From Zurich HB the train takes 2 hours 20 minutes to Davos Platz, and that is exactly where our ski weekend for adult beginners starts on Friday at 10:00: three days, five hours a day, a maximum of six adults, equipment and lift access included. You don’t need a car and you don’t need any experience. This guide explains how to get there, how the three days work, what the price covers and what it doesn’t – and who the weekend is not right for.
How do I get from Zurich to Davos without a car?
By train: SBB InterCity from Zurich HB to Landquart, then the Rhaetian Railway, 2 hours 20 to 2 hours 25 to Davos Platz, twice an hour. In Landquart you change platforms and have 8 to 9 minutes for the connection. Klosters is on the same line (1 hour 50 from Zurich HB), but the ski weekend meets in Davos Platz.
| By train | By car | |
|---|---|---|
| Zurich HB → Davos Platz | 2:20–2:25 h, 1 change in Landquart | around 160 km, a little over 2 h without traffic |
| Frequency | twice an hour | – |
| In winter | nothing to think about | winter tyres, chains in the car, motorway vignette, no overnight parking 3–7 am on public outdoor car parks in Davos |
| Skis and luggage | not needed for the ski weekend: your equipment waits at the shop | boot space |
| Sunday evening | read, sleep, arrive | traffic home |
For the 10:00 start on Friday, the 07:07 train from Zurich HB works (arrives Davos Platz 09:27) – based on the 2027 timetable; check the connection in the SBB app before you travel. Before the weekend we send you the recommended connection and the exact meeting point. All journey times from the airport, changing trains with luggage and the driving route are in our guide Zurich Airport to Davos and Klosters.
What’s included in the ski weekend – and what isn’t?
Included: three days of lessons of five hours each, full ski equipment, the lift access needed for the programme, one après-ski drink a day, and photos and video. Not included: accommodation, travel and ski clothing.
| Included | Not included |
|---|---|
| 3 days of lessons, 5 hours each, Friday to Sunday | accommodation – you book your own hotel |
| 3 to 6 adults aged 18+ per group | travel |
| skis, boots, poles and helmet, prepared at Paarsenn Sport in Davos Platz | ski clothing (jacket, trousers, gloves and goggles for the three days) – bookable as an add-on package for CHF 125, not included in the price; you pick it up on Friday together with your equipment at Paarsenn Sport |
| overnight storage of your equipment at the shop | lunch |
| lift access for the course programme – your instructor buys the Carjöl day ticket | a ski pass for skiing outside the course |
| daily après-ski drink, photos and video |
Prices start at CHF 650 per person, without the clothing package. The dates for 2026/27: 18–20 December 2026 · 15–17 January 2027 · 12–14 March 2027. The group runs from three adults and is capped at six, all aged 18+ – small groups, so the instructor has time for everyone and the progress stays visible. If fewer than three sign up, we offer you another date or a switch to private lessons at an extra cost. If neither works for you, we refund you.
→ All details of the Beginner Ski Weekend in Davos
How do the three days work?
On Friday you learn to stop, on Saturday to link turns, and on Sunday you ski your first blue slope – as soon as you are ready, not because the schedule says so.
Friday: stopping safely
10:00 start at Paarsenn Sport in Davos Platz, our partner shop for the ski weekend. Your equipment is ready and we check together that boots and skis fit properly. Then onto the snow: finding your balance, moving on skis, falling and getting up, controlling speed, stopping. The goal for the day: you know you can stop, under control, whenever you want. The day ends with a welcome drink.
Saturday: your first turns
09:30 start in front of the Carjöl lift. After a warm-up come the first turns, then linked turns, with a little more speed and confidence at each step. You also learn to use the beginner lifts safely. The goal for the day: linking controlled turns.
Sunday: your first blue slope
09:30 start, again in front of the Carjöl lift. As soon as your instructor sees that you turn, stop and control your speed comfortably, you head for your first blue slope together. At the end, we raise a glass to it.
On Friday you start on the magic carpet at Bolgen; on Saturday you move to a small slope right next to it with a bit more gradient. On Sunday it is the Carjöl lift and the blue piste – how far you go is down to each person’s confidence, and you ski that first descent one at a time, with the instructor right beside you.
What if you’re not ready on Sunday? The blue slope is the goal, not an obligation. You only move onto steeper terrain when you control speed, stopping and turning comfortably – otherwise you keep practising where you feel at ease.
Why a maximum of six adults?
Because adults don’t all learn at the same speed, and with six people the instructor can watch every one of them. If you need one more run for an exercise, you get it; if you’re further along, you move on. And nobody ends up standing among children in a kids’ class – which, for many adults, is the real reason they put off their first ski day for so long.
You can come alone, as a couple or with friends. Lessons are taught in English and in German.
If you’d rather learn completely on your own, half a day of private beginner lessons is the alternative – one or two people, meeting point of your choice. We compare what suits whom in our guide Adult Beginner Ski Lessons in Davos.
Where to stay
You choose your own accommodation; it isn’t part of the booking. Because the course starts and ends in Davos Platz, a hotel in Davos Platz saves you every transfer. On the product page we suggest three: Ochsen 2, close to the station and the Jakobshorn; Morosani Schweizerhof, central in Davos; and Hotel Waldhuus, in a quiet setting with pool and spa. You book directly with the hotel.
You can arrive on Thursday evening, or on Friday morning on the 07:07 from Zurich HB.
What if the weather doesn’t play along?
In a storm or poor visibility we move the lesson to sheltered terrain. For beginners that is Bolgen in Davos whenever possible – low down and out of the wind. All the lifts closing at once barely ever happens; something is almost always running. If it does happen, we offer you a new date or a credit first. If nothing can be arranged and the instructor confirms there was no alternative, we refund you. For a free afternoon after the course, we’ve collected ideas in Davos in the Rain.
Frequently asked questions about a ski weekend near Zurich
Is one weekend enough to learn to ski?
Yes, for the basics: in three days of five hours, most adults learn to stop, link turns, use beginner lifts and ski a blue slope under control. You won’t be a finished skier, but you can carry on by yourself on your next holiday.
How long is the train from Zurich to Davos?
From Zurich HB to Davos Platz the journey takes 2 hours 20 to 2 hours 25, with one change in Landquart and trains twice an hour. To Klosters Platz it is 1 hour 50.
Do I need a ski pass?
No, the lift access needed for the course programme is included: your instructor buys the Carjöl day ticket. You only need a ski pass if you want to ski outside course hours as well.
Do I need to bring skis or boots?
No. Skis, boots, poles and helmet are included for all three days and are ready at Paarsenn Sport in Davos Platz; overnight they stay at the shop.
Can I come on my own?
Yes. The ski weekend is designed for individuals, couples and friends; the group has three to six adults aged 18+.
Ready for your first snow? Leave the car at home, take the 07:07 train and be in your ski boots at 10:00.
