Brambrüesch Mountain (cableway)

Brambrüesch is Chur’s local mountain, a sunny alpine terrace on the slope directly above the city, and the cableway is the quickest way up. The cabins leave from a station on the edge of the old town, so you can go from a historic street to open meadows at around 1,600 metres in a few minutes, a remarkable change of scene for a city of this size. The cableway is operated by the local mountain railway company, Chur Bergbahnen, and it runs in two stages, with an intermediate station on the way up.

The upper terrace is a broad, grassy shoulder with scattered trees, small farms and a few mountain restaurants, and it opens onto wide views down the Rhine valley and across to the Calanda massif on the opposite side. From above, you see Chur in its basin, the line of the river and the broad valley running north toward Lake Constance and south into the Alps. It is a favourite place for locals to come for a Sunday walk, a lunch with a view or a bit of exercise after work. The air is fresh and noticeably cooler than in town, which makes the terrace popular on hot summer days.

In summer the slopes become a base for walking and biking. Marked trails start from the mountain station, and the best known leads to the Dreibündenstein, a historic border peak, along a ridge walk with wide views, which has its own entry in the guide. Other routes are gentler and suit families, with meadows, forest paths and playgrounds, and the walk back down to Chur through the woods takes a couple of hours. Mountain bikers have a network of descending trails of different grades, and the area has a reputation for fun downhill riding, including a form of off-road scooter or board sometimes called dirt surfing. Equipment can usually be rented at the valley or mountain stations.

In winter, the same terrace becomes a small ski and sledging area, with a few lifts and gentle slopes suitable for beginners and families, and a snowshoe and winter walking network on the surrounding hillside. It is not a major ski resort, but its closeness to the city means you can take a morning on the snow and be back in Chur for lunch. Operating times and the exact season depend on snow and demand, and they change from year to year, so check the current timetable and prices on the operator’s website before you go. Evening openings are sometimes offered for night skiing or dinner, so ask if that interests you.

The cableway suits families, hikers, bikers and anyone who wants a quick escape from the city. It combines well with a stay in Chur, and with the Dreibündenstein hike for a longer day in the mountains.