Chur is not a city most international visitors think of first when they plan a trip to Switzerland. That is exactly what makes it good. While the crowds flow toward Zurich, Geneva, and Lucerne, Chur gets on with being the oldest city in the country, sitting at the foot of the Alps in the canton of Graubünden, quietly hosting one of the most respected jazz festivals on the Swiss calendar.
The JazzChur Festival runs from 2 to 6 September 2026 at the Postremise on Engadinstrasse 43 in Chur. Five evenings of jazz and improvised music at one of the most characterful venues in eastern Switzerland, a former coach house built in 1864 that has spent the last several decades hosting concerts, theatre, and cultural events. The festival is organised by the JazzChur association, which runs over 50 events a year in Chur and brings musicians from across Switzerland and Europe to the Graubünden capital.
Getting to Chur from Zurich Airport by private chauffeur takes around one hour and fifteen minutes. This guide covers the festival, the venue, the journey, and why booking a private transfer for this particular trip makes more practical sense than most people initially expect.
JazzChur describes its mission directly: jazz and improvised music in all its colours, live, cross-border, cross-generational. That description plays out at the festival each September, where the programme covers everything from contemporary Swiss jazz to international acts, chamber-scale sets to full band performances. The Postremise as a venue suits this range well. The building is not a traditional concert hall. It has the feel of a working cultural space rather than a formal auditorium, which suits improvised music better than most purpose-built venues do.
The 2025 edition ran from 3 to 7 September and featured acts including the Luciana Morelli Group from Basel and Knobil, whose sound sits somewhere between jazz, punk, and French chanson. The 2026 JazzChur edition continues from 2 to 6 September. Programming details are published through the JazzChur website at jazzchur.ch as the festival approaches.
For musicians and jazz fans who follow the Swiss circuit, JazzChur is considered a genuine festival rather than a branded event. The acts are programmed by people who care about the music rather than the marketing, and the atmosphere in Chur during the festival week reflects that. The old town is walkable, the restaurants around the festival venue are good, and the scale of the city means you are not fighting through crowds to get anywhere.
Chur has no airport of its own. The closest international gateway is Zurich Airport, 118 kilometres north via the A3 and A13 motorways. By private Zurich chauffeur, the journey takes about one hour and fifteen minutes under normal conditions. The road runs through the Rhine valley south of Zurich, past Sargans, and into the Graubünden capital along the A13.
By train from Zurich, direct services run every hour and take around one hour and fourteen minutes to Chur station. For a solo traveller with light luggage attending a concert and returning the same evening, the train is a practical option. For a couple or small group arriving from the airport with bags, planning to attend multiple evenings of the festival, or wanting flexibility on departure time, a private transfer changes the calculation.
The specific situation where a private transfer from Grandlane makes the most sense is this: arriving at Zurich Airport from a connecting flight, heading to Chur for two or three nights of the festival, and not wanting to manage luggage across platforms and connections at the airport before a long evening of music. The driver collects you from arrivals, the car handles the luggage, and you arrive at your hotel in Chur's old town without any of the coordination that comes with train travel.
The return journey matters just as much. Late September evenings in Chur can be cool and the last trains back toward Zurich run on a schedule that does not always align with the end of a festival evening. A pre-booked Zurich airport transfer with Grandlane means the car is waiting when the night ends, the driver knows the route, and nobody has to check their phone for train times during the final set.
| Detail | Information |
| Distance | Approximately 118 km |
| Drive Time | Around 1 hour 15 minutes under normal traffic conditions |
| Route | Via A3 south from Zurich, then A13 into Graubünden, arriving in central Chur |
| Festival Venue | Postremise, Engadinstrasse 43, 7000 Chur |
| Vehicle Options | Business Class Sedan, VW Passat, or Mercedes V-Class for groups |
| Child Seats | Available on request at no additional charge |
| Pricing | Fixed price confirmed at booking, with no meter charges and tolls included (Premium Economy Class - approx 430.3 CHF) |
The city itself rewards a day before or after the festival. Chur's old town is genuinely old. Archaeology puts settlement here back over 5,000 years, which makes it the longest continuously inhabited city in Switzerland. The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption has stood since the 12th century. The medieval lanes around it are compact and walkable, with a mix of restaurants, wine bars, and small shops that reflect the mix of German, Italian, and Romansh influences that characterise Graubünden.
The Postremise itself, where the festival takes place, is worth arriving at early. The building has its own atmosphere. It sits a short walk from the old town and has been a consistent venue for music and cultural events in Chur for decades. During the festival, the space runs with the particular energy of a venue that is being used for its proper purpose rather than hired out.
If you are extending the Swiss trip, Chur is also the starting point for both the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express, two of Switzerland's most celebrated scenic rail routes. Arosa, one of Graubünden's mountain resorts, is 40 minutes from Chur by train. Davos and St. Moritz are both reachable within two hours. The canton rewards exploration in a way that a single festival visit does not exhaust.
Festival tickets for JazzChur are available through the JazzChur website. Day tickets and multi-day passes are typically offered, with prices in the CHF 25 to 50 range depending on the evening and programme. Tickets for popular evenings sell out during the week before the festival, so booking as soon as the programme is published is worth doing.
Hotels in Chur's old town fill up during festival week among the city's regular capacity. The old town has a handful of well-regarded smaller hotels within walking distance of the Postremise. Booking accommodation two to three months ahead is sensible if you want to be central.
For the private transfer with Grandlane, booking in advance gives you a fixed, confirmed price and guaranteed availability. The team tracks your flight for airport pickups and adjusts automatically for delays. You can book online at grandlanetransfer.com in a few minutes, or reach the team by phone or WhatsApp at +41 7882 85 835 at any hour.
How far is Chur from Zurich Airport?
Around 118 kilometres. By private chauffeur the journey takes approximately one hour and fifteen minutes. By train from the airport to Chur it takes around one hour and fifty minutes including the connection at Zurich Hauptbahnhof.
When does the JazzChur Festival take place in 2026?
The 7th JazzChur Festival runs from 2 to 6 September 2026 at the Postremise, Engadinstrasse 43, Chur. Programming is published on jazzchur.ch ahead of the festival.
Can Grandlane Transfer pick me up from a hotel in Chur rather than the airport?
Yes. Grandlane covers hotel and address pickups across Switzerland, not just airport collections. If you are based in Chur for the festival and need a return to Zurich Airport or a transfer to another Swiss city, the booking works the same way.
Is a private transfer from Zurich to Chur more expensive than the train?
For a solo traveller, the train is cheaper. For a group of two or three people sharing a vehicle, the cost per person becomes comparable to train tickets, with the added benefit of door-to-door service, fixed pricing, and no luggage management. Grandlane pricing is confirmed at the time of booking with no changes at the end of the journey.
Does Grandlane serve other Swiss festivals besides JazzChur?
Yes. Grandlane provides private transfers to events and festivals across Switzerland, including Davos during WEF, Art Basel, the Montreux Jazz Festival, and other cultural events throughout the year. The booking process and pricing structure are the same regardless of the destination.
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