Rhine Falls in Switzerland : how to get there, what to do

I’m delighted to bring you this article on the Rhine Falls in the German-speaking Swiss canton of Schaffhausen.

The Rhine Falls are the largest in Europe in terms of volume of water discharged (in Switzerland, the largest, really?). A good opportunity to remind ourselves of our geography lessons. So where does the Rhine rise? And where does it empty? The tour continues with a visit to the town of Stein am Rhein.

The Rhine: river presentation

I didn’t particularly like geography at school. Learning about rivers, their sources, tributaries and lengths always put me off. I didn’t see the point at the time. Now that I travel, I find it so much more concrete. It’s exciting to be in a city, in a country, and to know that the river is continuing on its way through other cities, other countries. You think you can see this river again, in different circumstances, in different places, which is just incredible.

Just for fun, I’ll give you a geography lesson. The Rhine rises in the St. Gotthard massif in Switzerland and empties at Rotterdam in the Netherlands. It flows through six countries: Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France and the Netherlands.

If you look at the Rhine from the air or on a map, it forms the border between Switzerland and Germany and, further north, between Germany and France.

At 1,230 km long, the Rhine is the longest river flowing into the North Sea. This makes it one of the world’s busiest waterways. It also supplies drinking water to over 30 million people.

Rhine Falls in Switzerland

The Rhine is the result of the union of two branches, the “Vorderrhein” (Anterior Rhine) and the “Hinterrhein” (Posterior Rhine). The Anterior Rhine, the longer of the two, rises at Lake Toma, 2,344m above sea level, in the Gotthard massif. After 170 km, the Rhine enters Lake Constance at Bregenz. The river then heads west to reach the Rhine Falls. It then becomes navigable.

The Rhine Falls in Switzerland: presentation

The Rhine Falls are waterfalls located between Neuhausen am Rheinfall (right bank) and Flurlingen (left bank) downstream of Schaffhausen.

Discover the Rhine Falls

After that (hopefully not sappy) lecture, let’s get down to business. After parking in the parking lot, we drive past Château du Laufen. I think it’s possible to visit it, but it wasn’t a priority at the time!

Next, we descend a path and stop on platforms. And then it’s all over. The view takes my breath away.

With a height of 23 meters, a width of 150 meters and a volume of almost 600,000 liters per second, I was impressed by the power and beauty of the waterfalls. Especially with the privilege of having a rainbow at that moment. Just magical.

Continuing along the trail, you can get as close as possible to the falls. If you reach out, you can feel the water. Very impressive.

Access to the Rhine Fallsrock face

Rather than walk to the other side, we take a boat. This short cruise is pleasant and allows you to get a little closer to the falls and the rock.

However, it is possible to take another boat to access the rock at the center of the falls.

With this crossing, it’s hard to get any closer to the falls. Refreshment guaranteed!

After disembarking, the climb up the stairs is easy…especially when there aren’t many people around. After that, I imagine it must be more complicated.

Once at the top, the view is even more impressive and breathtaking.

I was truly captivated by the color of the Rhine and the power of the waterfalls.

I could have stayed for hours admiring the panorama. Unfortunately, this wasn’t possible, as there’s a boat every 30 minutes for the return trip. However, this last crossing allows us to get as close as possible to the falls and enjoy them once again.

For the same experience, you can book your own boat to get as close as possible to the Rhine Falls.

The Rhine Falls via the boardwalk

After the boat tour, the visit continues. A boardwalk leads around the falls. Allow 30 minutes for the tour (with photo breaks!).

An opportunity to brush up (again) on your geography with the flags of Switzerland’s 26 cantons.

But the main interest of this walk is to see the falls from another angle. And it’s as magnificent as ever.

In this article, I take you on a tour of Europe's biggest waterfalls, the Rhine Falls in Switzerland. A real favorite.

How do I visit the Rhine Falls in Switzerland?

There are two ways to get to the Rhine Falls in Switzerland. There are two entrances, and therefore two parking lots:
– left bank: Schloss Laufen (Laufen-Uhwiesen), free parking but entrance charge (CHF 5)
– right bank: Schössli Wörth harbor (Neuhausen), free entry, but paid parking (CHF 5).

Like all tourist attractions, it’s best to get there early in the morning to avoid the crowds (before 10 a.m.).

How do I get to the Rhine Falls without needing a Swiss vignette?

To use the freeway in Switzerland, you need to buy a vignette which you stick to your windscreen. The vignette 2024 is valid from December 1, 2023 to January 21, 2025 and costs 40 Swiss francs.

If you’re coming from Germany to Switzerland to see the Rhine Falls, but don’t have a motorway vignette, leave the N4 at Herblingen (shopping center). Then take the Swiss departmental road to Neuhasen.

My opinion on the Rhine Falls

I must admit I was skeptical about the idea of visiting the Rhine Falls. I’d been disappointed by the Niagara Falls, so I wasn’t particularly convinced by the Rhine Falls. After all, the Niagara Falls are six times the size of the Rhine Falls. But what a nice surprise! This site is just magnificent. The falls are impressive, powerful and infinitely beautiful. That rainbow over the Rhine is my best memory of this magical moment.

What to do around the Rhine Falls

We recommend a visit to Schaffhausen. Read our article on our visit to Schaffhausen, where we had a wonderful time.

You can also discover the town of Stein am Rhein. Located 30 minutes from the Rhine Falls, Stein am Rhein is a medieval town in the canton of Schaffhausen.

Visit the old town of Stein am Rhein

The old town is very original and beautiful, with its half-timbered houses and painted facades.

It’s also where the Untersee (Lower Lake), the smaller of the two lakes that make up Lake Constance, flows into the Rhine. The perfect place to take a break and cool off.

The last visit of the day is to Hohenklingen Castle, also in Stein am Rhein.

Visit Hohenklingen Castle

Hohenklingen Castle was built in the 1200s. It was completely renovated in 2008.

After parking the car in the parking lot, you have to climb up to the castle. I can’t say whether the castle tour is worthwhile, as we didn’t do it. Given the heat (and my limited interest in castles), we preferred to go straight to the castle restaurant.

We were able to enjoy the magnificent view of the Rhine and even Lake Constance in the distance.

Address: Hohenklingen Castle, Hohenklingenstrasse, Stein am Rhein.

Other suggestions in German-speaking Switzerland

If you’re in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, here are a few ideas:

And that’s the end of this article devoted to the Rhine Falls. Septic at the idea of discovering them, I was pleasantly surprised and totally charmed. The rainbow over the Rhine is a wonderful memory.

The town of Stein am Rhein is also well worth a visit, as it is so original and pleasant.

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The Rhine Falls in Switzerland: a real highlight