My flight to Zurich from Mumbai arrived on time, and I made it out of the airport relatively quickly. I boarded the train from the airport to Zürich HB (Zurich Main Station) and then took the tram to the hotel to drop off my bags. I could have spent the day relaxing after my travels, but instead, I decided to make the most of it by visiting Liechtenstein nearby.
The plan was set; I had booked the train tickets to Sargans just the previous evening on the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) website for CHF 16.60 each way. I took the tram back to the station and grabbed some breakfast at Rapido, a convenient stop for a quick bite before a journey. I boarded the InterCity IC563, which had arrived from Basel and was headed to Chur. The train left exactly at 9:37 AM; the next stop was Sargans.
I alighted at Sargans and took the bus to Vaduz. As the bus left the station, we were treated to beautiful views of lush meadows and jagged mountains. I caught sight of Gutenberg Castle in Balzers as we drove by; it is one of the five castles of the principality and sits majestically on a 70-meter-high free-standing rock. I alighted at the Vaduz Städtle bus stop and headed toward my first stop, Vaduz Castle.
It was a nice and bright day with scattered clouds—perfect for roaming around. The weather turned drastically the next day when I visited Innsbruck 🔗. Near the start of the trail, I passed the Grande Cavallo, a prominent bronze horse sculpture by Fernando Botero. I also walked by the Center of Art and Communication, a striking modern building that stands out against the traditional Alpine scenery.
The trail up the hill was not too steep, but it definitely provided a good warm-up. By the time I reached the top, the exertion and the sun meant I didn’t even need my jacket anymore.
There were boards with information to read along the way, providing context for the Vaduz Castle (Schloss Vaduz), which serves as the official residence of the Prince of Liechtenstein. The climb also offered great views of the valley and the snow-capped mountains across the Rhine River in Switzerland.
After spending some time at the castle grounds, I walked down and saw the famous Das Rote Haus (Red House), a late-medieval gabled tower house that is one of the city’s most photographed landmarks. I continued toward the Rheinpark Stadium, the national stadium where Liechtenstein’s national football team plays.
It was a nice walk along the Rhine River bank to the Alte Rheinbrücke, a historic covered wooden bridge. Built in 1901, it is the last remaining wooden bridge spanning the Rhine. There was a clear marker inside the bridge showing the international border; I enjoyed walking across into Switzerland and then back again into Liechtenstein in just a few steps.
Next, I went to see the St. Florin Cathedral, a 19th-century Neo-Gothic church that serves as the center of the Archdiocese of Vaduz. I then headed to the Regierungsgebäude (Government Building) and the Liechtenstein Center area. This pedestrian zone is the heart of the capital, filled with various sculptures and art installations.
I hadn’t really slept well the previous night on the red-eye flight, and after walking around all day, I was starting to feel tired—especially since India was 4.5 hours ahead and it was already late evening for my body clock. Anticipating this, I had booked the 4:58 PM train back so I would get an early dinner and a good night’s sleep. I caught the bus from the Städtle stop back to Sargans and then boarded the InterCity Express ICE1256 back to Zurich.
