Zurich to Liechtenstein Day Trip Itinerary
Disclaimer: I only recommend products I absolutely love, and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post contains affiliate links at no additional cost to you, but I may earn a small commission. Please consider using the link to support my blog! You can read my full privacy policy here.
Liechtenstein is a microstate that borders Switzerland and Austria. It's only 25 KM (15ish MI) long! It is also about a 90-minute train ride from Zurich to Liechtenstein. If you're looking for a Zurich to Liechtenstein Day Trip itinerary, then look no further! I've got everything you need to know about taking this short train ride and checking off another country on your bucket list.
Vaduz Castle in Liechtenstein
Things You Need to Know about Liechtenstein
General:
Liechtenstein's borders/customs are controlled by Switzerland, so if you are arriving from Zurich, you won't have to go through passport control. But bring your passport and stop by a souvenir shop for a stamp [insert price here]! Like Switzerland, Liechtenstein is not part of the European Union but is in the Schengen Area. Starting in 2024 you will have to fill out an ETIAS application to enter the EU if you’re traveling from a visa-free country. It costs 7EUR and you will need your passport to fill out the application.
Money stuff:
Liechtenstein is about as pricey as Switzerland. They also use the Swiss Franc (CHF) as their currency. We paid by credit card for everything while we were here, so make sure you have at least one credit card with no foreign transaction fees!
Major cities:
The capital of Liechtenstein is Vaduz. The largest city, Schaan has a whopping population of 5,700 people! Other notable cities are Triesen and Balzers.
Safety:
I felt very safe in Liechtenstein. It actually has one of the lowest crime rates in the world!
Languages:
German is the official language, but we had no problem speaking English wherever we went.
Center of Art and Communication in Vaduz
How to get from Zurich to Liechtenstein
If you chose to go take your Zurich to Liechtenstein day trip by train, it will take you about 90 minutes from Zurich HB. Unless you are renting a car for the whole trip, I recommend taking a train! You will take the train all the way to Sargans. There you will hop on a bus and head off into Liechtenstein! The trains run frequently between Zurich and Sargans, and there are several buses between Sargans and Vaduz that run all day as well. I used Google Maps to check times for both the buses and trains. Alternatively, book your tickets online to save time!
Liechtenstein Parliament
Where to Stay in Liechtenstein
We only went to Liechtenstein for the day, but if you want to stay in Liechtenstein you totally can.
There are some hotels in Vaduz, and there are several ski lodges in the southern part of Liechtenstein. You could do a Zurich to Liechtenstein day trip for some good skiing in the winter!
Luxury: Park Hotel Sonnenhof
Mid Range: Hotel Oberland
Budget:Hotel Dux
I have not personally stayed at these hotels, so you might want to do some additional research on your own!
Pin for later!
Zurich to Liechtenstein Day Trip Itinerary
Now onto the good part: what to do on your Liechtenstein day trip! Liechtenstein is known for its beautiful mountains, medieval castles, and museums.
Stop in Balzers
Once you've gotten on the bus, you want to stop in Balzers to see Gutenberg Castle. If you get off at the Balzers Schlossweg stop, you'll be right at the castle, where you can hike up for an amazing view of the countryside. You can take a tour of the castle (it was unfortunately closed when we went).
To get an amazing photo of the castle, head to the Balzers Gagoz bus stop. Unfortunately, I didn't see the stop until we were headed back to Zurich, but it is by far the best view of the castle from afar!
You will need to get back on a bus to go to Vaduz. The stop that takes you to the heart of Vaduz is the Post stop.
Gutenberg Castle in Balzers, Liechtenstein
Lunch in Vaduz + Exploring the Center
Once you get to Vaduz, head to the Stadle to find a place to eat. We ate at Brasserie Burg, and I had a delicious local Reisling (Silvaner, Elmar Zerwag, Mauren). Andrew and I both had burgers, and they were really good! They do have gluten-free options clearly marked too.
Vaduz City Center
After lunch, wander around the main square (such Wizard of Oz vibes!) where you can see the Parliament of Liechtenstein, St. Florin Cathedral, and many cool museums!
There is a nice garden at St. Florin Cathedral, and once you are finished walking through there, head around to the front of the cathedral and across the street to get an Instagrammable photo!
St. Florin Cathedral Vaduz
Hike to Vaduz Castle
After lunch, head to the Red House to see one of Vaduz's most famous landmarks. The house was originally built in 1338 and has been updated and extended over the years to its current state. It is actually a house, so you can only see it from the outside, but it is worth a stop on your way to Vaduz Castle.
Red House Vaduz
If you keep walking up Franz Josef Strasse, you will eventually reach Vaduz Castle! There is definitely a better way to get there than the way we went, but we ended up on a one-lane road with cars coming at us. Eventually, we reached the Schlosssweg trail, so if you want to avoid the cars, double back down Mitteldorf until you find the trail.
You can't go inside Vaduz Castle because the Prince of Liechtenstein lives there! We took some awesome photos of it from the outside, and there are plenty of good angles for it. There's even a hiking trail that leads further up the hill if you want to keep hiking after taking some photos of the castle.
Visit a Museum
After your hike to Vaduz Castle, head to one of the many museums in the main square in Vaduz. You could go to the Liechtenstein National Museum, Postal Museum, Kunstmusuem Liechtenstein (art museum), Schatzkammer Liechtenstein (Treasure Museum), and so many more. We went to the National Museum and I really liked it!
Post Museum in Vaduz
At this point, you will have come full circle and should be close to the Post bus stop again. You can get on a bus back to Sargans and from there a train back to Zurich. Your Zurich to Liechtenstein day trip will be complete!
Final Thoughts on Zurich to Liechtenstein Day Trip Itinerary
Liechtenstein is a great place to visit if you are anxious or highly sensitive because it is clean, safe, and quiet. A Zurich to Liechtenstein day trip should definitely be included on a One Week Switzerland Itinerary. With just a short train trip between Zurich and Liechtenstein, you can easily see the country in one day.
Did you like this post? Please consider sharing with a friend :)
Need a packing guide for Switzerland and Liechtenstein? Check out my post Summer in Switzerland Packing List.