St Moritz, Graubünden
Chauffeur service in St Moritz and the Upper Engadin. Engadin Airport, Zurich and Milan, with VAT, the vignette, the Vereina car train and Italian tolls already counted in the number you were quoted.
A resort three hours from the nearest big airport is booked differently from a city. Most trips here are long runs in, short hops within the valley, and long runs out.
Engadin Airport for private aircraft, plus the long runs from Zurich Airport to St Moritz and Milan to St Moritz. Flight tracked, with 60 minutes of free waiting once the aircraft is on the ground.
St Moritz airport transfersA car held for a day of lunches in Pontresina, the lake, and dinner up the valley in Sils. Two-hour minimum, and the chauffeur waits between stops. The same hourly chauffeur booking covers wedding transportation and race days at White Turf.
Hourly chauffeur in St MoritzDavos and Klosters are the other half of most January itineraries. WEF Davos transfers are planned around the season the road is in: the Flüela in summer, the Vereina car train or the Julier in winter.
WEF Davos transfersSki transfers with room for boots, skis and the family, from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to Corviglia, Corvatsch or Diavolezza. For a door-to-door journey with nobody else on board, see private transfers.
St Moritz ski transfersA St Moritz chauffeur service is a pre-booked private car at a fixed price in Swiss francs, carried out by a Swiss-registered licensed chauffeur operator whose drivers hold the federal permit for professional passenger transport, shown as code 121 on the driving licence, and whose hours are recorded under the Chauffeurverordnung (ARV 2). The Municipality of St. Moritz also licenses commercial passenger transport within the resort under its communal taxi law. Whether the trip is an Engadin Airport transfer, a Zurich Airport to St Moritz run over the Julier or an hourly car service around the lake, the vehicle, the chauffeur and the price are fixed before you travel.
Getting here is the real work. St Moritz sits at the top of the Engadin, more than 200 km from Zurich and close to 190 km from Malpensa, and the road in depends on which passes are open, whether the Vereina car train is quicker than the Julier that day, and how long the queue is at the Italian border near Chiavenna. A St Moritz car service booking takes those decisions off your hands. The fare includes the 8.1 percent Swiss VAT, the motorway vignette, any car-train fare and any Italian tolls the route uses, so a black car from Milan costs what it said at booking.
Inside the valley the same reservation covers short runs between St Moritz Dorf, St Moritz Bad, Celerina, Pontresina and Sils, and a taxi alternative for evenings when you want the car to wait. Further out it covers St Moritz to Davos, St Moritz to Lugano and the long run back to Zurich. For family offices, event teams and corporate travel through the WEF week, it adds central billing and one point of contact for every car on the Zurich Airport to Davos and Engadin routes.
One high-altitude airfield in the valley for private aircraft, and three airline airports on the far side of the Alps. Which one you use decides most of the trip.
| Airport | Distance to St Moritz | Typical drive, off-peak | Typical drive, peak | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engadin AirportSMV, Samedan | About 8 km | 10 to 15 minutes | 15 to 20 minutes | Private aircraft and helicopters only, when you want to land in the valley rather than drive into it |
| Zurich AirportZRH, Kloten | 214 to 219 km | 3 h to 3 h 30 | 4 h or more in snow | Long-haul and most European flights, and the easiest connection for Davos as well |
| Milan MalpensaMXP, Lombardy, Italy | About 186 km | 3 h 15 to 3 h 45 | 4 h to 4 h 30 | Long-haul arrivals from the south, via Chiavenna and the Maloja Pass |
| Milan LinateLIN, Milan, Italy | About 174 km | 3 h to 3 h 45 | 4 h to 4 h 30 | Short European flights, and the closest airline airport by road to St Moritz |
Drive times are door to door for a direct private vehicle. Peak here means the busy days rather than the rush hour: snow on the Julier or the Maloja, Saturday changeovers in ski season, WEF security in January and Italian border traffic around Chiavenna. Milan pickups cross a border and are confirmed by dispatch at booking.
A private airfield in the valley, two very different arrival halls on either side of the Alps, and, for many guests, the front door of the hotel. Each has its own routine.
Engadin Airport sits at 1,707 metres and calls itself Europe's highest-altitude airport. It handles private aviation and helicopters only, around 16,000 movements a year, on a 1,840-metre runway without lighting. That means no night flights. In summer it is open 06:00 to 17:00 UTC; in winter from 07:00 UTC until 30 minutes after sunset, and after the clocks go back on 25 October 2026 that winter opening is 08:00 local time.
Your chauffeur meets you where your handling agent and the airport allow, and confirms the exact door in the message sent before you land. From there it is about 8 km to St Moritz Dorf; timings are on Engadin Airport to St Moritz. A CHF 68.5 million rebuild approved by voters on 17 August 2025 runs through 2031, so the layout will change. During the WEF the airspace within 25 NM of Davos is restricted; check January slots with your handling agent.
At Zurich Airport the free pickup is the forecourt or car park your chauffeur names in the pre-arrival message. Zurich charges every vehicle for each pass through its arrival forecourts, and that charge is already inside a RYDES price, as is any short-term parking the chauffeur needs while you clear baggage. After a long-haul flight with ski bags, meet and greet in the arrivals hall is the paid add-on worth considering. The drive is described on Zurich Airport to St Moritz.
At Malpensa and Linate, your chauffeur confirms the exact door in the message sent before you land. These are cross-border runs carried out by a Swiss-registered operator, so they are confirmed by dispatch at booking rather than sold automatically, and a Swiss car cannot carry you between two points inside Italy. Detail for both Milan airports is on Milan to St Moritz.
Most valley pickups start at a hotel entrance in St Moritz Dorf or Bad, or a chalet in Suvretta, Celerina or Pontresina. The chauffeur waits 15 minutes free and helps with skis.
Several grand hotels run their own guest cars, Badrutt's Palace among them, and Suvretta House collects guests from the station. RYDES covers the trips hotel cars usually do not: the Zurich and Milan runs, Engadin Airport arrivals, Davos during the WEF, and a car held for the whole day.
Airport facts above were checked against public sources in October 2026. Engadin Airport opening hours are set in UTC and change with daylight; your handling agent and your chauffeur's message are the authority on the day.
There are no congestion charges anywhere near St Moritz. What adds to a mountain journey is the motorway vignette, a car train through the Vereina tunnel, Italian tolls on a Milan run and Swiss VAT, and a RYDES fare carries all four.
The Vereina car train links Klosters Selfranga and Sagliains in 18 minutes through a 19 km tunnel, half-hourly. It is the winter alternative to the Flüela Pass, which closes for the season and usually reopens in May. The car fare is CHF 36 in summer; from 1 December 2026 to 30 April 2027 it is CHF 39.50 booked online or CHF 41 at the station. Last winter trains leave Klosters at 23:50 and Sagliains at 00:20. When the route uses the train, the fare is in your price, and so is the CHF 40 motorway vignette.
Four passes into the Engadin stay open all year: the Julier, the Maloja, the Bernina and the Ofen. The Albula, Flüela, Oberalp, Splügen and Forcola di Livigno close in winter. Snow chains are compulsory only where signs require them, and fitting them is the chauffeur's job. Swiss VAT of 8.1 percent applies to passenger transport; on a cross-border run to Milan only the Swiss kilometres are taxed, and Italian tolls are paid by the operator. All of it is inside the quoted price.
| RYDES chauffeur | Hire car you drive yourself | Train via Chur | |
|---|---|---|---|
| When the price is set | At booking, then fixed | Daily rate, then fuel and extras | At ticket purchase |
| Motorway vignette, CHF 40 | Inside the quoted price | Check the car carries one | Not relevant |
| Vereina car train | Inside the price when used | Paid at Selfranga or online | Not relevant |
| Italian tolls from Milan | Inside the quoted price | Paid at each toll plaza | Not relevant |
| 8.1 percent Swiss VAT | Inside the quoted price | Inside the rental rate | Inside the fare |
| Passes, snow and chains | The chauffeur's problem | Yours, on a road you may not know | None, but turnbacks at Samedan |
| Skis and four suitcases | Book the class that fits | Whatever fits the boot | Carried through each change |
| Service | Included; extra is voluntary at payment | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Vereina or Julier in winter is a timing call, not a cost one: weekend queues at Selfranga can outweigh the shorter road. The operator decides on the day and the price does not move. The full comparison with a local taxi is on St Moritz taxi versus chauffeur.
Distances in the valley are short and roads are rarely congested. The long runs are where time goes, and in winter the weather sets the upper end more often than traffic does.
| Route | Off-peak | Weekday peak | What moves it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engadin Airport to St Moritz Dorf | 10 to 15 min | 15 to 20 min | About 8 km through Celerina; St Moritz Bad is 12 to 20 minutes |
| Engadin Airport to Pontresina | 9 to 12 min | 12 to 15 min | About 7 km; Celerina itself is 7 to 12 minutes |
| Engadin Airport to Sils Maria | 22 to 25 min | 25 to 30 min | About 18 km along the lakes; Silvaplana is 17 to 25, Maloja 26 to 35 |
| Engadin Airport to Davos, summer | 1 h 05 to 1 h 10 | 1 h 15 to 1 h 20 | About 63 km over the Flüela Pass |
| Engadin Airport to Davos, winter via the Vereina | 1 h 20 to 1 h 35 | 1 h 35 to 1 h 50 | About 51 km of road plus the car train; weekend queues at the loading ramp |
| Engadin Airport to Davos, winter via the Julier | 1 h 45 to 2 h | 2 h to 2 h 15 | About 91 km through Tiefencastel, when the train queue is too long |
| Engadin Airport to Klosters | 1 h 10 to 1 h 25 | 1 h 25 to 1 h 40 | Via the Vereina, landing you at Selfranga on the edge of Klosters |
| Engadin Airport to Chur | 1 h 25 to 1 h 35 | 1 h 35 to 1 h 45 | About 85 km over the Julier, open all year |
| St Moritz to Zurich Airport | 3 h to 3 h 30 | 4 h or more | 214 to 219 km via the Julier and Chur, or the Vereina; snow sets the upper end |
| St Moritz to Milan Malpensa | 3 h 15 to 3 h 45 | 4 h to 4 h 30 | About 186 km over the Maloja and through Chiavenna |
| Zurich Airport to Davos | 2 h 10 to 2 h 20 | 2 h 20 to 2 h 30 | About 160 km; WEF security in January slows the last stretch |
These ranges assume the passes are open as normal. A heavy snowfall on the Julier or the Maloja can add an hour to a Zurich or Milan run, and a closure turns it into a detour. A same-day return to Zurich or Milan may need a break or a second driver; dispatch plans it.
Longer runs are priced as one fixed fare for the whole journey, so a queue at the Vereina or a slow Maloja descent is the operator's cost rather than yours.
| Destination | Distance | Typical drive | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Livigno, Italy | 44 km summer, 62 km winter | 50 to 70 min summer, 1 h 10 to 1 h 30 winter | Via the Bernina and Forcola in summer; in winter via Zernez and the Munt la Schera tunnel. Cross-border, confirmed by dispatch |
| Davos | About 70 km summer | 1 h 15 to 2 h 15 depending on season | The Flüela in summer; the Vereina car train or the Julier in winter |
| Klosters | Via the Vereina | 1 h 20 to 1 h 50 | The car train makes this the quickest winter link to the Prättigau |
| Chur | 75 to 85 km | 1 h 15 to 1 h 45 | Over the Julier, open year-round; also the rail hub for Zurich |
| Lugano | About 180 km | 2 h 45 to 3 h 15 | Over the Maloja and through Italy to Ticino; see Lugano |
| Zurich city | About 200 km | 3 h to 3 h 30 | The same corridor as the airport run; see Zurich |
| Zermatt, via Täsch | A full day by road | Quoted at booking | Zermatt is car-free, so the hand-over is at Täsch; driving hours are planned by dispatch. See Zermatt |
| Event | Dates | What it means for a booking |
|---|---|---|
| Cresta Run season opening | Listed for 17 December 2026 | Season opening on the Cresta; book arrivals for that week early |
| World Economic Forum, Davos | 18 to 22 January 2027 | Davos and St Moritz are often booked together; security slows the Davos roads and airspace is restricted |
| Snow Polo World Cup | 22 to 24 January 2027 | On the frozen lake, straight after the WEF; the two weeks overlap for some guests |
| White Turf | Race days 7, 14 and 21 February 2027 | Horse racing on the frozen lake; hourly hire suits a race day |
| Engadin Marathon Week | 6 to 14 March 2027 | The Engadin Skimarathon runs Maloja to S-chanf on the second Sunday of March; valley roads are affected that morning |
| St Moritz Gourmet Festival | Late August (2026: 25 to 30 August) | Now held in late summer; evening hire between hotels suits it |
Cross-border journeys to Livigno, Milan and Lugano through Italy are confirmed by dispatch at booking rather than sold automatically, and Italian domestic legs cannot be carried by a Swiss-registered car. In September 2026 the canton secured a route for an upgraded Maloja road with tunnels near the Silsersee, out of a geological hazard zone.
St Moritz itself, the villages of the Upper Engadin, Davos and Klosters on the far side of the passes, and the long runs to the airports. Every domestic journey is carried out by a Swiss-registered licensed operator.
Capacity below is the realistic figure, not the brochure one. Ski bags and boot bags take more space than suitcases, so with a full set of skis book a class up.
| Class | Typical vehicles | Passengers | Luggage | In St Moritz, best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| StandardComfortable everyday sedan | Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata | 3 | 2 medium | Short valley hops between St Moritz, Celerina and Pontresina, one or two people with light bags |
| BusinessThe everyday standard | Mercedes E-Class, BMW 5 Series, Cadillac CT6 | 3 | 2 large, 1 small | Engadin Airport arrivals and dinners up the valley for one or two |
| FirstFlagship sedans | Mercedes S-Class, BMW 7 Series, Audi A8 | 3 | 2 large, 1 small | The Zurich or Milan run, three hours or more where the cabin is worth it |
| SUVRoom for luggage | Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon | 5 | 5 large | Winter arrivals with skis and checked bags, and any pass crossing between December and April |
| VanA seat and a case each | Mercedes V-Class, Mercedes Vito, Ford Transit | 7 | 7 large | Families or groups of up to seven with ski luggage, and WEF delegations |
| GroupUp to sixteen | Mercedes Sprinter, executive minibus | up to 16 | By arrangement | Wedding parties, event teams and Davos shuttles in one vehicle |
Between December and April the SUV class is the sensible default for anything that crosses the Julier, the Maloja or the Flüela, and for chalets on steep private roads. Full capacity and luggage detail is on the vehicle classes page, and for weddings in the valley see wedding transportation in St Moritz.
One total in Swiss francs, as Swiss price display rules require, with nothing added once you arrive.
The train into St Moritz is one of the most beautiful journeys in Europe, and for some travellers it is the right choice.
On your own, with a carry-on, landing at Zurich in daylight, the train takes about 3 hours 45 minutes from Zurich Airport via Zurich HB and Chur, finishing on the UNESCO-listed Albula line. A Swiss Travel Pass for 3 consecutive days costs CHF 254 in second class. Be aware of one caveat: since July 2025 more than 100 Albula trains have been turned back at Samedan, so the last leg can need a change. The Bernina Express to Tirano takes about 4 hours, and the Glacier Express to Zermatt about 7.5 hours (no service 11 October to 4 December 2026).
A chauffeur earns its price under different conditions: a family with skis and several cases, an arrival after the last convenient train, a Milan flight where the rail connection means three changes, a private aircraft into Samedan, a day split between St Moritz and Davos in WEF week, or a hotel door that is not near a station. The cost and time comparison is on St Moritz taxi versus chauffeur.
Julier or Vereina, chains or not, a break near Chur on the long run back. You will not need to think about any of it.
Pickup, destination and time. Add a flight or tail number and the pickup follows the aircraft from departure.
Each class side by side with its total in Swiss francs, VAT, car trains and tolls already in it.
Name, photo, car and registration arrive three hours ahead, with the exact meeting point for your airport or hotel.
If yours is not here, dispatch answers around the clock at +1 888 881 7933 or support@rydes.co.
For a private aircraft, Engadin Airport at Samedan, about 8 km from St Moritz Dorf. For airline flights, Zurich Airport is 214 to 219 km away and usually 3 hours to 3 hours 30 by road, Milan Linate about 174 km and 3 hours to 3 hours 45, and Milan Malpensa about 186 km and 3 hours 15 to 3 hours 45. Zurich suits trips that include Davos; Milan suits arrivals from the south. See Zurich Airport to St Moritz and Malpensa to St Moritz.
No. Engadin Airport in Samedan handles private aviation and helicopters only, around 16,000 movements a year. It sits at 1,707 metres on a 1,840-metre runway without lighting, so there are no night flights, and crews need a mandatory briefing. Details are on Engadin Airport transfers.
In summer 06:00 to 17:00 UTC. In winter from 07:00 UTC until 30 minutes after sunset. Because the hours are set in UTC, local opening moves when the clocks go back on 25 October 2026. A winter arrival that misses last light is diverted, usually to Zurich or Milan, and dispatch re-briefs the chauffeur to the new airport.
At the forecourt or car park your chauffeur names in the message sent before you land, which is the free default. Zurich charges every pass through its arrival forecourts, and that charge is inside a RYDES price. Meet and greet in the arrivals hall is a paid add-on. See Zurich Airport to St Moritz.
The Julier, Maloja, Bernina and Ofen passes stay open all year. The Albula, Flüela, Oberalp, Splügen and Forcola di Livigno close in winter; the Flüela usually reopens in May. Between Davos and the Engadin in winter, the Vereina car train from Klosters Selfranga to Sagliains replaces the Flüela, 18 minutes through a 19 km tunnel.
Yes. The CHF 40 motorway vignette, the Vereina car-train fare when the route uses it, Italian tolls on a Milan run and the 8.1 percent Swiss VAT are all inside the quoted price in Swiss francs. The only cost outside it is paid parking if you ask the car to wait somewhere that charges.
No. Service is included in the price. Anything extra is voluntary, offered once at payment, and you can decline.
Yes. Every chauffeur holds the federal permit for professional passenger transport, code 121 on the driving licence under Art. 25 VZV. Driving and rest times are recorded by digital tachograph under ARV 2. The Municipality of St. Moritz also licenses commercial passenger transport in the resort, and every domestic Swiss journey is carried out by a Swiss-registered licensed operator.
Usually 3 hours to 3 hours 30 for 214 to 219 km, via Chur and the Julier Pass or via the Vereina car train. In heavy snow allow 4 hours or more. See Zurich Airport to St Moritz.
Usually. Milan pickups are cross-border and are confirmed by dispatch at booking rather than sold automatically. The car is Swiss-registered, so it can carry you from Malpensa or Linate to St Moritz but not between two points inside Italy. See Milan to St Moritz and Linate to St Moritz.
Sometimes, and we would rather say so. Zurich Airport to St Moritz by train takes about 3 hours 45 minutes via Zurich HB and Chur on the Albula line, and a 3-day Swiss Travel Pass costs CHF 254 in second class. Since July 2025 more than 100 Albula trains have been turned back at Samedan, so a change can be needed.
Either over the Julier through Tiefencastel, about 91 km from Engadin Airport and 1 hour 45 to 2 hours 15, or by road to Sagliains and the Vereina car train to Klosters, about 51 km of road plus the train, 1 hour 20 to 1 hour 50. See St Moritz to Davos.
Yes. The WEF runs 18 to 22 January 2027, and many guests stay in St Moritz and travel to Davos. Security slows the Davos roads that week, and the airspace within 25 NM of Davos is restricted, which affects private flights. Book early and see WEF Davos transfers and Zurich Airport to Davos.
White Turf horse racing on the frozen lake has race days on 7, 14 and 21 February 2027. The Snow Polo World Cup is on 22 to 24 January 2027, also on the lake. Hourly hire suits both. See St Moritz events and hourly chauffeur hire.
Livigno, in Italy, is about 44 km and 50 to 70 minutes in summer over the Bernina and Forcola, or 62 km and 1 hour 10 to 1 hour 30 in winter via Zernez and the Munt la Schera tunnel; it is cross-border and confirmed by dispatch. Zermatt is car-free, so a road transfer ends at Täsch; it is a full day, and the Glacier Express takes about 7.5 hours. See St Moritz to Livigno and St Moritz to Zermatt.
At least 3 hours ahead so the operator can assign and brief a chauffeur, and reservations open up to a year out. For WEF week, Snow Polo, White Turf, Engadin Marathon Week from 6 to 14 March 2027, Christmas and New Year, book as early as you can. Day hire is two hours minimum in 30-minute increments; see hourly chauffeur and ski transfers.
Every airport, route, area and service we cover around St Moritz, each with its own timings, pass notes and pickup detail.
Chauffeur service across Switzerland and the rest of Europe: see every city we cover.
See your St Moritz price in under a minute, in Swiss francs, with VAT, the vignette, car trains and tolls already in it.
