For one week each January, Davos becomes the political and economic capital of the world, and the chauffeured Mercedes is the de facto standard of arrival. SLS has served World Economic Forum delegates for over a decade, with a fleet pre-positioned in Davos for the duration, drivers cleared for the WEF perimeter, and a dispatch team operating 24 hours through the summit. Daily rates from CHF 1,500 in E-Class. We coordinate Geneva and Zurich airport arrivals, and we understand the badge protocol that governs access to the security zone.
Book your WEF chauffeur +41 22 909 34 34
Why WEF chauffeur service is its own category
Davos in mid-January operates under conditions found nowhere else in Switzerland. The town imposes a vehicle pass system; only accredited drivers may approach the Congress Centre, the Belvédère, the Schatzalp and the surrounding hotels. Federal police, Swiss Army units and private security operate at every intersection. Snow removal happens overnight; daytime traffic crawls along Promenade Strasse. A taxi rank does not exist in any practical sense. For the delegates, sponsors, journalists, and panel speakers who attend WEF, a pre-arranged Mercedes with a vetted driver — and a backup driver — is not a luxury but the only practical way to honour a calendar of breakfast at Hotel Belvédère, 09:30 panel at the Congress Centre, lunch at the Schatzalp, evening reception at the InterContinental. We pre-deploy our fleet in late December and dedicate dispatch capacity to the event.
The route — Geneva or Zurich
WEF clients reach Davos from either airport. From Zurich (ZRH): 160 km, two hours via the A3 → Walensee → A13 → Landquart → mountain road. This is the preferred route for most international delegates flying intercontinental into ZRH, and the road is the easier of the two — Landquart to Davos is 26 km of well-maintained cantonal road via Klosters. From Geneva (GVA): 410 km, four and a half hours via the A1 across the Swiss plateau, then Zurich → A3 → A13 → Landquart → mountain road. Used by delegates flying into Geneva or arriving by private aviation at GVA’s FBO. We strongly recommend Zurich arrival when feasible. For executives flying private into Samedan (St. Moritz) airport during WEF, we also handle the 90-minute road transfer over the Flüela pass — weather-permitting; Flüela closes in winter and the route reverts via Landquart.
| Vehicle | Passengers | Use case | Daily rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes E-Class | 1–3 | Delegate or speaker | CHF 1,500/day |
| Mercedes V-Class | 1–7 | Sponsor team, panel group | CHF 1,750/day |
| Mercedes S-Class | 1–3 | CEO, principal, ministerial | CHF 1,950/day |
| Mercedes Sprinter | 1–16 | Security pool, delegation | On request |
Daily rate includes the chauffeur, the vehicle, fuel, all in-Davos transfers during a 12-hour day, full insurance, water and snacks. Overnight chauffeur accommodation is invoiced at cost (CHF 250–400/night in Davos during WEF). Airport transfer to/from Davos quoted separately or bundled.
Hotels we serve at WEF
Davos accommodation during WEF is allocated months in advance and our chauffeurs know the entry protocol for each property. Steigenberger Grandhotel Belvédère on Promenade Strasse — the historical WEF headquarters hotel, host of dozens of side events. Vehicle access is regulated by accreditation; our drivers present credentials at the perimeter checkpoint. InterContinental Davos on Talstrasse, the modern flagship with a covered ramp leading to the lobby — security-friendly drop point for principals. Schatzalp Snow & Mountain Resort at 1,861 m, accessed by a private funicular from the town below; our chauffeurs drop at the funicular base and coordinate with hotel staff for luggage. Hotel Seehof in the centre handles many delegations and side-event venues; the rear entrance off Promenade Strasse is the chauffeur drop. We also serve smaller properties (Morosani, AlpenGold, Hilton Garden Inn, Sunstar) — all in our pre-WEF mapping.
What WEF chauffeur service includes
A pre-WEF briefing call with the assigned chauffeur and the principal’s chief of staff or PA covers the week’s calendar, sensitive contacts, dietary needs in-car (water type, prayer needs, no-photograph requirement, no-phone-call rule). The chauffeur memorises the route between primary venues. We dedicate two chauffeurs per principal where intense schedule density requires it (a swing-shift model used by several heads of state in past years). All drivers signed under NDA, with discretion training and a track record at sensitive G20 and Swiss state-visit assignments. Vehicles are scanned each morning before delivery to the principal. Communication via encrypted messaging with the principal’s office on request.
A typical WEF day from the chauffeur’s seat
To give a sense of what the service actually looks like: a delegate’s Tuesday at WEF might start with 07:00 pickup at the InterContinental for breakfast at the Steigenberger Belvédère with the chief of staff; 09:00 panel at the Congress Centre (chauffeur drops at the accredited entrance, parks in the assigned lot, monitors the schedule); 10:30 bilateral at a sponsor pavilion on Promenade Strasse (3-minute drive, drop and wait); 12:30 lunch at the Schatzalp via the funicular (chauffeur drops at the funicular base, repositions for return); 14:30 closed-door session at the Congress Centre again; 17:00 reception at the Klosters AlpenGold (35-minute drive); 21:00 dinner back in Davos at Hotel Seehof; 23:30 return to InterContinental. Across that day a single chauffeur covers approximately 60 km within Davos and the immediate surroundings, with eight separate pickups and drop-offs. Without a dedicated chauffeur this becomes operationally impossible.
Accreditation and security
WEF accreditation is mandatory for vehicle access to the Congress Centre perimeter; we cannot obtain it on the client’s behalf — only the WEF Secretariat or the delegation issues badges. Our role: once you have your badge, our chauffeur presents the vehicle pass and his own pre-cleared identification. We work with the federal police protocol office for principals requiring close-protection coordination, and we route around closures imposed for VIP movement on Promenade Strasse. For executives without WEF badges attending side events at hotels outside the perimeter (Klosters, Wolfgang, Schatzalp), no accreditation is needed and our service runs unhindered.
How we differ from on-demand services during WEF week
Uber Black, Bolt and other on-demand platforms occasionally cover Davos transfers but cannot provide the consistency required for WEF. Drivers may not be cleared for the inner perimeter, vehicles are not pre-positioned in the canton, and no service guarantee covers the badge-checkpoint sequence. We pre-deploy specific drivers — many of whom return year after year — and we know which checkpoints accept which credentials at which hours. For a one-off airport transfer this is over-engineering; for a five-day WEF principal it is the difference between an executive making every meeting on schedule and one missing a panel.
Booking and planning timeline
WEF books out aggressively. Reservations should be confirmed by mid-October for the following January. Confirmed bookings include named driver assignment by early December and a planning call in the second week of January. Half-day rates available for arrivals or departures only. Cancellations: free up to 30 days before WEF week; 50% inside 30 days; 100% inside 7 days. We accept all major cards, Twint, and corporate IBAN with credit terms for pre-approved corporate accounts. Payment in CHF; EUR/USD/GBP invoices on request.
FAQ
Why is Zurich the preferred airport for WEF?
Two hours from Davos versus four and a half from Geneva, and direct intercontinental flight options. Most delegations route through ZRH unless they have a private-aviation reason to use GVA.
Can your chauffeur drive me to side events outside Davos — Klosters, Arosa, St. Moritz?
Yes — these are standard during WEF. Klosters is 20 minutes, Arosa is 50 minutes over the Strela road, St. Moritz is 90 minutes via Flüela (weather-permitting) or 2h via Landquart in winter.
Do you provide armoured vehicles or close-protection support?
We provide standard Mercedes models. For armoured class or close-protection driver-bodyguards, we partner with Swiss security providers and coordinate logistics. Quoted on request.
Can my chauffeur stay with me for the entire week?
Yes — this is the standard WEF model. The same named chauffeur runs your schedule for the full 5–6 days, with backup ready if illness or schedule pressure requires.
What if my Davos arrival flight is delayed?
Flight tracking is active. The chauffeur waits at no extra cost up to 90 minutes (we extend the normal 60 minutes for WEF arrivals given airport congestion). Beyond that, modest hourly wait charge.
Do you handle delegations of 8–16 people?
Yes — Sprinter assigned, often paired with a V-Class for executive separation. We have run delegations up to 30 people across multiple WEF cycles. Quoted bespoke.
Can your driver carry confidential documents or briefcases unattended?
Standard chauffeur service does not include custody of unattended sensitive items. Our drivers can hold items in the vehicle while you are inside a venue, but we recommend a member of your team accompany sensitive material at all times.
What about return transfers — same day as WEF ends?
WEF closes on Friday and Saturday is the heaviest exit day. We pre-allocate vehicles for Saturday departures and recommend booking the return slot at the same time as the inbound.
Is there a discount for multi-day or multi-vehicle bookings?
Multi-day rates are already optimised in the daily figures above. For multi-vehicle delegations (three or more vehicles for the full week), we structure a single corporate agreement with consolidated billing and dedicated dispatch contact. Contact us early.
Related services
For non-WEF Davos transfers consult our Davos page, or the neighbouring Klosters transfer and St. Moritz. See our broader business chauffeur and event chauffeur services.
Reserve your WEF chauffeur
WEF booking closes early. Contact us before October for the following January.