day, this choo-choo train heads from Filisur to the viewpoint in the valley. You’ll have a 45-minute break here before getting back. The perspective at the foot of the viaduct is absolutely impressive! A round trip costs CHF 15 per adult. There are no rail pass discounts.
• Acatos Platform: this viewing platform is located east of the viaduct, so I recommend this for morning pictures. You can reach it on foot in about 20 minutes.

Between Filisur and Davos: the Wiesen Viaduct and a historical train

East of Filisur runs the wonderful train route to Davos, which passes the nearly 90 m high and 210 m long Wiesen Viaduct. Here’s how to explore it:

• Historic train: make a 40-minute ride in nostalgic 1920s-style coaches from Filisur to Davos Platz. A roofed open-air carriage is available too. It’s free with a Swiss Travel Pass and you don’t need reservations. A standard one-way 2nd class ticket costs CHF 11.80. With a Swiss Half Fare Card, it’s CHF 5.90.
• Sky Walk and Coray Platform: walk over the viaduct! This so-called Sky Walk is accessible in just 10 minutes from the Davos Wiesen station. It also gets you to the Coray Platform, where you can admire the entire viaduct.
• Hike Davos Wiesen-Filisur: the easy trail from Davos Wiesen to Filisur takes 1h45 to 2h00. The Sky Walk and Coray Platform are part of the route.

Bergün: the Albula Railway Museum, local history, and model railway

• Albula Railway Museum: the museum exhibits 135 years of railway culture in the canton of Graubünden. It also serves as a visitor centre for the UNESCO Rhaetian Railway heritage site. It’s great for railway enthusiasts and kids! Access is free with a Swiss Travel Pass and costs CHF 15 without one.
• You can combine the museum with a visit to Bergün’s local museum and its model railway.

How to fit Landwasserwelt into your trip by normal trains, Bernina Express, or Glacier Express

Regional trains (and buses!): ideal

The regular trains of Rhaetian Railway provide most flexibility: you don’t need reservations and you can get on and off wherever and whenever you want. The main options:

• There are hourly direct train connections on the Albula lline from Filisur to Chur in the north and St. Moritz in the south. From St. Moritz or Pontresina, continuing further south to Tirano is easy as well.
• Hourly direct trains run between Landquart, Davos, and Filisur.

For more variety, you can even take the bus between Chur and Filisur. This takes 1h30 and you can choose from two routes:

• via Thusis and Tiefencastel, roughly parallel to the railway route;
• via the beautiful mountain resort of Lenzerheide.

You’ll find all options in the timetable.

Bernina Express: very doable as well

Traveling by Bernina Express? You can get on and off in Filisur and Bergün. If you want to continue the ride after your Landwasserwelt side trip, it’s easiest to board a normal train.

But with careful planning, catching the afternoon Bernina Express is doable too:

• You can catch the southbound Bernina Express toward Pontresina/Tirano at 14:32 in Filisur, or 14:46 in Bergün.
• Or board the northbound Bernina Express to Chur at 17:12 in Bergün or 17:25 in Filisur.

A heads-up: you’ll need separate seat reservations for the afternoon Bernina Express train!

Glacier Express: not ideal

Combining a side trip to Landwasserwelt with a Glacier Express ride is not realistic in my opinion. That’s because:

• you’ll often travel a large part of this route. That takes up most of your day and leaves little time for a side trip.
• the official Glacier Express schedule doesn’t allow getting off the train in Filisur or Bergün in the morning, and doesn’t allow boarding it in the afternoon. Ideally, it would be the other way around for these side excursions.

2 example day trips with a stop in Landwasserwelt

I’ve created two example routes to illustrate how you can visit Landwasserwelt on the way. There are many more options: play around with the Swiss timetable and the Landwasserwelt excursion timetables to see what fits your plans.

Example 1: traveling St. Moritz – Chur by normal trains

Morning: visit the Albula Railway Museum and enjoy the historic train to Davos

• 09:05 St. Moritz: board a regional train in the direction of Chur.
• 09:47 Bergün: arrival.
• 10:00 Bergün: visit the Albula Railway Museum.
• 10:47 Bergün: take a regional train in the direction of Chur.
• 10:59 Filisur: arrival.
• 11:06 Filisur: board the historical train to Davos Platz.
• 11:50 Davos Platz: get off the train. Stroll through Davos and have a lunch break here.

Afternoon: walk from Davos Wiesen to Filisur and admire the Wiesen Viaduct

• 13:31 Davos Platz: board a regional train in the direction of Filisur.
• 13:50 Davos Wiesen: arrival.
• 13:50: start your hike to Filisur. You can enjoy the Sky Walk over the Wiesen Viaduct and the Coray Platform overlooking the viaduct!
• 16:00 Filisur: estimated arrival after your walk.

Late afternoon: see the Landwasser Viaduct and catch the Glacier Express crossing it!

• 16:22 Filisur: board the Viaduct Shuttle to Schmitten.
• 16:24 Schmitten: get off the train and walk to the Hennings Platform. Here, you can take pictures of the afternoon Glacier Express that departs from Thusis at 16:28 and crosses the Landwasser Viaduct about 15 minutes later.
• 17:08 Schmitten: board the Viaduct Shuttle to Filisur
• 17:12 Filisur: arrival. You could do part of Filisur town walk, or just sit back and enjoy the peaceful area of the village.

Early evening: move on to Chur

• 18:00 Filisur: board the train to Chur.
• 19:04 Chur: arrival.

Example 2: traveling Chur-Tirano by Bernina Express

Morning: watch the Landwasser Viaduct from above and below

• 08:17 Chur: board the Bernina Express train.
• 09:32 Filisur: arrival. Start your 20-minute walk to Acatos Platform and take a relaxed break while watching the Landwasser Viaduct. Return to Filisur.
• 11:15 Filisur: board the Landwasser Express choo-choo train.
• 11:40 Landwasser Viaduct: enjoy your break at the foot of the viaduct.
• 12:25 Landwasser Viaduct: get back on the Landwasser Express.
• 12:50 Filisur: arrival.

Early afternoon: admire the Wiesen Viaduct

• 13:04 Filisur: catch a regional train to Davos Wiesen.
• 13:09 Davos Wiesen: get off the train and make the 10-minute walk over the Wiesen Viaduct and to the Coray Platform, then back to Davos Wiesen.
• 13:50 Davos Wiesen: board a regional train to Filisur.
• 13:56 Filisur: arrival.

Late afternoon: continue your trip by Bernina Express

• 14:32 Filisur: continue your Bernina Express trip by catching the afternoon train to Tirano.
• 17:59 Tirano: arrival.