Albula Alps Mountains

The Albula Alps are a mountain range in the canton of Graubünden in eastern Switzerland and form part of the Rhaetian/Alpine chain. The range includes multiple three-thousand-metre peaks, with Piz Kesch its highest named summit.

Jagged ridges, cirques and glaciated summits dominate the landscape; routes in the range include alpine climbing and long ridge hikes. The area is traversed by both a high mountain road over the Albula Pass and the Rhaetian Railway’s Albula line, the latter noted for its tunnels and viaducts.

Major development in and around the range has long focused on alpine transport and mountain tourism, with trail networks and mountain huts supporting multi-day routes. Glacial retreat and alpine geomorphology continue to shape the terrain and access routes.

The Albula Alps lie in eastern Switzerland’s canton of Graubünden. The range sits between high valleys of the central-eastern Swiss Alps and is accessed from towns and villages in the region via mountain passes and valley roads.

• Alpine scale: Hosts alpine terrain with several peaks above 3,000 metres and glaciated cirques useful for mountaineering and high-mountain hiking.
• Transport corridors: Contains engineered transport routes through high terrain - both a paved mountain pass and the Rhaetian Railway line which is recognized for its historic engineering.

What to See#

• Piz Kesch (highest peak): The highest named summit in the range, reaching 3,418 metres and forming a prominent glaciated massif that is a popular objective for alpine climbers and mountaineers.
• Albula Pass: A high mountain pass and historic transport corridor that crosses the range, with a road used by motorists and hikers as an access route into surrounding valleys.
• Albula Railway (Rhaetian Railway): A railway line that traverses tunnels and viaducts through the mountains and is noted for its historic alpine engineering and scenic alpine route.

The Albula Alps are in the canton of Graubünden and are served by the UNESCO Albula railway line of the Rhaetian Railway (RhB). You can take the RhB from Chur toward St. Moritz and alight at stations such as Bergün/Bravuogn or Preda to access trails in the Albula region. By road the Albula Pass is reachable from Chur in roughly 30-40 km via the Albula pass road; from those villages trailheads and passes are generally a short walk from the village stations.

• Take the Rhaetian Railway's Albula line (UNESCO World Heritage) for scenic access - alight at Filisur or Bergün/Bravuogn to start hikes and avoid long road approaches.
• Plan summer hikes early in the day to avoid afternoon thunderstorms common in the Alps and to enjoy quieter trails; check local train timetables to coordinate point‑to‑point routes.
• Include lesser‑visited valleys off the main pass (for example trails branching from the Albula Pass) if you want solitude - main viewpoints and viaducts attract most day‑trippers.