Travel to Rheinfalls, Schaffhausen and the Steim am Rheim, Switzerland

Its worth getting to the platform

Manuel and Pinkie at Stein am Rhein

Day Trip to Rheinfalls,  Schaffhausen and Stein am Rheim in Switzerland

                   By Train (as of September 2010)

Program/Itinerary (by train)

          Geneva                                     dep.   6:14 am

          Winterthur                                 arr      9:35

          Winterthur                                 dep    9:42

          Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall       arr      10:07

          (approximates 4.10 hours; 2 changes)

         

Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall to Schaffhausen

         (there are regular trains every 30 minutes from this station.  Schaffhausen is about 10 minutes away)

Schaffhausen to Stein am Rhein  
        (train is every 30 minutes and takes 24 minutes to travel to Steim am Rheim

Travel Arrangements

Option 1:  Purchase your Day Ticket in advance for only CHF 35.  Day

Ticket allows you train and bus rides in the whole of Switzerland. Apply for your day ticket from your municipality/commune.  One person is allowed 4 tickets to purchase. Billing statement in your name  showing your residence is required.

          Option 2:  With a Half Fare card, purchase your Day Ticket anytime from

                             the train station for CHF 64 on weekdays or CHF 54 on

                             weekends.

Travel Tips

A)   Rhein Falls
 Europe’s biggest waterfall (http://www.rhenfall.ch/)

·   Start your trip by getting into the Schloss Laufen  which is just three minutes uphill walk from the train station (Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall). However, it is advisable for you to check on the train schedule in the internet as there are months during the year that trains do not stop in this station.

                                  i.      The Castle is also accessible by car and it has a huge parking lot. 

                                  ii.      Schloss Laufen entrance building  houses its snack bar/restaurant, souvenir
                                                  shop and clean toilets.

                                 iii.      It has umbrella-covered tables in front for eating.

                                iv.      There is a hotel and fine dining restaurant within the grounds of Schloss.
                                                  There is also a museum.

                                 v.      Bus station is just infront.  Trip to Schaffhausen is every hour. You can use  
                                                  our Day Ticket for this ride.

·        Buy your entrance ticket at CHF 5.00 per person. This will allow you entrance to the multi-layered descending platforms to the Falls to experience the thundering roar of waters. 

·        From the bottom platform there is an elevator that can bring you back to the Schloss grounds.

·        As an optional activity, you can take the boat that can bring you to the big rock at the Falls itself.  Boat station is within the vicinity and is accessible directly from the train station platform. Boat ride is CHF 6.50 for adults and CHF 3.50 for children. Trip takes 20 minutes and you will get you wet.

·        Allocate at least two hours for this trip (moving down to the Falls plus meals)

·        There is a Rhyfall Express (mini tourist train) that moves around the area on a hop and ride system for CHF 6.00 per person. Children at half price. http://www.rhyfall-express.ch/, tel +41 (0) 79 430 32 92.  Mini train is accessible from the Neuhausen am Rheinfall train station which is the train station after Schloss Laufen.

·        You can also consider taking a 20-minute walk to the Schloss from Neuhausen amd Rhenfall station using a paved-walk along the Rhine.

B)   SCHAFFHAUSEN  (http://www.schaffhauserland.ch/) ; tourism office +41 (0) 52 632 40 20; Schaffhauserland Tourismus, Herrenacker 15, Postfach, CH 8201 Schaffhasen

·        Schaffhausen is one of the best preserved towns from the Middle Ages. The old town offers a good array of splendid houses, shops, restaurants and fountains.

·        Schaffhausen is just 10 minutes train ride from Rhein Falls (Schloss Laufen Castle station).  Train ride is free if you have your Day Ticket.

·        Train station is big and busy.  Check if they have coin-operated left-luggage facilities.

·        Proceed to the Old Town which is located behind the street fronting the train station.

·        There is an Information Center at the Old Town where you can get your city map and a defined Walking Tour map.   The Information Center is located off the Old Town at the Herrenacher Street where you find the Casino and the Main Square.

·        Main attraction is the Munot (Castle) which is located within the Old Town (http://www.munot.ch/) and with tours in English (tel +41 52 625 4225)

·        You can walk down the waterfront where you can take the boat rides along the Rhine River up to  Lake Constance which takes 5 hours (Aduts CHF 37; Half Fare Card CHF 23) http://www.shkb.ch/ ; tel. +41 52 635 22 22

·        Lots of hotels in the old town area

C)   Stein am Rhein – Tourism Steim Am Rhein (Oberstadt 3, 8260 Stein am Rhein) telephone +41 52 742 2090; tourist-service@steinamrhein.ch

·        Stein am Rhein (SaR). This is a small town is one of the most visited tourist spots in Switzerland (architectural jewel).   The town is like a German tourist town with 16^th and 17^th century houses decorated with bays and frescoes (pretty façades, abundance of oriel windows) fine half-timber houses and inviting prominate along the river bank.  Main square is known as “Rathausplatz” which is 10 minutes walk from the train station.  The square is dominated by the picturesque town hall built in 1542.

·        Option is to visit the Hohenklingen Castle which is the best-preserved Benedictine monastery complexes on Lake Constance.

·        Bus runs from train station to the main square (5 minutes ride). You can use your Day Ticket.

If you drive

• There are two ways to see the falls.
• First, you can go to LAUFEN CASTLE and get a good view of the falls. You can also take a boat from here.  There are restaurants in the area.
• Second, you can drive to SCHLOSS LAUFEN at the Winterthur side and use the scenic platforms to get near the Falls.  You can also take a boat to the Falls from here.  There is huge parking in this facility.  This location is preferred if you are traveling with children.
• Driving from Laufen Castle to Schloss Laufen takes about 15 minutes.

Driving from Geneva to Rheinfalls, my GPS brought me via the German border and re-entering Switzerland after about 20 km drive.  The other route brings you to the Falls via Winterthur without need to go out of the Swiss border.  Both routes take the same travel time (3.20 hours)  from Geneva.