Appenzell & Ebenalp in 1 day trip advice

We plan to go to Switzerland next year in Feb for 10 nights

On the last night, we will go to Appenzell to a little town. Then there's a Ebenalp cable car that can be done is very beautiful especially the hotel at the top and I just realise the place is actually very near Appenzell travelling distance

There are few things. I heard many people say that Appenzell is a very small town and said they can be seen within 1-2 hours, not sure if you agree with that, if so, would you recommend the following change?

We will leave from the other town in St Moritiz and there are 2 train we can take, one is 7am and 9am.

Originally, we were going to take the 9am and arrive 1pm, now we are considering the first train at 7am (arrive at 11am) given the added itinerary for Ebenalp. I am not sure if the following day will be doable as follows:

7am - Leave St Mortiz

11:15am - Arrive Appenzell

11:30am - Check in @ Appenzell

12pm - Head from Appenzell to Wasserauen station (which I believe takes 10 min ride) and take the cable car up to the top. (12 min train + 6 min cable ride)

12:30pm - Walk from Ebenalp to Wildkirchli (cave) to Ascher Cliff (which I believe is 1/2 hour walk? correct me if i am wrong)

1:30pm - Have lunch in Berggasthaus Aescher/Ascher hotel

2:30pm - After lunch, walk back up to Ebenalp cable car station (approx. 1/2 hour walk? correct me if I am wrong)

3:15pm - Take the cablecar and return back to Wasserauen station to Appenzell station.

4pm - Stroll along the street till shop closes at 6pm? (I'm assuming the closing times, correct me if i am wrong)

Would you think can be done 1 day? Becuase the next day, we plan to head back to Zurich to tour half day before taking the 7pm flight (meaning leave the train @ Zurich station at 4pm), and if it is impossible to do in 1 day, we may have to sacrafice the Zurich day sightseeing and head straight to the airport from Appenzell

Of course, if the previous day, if we are able complete them all, then we can do the sightseeing in Zurich before heading to the airport!

The schedule above is my conservative estimate, of course for those who have been there would know better than me

PS: I want to also ask for the walking part from Ebenalp to Wildkirchli (cafe) to Ascher Cliff to Ebenalp, are they difficult to walk in terms of steepness, dangerous etc? Or its easy to do?

And is during in Feb, will the landscape in Appenzell be very green or fulll of white snow??

Your advice and suggestion would be appreciated!

Thanks

Hi Herotravel-

February will have a lot of snow and lousy weather. The only way that you will learn about exactly how impassable those trails are from a local tourist office...probably in Appenzell.

I'd not plan on those walks

Slowpoke

>> We plan to go to Switzerland next year in Feb for 10 nights

>> There are few things. I heard many people say that Appenzell is a very small town and said they can be seen within 1-2 hours, not sure if you agree with that, if so, would you recommend the following change?

I think the main reason most people go to Appenzell is to see the beautiful painted building façades. One to two hours is plenty of time to do that. You could spend a bit longer if you wanted to go to the museum. Hours are limited in February: Tuesday to Sunday 14.00-17.00.

>> 12pm - Head from Appenzell to Wasserauen station (which I believe takes 10 min ride) and take the cable car up to the top. (12 min train + 6 min cable ride)

This will be possible in February. However, you should be aware that there are no facilities (such as a restaurant) in the top cable car station. To get to the closest restaurant requires an uphill walk across the snow, requiring suitable clothing and footwear and a pair of hiking poles or ski stocks. When I was there, there were several pairs of ski stocks at the top cable car station, which people were free to use and return. Parts of the walk up to the restaurant were very slippery, and parts were quite rough going, as the "path" wasn't groomed for walking all the way to the restaurant. Most of the other people up there were skiers.

I have attached some photos showing the top cable car station at Ebenalp and the closest restaurant (Berggasthaus Ebenalp) taken in December 2011. The first one of Berggasthaus Ebenalp was taken from near the cable car station, the second one on the way up the hill. The final photo shows the cable car station (at the far right of the photo) taken from Berggasthaus Ebenalp. That should give you some idea of what the walk up to the restaurant would be llike in the snow.

>> 12:30pm - Walk from Ebenalp to Wildkirchli (cave) to Ascher Cliff (which I believe is 1/2 hour walk? correct me if i am wrong)

1:30pm - Have lunch in Berggasthaus Aescher/Ascher hotel

This will not be possible in February. Berggasthaus Aescher closed on 1 November 2016 and will not re-open until May 2017.

>> 4pm - Stroll along the street till shop closes at 6pm? (I'm assuming the closing times, correct me if i am wrong)

I'm not sure about the shop closing times. To see the main attraction, i.e. the building façades, it doesn't matter whether the shops are open or closed. Daylight will probably be the main requirement. Depending on when exactly in February you will be there, sunset will be between about 5.45 to 6.00.

>> And is during in Feb, will the landscape in Appenzell be very green or fulll of white snow??

I was there in December 2011, and the landscape around Appenzell, and on the Ebenalp, was covered in snow. Usually there is more snow in February than in December.

Alpenrose

Thansk folks for the tips and the photos you shared Aplenrose

I want to officially say that the Ebenalp part will be cancelled. Even it is available to do the cablecar, its really no point going up since alot of things are closed such as the hike trail and the restaurant, so I guess we will come again during summer next time!

We decided to go to Santis for a night + cable car. Then the next day Honhen Kasten for the cable car + revolving that turns 360 degrees restaurant. Here is the revised itinerary and see what you think

Day 9 - 7am depart from St Mortiz train station. Arrive Säntis location (requires 5 1/2 hour travel by train/bus). Check-in @ the Santis Hotel around 12:30pm. Then go for cable car (which is basically just next to the hotel), enjoy the mountain nearby, do snowshoeing and fun activities for the rest of the day. Dinner at the hotel/enjoy facility at hotel (walking in the snow outside, spa in the hotel etc)

Day 10 - Checkout hotel in morning. Head to Honher Kasten for cable car + for lunch @ the revolving 360 degree restaurant. After that, stay around for 1 hour or so. Around late afternoon, go to Appenzell town and walk for couple of hours till dark & shop closed till 6:30pm. Then head back to Zurich at night before taking the flight back in the next early morning!

Let me know what you think!

Hi Herotraveler-

You should be able to do that.

I did not recheck your timing from the Engadine with the timetable, but it sounds about right.

You will find it easier to use the timetable and to communicate with the locals if you use the following spellings-

St Moritz instead of "Mortiz"

Hoher Kasten instead of "Honher Kasten"

Säntis instead of "Santis."

Säntis and Santis are pronounced differently.

It is too bad that you can not go in the warmer months. The Berghaus Aescher is quite an experience. And, Ebenalp is a favorite launch point for paragliders. The sky was full of them when we were up there a few years ago. There is a nice short walk down from the inn and around the cliff face to a small chapel set in the cliff face, too. Not to be done in slippery weather. You can see that as you ride up on the cablecar. The Seealpsee is quite pretty, as well.

Eastern Switzerland is a very nice part of the country, and, except for perhaps St. Gallen, is not visited by most tourists. You have found some nice places to visit.

Slowpoke