Domat/Ems and Chur - day trips? Summer...

Posted by Kim (San Francisco) on 01/08/18 09:34 PM

Hi all:

Looking for a home exchange with a friend and we have a possible house in Domat/Ems which looks to be about 15 min by train from Chur....

I know nothing about Switzerland and these seem kind of small places - so just wondering if anyone has been there - this will be in the summer. What can we do around there? Is there anywhere good to go on daytrips?

Any advice would be awesome, thanks!!
Kim

Posted by Sam

Green Bay

01/09/18 04:56 AM

20096 posts

Ridden through on the Glacier Express.
3 rail lines leading out of town. One up the Rhine valley to Disentis/Muster, Andermatt and points west. Another, the Albula line to St Moritz and points south to Italy. The other into Chur (8 to 9 minutes) and points east and north. So lots of day trip destinations within a hour or two. Chur is a nice town as well, worth exploring. Said (by the tourist board, probably) to be the oldest city in Switzerland. Flims/Laax is a ski town which I am sure has summer activities.

Posted by darrenblois

Moncton NB

01/09/18 01:21 PM

1036 posts

We overnighted in Chur last summer. Delightful place, with good hotels and restaurants and a walkable city centre.

1 day trip from Chur would for me be the Bernina Express over the Alps to Italy. It leaves Chur around 8:30 am and gets into Tirrano around 1:00, and you can go back the same day if you want. You could pay the extra to take the Bernina Express one way and go the other way on the regular SBB service over the same route but without the nice observation cars.

Posted by David S.

Buchs SG, Switzerland

01/22/18 03:13 PM

60 posts

As the other two posters mentioned:

Chur itself has a nice old town
Glacier Express towards Zermatt
Bernina Express towards St.Moritz and Italy
Disentis has a big monastery
Flims / Laax

Some additional points:

It would be a shame to vacation in Domat/Ems without a hike/visit to the ruinaulta canyon near Flims
Flims also has two nice little lakes in the forest
Via mala gorge + St. Martin church in Zillis are worth a visit if those things interest you
It would also be easy to see the Landwasser viaduct near Filisur
St.Gallen, Appenzell and Zürich are all within 2 hours by train
Somewhat more of a time investment but potentially interesting would be a journey with the restored steam train over the Furka pass.