Liechtenstein and Heidiland from Zurich: Coach Day Trip or Small Group?
5 min read
The Heidiland and Liechtenstein bus day trip is the standard choice: 7.5 hours by coach with a guide, a stop in Vaduz and the Heidi landscape of Maienfeld. Choose the Appenzell and Liechtenstein small group tour instead if you would rather have Appenzell, a chocolate house and a group of at most twelve. From November the Heidi stop is replaced on the coach trip, which changes what you are buying.
Two ways to do it
| Option | Duration | From | Rating and reviews | Fits whom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| From Zurich: Bus Day Trip to Heidiland and Liechtenstein | 7.5 hours | €102.18 | 4.5 · 3,199 | Heidi’s country and Vaduz by coach |
| Zurich: Appenzell & Liechtenstein Small Group Cheese Tour | 8 hours | €108.70 | 5.0 · 2 | A small group with Appenzell and chocolate |
The coach trip
The listing names Rapperswil and its medieval castle and Old Town, the Ricken Pass, free time in Vaduz and Maienfeld, the setting of the Heidi stories. The way back runs along Lake Walen below the Churfirsten mountains. The guide speaks English and German, according to the booking page, and it starts at €102.18 with a rating of 4.5 from 3,199 reviews.
The page gives the meeting point as the Zürich bus station at Ausstellungsstrasse 5, and the description says pickup is from an area next to Zurich main station. Check on the booking page which of the two applies for your date.
Heidi’s village is a seasonal stop. The booking page says that in the summer months, mid-March until mid-November, the trip goes to Heidi’s village, and that it is closed from November to March, when the coach visits Werdenberg and its castle instead. The village’s own website gives a season of 13 March to 1 November 2026, daily from 10:00 to 17:00. In practice, from November expect Werdenberg rather than Heidi’s house. The listing mentions admission to the Heidi house only as an optional visit.
Check dates and prices for the Heidiland and Liechtenstein day trip
The small group tour
This one is run by Swiss Epic Tours and is limited to twelve participants. The listing gives eight hours and the stops with their times: Bilten, with the Läderach chocolate house, 45 minutes; Appenzell, 1 hour; Vaduz, 2 hours; and the Old Town of Rapperswil, 1 hour. Its highlights and description add a tasting of Appenzeller cheese, which is where the “cheese tour” in the title comes from. Pickup is included, with details shown when you check availability. The guide speaks English, Portuguese or Spanish. It starts at €108.70, and as the rating of 5.0 comes from very few reviews so far (number of reviews: 2), read them before you book.
There is no Heidi stop on this route, and neither listing offers a French or Italian guide.
Check dates and prices for the Appenzell and Liechtenstein small group tour
What to expect in Vaduz
Both tours give you time in the capital. The Princely House says on its website that Vaduz Castle is the residence of the reigning prince and therefore not open to the public, so you see it from outside; a path leads up from the town. The small group listing says the same: the castle cannot be visited inside, and the walk up from the town takes about 20 minutes and rewards you with views over the Rhine.
Which to choose
Take the coach trip if Heidi matters to you and you travel between March and early November and are happy in a larger group. Take the small group if Appenzell and a chocolate stop appeal more than Heidi, or in winter, when the coach trip swaps its Heidi stop for Werdenberg. Our Liechtenstein and Appenzell category lists further day trips to the east, including private trips to Vaduz and Heidiland.
