DAVOS: THE LITTLE RED TRAIN TO WINTER WONDERLAND

Up in the Swiss Alps in the town of Davos, there exists a little train that takes you on a delightful journey into the Alpine winter landscape. On a sunny winter day, the views all around are simply glorious. 

The journey from Davos to Klosters takes 30 mins but somehow it flies by, as this small red train with giant panoramic windows meanders its way past mountains and valleys.

We climb aboard our train at Davos Platz and make ourselves comfortable. As the train departs and picks up pace, scenes of daily life go by. We see the half frozen river alongside the train tracks with the water still flowing. Next to it is a great white space where figures are cross country skiing. The majestic Jakobshorn mountain is immediately behind, and on its slopes are more figures in an array of colours, skiing down the tree covered mountainside. To the other side of the tracks there are Lego-like blocks of flats with balconies all facing the same direction, and someone is reading a paper while enjoying the winter sunshine. 

We pull into Davos Dorf to pick up more passengers and set off once more, leaving town behind.  

Now we are passing a big lake, the Davosersee. The water level is very low and any liquid has long been transformed to ice. It is now a flat surface with no interruptions, a perfect dazzling sheet of white. Small silhouettes are seen in the distance, casually strolling along the banks. And just behind rises the awe inspiring Parsenn mountain. Its snow covered slopes are distinguished by contrasts of light and shadow which resemble an exquisite work of art. 

We pass Davos Wolfgang station without stopping as no one seems to want to leave just yet.

As we go down the mountains give way to a small plain and in the distance a cluster of wooden chalets are gathered like gingerbread houses with triangular roofs covered in marzipan. All around them is a glistening sea of whiteness interrupted by a few ski trails. 

There are no passengers at Davos Laret and Cavadurli train stations so we don’t stop and continue down into a wonderful jungle of trees where very tall pines shoot out of the snow, accompanied by little saplings balancing copious amounts of snow. The pines seem to have been sprinkled with icing sugar, and when the wind blows tiny flakes get carried around, dancing and glittering in the freezing sunshine, filling the atmosphere with peace and magic. 

We journey along and every so often an opening between the trees gives us a window into a wintry landscape. The tracks of a deer interrupt the snow, leading into the distance. A small cement utility box by the train tracks is covered in a generous dollop of cream. We pass an assortment of charming old wooden chalets dotted along the way. 

And then we turn a corner and a breathtaking panorama opens up before us. The town of Klosters spreads out in the valley below, like a toy hamlet at Christmas, surrounded by more glorious mountains. 

Our little red train slowly meanders down the slope towards its final stop. We pass more animal tracks, probably a rabbit, and lines of wooden fences popping out of the snow. Once again we see figures in colourful outfits skiing down the mountainside. And all the while a feeling of liberation, of positivity, as if here the World is just the way it should be, carries us along. 

Our train has now arrived. We put our coats on and step out on the platform. There is just enough time for a coffee and cake at Cafe Klatsch before taking our little red train for another magical journey back up to Davos.