12 days in Appenzell and Central Switzerland in July
A traveler named Ana is planning a trip to Appenzell and Central Switzerland for 12 days in July. She wants to know about the best base for her stay as well as any necessary passes for public transport, given her admiration for Switzerland's travel system.
- Consider staying in Brunnen or Schwyz for better access to Central Switzerland and avoid high accommodation costs in Luzern.
- Use the Voralpen Express train for easy travel between St. Gallen and Luzern.
- Enjoy a free Appenzell Visitor Card for local transit and discounts if you stay overnight in Appenzell.
- For Central Switzerland, the Lucerne Travel Pass can be beneficial but won't cover all travel expenses, like transfers from the airport.
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Hi all,
I hope you’re all well!
I have a few questions next July 2027 I’d love to visit Appenzell (some hikes to visit Seealpsee, Falensee and the main town itself of course) stay in Appenzell for 6 or 7 days) then scoot over to Central switzerland (Schwyz – Rhine falls, Luzern, stops ridge and other cool areas to see / hike.
im not familiar with these two cantons – that’s why I want to come back to switzerland for the 3rd time. I love the transport system there and it’s been so easy to travel around.
where would I base myself in central switzerland and seeing two of these cantons – in 12 days is that enough?
and what passes would I need to have please? 🙏🏽
thank you!
-
Hello Ana
Welcome back to MySwissAlps
I have been visiting Switzerland regularly for 55 years. I like your idea of combining the Appenzell region with central Switzerland.
Appenzell Is a very small canton, entirely surrounded by the larger St Gallen canton!
If you confine yourself to Appenzell, then I would suggest six days is enough. But if you want to see other parts of North-East Switzerland (rather ‘off-the beaten track’ for English-speaking tourists), you might want to stay longer.
Regarding accommodation, you may well find smaller places away from Appenzell town and St Gallen city cheaper.
When travelling on to central Switzerland, use the hourly ‘Voralpen Express’, which runs St Gallen to Luzern via Rapperswil and Arth-Goldau.
Central Switzerland deserves at least six days!
Luzern city is going to be very expensive in July. I would suggest that you stay at the eastern end of the lake, in Brunnen or Schwyz.
Subject to the slight drawback that the train station is about a mile (1.5 kms) from the harbour, Brunnen is a very good transportation hub. There are good services on the trains buses and BOATS.
The ‘man line’ for the boats on the lake goes Luzern-Weggis-Vitznau-Beckenried-Gersau-Treib-Brunnen-Rutli-Fluelen.
On your previous visits to Switzerland you will have already noted that the train and bus timetable repeats itself every hour, making departure times easy to remember. This hourly repetition usually does NOT apply to the lake boats. BUT (subject to minor exceptions) this rigid hourly pattern does, in Summer, operate on the Vierwaldstattersee (=Lake Lucerne)!
Very best wishes
Roger
Hi Ana,
So glad to hear you are planning a 3rd trip to Switzerland.
I think 12 days would be sufficient to explore Appenzell and Central Switzerland. Appenzell is a small canton, and you could possibly do day trips to St Gallen and Chur (canton Graubunden) from Appenzell.
The Voralpen Express (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/voralpen-express/) runs a direct service between Lucerne and St Gallen. From St Gallen, it’s just 30 mins to Appenzell.. So to optimise travelling time between the two cantons, I would choose a base along this route.
Regarding rail pass: overnight guests in Appenzell get a free Appenzell Visitor Card that provides free travelling and discounts on some mountain excursions. And for Central Switzerland, there is the Lucerne Travel Pass (https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/lucerne-travel-pass/). But you will still need to purchase tickets not covered by the passes, for instance from the airport to Appenzell and Appenzell to Lucerne.
You can find tips on how to choose the best rail pass here: https://www.myswissalps.com/travel/tickets/compare/
Hope this helps.
Anna
Hi Ana, (and Roger)
Similar to Roger, I’ve been visiting Switzerland very regularly since 1955, although I was only a 7 year old then.
Last year we stayed in Brunnen and rented an apartment for 2 weeks. In all our visits to Switzerland, this was the first time we had stayed there
and it was an ideal centre from which to visit the rest of central Switzerland.We bought the 10 day Tell-pass which is now the Luzern pass. I can’t remember exactly how much we paid but in English pounds it cost
about £310 and as the weather was so good we went out every day on a trip. We added up how much all these trips would have cost individually
and it came to about £800!Apart from that benefit, Brunnen is a lovely town and as Roger says there is very good access to other towns on the lake.
Have a great holiday
Hello Ana,
Book a hotel of your choice in Appenzell Innerrhoden for three nights or more and, when booking, receive a free public transport ticket (2nd class) from your point of entry into Switzerland to Appenzell for your arrival and return journies. You also get the Appenzell Innerrhoden holiday card but see http://www.appenzell.ch/en/accommodation/appenzeller-holiday-card.html for more details of all the lovely free or discounted offers for public transport and entries to all sorts of things.
The town of Appenzell itself can get a bit ‘touristy’ but, as Roger says, there is often cheaper (and better) accommodation in the countryside. We have stayed a couple of times in Schwende but 7 or eight years ago. The hotel there served wonderful food and was very comfortable and friendly and you might say the train stops almost outside the hotel except it’s 30 metres lower by the roadside.
Andrew
Roger, thank you so much for your tips – all noted will have to screenshot this so I can word doc it! Cheers!
Hey Davel! Thank you so much – I agree with you both (Roger) I will look into Brunnen! Cheers!
Thanks Andrew and Roger for this – I’ll take both of your suggestions and look into outer areas from the main town.
appreciate the help guys! I love this forum since 2023 – The support has been amazing. Thank you 🙏🏽
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