How many days do you need in St. Moritz?

Three to four nights. The high Engadine rewards a longer stay: the lake walks from Pontresina and Sils, sunset from Muottas Muragl, the panoramic trains, and in winter the skiing and the scene. It's polished and pricey, so make the days count.

Do you need a car in St. Moritz?

Not essential. St. Moritz sits on the Rhaetian Railway and is the terminus of both the Bernina and Glacier Express, so you can arrive and explore the Engadine car-free. A car helps only for the quieter side valleys.

When is the best time to visit St. Moritz?

July to September for high-valley hiking and the lakes, and December to February for skiing and the winter scene (the events season pushes prices to their peak). The Engadine is famously sunny year-round.

Why do the scenic trains start in St. Moritz?

It's where the Bernina Express and Glacier Express meet, so it's the natural place to begin or end a Swiss rail trip. The Bernina line over the pass to Tirano is one of the great railway journeys in Europe.

How do you get to St. Moritz?

Mostly by rail, and the journey is part of the appeal. Fly into Zurich or Milan Malpensa, then ride the Rhaetian Railway up into the Engadine, the same network that runs the Bernina and Glacier Express. The mountain rail approach is spectacular, so most visitors arrive car-free.

Is St. Moritz good for families?

It can be, but it isn't really built around them. The high-Engadine lake walks, the panoramic trains, and the sunshine work well with older children, yet St. Moritz is fundamentally a glamorous, grand-hotel resort aimed at couples and a polished crowd. Families after a cosy, relaxed village often prefer neighbouring Pontresina.

🇨🇭 Swiss Alps

St. Moritz

The original alpine glamour, on a string of lakes in the high Engadine.

St. Moritz

St. Moritz is where alpine glamour was invented: a two-time Winter Olympic host at 1,800m on a chain of turquoise lakes in the sunny, high Engadine. It pairs serious skiing and superb high-valley hiking with a glittering scene of grand hotels, designer boutiques, and panoramic trains. It is polished, pricey, and unlike anywhere else in the Alps.

Go car-free

Car or train?

Skip the car. St. Moritz is well served by trains and easy to get around on foot or by mountain lift. Parking is tight and a car is more hassle than help.

Train access 4/5Nearest airports: Zurich (ZRH), Milan Malpensa (MXP)Alps by rail guide →

How it scores

Scenery

Food scene

Romance

Family-friendly

Hiking

Value for money

Best for

✓Luxury & glamour
✓Couples
✓Skiers
✓Engadine hiking
✓Panoramic trains

Who should skip it

✕Budget travelers
✕Anyone after a cosy rustic village
✕Quiet-village seekers

Signature experiences

The Bernina Express and the Glacier Express, both starting from town
Walking the high Engadine lakes from Pontresina and Sils
Sunset over the lakes from Muottas Muragl

Browse St. Moritz experiences All Alps experiences →

Biggest mistake

Coming for a rustic chalet hideaway. St. Moritz is grand hotels and glamour; for cosy and quiet, base in neighbouring Pontresina or Sils instead.

Worth the splurge

A lake-view room in one of the historic grand hotels, and the panoramic train over the Bernina Pass.

Good to know

St. Moritz questions, answered

The practical things travelers ask most before booking this base.

How many days do you need in St. Moritz?: Three to four nights. The high Engadine rewards a longer stay: the lake walks from Pontresina and Sils, sunset from Muottas Muragl, the panoramic trains, and in winter the skiing and the scene. It's polished and pricey, so make the days count.
Do you need a car in St. Moritz?: Not essential. St. Moritz sits on the Rhaetian Railway and is the terminus of both the Bernina and Glacier Express, so you can arrive and explore the Engadine car-free. A car helps only for the quieter side valleys.
When is the best time to visit St. Moritz?: July to September for high-valley hiking and the lakes, and December to February for skiing and the winter scene (the events season pushes prices to their peak). The Engadine is famously sunny year-round.
Why do the scenic trains start in St. Moritz?: It's where the Bernina Express and Glacier Express meet, so it's the natural place to begin or end a Swiss rail trip. The Bernina line over the pass to Tirano is one of the great railway journeys in Europe.
How do you get to St. Moritz?: Mostly by rail, and the journey is part of the appeal. Fly into Zurich or Milan Malpensa, then ride the Rhaetian Railway up into the Engadine, the same network that runs the Bernina and Glacier Express. The mountain rail approach is spectacular, so most visitors arrive car-free.
Is St. Moritz good for families?: It can be, but it isn't really built around them. The high-Engadine lake walks, the panoramic trains, and the sunshine work well with older children, yet St. Moritz is fundamentally a glamorous, grand-hotel resort aimed at couples and a polished crowd. Families after a cosy, relaxed village often prefer neighbouring Pontresina.

Still deciding?

How St. Moritz stacks up

Head-to-head comparisons to help you choose your base with confidence.

St. Moritz vs Zermatt

St. Moritz vs Zermatt: Which Iconic Swiss Resort Is Better?

Two of Switzerland's most famous names, offering different kinds of glamour. Zermatt is the car-free village beneath the Matterhorn, all about that one perfect peak and high-mountain hiking and skiing. St. Moritz is the glittering capital of the Engadine, a string of high lakes, grand hotels, and panoramic trains. Here's how to choose.

St. MoritzZermattCompare →

Gstaad vs St. Moritz

Gstaad vs St. Moritz: Which Swiss Glamour Resort Fits You?

The two icons of Swiss winter glamour, playing opposite games. Gstaad is discretion: a chalet-only village in soft green Bernese scenery where the luxury hides behind old wood. St. Moritz is the show: the high-Engadine original that invented winter tourism, with a frozen lake full of horse races and polo, champagne light, and bigger, higher mountains. Here's how to choose your kind of glamour.

GstaadSt. MoritzCompare →

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