Appenzell Day Trip from Zurich: Alpine Slide & Chocolate Factory

The Kronberg Slide Doesn't Always Run: Here's What Happens When It Doesn't

You get picked up from your Zurich hotel and driven to Appenzell, where you ride the Kronberg alpine slide (or walk the meadows if it's closed), wander the painted village streets, taste craft beers at a local brewery, eat fondue in a cozy restaurant, and tour the chocolate factory with samples. The driver handles navigation and timing, and you're back at your hotel by evening.

Step-by-step itinerary

Appenzell village, slide, food and chocolate

• Experience Alpine slide or walk meadows
• Stroll colorful Appenzell village streets
• Taste craft beers at Brauerei factory
• Enjoy fondue at local restaurant
• Visit Muz y Minor Chocolate Museum
• Return to Zurich

The experience

The alpine slide at Kronberg is supposed to be the centerpiece of this Appenzell day trip from Zurich, and most days it is. You show up, strap in, and slide down a mountain with the Säntis peak in view. But weather closes it sometimes, or the season shifts, and on those mornings your guide just pivots. Instead of the slide you get a walk through the green meadows around Appenzell, or the option to ride the cable car up for a different kind of view. It's not a letdown the way it sounds. It's just how the day reshapes itself. The hotel pickup happens on schedule, the air-conditioned vehicle is waiting, and the rest of the itinerary (the village, the beer, the fondue, the chocolate) stays locked in.

Appenzell itself is the kind of place that doesn't need a backup plan. The village sits in a valley surrounded by mountains, and the streets are narrow, painted in pastels, lined with shops that sell things you didn't know you wanted. You walk through it without a schedule, just stopping when something catches your eye. After that comes a stop at the Brauerei craft beer factory, where you taste a few local brews and can buy bottles or whiskey to take with you. Then a local restaurant (the kind with low ceilings and wooden beams), where fondue is the thing everyone orders, though other Swiss dishes are on the menu too. You dip bread and vegetables into melted cheese and it takes longer than you think, which is the whole point.

The Muz y Minor Chocolate Factory and Museum is the last stop before the drive back to Zurich. You walk through the process of how chocolate gets made, taste samples, and the museum part is interactive. You're not just reading plaques behind glass. On days when the chocolate museum is closed, the Cheese Museum opens instead, so you're still getting a factory experience and a tasting. The whole day runs about eight to nine hours from pickup to drop-off, and by the time you're back at your hotel you've done the alpine slide or the meadow walk, eaten fondue, tasted beer and chocolate, and seen a village that most people who fly into Zurich never find on their own.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from Zurich.
• air-conditioned vehicle with driver guide.
• one ride on the Kronberg alpine slide (or meadow walk alternative).
• entry to Appenzell village.
• craft beer tasting at the Brauerei factory.
• lunch stop at a local restaurant (fondue and dishes ordered separately).
• entry to the Chocolate Factory and Museum (or Cheese Museum on alternate days).
• WiFi on board.
• return transport to your Zurich hotel.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in English, Spanish or German08:00

Guide in English, Spanish or German08:00

You pick the guide language when booking. Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (16 to 70 years) · Senior (71 to 89 years) · Youth (13 to 15 years) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupUp to 7

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and German

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48h

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by Descubre Suiza

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a full Swiss experience (mountains, village, food, beer, chocolate) without arranging transport or timing the stops yourself. The fixed itinerary and hotel pickup mean you show up and the day unfolds, even when the slide closes and the plan shifts.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and German.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 15 years); Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What happens if the alpine slide is closed?

You take a walk through the green meadows around Kronberg instead, or can ride the cable car for views of the Säntis mountain (cable car costs extra). The rest of the day (Appenzell village, beer tasting, fondue, chocolate museum) stays the same.

Is the fondue lunch included in the price?

The stop at the local restaurant is included in the itinerary, but fondue and other dishes are ordered and paid for separately at the restaurant.

How long is the full day trip?

Around 8 to 9 hours from hotel pickup to return.

What if the chocolate museum is closed?

The Cheese Museum is visited instead, so you still get a factory tour and tasting experience.

Is WiFi available during the tour?

Yes, the vehicle has WiFi on board.

Do I need to arrange my own transportation to the meeting point?

No, hotel pickup from Zurich is included. Public transportation options are also available nearby if you prefer.

Is the cable car to see the Säntis included?

No, the cable car is optional and costs extra if you choose to ride it.