The World Economic Forum returns to Davos in January 2027. For one week the valley operates under different rules, and the effects reach back to Zurich Airport — which is where most of the inbound traffic lands.
This page is for anyone travelling to Davos that week, whether or not they are attending. If you are planning around the 2026 edition instead, the general picture is on our WEF Davos page; what follows is the practical planning that applies to any edition.
Book earlier than feels reasonable
Everything about that week is decided by supply, and the supply is fixed. Davos has roughly eleven thousand residents and the forum brings in a multiple of that.
| What | Realistic lead time |
|---|---|
| Accommodation in Davos | Six to twelve months |
| Accommodation in Klosters or Landquart | Three to six months |
| Airport transfers | Two to three months — vehicles across eastern Switzerland are committed |
| Rail tickets | Weeks — capacity is far larger |
Transfer prices do not change during the forum. What changes is availability: every chauffeur vehicle in the region is spoken for, and the fleet does not grow for one week.
Getting from Zurich Airport to Davos that week
| Option | Normal | WEF week | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private transfer | 2 h 05 | Longer — road checks on the approaches | CHF 736 E-Class · CHF 823 V-Class |
| Train | 2 h 38 | Unaffected by road control | Per person |
| Hire car | 2 h 05 | Parking in Davos severely restricted | Rate + fuel + parking |
We operate the transfer service and we still say this: the train deserves genuine consideration that week. Rail is not subject to the checks that slow the approach roads, it runs to timetable, and it delivers you into the middle of town rather than to a controlled perimeter.
The car remains the better answer for a group, for anyone carrying materials or equipment, for arrivals at hours the timetable does not serve, and for anyone who needs to move between addresses during the week rather than only arrive.
What changes in the valley
Controlled approaches
Vehicles and occupants checked on the way in. The delay is unpredictable rather than fixed — it is the variance that breaks plans, not the average.
Access managed by address
Give the exact destination when booking, not “Davos”. Two addresses a kilometre apart can have very different access.
Heavier, and earlier
ZRH absorbs the inbound wave. Expect fuller arrival halls and longer passport queues in the days before the opening.
Carry it everywhere
Checks apply to everyone travelling into the valley, attendee or not.
Practical planning for attendees
Arrive the day before your first session. The heaviest pressure on both the airport and the road falls on the opening day. A day of margin removes most of the risk for the cost of one hotel night — which, that week, is not a trivial cost, but it is smaller than missing the thing you flew in for.
Book the return at the same time. Outbound demand at the close is as concentrated as the arrival. It takes 10 % off the total and removes the risk of finding nothing available on the day everyone leaves at once.
Consider a Sprinter for a delegation. Fourteen seats at CHF 1308 is materially cheaper than two V-Classes, and it keeps a team together through checks rather than splitting it across vehicles that clear at different times.
Give a mobile number that works in Switzerland. If access changes on the day, the driver needs to reach you.
If you are not attending
Skiing in Davos during forum week is entirely possible — the lifts run normally and the slopes are not closed to ordinary visitors. Two adjustments are worth making.
Stay in Klosters. It shares the same lift network and the same ski bus, and it sits outside the controlled zone. The skiing is identical; the logistics are calmer by a wide margin.
Add margin to every journey. Particularly to an outbound flight on the day you leave — a two-hour drive that becomes three is a problem only if you did not plan for it.
The rest of the year
WEF is one week out of fifty-two. For the other fifty-one, Davos is an ordinary and excellent mountain town with six ski areas and no security perimeter — the Davos page covers it properly, and the transfer price is identical whichever week you travel.
WEF Davos 2027 travel — FAQ
When is the World Economic Forum 2027?
In January, as every year. The exact dates are published by the forum well in advance and are worth confirming before booking anything in Graubünden for that month.
How far ahead should I book a transfer for WEF week?
Two to three months at least. Every chauffeur vehicle in eastern Switzerland is committed that week, and the fleet does not grow to meet the demand.
Do transfer prices rise during the forum?
No. The price is calculated from road distance and does not move with demand — CHF 736 to Davos in an E-Class that week as any other. Availability is what becomes scarce.
Is the train better than a car during WEF week?
For a single traveller with luggage, often yes. Rail is not subject to the checks that slow the approach roads and it runs to timetable. The car wins for groups, for materials, for unsocial arrival times, and for moving between addresses during the week.
Can I ski in Davos during the forum?
Yes, the lifts operate normally. Consider staying in Klosters, which shares the same lift network and sits outside the controlled zone.
What should I give when booking a transfer that week?
The exact destination address rather than just “Davos”, since access is managed by zone, plus a mobile number reachable in Switzerland in case access changes on the day.
How early should I arrive at Zurich Airport for my outbound flight?
Earlier than usual. Departures at the close of the forum are concentrated, and the road out of the valley is subject to the same checks as the road in.