Rhein Falls

safe but wet next to the Rhein Falls

Summary: ~40min drive from Zurich, easy by train, not-stroller friendly, restaurant and playground overlooking falls

The impressive Rhein Falls are the "largest" waterfall in Europe, in terms of amount of volume, not height. It's about a 40 minute drive from Zurich, a good combo with Stein am Rhein, which is about 15 mins drive up the river. You'll walk down a lot of stairs admiring the falls, close but behind kid-safe barriers. Then a short boat ride across the river (no life preservers) to a restaurant and playground overlooking the falls. This is ideal for visitors, assuming they are willing and able to do some stairs.


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Details. There are a few different ways to access the falls from both sides of the river. The easiest way is to take the A4 north towards Schaffhausen, then take exit Uhwiesen toward Rheinfall/Dachsen and follow signs to the Rheinfall and Schloss. There's a huge parking lot by the castle littered with various snack and trinket vendors. Walk into the castle gates and buy your ticket.




After getting your first view of falls (above), you will continue down lots and lots of steps to the bottom of the falls (no strollers here!).


There are several lookouts along the way, where you can get very close to the roaring water.


and closer


its fun and scary to stand on this overhang watching the water rush under you

Once you reach the river at the bottom of the stairs, you can pay to take a boat across the river to a restaurant, big playground and nice waterfront walk.


If you're feeling adventurous, you can take a boat into the center of the falls and climb up a big rock with wet, slippery stairs so you are standing right in the middle of the action. It's fantastic, but not for little kids.


here's the rock in the middle - good fun for adults, maybe big kids


little kids and grandma wait safely across the river at the playground