Appenzell lies at the opposite end of Switzerland from Geneva, well beyond Zurich, which is itself about 280 km and 2 h 55 from Geneva Airport, so the trip east is a full day's journey and deserves at least four or five days in total. The reward is a region of painted façades, alpine cheese, cowbells and the Säntis summit. AirportsTransfers.ch can drive the whole way, with comfortable breaks, or take you as far as you wish before you continue by rail.
- Journey: a long cross-country drive via Lausanne, Bern and Zurich
- Reference distance: Zurich about 280 km, 2 h 55 from GVA; Appenzell is further east
- Ideal length: four to six days, including travel days
- Highlights: Appenzell village, Säntis, Ebenalp and Wildkirchli, St. Gallen Abbey library
- Best for: travellers interested in living traditions, hiking and rural Switzerland
Planning the journey east
Geneva and Appenzell are separated by most of the Swiss Plateau, so it pays to treat the drive as part of the trip. A sensible plan is to break it in Bern, about 160 km and 1 h 50 from the airport, for lunch and a walk under the arcades, then continue towards Zurich and on to the Appenzell hills in the afternoon. Alternatively, travellers short of time sometimes book a transfer from Geneva Airport to Zurich and continue by train. With a private chauffeur you choose the pace: stops every couple of hours, a lake view, or a detour to Lucerne on the way.
Appenzell: a village that keeps its customs
Appenzell is the main village of the half-canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, one of the most traditional corners of Switzerland. Its main street is lined with houses decorated with brightly painted façades depicting plants, animals and rural scenes. The canton is known for its Landsgemeinde, an open-air assembly where citizens vote by a show of hands, held once a year in the village square. Local specialities include Appenzeller cheese, rubbed with a closely guarded herbal brine, Appenzeller Biberli, small gingerbread biscuits filled with almond paste, and a herbal bitter liqueur. Folk music with dulcimers and yodelling, and processions of cattle to and from the alpine pastures, are part of everyday life rather than shows put on for visitors.
Säntis and the Alpstein mountains
The Alpstein massif rises abruptly south of Appenzell, and its highest point, the Säntis, is reached by a cable car from Schwägalp. On a clear day the summit view takes in several countries, from Lake Constance to the Glarus and Grisons Alps. For a gentler outing, the Ebenalp cable car leads to the Wildkirchli caves and the cliff-hugging Äscher guesthouse, a much-photographed spot. Seealpsee, a lake beneath steep walls, is a popular walk from Wasserauen. Weather here can change quickly; mornings are often clearest.
Accommodation in the region ranges from village guesthouses with painted shutters to mountain inns reachable only on foot, so decide early whether you want to sleep in Appenzell itself, which keeps evenings quiet and atmospheric, or in St. Gallen, which offers more choice of restaurants and makes a convenient base for both the city and the hills. Either way, distances within the region are short, and a chauffeur by the hour lets you string together Säntis, Appenzell and St. Gallen in a single day without worrying about connections or parking at busy cable car stations.
St. Gallen: abbey and textile history
St. Gallen, a short drive north of Appenzell, is built around its abbey precinct, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Baroque cathedral is striking, but the highlight is the Abbey Library, one of the oldest monastic libraries in the world, with a richly decorated hall where visitors slip felt overshoes over their own. The city grew rich on lace and embroidery, and its textile museum tells that story. The old town's oriel windows, carved and painted bays projecting from house fronts, are a local feature worth looking up for.
- Book the Säntis cable car with weather in mind; low cloud hides the view entirely.
- Some traditional inns in the Alpstein are seasonal and close in winter.
- Allow a rest day after the long drive before hiking.
Book your journey east with AirportsTransfers.ch
Long cross-country transfers are a strength of a fixed-price service: you see one total per vehicle before paying online by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, however many stops you make along a planned route. Your chauffeur meets you in Geneva Airport arrivals with a name sign, tracks your flight and waits if you land late. For long distances, the First Class Sedan (Mercedes S-Class) or the spacious V-Class van make the hours pass comfortably; child seats are available on request and companies can receive invoices. Plan your route by phone or WhatsApp on +41 78 346 56 77.
