[Jenn_chuah]

11 April 2024 at 14:53:00 #1399877

Hi,

I will be getting a STP Flex for my next visit to Switzerland in May/June 2024.

I plan to also make a day trip to Vaduz and Innsbruck.  My base is in Basel.

Appreciate your advice on the following:

1)  Is it possible to do a day trip Basel-Vaduz-Innsbruck-Basel? I plan to start at 6.30am.

2)  What time does it get dark in early June?

3)  I understand that with STP Flex, I can travel free until Sargans.  Is that correct?

4)  Does the bus from Sargans to Vaduz covered under STP Flex?

5)  With my STP Flex, how do I purchase the train ticket from Innsbruck to Basel with the free Swiss segment?

6)  Is there any tour agency offering 1 day trip for Zurich-Vaduz-Innsbruck-Zurich as this would help to save time instead of via public transport?

7)  What time is the last train from Zurich to Basel?

Thanks.

[Yolanda]

11 April 2024 at 17:10:06 #1399883

Hi Jenn_Chuah,

Thanks for sharing your plans.

In answer to your questions:

1. Personally I think this is way too much, you’d be traveling much of day with little time for anything else.  If you research this using the Swiss timetable, it’s almost 12 hours of train travel.  Swiss timetable:  https://www.myswissalps.com/travel/public-transport/timetable/
2. You are looking at around 9pm.
3. With the Swiss Travel Pass Flex, it also covers some routes in Liechtenstein. Have a look at the coverage map in the attached link so you can view the routes that are included.  https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/swiss-travel-pass-flex/#downloads
4. See no 3. but yes 🙂
5. There are purchase options for your journey Innsbruck to Basel here:  https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-guide/austria-switzerland/
6. You can take a look here for some options: https://www.myswissalps.com/planning/itineraries/packages/?_town=vaduz-li  or a custom private tour here: https://www.myswissalps.com/planning/itineraries/custom-made-private/
7. You can check schedules using the Swiss timetable. (link in no.1 above) A quick check displayed trains at 23:38, 00:08 & 00:14 as possibilities.

I hope this helps.  Do reach out if you have additional questions.

Kind regards,

Yolanda

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[Jenn_chuah]

13 April 2024 at 14:27:18 #1405050

Hi Yolanda,

Many thanks for your advice and info.

I decided to drop Innsbruck from my itinerary.

But I will proceed with Vaduz.  I foresee I will only need to spend half a day in Vaduz.

Appreciate your advice where in Eastern Switzerland you would recommend that I visit on my way back from Vaduz before I return to my base in Basel.  I am not into hiking though.

Thank you.

[Anna]

13 April 2024 at 18:27:02 #1405061

Hi Jenn Chuah,

Vaduz is just a small destination. I think you might have time include a visit to St Gallen or Appenzell if you are in Eastern Switzerland.

Basel – Vaduz via Sargans (3 h).

Sargans – St Gallen (1 h).

St Gallen – Rapperswil via the Voralpen Express (1 h). Voralpen Express: https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/voralpen-express/

Rapperswil – Zurich HB (30 mins).

Zurich HB – Basel  (1 h). If you have time, consider making a pit stop at Rheinfelden (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/walk-rheinfelden/) along the way. It’s a unique town with 2 sides – one located in Switzerland and the other in Germany. You can just cross the bridge to get to either side.

Best regards,

Anna

[Jenn_chuah]

21 April 2024 at 11:29:49 #1436308

Dear Anna,

Thank you for your reply.

Appreciate your advice on the following:

7am – Basel to Sargans

10am to 12 noon – Vaduz

12 noon – Vaduz to Appenzell

My plan for Appenzell:

– Elbenalp Alp

– Lake Seealpsee

– Ascher Restaurant

– Appenzeller Show Cheese Dairy

– Appenzell Town

– Alpines Cattle Drives

I am not into hiking, so I believe some of the above are not possible without hiking.  Appreciate if you could advise which of the above should be omitted.  Also, please share more info for the activities that are workable for me.

Thank you.

[Yolanda]

21 April 2024 at 13:49:30 #1436639

Hi Jenn_Chuah,

If you are not a fan of hiking/walking then you should omit visits to Lake Seealpsee and the Aescher restaurant.

You can reach Ebenalp by cableway so this would work for you.  The rest on your list should be doable.

I recommend you take a look in our activities section for further ideas. Perhaps a boat trip on one of the many lakes here or a scenic rail trip. Here’s the link to our activities section:

• https://www.myswissalps.com/activities/

Kind regards,

Yolanda

 

[Jenn_chuah]

21 April 2024 at 14:28:09 #1436643

Hi Yolanda,

Many thanks for your prompt reply.

Is hiking the only way to get to Lake Seealpsee and the Aescher restaurant?  If yes, appreciate it if you could share the info on how to get to these 2 places as they are the highlights of Appenzell.  Are the hikes difficult?

What about the Alpines Cattle Drives and Appenzeller Show Cheese Dairy?  Where can we see this and is there a particular time of the day where this will take place?

Thank you.

[Yolanda]

21 April 2024 at 15:13:44 #1436648

Hi Jenn_Chuah

If you go to “Other websites of interest”, you can research hikes that you are interested in.  Or you can also use Google maps.

• https://www.myswissalps.com/activities/hiking/

Yes, hiking is the only way to reach the Aescher restaurant and Lake Seealpsee.  From Ebenalp cableway at the top to the restaurant, it’s around 25 to 30 minutes walk (so another 25 to 30 minutes to walk back to the cableway).

To reach Lake Seealpsee, you can start the trail from Wasserauen rail station. This will take about an hour, so a 2 hour round trip.

The cattle ascents will take place some time in May /June.  For exact dates, best to check in with the Appenzell tourist office nearer the time. Dates can vary.

With the Appenzeller cheese factory, there is cheese production daily till 3pm but the factory itself is open till 6.30pm in May.

You can find some cheese tours in the link attached:

• https://www.myswissalps.com/activities/culinary/

Kind regards,

Yolanda