By car from Zurich to St Moritz in January

I will travel by car from Zurich airport to Saint Moritz with children and my family on 15 January, and I will leave Zurich airport around 6 pm. Anyone could help me about this road at night? Is it a safe travel? Is there snow at this time on the road?

Thanks so much

Hi Geraldo, welcome to MySwissAlps!

Whether it is safe depends on your driving skills and experience, and on the weather at the time, which can't be predicted in detail until a about day before. There can be snow on the road if it has been snowing recently. After a while they will have cleared the road.

You will have to drive via the Julier Pass. The other passes are closed in winter. There's also the Vereina car train from Klosters, which will make the trip safer as you will by-pass the pass roads.

In any case you need a car with winter tires, and factor in driving in the darkness on roads you are not familiar with. Personally I would not do such a drive at night, in winter, after a flight. I'd rather do it next morning or take the train.

Arno, thank you so much. Certainly I will not drive at night anymore, I never drive with snow, then I am really afraid. I am so grateful for your post. Best wishes and Happy New Year 2017! Geraldo

You're most welcome Geraldo! If you decide to spend the night in Zurich you can find hotel suggestions near the airport and in the city here:

• myswissalps.com/ zurich/hotels
• myswissalps.com/ zurichairporthotels

Happy 2017 to you!

Hi Geraldo-

<<"Certainly I will not drive at night anymore, I never drive with snow, then I am really afraid. I am so grateful for your post.">>

Good decision. Just to emphasize one point...even in daylight, in the summer, driving mountain pass roads requires intense concentration on the roads, and I find it much more tiring than driving on "normal" roads.

And, as Arno has noted, in late December almost all Alpine passes are closed due to snow. If i were forced to make that drive in the Winter, I would go by the longer route using the Vereina Tunnel/ train transport of your car under the mountains.

Slowpoke

Stowpoke,

thank you so much, I am thinking in not drive anymore! Then I have 3 options: by train, by taxi or by Vereina!

Train and taxi are so expensive for 5 people, what do you recommend me? Is the road to Vereina safe? Usually is there snow there? How long is the travel for Zurich Airport to Vereina?

Sorry for a lot of doubts, but I am totally in doubt what decision to take.

Kind Regards,

Geraldo

Hi Geraldo,

Snow on the roads can occur everywhere in winter. Chances increase south of Landquart as you enter the Alps and gain altitude. The roads are as safe as they can be, the rest of it depends on the weather and driving skills. Skipping the pass road and taking the car train certainly helps. It's a nice experience as well.

I'm not sure what your plans in St. Moritz are, but a car is not a necessity, and certainly not in winter. Public transport in the area is excellent. I've used it extensively in both summer and winter.

Arno ,

thank you again. I rent a transfer to my family , althout my skills in drive are so good, I never do this in the snow.

i will try to transfer my car to Saint Moritz, I will stay on Club Med, then I can go iin some cities near too.

Certainly yours informations and from Slowpoke definetelly help me a lot.

With professional transfer, we will stay with someone that has experience in drive there and I will can enjoy the view and the road.

Best wishes for you and family and for Slowpoke, happy new year! Health and peace for all!

Kind Regards,

Geraldo and family from Brazil

Hi Geraldo-

<<"i will try to transfer my car to Saint Moritz, I will stay on Club Med, then I can go iin some cities near too.">>

There are no cities nearby. There are small towns nearby. All are best accessed from St. Moritz by train or bus in the winter. There are cableways or ski lifts that can take you up on the mountains for good views.

This map may help you. Zoom in.

map.search.ch/St.Morit z?poi=verkehr&z=8

I have used the menus to turn on an overlay for public transport stops.

The menus have quite a few options.

Slowpoke