A day trip from Zurich to Einsiedeln: getting there, a plan for the day and tips

From Zurich the train takes you to Einsiedeln in around 45 to 60 minutes, to an abbey town on a plateau at almost 900 metres. Here stands one of the most important baroque churches in Switzerland. Inside it is the Black Madonna, to whom people have made pilgrimages for centuries. The abbey also has a magnificent rococo library hall. Unlike many mountain excursions, you need no mountain railway ticket, and there are no long queues of coaches either. The train journey is fully covered by a GA or Swiss Travel Pass, so Einsiedeln lends itself well to a relaxed half day.

Getting there from Zurich

You travel from Zurich HB via Wädenswil to Einsiedeln. Depending on the connection you change at Wädenswil onto the Südostbahn line, which climbs from there into the hills. The whole journey takes around 45–60 minutes and trains run throughout the day. The last stretch alone is worth it, first with views over Lake Zurich, later across the high moorland plateau. For the lake view, sit on the right-hand side going up.

From the station it is a ten-minute walk to the abbey. You see the mighty façade as soon as you step out of the station building.

Tickets: buy an ordinary return ticket, at half price with a Half Fare Card. With a GA or Swiss Travel Pass the journey is included. A suitable ZVV day pass with connecting zones can also cover the route. There is nothing to reserve.

Half a day in Einsiedeln (about 4–5 hours door to door)

1. Arrive in the morning. From the station you walk up through the village to the large abbey square. On the way, the church front rises slowly in front of you behind the fountain on the square: that is the classic way a visit to Einsiedeln begins.
2. Abbey church and Black Madonna. Admission is free. Take your time for the Chapel of Grace and the baroque ceiling frescoes. Photography is not allowed inside the church and shoulders should be covered.
3. Lunch in the village. In the lanes opposite the abbey you will find cafés, bakeries and traditional inns. With coffee, try the Schafböcke, the town's typical pastry. The abbey shop also sells wine from the abbey's own vineyards.
4. Herrenberg viewpoint. After a short climb behind the abbey you see the whole complex in front of the pre-Alps. This is where you get the best view of it.
5. Back to Zurich, or stay on for the items in the next section.

A full day in Einsiedeln

With one or both of the following, the outing becomes a full day:

• The library tour in the early afternoon. Only with this tour do you get into the magnificent rococo hall with its 230,000 volumes and manuscripts, some of them more than a thousand years old. It lasts around 90 minutes and takes place daily except on Sundays and public holidays; the abbey states the current prices. Anyone interested in the library should plan the day around this tour. More about the abbey in post Visiting Einsiedeln Abbey.
• The Salve Regina in the late afternoon. Every day the monks sing the Salve Regina in front of the Chapel of Grace. The singing lasts about ten minutes, is open to all and fits well as a closing point before the journey home.
• A walk by the Sihlsee. Switzerland's largest reservoir begins at the edge of the village. The level shore paths with views of the pre-Alps fit nicely into the time between the church and the library tour.

When the trip is worthwhile

• All year: the church is open daily and all year round, so the trip is possible in any season.
• On Sundays there are pilgrimage services and liturgical life is in full swing. There is, however, no library tour on that day.
• On 14 September the abbey celebrates the Engelweihe, its greatest feast day. It is impressive, but the town is correspondingly full.
• In Advent the stalls of the Christmas market stand below the abbey façade, and the well-known Einsiedeln crib tradition is kept up in the church. More on that in post Einsiedeln in winter.

FAQ

How far is Einsiedeln from Zurich?

Einsiedeln is around 40 kilometres from Zurich. By train via Wädenswil it takes 45 to 60 minutes, and trains run regularly all day.

Is the journey covered by a GA or Swiss Travel Pass?

Yes, the whole rail route is included. The abbey church costs no admission in any case.

Is half a day enough for Einsiedeln?

For the church, the village and the viewpoint, half a day is plenty. Add the library tour in the early afternoon and the Salve Regina later on, and it becomes a full, unhurried day.

Is Einsiedeln worthwhile without a religious interest?

Yes. The baroque architecture and the library are worth seeing without any faith involved, and there is also the landscape of the plateau and the insight into an abbey where monks still live today.

Can Einsiedeln be combined with other destinations?

Yes. You can carry on over the hills to Schwyz and Lake Lucerne; more in post Things to see in Schwyz. In summer the bus also runs through the Alptal towards Brunni, where the paths to the Mythen begin. That hike is described in post Grosser Mythen.