Schiers
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Schiers

Schiers

Prättigau village in Graubünden, set between the Rätikon and Silvretta ranges below Klosters and Davos

Schiers is a small village in the Prattigau valley in the Swiss canton of Graubunden, on the road between Landquart and the famous resorts of Klosters and Davos. The valley is tucked between the Ratikon and Silvretta mountain ranges, and Schiers sits at the western end where the valley is wide and sunny. It is a quiet, affordable alternative to the glamorous resorts further up the road.

The village has a handsome old centre with traditional Prättigau wooden houses and a Reformed church dating from the 15th century. The surrounding mountains offer excellent hiking in summer — the Sassauna rises directly above the village, and the ruined Solavers Castle sits across the valley in Seewis. The single most extraordinary structure in the area is Robert Maillart's 1930 Salginatobel Bridge, a slender concrete arch celebrated by engineers worldwide. In winter, Schiers is within easy reach of the ski areas at Klosters and Davos by train, without the resort prices.

The Prättigau valley is a Walser settlement area, and the local culture reflects this heritage. The Rhätische Bahn railway connects Schiers to Chur in about 40 minutes and to Klosters in 20, making it a practical base for exploring the region. The village is small enough that you can see everything in an hour, but the valley scenery and the mountain access are the real draw.

Guide

Getting There

Schiers is on the Rhätische Bahn (RhB) Klosters line. Hourly trains run from Landquart (a major junction reached from Zurich Airport in about 90 minutes) up the Prättigau, stopping in Schiers in about 20 minutes. From Schiers the line continues to Klosters (20 minutes) and on to Davos. The Swiss Travel Pass is valid on the entire RhB network.

Guide

Things to Do

Schiers is a base, not a destination. What there is to do here is mostly outside the village — the great Maillart bridge, the Rätikon ridge above the valley, and the network of marked Wanderwege that climb out of the Prättigau in every direction. In the village itself, the Reformed church and the old centre are worth half an hour.

Guide

When to Go

The hiking season runs late May through October — the high meadows are at their best in June with the wildflowers, and again in late September when the larches turn gold. Winter sees Schiers as a quiet, cheap base for the resorts at Klosters and Davos a short train ride up the valley; the village itself has no significant ski lifts of its own. Spring and late autumn are quiet and inexpensive, with everything green or brown and the railway running on a reduced timetable.