Maloja Pass
The Maloja is the odd one out among Engadine passes: pancake-flat along the lake-strewn valley from St Moritz, then suddenly off a cliff — thirteen tight hairpins tumbling towards Italy in a wall of bends best admired from the viewpoint above the top switchback.
- Best forRoad-trippers · Photographers · Walkers & hikers
- In July18°C · 19 rainy days
- Ideal stayA day trip from St Moritz or the wider Engadine
- Approx. flying time~11h 55m from Los Angeles
- CurrencyCHFSwiss franc
- LanguageGerman, French, Italian and Romansh
- Local time13:131h ahead of the UK
- PlugsType C / JBring an adapter
- Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
- Dialling code+41
Why go
The Maloja Pass is where the wide, lake-strewn Engadine valley suddenly runs out, tipping over the edge into a switchback plunge towards Italy. Thirteen tight hairpins drop through forest and open pasture, best appreciated from the viewpoint above the top bend, where the whole staircase of bends lays itself out below. Painters once flocked here for the clarity of the light; the village at the top remains tiny and unhurried.
Most visitors see the pass as part of a day out from St Moritz, driving up the flat valley, over the top and down towards Lake Como for lunch before returning the same evening. It rewards drivers and cyclists more than anyone looking to linger, though the walking around the pass itself is gentle and scenic. Autumn brings golden larches and quieter roads than the summer months.
- Ideal stay
- A day trip from St Moritz or the wider Engadine
- The vibe
- Dramatic, remote, quietly grand
From our guides
Painters adored this light; Segantini refused to leave it. Carry on down to Lake Como for lunch and you've linked Switzerland's grandest valley to Italy's grandest lake in a single morning. Autumn brings golden larches and empty tarmac.
Featured in Ten jaw-dropping mountain roads and passes to drive
Things to do
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The thirteen hairpins
A dramatic run of switchbacks dropping from the pass towards Italy, popular with drivers and cyclists testing themselves against the gradient.
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Maloja viewpoint
A short walk above the top hairpin gives a clear view down the full stack of bends and across to the Bregaglia valley.
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Lake Sils and Lake Silvaplana
The chain of Engadine lakes stretching from St Moritz to Maloja, popular for windsurfing and lakeside walking in summer.
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Segantini's landscapes
The painter Giovanni Segantini lived and worked near Maloja, drawn by light he considered unmatched elsewhere in the Alps.
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Bregaglia valley towards Italy
The road continues down through chestnut forest into Italian-speaking Switzerland and on to Lake Como within a couple of hours.
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Val Fex
A car-free side valley near Sils with a gentle, scenic walk to a scattering of farmhouses and a small chapel.
Getting there
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Fly to
Zurich (ZRH)
Nearest airport to Maloja Pass, about 146km away as the crow flies.
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Then
To St Moritz
About two hours by car from Agno (LUG), north up the Lake Como shore and over the Maloja hairpins into the Engadine.
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On the ground
Getting around
The pass is driven or ridden in half an hour from St Moritz along the flat valley floor, with a viewpoint above the top switchback; Chiavenna and Lake Como lie an hour or so further down.
Public transport: Postal buses cross the Maloja between St Moritz and Chiavenna, and the Rhaetian Railway reaches St Moritz, but a car gives you the pass on your own terms.
Flights
Los Angeles Maloja Pass, Switzerland
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Roughly 11h 55m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.
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When to go
Daytime highs run from about -2°C in January to 18°C in July. Driest in January and February; wettest in May, with rain on about 22 days.
The year at a glance — pick a month for detail
July18° · rain 19 daysMild and often wet.
Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis). Live conditions from MET Norway, CC BY 4.0.
Where to stay
Grand Engadine hotels, family-run Swiss guesthouses and holiday apartments, plus a few mountain inns at the top of the pass. Budget options are mostly hostels and campsites.
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Best base overall
St Moritz
The obvious base for the pass, with the lake road, trains and every service you need. It is also the most expensive address in the Engadine, and the town itself is more chic than charming.
Find stays in St Moritz -
Quietest
Sils Maria and Silvaplana
Halfway along the lakes and closer to the top of the pass, with lakeside walks and Nietzsche's village calm. Restaurants stop early and there is little for teenagers after dinner.
Find stays in Sils Maria and Silvaplana -
Best value
Pontresina
A traffic-quieter village a short train ride from St Moritz, with solid mid-range hotels and a good mountain-guide scene. It adds twenty minutes to the drive up to Maloja.
Find stays in Pontresina -
Best with children
Chiavenna
Down the hairpins on the Italian side, with warmer weather, cheaper rooms and pizza after the drive. You climb the pass to reach the Engadine, which is a fine way to start a day.
Find stays in Chiavenna
Worth knowing before you book: Many Engadine hotels close for weeks between seasons in spring and late autumn, and the top of the pass can be shut by snow outside summer.
Search everything else in St Moritz by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.
Good to know
- Driving
- The hairpins are tight and can be busy with cyclists in summer, so allow extra time and keep speeds low on the way down.
- Timing
- Autumn brings golden larch forests and quieter roads than the peak summer months of July and August.
- Getting there
- The pass is reached by road from St Moritz; there is no rail line over the top, though postal buses run the route.
- Weather
- Snow can close the pass in winter, so check conditions before planning a drive between November and April.
- Cycling
- The climb and descent are well known among road cyclists; expect shared road space with cars on the hairpins in summer.
Similar places
Trollstigen
NorwayAlso for road-trippers and photographers · 18°C in July, as here
Old Man of Storr
Isle of Skye, ScotlandAlso for road-trippers and photographers · 13°C in July (18°C here) · cheaper to stay
Morskie Oko
Tatras, PolandAlso for photographers and walkers & hikers · 17°C in July, as here · cheaper to stay
Nearby destinations
St. Moritz
Switzerland · 15km away →
Livigno
Italy · 37km away →
Bernina Express
Switzerland to Italy · 42km away →
Varenna
Lake Como, Italy · 54km away →
Stelvio Pass
Italy · 60km away →
The GoldenEye bungee
Verzasca Dam, Switzerland · 69km away →Elsewhere in Switzerland
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Quick answers
When is the best time to visit Maloja Pass?
Daytime highs run from about -2°C in January to 18°C in July. Driest in January and February; wettest in May, with rain on about 22 days.
How long should I spend in Maloja Pass?
Our suggestion: a day trip from St Moritz or the wider Engadine.
How do I get to Maloja Pass?
About two hours by car from Agno (LUG), north up the Lake Como shore and over the Maloja hairpins into the Engadine.
Do I need a car in Maloja Pass?
Yes, a car makes a real difference here. Postal buses cross the Maloja between St Moritz and Chiavenna, and the Rhaetian Railway reaches St Moritz, but a car gives you the pass on your own terms.
What currency and language are used in Maloja Pass?
Currency: Swiss franc (CHF). Language: German, French, Italian and Romansh. Plugs: type C and J.
Who is Maloja Pass best for?
Best for road-trippers, photographers and walkers & hikers. In a phrase: dramatic, remote, quietly grand.