Overheard on connecting trains from Zurich to Davos Platz

DAVOS, Switzerland — It took 18 hours, a Lyft, two planes, three cross-country train rides, and a drive in a Volvo sports utility vehicle to get from midtown Manhattan to an apartment on Scalettastrasse, a snow-lined street in the heart of Davos.

The small Swiss Alpine town is again playing host to the World Economic Forum (WEF), where the world’s top brass in finance and politics convene each year to try to solve the biggest problems that plague our planet.

There are quicker ways to get there that involve fewer plane rides and a direct commute from Zürich either by car or by helicopter charter — but regardless of which route you take, the Swiss fortress remains remote and tucked away. The airport-level security at every entrance to the Congress Centre also helps to make it an ideal hideout for the elite to safely, and securely, come to talk shop for a week each winter.

But the long and winding road to Davos offers another lesser-known benefit, which makes the lengthier commute well worth the while.

This year’s trek to a village 5,100 feet above sea level was replete with inside scoops on the topics and people comprising the lineup of the 54th edition of the World Economic Forum.

Here’s what was overheard on the connecting trains from Zurich Airport to Davos Platz.

When it comes to taking the Swiss National Railway from Zürich Hauptbahnhof to Davos Platz, riding in a second-class car trumps first any day.

The cloth seats are just as worn and the colors just as faded, but the pews are packed with chatty journalists and WEF participants all keen to chat.

Clad in a uniform accoutrement of snow boots, fur-lined parkas and pom beanies, these enthusiastic forum goers offer a look at the issues that are actually top of mind for participants joining this year’s forum, dubbed “Rebuilding Trust,” which kicks off on Monday morning.

Virtually every conversation started with: “You here for Davos?”…