My top 5
Most day trip lists send you to the same places: Luzern, Pilatus, Jungfraujoch, Engelberg, Grindelwald and Interlaken. There are better options out there, and a lot fewer tourists. Here are my top 5 day trips from Zürich. Tap a place on the map to see how to get there, what it costs and what to do once you arrive.
5 day trips from Zürich
The star on the map is Zürich HB, where every trip starts.
Appenzell
Appenzell is a village in the north-east of Switzerland, and one of the most underrated places in the country. People know it for its cheese (my personal favourite), its folk traditions and the rugged mountains right behind town.
Half-timbered houses, cafés and restaurants line the old town. On top of that, Appenzell is your gateway to some of the best spots in the mountains, like Ebenalp.
Trains run often from Zürich HB (Main Station) to Appenzell Station. It takes about 2 hours with one change. From the station, just walk into the centre of town.
Ebenalp
Ebenalp is one of the best-known spots around Appenzell. It’s home to the famous Aescher Gasthaus and Seealpsee.
From the top of the Ebenalp gondola, you look out over Bodensee (Lake Constance), the rolling hills of the Appenzell region and the peaks of the Alpstein mountains.
Catch the train to Wasserauen (about 2 hours from Zürich), then hop on the Wasserauen–Ebenalp gondola right in front of the station.
A restaurant and guesthouse sitting right in the side of the cliff, which is what made it famous. From the top gondola station, follow the signs for “Aescher Gasthaus”. It’s only about a 15 minute downhill hike.
Catch the train to Wasserauen and hike up to the lake, or ride the gondola up and hike down.
Wasserauen to Ebenalp, one way or return.
| Ticket | Single | Return |
|---|---|---|
| Individual ticket | CHF 24 | CHF 36 |
| With a Swiss Travel Pass | CHF 12 | CHF 18 |
Official prices are in CHF. Other currencies are a guide only, so check the Ebenalp cable car website before you go.
St. Gallen
St. Gallen is another day trip almost nobody talks about, and it deserves a lot more attention. This small city sits between the hills of Appenzell and Lake Constance.
Colourful half-timbered houses and cobblestone streets fill the old town, and it’s home to the UNESCO World Heritage St. Gallen Abbey.
Direct trains run often from Zürich HB (Main Station) to St. Gallen and take about 1 hour 15 minutes.
The Abbey
The inside of the Abbey cathedral is incredible. The Abbey also holds the world-famous Abbey Library, one of the oldest libraries in the world. It dates back to 719 AD and holds about 170,000 books, media and medieval writings, including the earliest known writing in German.
Bodensee (Lake Constance)
Lake Constance (Bodensee) is one of Europe’s largest lakes, and another day trip from Zürich that people tend to skip. Switzerland, Germany and Austria all share its shores. Small towns line the water, with vineyards to the north and the Alps to the south.
You could spend days exploring the lake, and I still haven’t made it to every town. These are the five I’d pick.
5 towns around the lake
Konstanz (Germany)
Konstanz sits on the German side of the lake, but the train from Zürich gets you there easily. It’s the largest town on the lake, and its old town has survived amazingly well.
Rorschach
If you’re on a day trip to St. Gallen and want to see the lake as well, Rorschach is the place I’d go. It’s a nice small town with lots of spots to sit by the water and go for a swim.
Arbon
Arbon is another easy one to reach from St. Gallen. It has a nice little old town, plus parks and spots along the lake where you can relax.
Lindau (Germany)
Lindau is a little island, and a causeway joins it to the mainland. It’s one of the nicest towns on the lake. It’s on the German side though, so it takes a bit more effort to get there.
- Direct trains run from Zürich to Lindau every two hours.
- Or catch the ferry from Rorschach. It costs CHF 9 and takes about 1.5 hours.
- If you have a Swiss Travel Pass, you’ll need to buy an extra ticket (€6).
Friedrichshafen (Germany)
Got a Swiss Travel Pass and want a free ferry trip? Take the Romanshorn–Friedrichshafen ferry, because your pass covers it.
Friedrichshafen has a big aviation history and is home to the Zeppelin Museum. From the lakeside, you get brilliant views back over Switzerland and the Alps.
It takes about an hour and leaves Romanshorn at 22 minutes past every hour (08:22, 09:22, 10:22 and so on).
Schaffhausen / Stein am Rhein
This one pairs a boat trip down the Rhein with Europe’s largest waterfall. Take the train to Stein am Rhein, ride the ferry down the river to Schaffhausen, then head out to the Rheinfall.
3 stops along the Rhein
Stein am Rhein
From Zürich, catch the train to Stein am Rhein, a small town with a really nice old town. From there, hop on the ferry down the Rhein to Schaffhausen. People rate this as one of the nicest ferry routes on the whole river.
Schaffhausen
The ferry from Stein am Rhein ends in Schaffhausen, and it’s also where you change trains for the Rheinfall. If you’re coming straight from Zürich, the train takes about 40 minutes.
Rheinfall (Rhine Falls)
Catch the train from Zürich to Schaffhausen (about 40 minutes), then take the S-Bahn and get off at Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall. On the way, sit on the right side of the train. You get a good look at the waterfall as you cross the river.
To see the waterfall from the north side of the river instead, take the S-Bahn to Neuhausen Rheinfall.
To get right up close and feel the force of the water, go to the south side, by Schloss Laufen.
