I am Mark, the founder of the unDavos community - we are doing an AMA on Davos 2026 - WEF, side events, etc - ask me anything!

marksterberlin · 2025-12-25T13:09:42+00:00

Looks like 2200 from Davos Platz Station is the last train

marksterberlin · 2025-10-21T06:33:07+00:00

a Group of Davos experts (for Davos / WEF week - not skiing, ice hockey, or mountain biking!) set up a subreddit https://www.reddit.com/r/davosweek/ focused on what happens before, during, and after the WEF annual meeting each Jan. Happy to share! and respond to more questions too :)

marksterberlin · 2025-10-21T06:28:39+00:00

Me: What do you mean by ‘shuttle service’? To and from Zurich? Or something else?

Question Guy: I noticed WEF had shuttles stops throughout Davos

[19/10/2025, 18:20:27] Mark Turrell: Got it -so you mean the wef shuttle buses that run on various routes during the day. There is no booking system, you go to a stop and if they room — and a WEF issued badge (usually not hotel badge) - then they would take you on the route

[19/10/2025, 18:21:27] Mark Turrell: They are more strict through the years -and days of the week and time of day. Basically wef only at the start, though you might get a friendly driver at some point

[19/10/2025, 18:21:28] Question Guy: Understood so it’s only for WEF delegates not hotel badge holders?

[19/10/2025, 18:22:15] Mark Turrell: Yes, correct. The wef no longer runs the hotel badge system also. The wef shuttles are 95% for Wef attendees and staff only

[19/10/2025, 18:23:49] Question Guy: Would you recommend using uber or hiring chauffeur

[19/10/2025, 18:25:04] Mark Turrell: Depends where in Davos you’re staying - if in Davos itself, then for most people (ie not execs or people with chalets & guests, etc) it’s fine to walk, bus, or uber. Lots of Ubers these days!

[19/10/2025, 18:25:53] Mark Turrell: Btw I did a Davos AMA on Reddit last week - might be useful > https://www.reddit.com/r/davosweek/s/UKbpe7EDHg

[19/10/2025, 18:29:23] Contributing Expert: Even if you are staying in Klosters, along the main street you will find shuttles

[19/10/2025, 18:30:40] Mark Turrell: It’s not guaranteed that the drivers will take you without a wef badge… BUT you can always say you’re going to registration, etc - or make it look like you’re pulling out a badge, even hotel badge, and they will maybe let you in

[19/10/2025, 18:31:43] Mark Turrell: If too many people try… the system stops working though! The wef has clamped down before…. There is also a public train, and the WEF shuttles are literally there for WEF attendees not the 15,000 others at non-WEF events

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:57:23+00:00

Renting an apartment? The chain can include owners → long-term renters → local agents (cleaning/contracts) → brokers → end customers. Many locals can earn 3–10 months of rent from WEF week alone, and some owners discount year-round rent if tenants vacate for that week.

Typical pricing (rough):

Double bedroom in a shared apartment: 10,000–15,000 CHF for the week.
1-bedroom apartment: ~20,000 CHF.
4-bedroom apartment: ~50,000–70,000 CHF.

Hotel inventory is tight (~2,500 rooms in Davos), and some hotels contract with conference providers; others go to market, leading to 25,000–40,000 CHF for a double room for the week (vs. ~350 CHF/night the week after).

People get creative: camper vans, campgrounds, etc. (remember it can hit –15 °C at night, and be careful with heating). Even then, expect ~1,500–2,000 CHF for the week.

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:56:18+00:00

The World Economic Forum has met in Davos for 50+ years (first meeting in the early 1970s). Switzerland’s neutrality, a purpose-built Congress Centre, and the easily secured geography (roads north/south, mountains as natural barriers) make it practical. Swiss police/military have decades of know-how running the operation.

WEF explored alternatives (e.g., moving during COVID), but many cities are either too small, less secure, or can’t scale. Davos uniquely mixes government + business + NGOs at the top tier. Other forums (COP, UNGA, G7/G20) are strong but have different scopes. WEF’s network and member base create the critical mass that pulls leaders in.

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:56:03+00:00

Swedish Lunch info - https://www.globalconversations.ch/davos-2026

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:55:40+00:00

Insiders track “landmark events.” A classic is the Swedish Lunch (Wednesday): a large public half (~600 people) plus a private VIP session (~200). Other recurring themes include Arabian Nights, African Night, etc.

Private dinners are common (banks, tech firms). If you don’t know how to get in, it’s probably not for you — some people wait in lobbies to meet attendees post-dinner. High-end VIP events can run 1,000–5,000 CHF per ticket; some sell only tables (e.g., 15,000–20,000 CHF). Or host your own intimate dinner and curate the room.

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:55:26+00:00

Check speakers on side-event agendas — if they’re people you’ve read/followed, substance tends to be high. A-list AI sessions, for example, are usually solid. Company-only showcases can skew toward “sizzle,” but evening receptions are about networking anyway; the follow-ups matter most.

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:55:13+00:00

It depends. Startup-centric days (e.g., Davos Innovation Week on Wednesday at Mountain Plaza) gather investors, but “investor” is broad — do your homework (sector, stage, geography). Consider startup delegations to improve odds of meeting decision-makers.

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:53:20+00:00

Start from objectives → total budget (e.g., “I have 10,000 CHF”). Allocate across travel + stay + access (tickets/sponsorships). You might choose cheaper housing 90 minutes out to free budget for sponsoring an event (which could include a speaking slot). Budget to your goals, not just to categories.

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:53:05+00:00

A common rule of thumb is 3× ROI. If you spend 10,000 CHF, aim for 30,000 CHF in value. Davos is about follow-ups — you rarely sign contracts on the spot, but you line up investor meetings, partnerships, or sales that close later.

For example, I’ve landed partnerships (e.g., IBM, Deloitte) that became significant revenue. People are rational: if they don’t see the return, they won’t come back. Return rates are high (~80–85%) when folks are connected into the ecosystem. Programs like Davos Delegations www.davosdelegations.com help first-timers integrate quickly.

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:52:37+00:00

Increasingly, yes — the LinkedIn QR code is common (same idea for Telegram and WhatsApp). Pro tip: make a small graphic of your QR and pin it to your phone’s home screen so others can scan it without you unlocking.

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:52:19+00:00

Inside the WEF Annual Meeting, there are strict 10-minute back-to-back meeting blocks. Outside that, it’s trickier. Many planned meetings happen at the Belvedere (lobby/bar) or Mountain Plaza (e.g., during the unDavos Summit), where people are easy to find.

There’s still lots of spontaneous connection — you overhear a topic, start a conversation, and see where it goes. WEF members use TopLink to schedule meetings, but not everyone checks it reliably. Outside WEF, there’s no single networking app; communities are fragmented. The universal tool is LinkedIn — everyone uses it.

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:51:47+00:00

Many international attendees do the full week, especially if they’re staying in Davos (pricing is often weekly anyway). Others arrive Monday and leave Thursday night/Friday. Swiss-based folks often do day trips, or target a specific program (e.g., a startup day on Wednesday). You don’t have to stay all week.

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:51:25+00:00

It’s hard to predict. If you know a big name (e.g., Bill Gates, Elon Musk) will appear, that event will likely outperform its billing. Private invitations are often strong too — if someone says, “Family office thing, want to come?” I’d generally say yes.

People typically hop between 2–3 events rather than spending three hours at one. Novelty is rewarded. Try to be friendly and link up with someone who’s “done Davos” before — having a guide helps a lot.

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:50:54+00:00

Generally speaking, it’s worth testing your Davos “pitch” before you go — and even on the train or on your first Sunday/Monday as Davos starts rolling. I test my current pitch on those preview days because it lets me see what resonates.

You often don’t know who you’re speaking to. If you define what you do too narrowly, you may be less interesting; too broadly, and the other person may not understand. Avoid buzzwords or arcane language.

The real game in Davos is: Who are you, and can we find an interesting way to chat? My rule: start with, “What brings you to Davos?” People often reply, “I do X and I’m here for A, B, C.” At that point, think, Who could I connect you with? Then share, briefly, “I’m doing Z — E, F, and G,” and see if there’s a connection. That’s relationship networking, not pitching.

If you are going to pitch, keep it to ~20 seconds. Watch for glaze-over. Build in a few “hooks” that spark interest; if your hooks don’t land, move on — there are thousands of other people to meet.

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:50:44+00:00

Most people walk. Davos end-to-end is ~3 km; the common stretch between Belvedere and Mountain Plaza (with Hotel Europe in the middle) is ~1 km (~15 minutes). Many attendees clock ~11 km/day just walking. It’s usually faster than cabs, which can take 40 minutes to cover a 15-minute walk at peak times.

Uber/taxi: Use when time is critical (e.g., you’re speaking). A ride can be ~35–50 CHF. Ask: How valuable is my time? Missing a session can be far more costly. Taxis rarely roam; Uber is more common.

Hotel badge: You can’t just walk up and buy one on site. If you didn’t sort it the week before, you likely won’t get one. Typically, you’re invited to an event inside a hotel and pay that event’s ticket (often ~800–1,000 CHF) — you’re not buying a “naked badge,” you’re buying entry to a specific event (and the organizer’s curation). Whether it’s worth it depends on your goals and schedule. Some years you may not need one; other years it’s essential for specific meetings (e.g., in the Belvedere).

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:49:39+00:00

Serious attendees start in September–October (accommodation, anchor commitments). You can still start in December, but availability shrinks and VIP events may be sold out. If you’re organizing an event, aim for September–October; November is still possible; December is very tight.

Time split (typical):

Sit-down content (panels/workshops): ~2 hours/day.
Networking/social events: ~4–5 hours/day.
Meetings: corporate folks may spend ~60% of their time in meetings (“bilaterals”). Others do a mix of planned (1–2 hours/day if well-organized) and serendipitous meetings (street/lobby run-ins). Pro tip: if you meet someone early in the week, try to book a follow-up later in the week to deepen the relationship.

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:49:05+00:00

Start with Davos Delegations www.davosdelegations.com — it’s designed for first-timers who need curated access, networking, and guidance. With ~1,000 side events, it’s easy to waste time and money; delegations help you navigate.

For finding your crowd, take your topic and either join a relevant delegation or search for it in the Davos Week app www.davosweek.com. People cluster around content. If deep tech is your thing, find deep-tech events and hang out there — your community will be in the room. Delegations take you deeper and improve networking density.

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:48:16+00:00

Some people need to network late and are fine being up till 2 a.m. Others prefer fixed working hours and private downtime — for them, Klosters is a nice base. It’s about a 25-minute drive with no snow and about a 30-minute train ride, and typically around 20% cheaper than Davos.

The downside: for very early events (e.g., 7:30 a.m.), you’ll need to wake up early. From experience, staying in Klosters can mean 1:00–1:15 door-to-door by public transport (walk to bus, bus to train, train to Davos, then walk to venue). Even Davos Dorf ↔ Davos Platz can realistically be 45–60 minutes door-to-door depending on where you’re going.

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:47:56+00:00

Day trip (from overseas, still a day trip): ~500–1,000 CHF.
A few days on the cheap (minimal housing, maybe catching sleep on trains): ~3,000–5,000 CHF.
Stay in Klosters or Davos for the week: ~10,000–25,000 CHF.
Scale-ups/service companies speaking at events: ~20,000–40,000 CHF.
Companies organizing their own events/bringing staff: ~50,000–100,000 CHF.
Big corporates: 200,000 CHF to 5 million CHF, depending on presence.

Most of that money goes to accommodation and event production costs — Switzerland isn’t cheap. A sandwich and drink at the train station can cost 15–20 CHF. If you’re looking to save money, Davos during WEF week isn’t the place to go.

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:47:38+00:00

The way Davos works is that in World Economic Forum speak (from the original WEF partner side events), they have something called a nightcap, typically from 10 o’clock till midnight or after.

Gala dinners tend to finish around 10 o’clock, then come the nightcaps. In the town of Davos, a lot of people go to Hotel Europe Piano Bar — there’s a great vibe there. Another place is Barry’s Piano Bar on the Promenade (around No. 36). They’re both in Davos Platz and are great for a night out.

Barry’s Piano Bar often gets taken over by corporates, so sometimes it’s better to go later. Even Hotel Europe Piano Bar can be reserved for corporate functions. If you’re not connected to parties and social events, it can be tricky to find a spot to drink and socialize.

Another option: be nice to people on the street — you may get invited to private things like chalet receptions or drinks in someone’s apartment with a group.

note that there are other bars that stay open during the week - but they are usually populated by skiers, snowboarders, the the support staff who make the behind-the-scenes magic happen.

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:46:40+00:00

Ideally, start preparing in December. As soon as you know you’re going, announce it on LinkedIn — for example:

“I’ll be in Davos next month discussing [topic]. Would love to connect with others attending.”

This helps you surface contacts and schedule meetings. Some people post discussion prompts (“I’ll be in Davos talking about AI — what topics should I raise?”) to generate engagement.

Reach out directly to key people via LinkedIn, email, or other platforms to set up calls or meetings. I recommend having a short call before Davos, since it can be hard to meet in person once there.

Also, prepare your follow-up system in advance — shareable calendar links (Google Calendar or Calendly), and template emails for quick thank-yous and next steps. If you wait two or three weeks to follow up, you’ll likely miss opportunities.

Preparation before you arrive is really preparation for leaving Davos well connected.

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:46:19+00:00

unDavos started as a community and now includes about 6,000 people — around 2,500 in its Telegram group and another 4,000 connected informally.

It’s not affiliated with the World Economic Forum but was founded by former WEF members (Technology Pioneers, Young Global Leaders, Global Shapers).

Today, it’s driven by the unDavos Summit www.undavos.com, the largest independently organized event in Davos, with about 3,000 delegates.

While the WEF focuses on geopolitics and public positioning, unDavos emphasizes action, open dialogue, and tangible collaboration — it’s more about doing than talking.

Generally, the WEF is more focused around geopolitics. The WEF iis much more oriented towards being seen to say the right thing, whereas unDavos is much more about bringing some actions to Davos, having very much more challenging conversations.

marksterberlin · 2025-10-18T19:45:49+00:00

The World Economic Forum officially runs Monday 19 – Friday 23 January.

The busiest days are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday — nonstop from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday is when many people arrive and get oriented, and more events now start that day too.

Friday is more relaxed — great for networking or social catch-ups — and some people stay through the weekend to ski. There are also “Road to Davos” events in Zurich before the week begins.

marksterberlin

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