St. Moritz invented winter tourism. The claim is specific and documented: in 1864, hotelier Johannes Badrutt bet a group of summer guests that they would enjoy the Engadin Valley in winter. They returned. The idea that mountains in winter were a destination rather than an obstacle was new enough that the bet was necessary. Today, the town that Badrutt built around that wager has twice hosted the Winter Olympics (1928 and 1948), produces 322 days of sunshine per year at 1,856m, and maintains a guest list that has included every head of state, celebrity, and royal family willing to pay what the place costs.
The costs are real. A basic ski day — lift pass plus a mountain lunch and an afternoon drink — runs CHF 300–400 easily. Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, the original 1896 structure that started all of this, charges from CHF 1,000 per night and many guests pay significantly more for suites and peak-week reservations. The White Turf horse races on the frozen lake, the Snow Polo World Cup, the Cresta Run toboggan track — these are events attended by people for whom money is not the constraint. This is luxury tourism at a level that few other destinations in the world operate.
And yet: the Engadin Valley itself, the landscape around St. Moritz, is available to anyone who can afford the train ticket from Zurich (3.5 hours, Swiss Travel Pass valid). The Upper Engadine at 1,856m elevation, surrounded by the Bernina group glaciers and the long crystal-blue lake, is one of the most beautiful Alpine landscapes in Europe. In summer, hikers on the Engadin trail system, cyclists on the valley roads, and swimmers in Lake St. Moritz (free public beaches at the lake edge) access the same scenery that guests of Badrutt’s Palace overlook from their balconies. The landscape doesn’t care what you paid for the view.
The Arrival
3.5 hours from Zurich through the Engadin Valley. The Rhaetian Railway delivering you to the birthplace of winter tourism at 1,856 meters. Badrutt's Palace visible from the train platform.
Why St. Moritz Is Worth the Expense — and How to Make It Work
The Glacier Express is the reason most visitors put St. Moritz on their itinerary. The train runs between St. Moritz and Zermatt in approximately 8 hours — 290 kilometers through the heart of the Swiss Alps, crossing 291 bridges and 91 tunnels, climbing through the Oberalp Pass at 2,033m, with panoramic windows that frame the landscape continuously. It is not the fastest way between the two resorts; it is one of the world’s great scenic journeys. Swiss Travel Pass covers the route; the panoramic car reservation (mandatory, around 49 CHF) must be booked months ahead in summer.
The Bernina Express connects St. Moritz southward to Lugano through the Bernina Pass (2,253m) — the highest railway crossing in the Alps. The route crosses the circular Brusio viaduct, descends through the Italian-speaking valley of Poschiavo, and arrives in Tirano (Italy) before continuing to Lugano. Four hours; Swiss Travel Pass valid; panoramic reservation required and sellout months ahead in summer.
The skiing at Corviglia and Diavolezza is genuinely world-class — 350km of runs, the Diavolezza glacier area with views of the Bernina group and the Piz Palü, and runs that have hosted Alpine World Championships. Day passes run CHF 80–90. Equipment rental at St. Moritz resort prices runs CHF 50–80/day. This is expensive skiing, and the on-mountain restaurants (where lunch starts at 40–60 CHF per person) reflect the clientele. Budget CHF 200–250/day for a full ski day including a modest lunch.
Glacier Express and Beyond
Eight hours from Zermatt through the heart of the Alps. The Bernina Pass at 2,253m. Diavolezza glacier skiing. St. Moritz connects to Switzerland's greatest train journeys.
What Should You Actually Do in St. Moritz?
Glacier Express (Zermatt–St Moritz) — Book the panoramic car months ahead. This is the reason to include St. Moritz in a Switzerland itinerary. The 8-hour journey through 291 bridges and 91 tunnels is one of the world’s great scenic rail experiences. Swiss Travel Pass covers the route; mandatory reservation around 49 CHF.
Bernina Express (St Moritz–Lugano) — The southward counterpart: Bernina Pass at 2,253m, the Brusio circular viaduct, descent through Italian-speaking Switzerland. Swiss Travel Pass valid; panoramic reservation required. Book months ahead.
Diavolezza glacier area — Cable car from Pontresina to Diavolezza (2,978m) with views of the Bernina group glaciers and Piz Palü. Summer hiking on and around the glacier; winter skiing. Around 44 CHF return in summer (STP discount).
Corviglia ski area — The main St. Moritz skiing zone with access from the resort center by funicular. 350km of runs across multiple peaks; day passes CHF 80–90.
White Turf and Snow Polo (February) — The frozen lake events are spectacular even as a spectator. Three Sundays in February for White Turf horse racing (CHF 20–30 general entry). Snow Polo World Cup in late January; free spectating from the lake perimeter.
Summer Engadin hiking — The valley trail system (Engadin Walk) covers stunning high-altitude terrain from St. Moritz to surrounding villages. The trail to Sils Maria and back along the lake shore (3 hours, free) gives the full Engadin panorama without lift costs.
- Getting There: Zurich to St. Moritz: 3.5 hours via Chur and the Rhaetian Railway. All Swiss Travel Pass valid. Alternatively, take the Glacier Express from Zermatt (8 hours) as the journey itself. The Rhaetian Railway section from Chur to St. Moritz is already spectacular — book a window seat.
- Best Time: December–March for skiing and the frozen lake events. July–August for summer hiking and sailing on the lake. January and early March offer the same skiing as peak December/February at 30–40% lower accommodation prices. February half-term school weeks are peak pricing.
- Money: St. Moritz is the most expensive place in Switzerland — budget CHF 200/day minimum even staying at the Pontresina hostel (5 minutes away by train, from 50 CHF/night). Ski days cost CHF 200–250 including lift pass and modest lunch. The Coop in St. Moritz village is essential for cost management.
- Don't Miss: Booking the Glacier Express panoramic car months ahead — the reservation sells out and the non-panoramic car misses the purpose of the journey entirely. Book at SBB.ch as soon as your St. Moritz dates are confirmed. The early morning departure from St. Moritz arrives in Zermatt in time for dinner.
- Avoid: On-mountain restaurant lunches at peak ski season prices (CHF 40–65 per person) if budget is a constraint. Pack lunch from the Coop or Migros in the village and eat on the mountain instead. The CHF 25–30 you save per meal per day is the difference between a feasible and an impossible ski week budget.
- Local Phrase: "Chapeau" (sha-POH) — hats off, respect, used for exceptional skiing or sporting achievement in the mixed French/German/Italian cultural environment of the resort. St. Moritz's clientele is international enough that English works everywhere, but the gesture of cultural engagement is never unwelcome.
Eating in St. Moritz
On-mountain restaurants where the clientele matches the Badrutt's Palace guest list. The Coop as a survival tool. Engadin valley cooking at honest prices in Pontresina.
Where to Eat in St. Moritz
Badrutt’s Palace Hotel restaurants — The Palace Hotel houses multiple dining options, including the Grand Restaurant for formal dining and the Stübli for more casual Swiss cuisine. Prices match the address. Worth a drink at the King’s Club bar for the experience.
Restaurant Engiadina — The most reliably excellent traditional Swiss-Engadin restaurant in the village. Capuns (Engadin pasta rolls with dried beef), Bündner Gerstensuppe (barley soup), and local Graubünden wines. Mains 35–55 CHF. Reservation recommended.
Café Bar Hauser — Longstanding St. Moritz café and bakery with good coffee, pastries, and light meals at prices that are reasonable for the resort. Breakfast and lunch from 15–30 CHF.
Restaurant Hatecke — Butcher and restaurant known for dried Graubünden meats (Bündnerfleisch) and meat-focused Swiss classics. Mains 30–50 CHF. The local dried beef is the regional specialty.
Coop St. Moritz — Non-negotiable budget tool. Groceries, prepared food, and picnic supplies at supermarket prices. Breakfast from the Coop eaten on a bench by the lake is CHF 8 versus CHF 35 at the café beside you.
Where to Stay
CHF 1,000/night at the Palace that invented Alpine luxury tourism. CHF 280 at the best mid-range in the village. CHF 50 at Pontresina, five minutes away by train.
Where to Stay in St. Moritz
Badrutt’s Palace Hotel (Luxury — from 1,000 CHF/night) — The original St. Moritz luxury hotel, opened 1896 by the son of Johannes Badrutt who invented winter tourism. The most glamorous address in the Alps. Special occasions only for most travelers — but the bar and restaurant are accessible without a room.
Hotel Laudinella (Mid-Range — from 280 CHF/night) — The best mid-range option in St. Moritz itself. Ski-in/ski-out position, indoor pool, and consistently good reviews. The practical choice for visitors who want to be in the resort without Palace prices.
Hotel Nolda (Mid-Range — from 220 CHF/night) — Comfortable and well-positioned, with mountain views and a more personal atmosphere than the larger resort hotels.
Youth Hostel Pontresina (Budget — from 50 CHF/night) — Five minutes from St. Moritz by train, Pontresina is a quieter Engadin village with its own charm. The hostel is one of Switzerland’s best and gives full access to the St. Moritz ski area and both scenic railways.
Planning Your Trip
The Glacier Express waits. The Bernina Express waits. The Cresta Run is operating. St. Moritz rewards every franc you put into it, and there is no cap on how many francs it will accept.
When to Visit St. Moritz
December through March is ski season — peak pricing in December, January, and especially February half-term weeks. Early January and the first two weeks of March offer the same terrain at meaningfully lower prices. The frozen lake events (White Turf in February, Snow Polo in late January) require February visits.
July and August offer summer hiking at 1,856m elevation: clear Alpine air, the Engadin valley trail system, sailing and swimming in Lake St. Moritz, and the Diavolezza cable car to glacier views. Summer pricing is lower than ski season but St. Moritz is never cheap.
May, June, October, November are shoulder/off seasons with limited gondola access and reduced restaurant schedules. Some hotels close entirely between seasons. Not recommended unless you have specific reasons.
St. Moritz is the logical endpoint (or starting point) of two of the world’s great train journeys: the Glacier Express from Zermatt and the Bernina Express to Lugano. Building an itinerary around these two journeys — arriving from Zermatt by Glacier Express, spending two to three nights in the Engadin, departing on the Bernina Express to Lugano — is the definitive St. Moritz experience. The trains need to be booked months ahead. The CHF 1,000 hotel room does not. The trains are the reason to be here.