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St. Moritz

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Alpine Glamour and Winter Magic

St Moritz in Graubunden, Switzerland, is a mountain town known for its crisp alpine air and year-round outdoor activities. The area features wide streets lined with wooden chalets painted in bright colors. In winter, snow covers the slopes, making it popular for skiing and snowboarding. During summer, trails open for hiking and biking through meadows dotted with wildflowers. Local restaurants serve hearty Swiss dishes like fondue alongside fresh mountain produce. The town hosts events such as ice skating in winter and outdoor festivals in warmer months, reflecting its lively community spirit.

City in Switzerland
Climate zone: Boreal

Boreal: Cool-summer subarctic climates with brief mild seasons, long cold winters and coniferous forests adapted to low temperatures.

See climate table
Price level: $$$+
$Cheap
$$Medium
$$$Expensive, upscale
$$$+Very expensive, luxury
See price details
Safety: 6.3
General Safety:5
Health & medical:8
Accessibility:7
Tap water:10
Read details
Tourist English: 5/5
English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants, shops, and by locals working in tourism. You’ll have no trouble getting by, and most signage and menus are available in English.
Last update: 12 Oct 2026
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St. Moritz Summary

These place ratings give you a quick overview of how well a destination matches different types of trips.

‘Best for’ scores:
The specific interest scores show where this place really shines – whether it's ideal for hiking, food & drink experiences, museums or other activities. These highlights help you understand what makes the destination special at a glance.

‘Your personal’ scores:
This reflects how well a place matches your personal preferences. You can adjust the importances of travel topics or other personal requirements categories in your account settings.

‘Suited for’ badges:
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World-class for luxury winter sports. Ski famous alpine slopes, try snow sports and ice activities, shop upscale boutiques and enjoy scenic mountain trains.
Place score
8.3
Best at:
Mountains
10
Snow
10
Skiing
10
Luxury
9
Spotless
9
Personal score
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Suited for
👶 8
Families
🧓 8
Seniors
❤️ 9
Couples
🥗 8
Vegetarian
Switzerland – Quick facts
Power Grid: 230 V, 50 Hz
Plug: Type C , Type J
Type C:
Diagram of a Type C power plug
Type J:
Diagram of a Type J power plug

Read about power adapters
Currency: Swiss Franc (CHF)
£1 ≈ CHF 1.10
Cashless info: Rating 5/5
Switzerland is very cashless-friendly, with credit and debit cards widely accepted. Mobile payments like Apple Pay and Google Pay are also increasingly common.

Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers: Best value: Saily
Flexibility: Airalo
Read our in-depth comparison
Tipping: Tipping is appreciated but not mandatory in Switzerland. Most service charges are included in bills. In restaurants, rounding up to the nearest 5 CHF or leaving 5-10% is common. Taxi drivers and hotel staff appreciate small tips for exceptional service.
Public drinking: Public drinking is allowed and socially acceptable in Switzerland, but being disruptive is frowned upon. Alcohol can be consumed in parks, trains, and outdoor events.
Public smoking: Smoking is banned indoors in public places but allowed in designated areas. Outdoor smoking is common.
Swiss National Day
(August)
Expect celebrations, parades, and fireworks throughout the country.
Christmas
(December)
Markets and festive events are common, with tourist areas being busier than usual.
Easter
(March/April)
Many attractions are closed, but some areas offer special events and celebrations.
Emergency contact: Emergency Number: 112 (Police, Fire, Ambulance)
Taxi apps: Uber, Bolt
Other: Switzerland is famous for its natural beauty, well-organised transport, and multilingual culture. The Swiss Travel Pass is highly recommended for tourists.
Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for St. Moritz, Switzerland
🌨️
Jan
🌨️
Feb
🌨️
Mar
🌨️
Apr
🌨️
May
🌧️
Jun
🌦️
Jul
🌦️
Aug
🌥️
Sep
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Oct
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Nov
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Dec
High season: Jan. - March, July - Aug., Dec.
Shoulder season: April, June, Sep.
Crowdedness: 7 (Many tourists)
Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info
Ski season December to mid April, hiking and lift season June to October
Many hotels and restaurants close mid April to May and late October to late November
White Turf horse races on the frozen lake, Sundays in February

Why travel to St. Moritz?

St. Moritz is a dream for anyone who loves the outdoors but also appreciates a touch of glamour. In winter, it’s a snowy playground for skiers, snowboarders and even those who just want to sip hot chocolate in a grand hotel lounge. The frozen lake hosts everything from polo matches to horse races and the après-ski scene is legendary. Summer brings hiking, mountain biking, sailing and stunning alpine views – plus a lively calendar of festivals and cultural events. But a word of caution: St. Moritz is famously expensive, with designer shops and luxury hotels everywhere. The altitude (1,856 m) can take some getting used to and the town can feel quiet in shoulder seasons. Still, if you want a taste of the high life surrounded by jaw-dropping scenery, it’s hard to beat.

🏯Places worth seeing
  • 1 Berry Museum
  • 2 Chesa Futura
  • 3 Chesa Veglia
  • 4 Segantini Museum
  • 5 St. Moritz-Dorf
🎡Places for activities
  • 1 Cresta Run
  • 2 St. Moritz Bad (Signalbahn)
🏞️Natural landmarks
  • 1 Bernina Range
  • 2 Upper Engadin
  • 3 Morteratsch Glacier
  • 4 Muottas Muragl
  • 5 Piz Corvatsch
🛍️Shopping
  • 1 Via Serlas
🎈Events
  • White Turf Horse Races (on the frozen lake)
  • St. Moritz Gourmet Festival
  • British Classic Car Meeting
  • Engadin Skimarathon
  • Snow Polo World Cup
  • Opera St. Moritz
  • Surf Marathon
  • City Race
  • Christmas Markets
  • Jazz Festival

Knowledge before you go

  • Book ski lifts and hotels months ahead.
  • Ride funicular to Piz Nair summit for panoramic Engadine valley and lake views year-round.
  • Try the natural ice bob run for thrilling Olympic heritage experience available only winter.
  • Horse-drawn carriage around Lake St. Moritz offers romantic winter views with fewer crowds.

How to travel to St. Moritz

St. Moritz is accessible by scenic train routes (Glacier Express, Bernina Express) from Zurich, Chur and Tirano. The nearest airports are Zurich and Milan, with train or shuttle connections. Driving is possible, but mountain roads can be challenging in winter.

Access summary

  • From Zurich Airport (ZRH): Train via Zürich HB and Chur, about 3.5–4 hours.
  • From Zurich city: Scenic trains via Chur on RhB line, roughly 3–3.5 hours.
  • From Milan: Train via Tirano and Bernina line or car, usually 4–5.5 hours.

Where to stay in St. Moritz

St. Moritz is famous for its luxury hotels (Badrutt’s Palace, Kempinski, Kulm), but there are also stylish boutique hotels, cozy lodges and self-catering apartments. Book well ahead for winter or summer high season and expect premium prices.

How to get around St. Moritz

The town is compact and walkable, with efficient local buses and funiculars connecting you to ski lifts, hiking trails and neighboring villages. The St. Moritz railway station is centrally located and taxis are easy to find. Many hotels provide shuttle services to lifts and attractions.
Budget snapshot
Costs compared to home

We calculate the average costs when travelling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.

To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

+59 %
Daily expenses in the region are around 59% higher than the average across United States. That means you'll spend a lot more on meals and getting around.
Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

+6 %
Your exchange rate (GBP to CHF) is 6% worse than in recent years. That means travelling now is more expensive compared to the past.

Travel costs (Data for Chur, Switzerland - 45 km away)

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

Backpacker Mid-range Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation
£110
£232
£621
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person
£49
£105
£240
🍝 Food per day
£47
£110
£312
🚕 Transportation per day
£14
£17
£69
Notable additional fees: Adult day pass about CHF 97 (£87.92) for the Engadin area. Ski, boot and pole hire runs roughly CHF 45 – 60 (£40.79 – 54.38) a day. Multi-day passes bring the daily rate down sharply.
Food & Drink
🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person
£44
🍛 Lunch Set, per person
£24
🍟 Fast food combo
£14
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day
£16
☕ Cappuccino
£4.60
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l
£7
Transportation
🚌 Public transport ticket
£3.60
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi
£41
⛽ Petrol, 1 l
£1.70
Other
🎞️ Cinema ticket
£18
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult
£115
🤧 Cold medication
£15
💇 Basic haircut
£33

Safety information overview

General safety
5
St. Moritz is very safe, with low crime rates and a well-organized environment. Usual travel precautions apply. Take care on icy streets and ski slopes and be mindful of altitude effects if you’re not used to high elevations.
Health & Medical
8
Excellent medical care is available, with clinics and pharmacies in town. The altitude may affect some visitors, especially those with respiratory or heart conditions — take it slow on arrival and stay hydrated.
Accessi­bility
7
Most hotels, lifts and main attractions are accessible, but some old buildings and steep streets can be challenging for those with limited mobility. Public transport is adapted and many hiking trails are wheelchair-friendly.
Tap water
10
Tap water is exceptionally pure and safe, sourced from alpine springs. Public fountains are available — bring a reusable bottle to refill as you explore.

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