[Switzerland 2023] Day 10: Getting from Grindelwald to Zurich + Check in Holiday Inn Express Zurich Airport + Visiting The Rhine Falls
By Elin Chow - Sunday, January 07, 2024
After spending two nights in Grindelwald, we checked out of our accommodation and made our way to the train station. We will be heading back to Zurich, where we will spend our last night in Switzerland before we board our flight home the next morning. If you are interested to know how we spent our 10 days in Switzerland, please check out my 11D10 Switzerland Trip Itinerary + Overview post.
GRINDELWALD TO ZURICH
There is no direct train from Grindelwald to Zurich. To get to Zurich from Grindelwald, we'll first need to travel to Interlaken Ost station. From there, we have to change to another train to Zurich HB (Zurich Main Station). There is only one direct train from Interlaken Ost to Zurich HB every hour, starting at 7 am. If you miss the direct train, you can also take the other trains running from Interlaken Ost to Zurich HB during these intervals. However, some trains will require you to change to another connecting trains at Bern, or even at Spiez. Therefore, I would highly recommend you to wait for a direct train as it is easier and more convenient.
You can check the train timetable and information on SBB Mobile app. This will help you to plan your travel better. To search for the train timetable from Grindelwald to Zurich HB, you have to enter Grindelwald as the departure point and Zurich HB as the arrival point.
Even if you didn't manage to catch the direct train from Interlaken Ost to Zurich HB, the total travel time is still the same. It will take 2 hours 41 minutes to get to Zurich HB from Interlaken Ost by train.
ZURICH HB TO RUMLANG
Upon arriving in Zurich HB, we took the S9 train to Rumlang station where the hotel we booked is located. From Zurich HB, it took another 17 minutes to travel to Rumlang station by train. In total, it took us about 3 hours 7 minutes to travel from Grindelwald to Zurich, Rumlang station.
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS, ZURICH AIRPORT
For our last night in Switzerland, we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Zurich Airport. The hotel is conveniently located just 5-minute walk from Zurich-Rumlang station and a 15-minute drive from Zurich Airport. Arriving at the hotel at noon, we decided to try our luck with getting an early-check in. Fortunately, our room was ready and we were allowed to check-in early.
However, a reservation is required for the shuttle from the hotel to the airport. Reservation for the shuttle can be made at the reception. The first shuttle leaves at 5.00 am outside the hotel entrance. It costs 8 CHF per person. Although it was a bit expensive, we still paid for the shuttle to save ourselves time and hassle.
The bathroom is fitted with gorgeous black subway tiles, giving the space a modern and timeless look. Basic toiletries like body wash and shampoo are provided, as well as liquid hand wash.
To get to Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall from Rumlang, we first took the S9 train to Neuhausen station. From here, we changed to the S33 train to Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall. With a Half Fare Card, an one-way, second class ticket costs 8.40 CHF.
While the northern bank of the falls can be visited for free, there is an entrance fee to access to the southern bank of the falls. Adult ticket costs 5 CHF each while child ticket costs 3 CHF each. The ticket includes access to the panoramic glass elevator, Historama (museum), and the Belvedere panoramic trail, as well as the viewing platforms. You can easily buy the entrance ticket online, or at the ticket machines at the entrance gate.
Price of the boat tour depends on the route you pick. There are four types of experiences available, each of varying lengths.
To board the boat for the tour, we'll first need to get to the landing stage located on the other side of the river with the Line 2 red boat. The red boats depart every 15 minutes, and it only takes about 5 minutes to cross the river.
The boat took us to a landing stage in the middle of the waterfalls, where the mighty Middle Rock stood. Here, the passengers are allowed to disembark and climb up a flight of stairs to a viewing platform above the waterfalls. However, as I have mentioned earlier, we have no plans of visiting the Middle Rock at all. The stairs leading to the top of the cliff are very steep and narrow. There was a long line of people queuing under the scorching sun just to take pictures at the top of the cliff.
We had complimentary breakfast included in our room package, so we decided to have a quick bite before heading the airport the next morning. However, the buffet breakfast was mediocre, with very limited selections. It consists of a few types of breads, pastries, cold cuts, cheeses, egg dishes, hash browns, salads and cereals. There were coffee and tea, as well as some juices.
Holiday Inn Express only offers one type of room. Decorated in warm, earthy tones, the room comes with a king-sized bed, a working desk, a large wardrobe and an ensuite bathroom. The room is clean and comfortable, with ample of spaces for us to open two big luggage for packing.
Other in room amenities a flat-screen TV, safe box, hair dryer and ironing facilities. There are also plenty of electrical outlets for us to charge our devices. Free WiFi is available in the room as well.
Complimentary coffee and Tea making facilities are also provided in the room.
There are a number of shops and restaurants around the hotel vicinity. You will find a Migros supermarket, Aldi supermarket and Subway along the same street.
We decided to have lunch at Macdonald's, which is located further down the street, next to the Radisson Hotel.
As expected, even McDonald’s is expensive in Switzerland. In fact, Switzerland has the highest McDonald's price in the world. We paid 20 CHF for two Big Mac burgers, a medium fries and a coke.
RHINE FALLS (RHEIN FALLS)
After lunch, we decided to visit the famous Rhine Falls, the largest and most powerful plain waterfall in Europe. The mighty Rhine Falls are located on the upper Rhine River at the town of Neuhausen am Rheinfall, and next to the town of Schaffhausen in northern Switzerland.
The easiest way to get to the Rhine Falls is by train. To get to the Rhine Falls, you can either travel to Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall station or Neuhausen Rheinfall station. The difference between them is the side of the Rhine Falls where you will arrive at. The Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall station will bring you to the southern bank of the falls while the Neuhausen Rheinfall station will arrive on the northern bank of the falls.
We chose to visit the southern bank of the falls because we had read the views are more spectacular on the south side than the north side. The fastest train from Rumlang to Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall takes about 1 hour 1 minute. However, that will require two changes of train. We took the slightly longer route, which only requires us to change trains once. The journey took 1 hour 8 minutes, about 7 minutes longer than the fastest route.
There is one direct train from Zurich HB to Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall every hour, starting at 7.16 am. It will take about 50 minutes to travel to Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall from Zurich HB by direct train.
Alternatively, you can also travel to the Rhine Falls by car. If you traveling to the Rhine Falls by car, there are carparks available on both of the river banks. No matter which side you park your car, a parking fee of 5 CHF is charged for the first hour and 2 CHF for each additional hour.
Once you get off the train. the falls are a mere 10 minutes walk away. The northern side of the Rhine Falls is open 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. Although the southern side of the Rhine Falls is also open all year round, it is not accessible 24 hours a day. The opening hours for the southern bank of the falls vary from 8.00 am to 7.00 pm in summer to 10.00 am - 4.00 pm in winter. You can check the opening hours on their website.
The Laufen Castle (Schloss Laufen) towers on a rocky spur high above the Rhine Falls. Visitors can access the castle either by foot by using the Belvedere Trail or by taking the glass panoramic elevator. The glass panoramic elevator offers impressive views of the Rhine Falls and the surrounding vistas. At the top of the castle, you can also enjoy unobstructed panorama over the Rhine River.
The castle currently serves as a tourist destination, and contains three restaurants, a youth hostel and the Historama museum. You can visit the Historama to learn the history of the 1,200-year-old castle and the Rhine Falls.
The Laufen Castle also overlooks the Worth Castle (Schlossli Worth), on the opposite side of the Rhine River, at the municipality of Neuhausen am Rheinfall. The Worth Castle is also the departure point of all the Rhine Falls boat tours.
The Rhine Falls is probably the most popular tourist attraction in Zurich, Its close proximity makes it an easy and quick day trip destination from Zurich. The thundering roar of the water echo throughout the surrounding areas.
A circular wooden walkway run along the river, leading to multiple viewing platforms that allow you to view the Rhine Falls from different vantage points. There are however, a lot of stairs to climb, which makes it not accessible to wheelchair users.
Standing 23 meters high and spanning 150 meters wide, the Rhine Falls are truly a sight to behold. Created by the tectonic shift of the ice age, the Rhine Falls is currently around 15,000 years old. In summer months, the average water flow is around 600,000 liters per second, while in the winter, the average water flow is around 250,000 liters per second. That is absolutely impressive!
The afternoon sun and rising spray on this sunny day have created a rainbow over the plunging waters.
The best time to visit the Rhine Falls is during the summer months, from May to August, when the falls are at its full flow. During this time, you'll be able to see Europe's largest sheet of water flowing at its greatest volume.
The walkway will eventually lead you to the bottom of the waterfall. Here, the enormous water masses appear so close that you will feel you can almost touch it. You can even feel the roar and vibration of the water all over your body! It was such an unique and memorable experience.
One of the best ways to appreciate the grandeur of the Rhine Falls is by taking a boat tour. The guided boat tours give you an opportunity to experience the power of the falls from up close, and witness the cascading waters from a unique perspective.
You can catch the boat from either side of the river. However, please note that the tickets for the boat tours are not included in the entrance ticket and must be purchased separately. You can buy the tickets for the boat rides online, or from the ticketing counters at the Castle Laufen or Castle Worth docking stations. The boat rides are operated by a company named Rhyfall Mandli. There is no need to purchase the boat tickets in advance as they rarely sell out.
Although the Rhine Falls can be visited all year round, the boat tours only operate from late March to early November, seven days a week. You can find the operating hours of the boat tours on their website. Do note that the availability and departure times may vary depending on season, capacity and weather.
Price of the boat tour depends on the route you pick. There are four types of experiences available, each of varying lengths.
Rhine Crossing (No.2 Red Line)
This is the only boat leaving from the bank of the Laufen Castle. The boat crosses the river and transports visitors to the landing stage at Worth Castle where the other boat tours depart.
Rock Experience (No. 1 Yellow Line)
The Rock Experience is the most popular route as it brings visitors to the Middle Rock located in the center of the Rhine Falls. Visitors can then climb up the rock and enjoy a panoramic view on the falls.
15 Minutes Round Trip (No. 4 Blue Line)
This is a short 15 minutes round trip cruise that takes visitors very close to the mighty waters of the Rhine Falls.
30 Minutes Round Trip (No. 5 Pink Line)
The 30 minutes long cruise takes visitors along the Rhine river before returning to the Rhine Falls, and includes an audio commentary in various languages.
We bought tickets for the Rock Experience. The boat tour costs 20 CHF per adult, which also includes the boat ride on the No.2 Red Line. To be honest, we had no idea what the Rock Experience boat tour was about when we bought the tickets. If we had known it, we wouldn't have bought the tickets for the tour. We would have saved quite a lot of money as the Rock Experience is the most expensive tour among them all. However, it was not because we didn't enjoy the tour. It was simply because we had no plans to visit the Middle Rock at all.
The Line 1 yellow boat departs every 30 minutes. After the boat docked, the captain wiped the seats dry before welcoming the next batch of passengers aboard.
The boat navigates through the churning currents, and took us close to the roaring waterfalls. We could feel the sprays on our skin as the waters thundered into the river below. It was such a fun and exhilarating experience.
The Middle Rock can only reached on a circular boat tour of the Rhine Falls. If you are interested to climb up the Middle Rock, taking a boat tour is your only option.
After dropping the passengers at the landing stage in the middle of the waterfalls, the boat made its way back to the boarding point. The actual boat ride probably lasts only a few minutes. It was surprisingly short. Definitely not worth the price we paid.
We spent about two hours at the falls before we headed back to Rumlang by train. It was around dinner time when we arrived back in Rumlang, so we went around the area looking for something to eat. However, there wasn't much choice and we ended up eating McDonald's for dinner again. We opted for takeaway and enjoyed our meal back in our hotel room.
After breakfast, we checked out of our room and took the hotel shuttle to the airport. We spent our remaining Swiss Francs at Starbucks while waiting to board our flight home. This was the end of our Switzerland trip. Well, all good things must come to an end. It was a tiring but unforgettable trip. We couldn’t wait to visit this beautiful country soon again.
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