Minibus Services Across Switzerland

Chur by Minibus: Old Town, Gorges and Red Trains

Chur is where the Rhaetian Railway's red trains set out into Graubünden. A minibus with a driver lets a family or club mix a train ride, a gorge walk and a slow afternoon in the old town without watching the clock.

Stopping near the old town

Walking is the way to see the old town, which is a pedestrian zone. Vehicles that have been ordered in, and hotel guests arriving with bags, are let through, but you won't find bays reserved for setting down: the driver lets you out wherever traffic allows a brief stop.

For waiting, Chur Tourism names five coach parks. The handiest is Lindenquai: four free spaces, a two-minute walk away, and public toilets across the road. At the Stadthalle (Weststrasse) parking costs nothing and has no time limit. The Freihofplatz on the Sägenstrasse holds two vehicles between 05:00 and 22:00; Ottostrasse 8 near the station has a single space for set-down of 15 minutes or less; and Obere Au, on the outskirts, suits a long stay of up to 24 hours (paid), with town buses back in.

Sprinter 19-seat minibus, side view
Sprinter 19-seat minibus, side view

The station is your starting line

The Bernina Express starts in Chur and takes about 4 hours to Tirano; the Glacier Express stops here too. Ride out on the train and let the driver collect you further along, or simply take the line to Arosa for a morning. Groups of 10 or more book the panoramic trains through the railway's group service.

Flying in to Chur

Favourite stops around Chur

  • Arosa and Lenzerheide — Mountain resorts above Chur; the Arosa road climbs about 1,320 m in some 360 bends
  • Heididorf Maienfeld — Heidi village above Maienfeld; coaches follow the brown "Heididorf" signs with the bus symbol to the visitor car park; open from March to early November
  • Ruinaulta (Rhine Gorge) — Gorge of the Vorderrhein between Ilanz and Reichenau; the Il Spir viewpoint is about 1 hour on foot from Flims Waldhaus
  • Viamala gorge — Gorge on the A13 south of Thusis, with 359 steps down to the river; coaches can stop at the visitor centre; open from late March to early November (closed in winter)
  • Old town of Chur — Old town with the cathedral and the Arcas square; pedestrian zone
  • Rhaetian Railway (RhB) — Chur is the start of the Bernina Express to Tirano (about 4 hours) and a stop of the Glacier Express

Good pickup points

  • Bad Ragaz or Lenzerheide for resort stays
  • Welschdörfli and the Stadthalle area
  • Station and Bahnhofstrasse area
  • Old town (Altstadt)

Gorges, Heidi and mountain roads

The Viamala gorge is about 35 minutes south, with parking for coaches at the visitor centre and 359 steps down to the river. Visits are possible from late March into early November. The Tamina gorge at Bad Ragaz is different: coaches cannot go there, and in summer you reach it by PostAuto, by horse and carriage, or walking.

Children love Heididorf above Maienfeld, about 30 minutes away, where brown Heididorf signs bearing a bus symbol guide your driver up to the parking. The Arosa road has some 360 bends and gains about 1,320 m in height; coaches park, for a fee, at the Obersee.

Longer days out

Vaduz in Liechtenstein is about 35 minutes away, Davos about 1.25 hours. The Julier pass to St. Moritz stays open all year, about 1.75 hours. The Oberalp towards Andermatt is usually closed from December to April.

Questions travellers ask

How far is Chur from Zurich Airport?

About 130 km, around 2 hours in light traffic on the A13 and A3.

Can the minibus bring us to our hotel in the old town?

Yes. Hotel guests with luggage may be driven in, even though the old town is otherwise a pedestrian zone.

Is the Ruinaulta worth the detour?

For walkers, yes. From Flims Waldhaus, where the driver can drop you, it is roughly an hour's walk to Il Spir, the platform high above the Rhine Gorge.

Other trips we arrange

Other vehicles with a driver