What the Swiss Travel Pass covers at the Rhine Falls
The trains. That's the list. You ride free to Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall on the south bank and free to Neuhausen Rheinfall on the north bank, and the moment you step off the platform the pass stops working. The CHF 5 ticket for the southern viewing platforms is payable in full, and every boat on the water is run by a private company that has never heard of your pass.
The good news is that the falls are free to look at anyway. The northern promenade at Schlössli Wörth costs nothing, ever, to anyone, pass or no pass. So you can turn up, spend CHF 0 beyond a train ride you've already paid for, and still watch the Rhine fall off a ledge. This is one of the sharper gaps in what the pass does, and it sits alongside the rest of the things the pass doesn't cover.
Neuhausen or Schloss Laufen: which bank of the Rhine Falls to choose
It's 45 to 60 minutes from Zurich to either station, free with the pass, but decide which one before you book: the two sit on opposite banks and you can't nip between them on foot in any sensible amount of time.
| North bank (Neuhausen Rheinfall) | South bank (Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall) | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free to everyone | CHF 5 adult, CHF 3 child 6 to 15 |
| The view | Wider panorama, the whole falls in one frame | Closest platforms, including the Känzeli rock balcony out near the water |
| Boats | The pier is here, at Schlössli Wörth | Boats run from this side too |
| Step-free access | Promenade level | Only the Belvedere platform works for wheelchairs and pushchairs |
Two hours does the free side properly. If you only have a morning and you want the picture everyone recognises, go north and keep your CHF 5.
What the CHF 5 Schloss Laufen ticket actually includes
It's one ticket for the entire southern side, and nothing behind the gate charges you a second time.
- The castle complex at Schloss Laufen
- The panoramic glass lift down the cliff
- The Historama exhibition
- The Belvedere platform
- The Känzeli, the balcony that puts you out beside the falling water
- The Fischnetz platform
For CHF 5 that's fair value. But if your budget for the day is one paid thing, one guide's advice is to spend it on the water rather than on the viewpoint.
Rhine Falls boat prices, and which trip is worth it
The boats are run by Rhyfall Mändli, a private operator with the northern pier at Schlössli Wörth, and your pass covers none of its fares. You don't need to book as an individual; groups are asked to reserve.
- The ferry across, CHF 3. A straight hop between the banks, and the best-value thing on the river.
- The standard tours, CHF 10 to 17. Various loops around the basin, quoted by the operator.
- The Felsenfahrt, yellow route 1, CHF 22.50. The famous one, landing you on the rock in the middle of the falls.
The Felsenfahrt is the dearest trip and the shortest, and it drops you on a crowded rock before bringing you straight back. Pay the CHF 3 instead, cross at your own pace, stand where you like on the far bank, and come back whenever you're ready. You'll save CHF 19.50 and enjoy it more.
The one boat near the Rhine Falls that is free with the Swiss Travel Pass
The Stein am Rhein to Schaffhausen cruise is included when URH is operating it, which makes it the pass-friendly water trip in this corner of Switzerland. Tell the two operations apart by where they leave from: URH sails from Schaffhausen Schifflände, the town dock, while the Rhyfall Mändli boats leave from the falls themselves and are not covered by anything.
To connect the two, there's the Rhyfall Express, a paid tourist train that runs 20 minutes between the falls and the Schaffhausen dock and stops about 50 metres from the Rhine Falls info shop. Full details on which boats the pass covers are on the lake cruises page.
Visiting the Rhine Falls in winter, when the boats stop
The falls are open 365 days a year, around the clock, and the southern viewing platforms stay unlocked 24 hours even when nobody's there to sell you a ticket. The ticket office and cafés shut around 5pm, and the boats run roughly April to October.
So a winter visit is the falls, free, without a boat. That's not a bad deal if you've already paid for the train, and the Känzeli is yours in a way it never is in July.
Everything the pass does cover outright is on the free attractions list, and the Museum of Transport is the other one it only half covers.
FAQ
Is the Rhine Falls free with the Swiss Travel Pass?
The trains to both stations are free. The falls themselves are free from the northern bank at Schlössli Wörth, which anyone can walk along at no cost. The southern viewing platforms at CHF 5 and every boat fare are not covered.
Which station should I use for the Rhine Falls?
Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall for the southern bank with the paid platforms and the Känzeli. Neuhausen Rheinfall for the free northern bank with the wide panorama and the boat piers. They're on opposite sides and you can't walk quickly between them, so choose before you book.
How much do the Rhine Falls boats cost?
CHF 3 to be ferried between the banks, CHF 10 to 17 for the operator's tours, and CHF 22.50 for the Felsenfahrt on yellow route 1, the trip that lands you on the rock in the middle. The pass covers none of it.
Do I need to book the Rhine Falls boats?
Not as an individual, no. Just turn up at the pier. Groups are asked to reserve.
Can you visit the Rhine Falls in winter?
Yes. The falls are accessible all year, day and night, and the southern platforms stay open 24 hours even when the ticket office is shut. The boats stop running roughly November to March, and the ticket office and cafés close around 5pm.
Are the Rhine Falls wheelchair accessible?
On the southern side, only the Belvedere platform is step-free for wheelchairs and pushchairs. The Känzeli and Fischnetz platforms are not.
How long do you need at the Rhine Falls?
Two hours covers the free northern side comfortably. Add the ferry crossing and time on the southern platforms and you're looking at half a day.
