We will be traveling in July. We land in Zurich at 3:30pm after an 11 hour flight. If we are headed to Pontresina via train would it be better to stay the night in Chur or Davos so we don't have such a long train journey on our first day after a long flight? Open to other suggestions.
I would stay in Chur, as it is easier to reach. Plus the route from there to Pontresina uses a more scenic route over the famed Landwasser Viaduct. The route to Davos is different. Also, as a high-end ski resort, it probably offers more expensive lodging.
I haven't been to Davos, but Chur is just much more convenient for both train and road travel. And its a perfectly nice town.