ST. MORTIZ FAQ`S
St. Moritz is in the Upper Engadin in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. It is one of the most well-known vacation spots in Europe located next to Engadine`s lakescape at 6,089 ft. above sea level. It is stylish and famous for its ambiance, sometimes referred to as the `Beverly Hills of the Swiss Alps`. The bubbly `champagne atmosphere` is as legendary as the St. Moritz sun, which shines on an average 322 days of the year!
How do I get to St. Moritz?
You can get to
St. Moritz by train, bus, car, or air.
If you arrive at the International Airport
Zurich take the SBB train to Churand from there
the Rhb train over
the famous Albulapass to St. Moritz train station. Trains from Chur
to St. Moritz run hourly. The last train from St. Moritz to Chur departs at 9:00pm.
Visit www.sbb.ch for additional information.
Furthermore, St. Moritz is the
starting point for the famous Glacier Express (www.glacierexpress.ch/en) and the Palm Express.
If you are driving into St. Moritz
there is only one pass which is open in winter, the Julierpass. If you come
from Davos or Klosters you can take the car-train from Klosters through the
Fluelapass. From Italy you drive over Bernina or the Maloja.
There is a small airport in Samedan (www.engadin-airport.ch), which is
around 3.5 miles/20 minutes away from St. Moritz. It provides flights to
the international airports of Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Milan,
and Munich.
St. Moritz is served by the Post Bus, departing from right next to the train
station. Buses depart towards Chur and Lugano (and
back). Reservations may be necessary. The last Post Bus from St. Moritz to Chur
leaves at 11:00pm. Later there are not any bus or train connections from St.
Moritz to Chur. On the way, you can admire a lot of Swiss villages and
spectacular mountain views.
From the rail station (St.
Mortiz only has one), the town center can be reached in 5 minutes on foot
(uphill), or by bus. The town center is small and can easily be explored on
foot. The district St. Moritz-Bad is about 20 minutes walking from the rail
station, and can be reached by bus too.
St. Moritz has a good
public transport network. There is a frequent local bus covering the whole village from one end to the other - which is not big at all, the entire trip taking 15-20 minutes with several stops on the way. During late night hours there is a night bus and the Kempinski (in Bad) has a shuttle service as well. Biking in the warmer months is also very good around St.Moritz, however it
is sometimes a bit steep.
Every winter it hosts the `White Turf` horse race on the frozen Lake St. Moritz attended by the international upper class. Popular pastimes include skiing, snowboarding, and hiking, and nearby there is also the world-famous Cresta Run toboggan course.
How do I get around by Mountain Bike in St. Moritz?
St.
Mortiz is a
true bikers` paradise in the highest peaks of the eastern Alps. There are 250
miles ofbike riding trails for all ability levels. Mountain bikers can
use the cable car to reach the Piz Nair mountain station.
The Engadin is a mountain biking paradise for all ability levels.
Mountain bikers can use the cable car to reach the Piz Nair mountain station at
10,026 ft above sea level. The views are breathtaking and the trails are as
varied as the wonderful natural environment itself. Spectacular descents and
magnificent single tracks also await mountain bikers around Corviglia and in
the Bernina Valley.
Mountain biking is a range of flow trails and routes, including
the Padella Panorama Tour, the Suvretta Loop and the Bernina Express Tour.
Hotels specializing in mountain biking provide the perfect holiday on two
wheels, and local mountain bike schools also offer organized tours.
One particularly convenient option is the free mountain railways
offer, which gives mountain bikers staying two nights or more in numerous
Engadin hotels free travel on the mountain railways, including free mountain
bike transport.
In recent years, Corviglia, St. Moritz`s local mountain, has become
real popular for mountain-bikers due to its three different flow trails. Their
banked curves, bumps and jumps are sure to set the mountain bikers` pulses
racing. And the best thing is that all three trails are family-friendly and
suitable for children aged 12 and up.
St. Moritz has around 20 bars and clubs in winter. DJs, lounge bars and relaxed cafes attract post-slope partygoers to Plazza dal Mulin. Things slow down a lot once the snow melts.
What is the food like?
St Moritz has some of the top
restaurants in the Alps, especially at the best hotels. The Swiss resort town
is where Europe`s top chefs come to cook. If you`re on a budget, you might want
to spend more time in St Moritz-Bad than St Moritz-Dorf.
The formerly Italian region
offers specialties that reflect this proximity. Pizzoccheri is one such dish: A hearty combination
of wheat noodles and potato chunks drenched in a fondue-like sauce, spiced with
nutmeg and sage. It sounds heavy perhaps, but after a long day on the slopes or
tending to farm during a long winter, it is just right. Many of the restaurants
of the region offer traditional Swiss cuisine, but you will also find international
foods of all kinds.
Many of St.
Moritz`s shops line either side of the steeply inclined via Maistra, and most of the absorbingly
high priced upscale ones vie with one another for proximity to the town`s most fabulous
hotels, one being Badrutt`s Palace. Via Serlas is one of the most
exclusive shopping streets in the world. Glamour, luxury, and large retail
chains door to door.
Here you`ll
find boutiques for Versace, Prada, Jil Sander, Bulgari, and Louis Vuitton, as
well as enough upscale shops for watches and jewelry to outfit a prosperous
royal court.
The region
produces lots of folkloric crafts that could commemorate your stay in the
Engadine. The town`s main outlet for all sorts of woodcarvings, including
depictions of gnarled native Engadiners in Swiss costumes and some handcrafted
furniture, is Ettlin, (www.ursettlin.ch).
The
currency of Switzerland is the Swiss franc, usually indicated as CHF or SFr.
While Switzerland is not part of the European Union and thus is not obliged to
convert to the Euro, many prices are nonetheless indicated in euros so that
visitors may compare prices. Most of the restaurants, bars, cafes and clubs
accept euro, but expect to pay a premium rate.
The Swiss Franc (CHF or SFr) is divided into
100 centimes (known as Rappen in German speaking Switzerland). Bills come in
10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 10000SFr and coins are divided into 5, 10, 20 and 50
centimes and 1, 2 and 5SFr.
US
dollars are not accepted. Please be sure to have the correct currency on hand
or be prepared to exchange your dollars for Swiss Francs upon arrival. Currency
exchange desks can be found at the airports, train stations and many bank
locations.
With an average of 322 sunny days a year, the
weather is good most of the time. But St Moritz really has two seasons: summer
and winter. Spring and autumn are quiet in St Moritz because most visitors
prefer the summer (mid-June through mid-October) and
winter (December through March).
Winter is its shining season, with clear,
bright, cold days, lots and lots of snow, spectacular natural scenery
everywhere, and everyone concentrating on skiing, skating and other winter
sports.
Summer is also a great season to enjoy St.
Moritz with plenty of outdoor sports to enjoy, such as hiking, biking, mountain
climbing, sailing and more. This time of year also bring many concerts, more
culture and events like the British Classic Car Meeting.
Winter (December -
March)
-Christmas- New Years Eve is the busiest holiday in St.
Moritz. Many of the hotels have big parties and also a large firework show.
-Skiing/Snowboarding St. Mortiz mountain, Corviglia aka
`The Top of the World.` Plenty of restaurants and bars are available via trolly
for non skiers/snowboarders. The buses and tram transportation are available
all over town. Depending on which hotel you stay in, you may receive discounted
rentals or day passes.
-The Snow Polo World Cup
-White Turf Races
-Claude Cartier Challenge Cup–
toboggan races
-Cricket Matches
-Ice Skating at the St. Moritz Country club
-The Glacier Express with panoramic views
-Apres on the slopes- Fondue is so fun!
-Cross Country Skiing
-The Segantini Museum and other local galleries
-Bobsleighing
-Spa Days
Summer (Mid June - Mid October)
-Enjoying the lake via sail boat, paddle boards etc.
-Jazz Festival
-Hiking or biking
-Yoga retreats
-Relaxation at the spa
-Take the Muottas Muragl funicular railway to the mountain
tops for panoramic views
-Golf at 1800M
Graubünden (in German) is the only Swiss Canton where three of our four official languages are spoken (and varieties of dialects in all three languages). If you don`t speak French, German or Italian, you should be okay in the tourist areas where most employees working can speak the English language at a competent level. We suggest you get a good English-German guidebook and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, excuse me and numbers 1-10.
What should I do if I need medical assistance or need to go to the hospital?
Hospital: Klinik Gut St. Moritz, Via Arona
34, CH- 7500 St. Moritz; PH +41 81 8363434
Police Emergency Number -
117
Ambulance / Medical Emergency - 144
Fire Department - 118
Non Emergency -
022-327-41-11