Stein am Rhein is a cute medieval village on the banks of the Rhine river. Many of the buildings date back to the 1100s, with beautiful painted facades and charming half-timbered houses. It’s like stepping into a fairytale village straight out of a storybook.
We usually just take a slow stroll down the main cobblestoned lane, stopping for photos every few seconds. If you like history, you may prefer to book a guided tour that educates you on the main sights in town.
This is a good combo with the nearby Rhine Falls.
| Location: | Northeastern Switzerland – Germany border |
| Car: | Parking: Chlini Schanz 40, 8260 Stein am Rhein 50 mins from Zurich |
| Train: | Stein am Rhein train station 1hr30 from Zurich |
| Services: | cafes and shops in city center |
| More Info: | www.tourismus.steinamrhein.ch |
How to get there
Stein am Rhein is on the border of Switzerland and Germany. See on Google Maps.
By car:
From Zürich, its about a 50 min drive to Stein am Rhein, mostly on the freeway, the last 15 mins on a country road. Park in the metered lot just outside the city gate (near Chlini Schanz 40, 8260 Stein am Rhein).
If you are coming from the Rhine Falls, it’s about a 25 min drive along the river.
By public transport:
From Zürich, it’s just over an hour by train to the Stein am Rhein station. Then short walk to the old town, crossing a bridge over the river.
If you are coming from the Rhine Falls, you’ll take a train to Schaffhausen, then another train to Stein am Rhein, about a 36 min journey. Check schedule on SBB.ch.
Planning your day
Where to eat
If you have time to linger, I suggest settling into one of the outdoor cafes to people watch. Bistro Tavolino is a good choice, with tasty and affordable piadinas for an easy lunch.
With the kids, we’ve also bought picnic supplies at the Volg grocery in town, then ate on the benches along the river or nearby park north of the village.
For families
The main street has cobblestones, so not great with a stroller. Better to let small children walk and carry babies.
If the kids need play time, there is very nice park and playground along the river, a short walk north of the village (see on Google maps).
River Walk
If want to enjoy the river more, there is a nice 2 hour loop (7 km) along the river banks. It’s a paved path, easy walking. See trail map.
Photo story of village
Here is the gate entering the town from the parking.
This is the main street cutting through the center of the village, car-free.
Lots of heavily decorated buildings line the street.
Make sure to spend some time along the river, which is very lovely.
Strolling along the river is nice outside city walls is nice. But there is no barrier, so kids could fall in pretty easy.
Lots of benches along the river if you need a break. We had a picnic here with the kids. But the park just north of the village would have been nicer.
5 responses
Charming little town. BTW, Stein am Rhein and Rheinfall are still in Switzerland.
You are correct! Thanks for pointing this out. I’ll update my post.
We went for the second time today and discovered that there is a really nice playground next to the parking area (along the river and kids’ train tracks). Some of the features were brand new (pirate ship, rope swing and slide) and there were some other pieces that looked to be a few years old (not sure if they are new since you posted). Anyway, our kids had a great time. Now that we know there is a fun place to entertain the kids, we will definitely go back when we have visitors. It will be nice to combine with the Rhein falls like you suggested or on its own for an afternoon after school is out.
Thanks for the update and tips! If you have a picture of the playground, I’d love to add it to my post. You could send it to momstots@gmail.com. Wishing you many more happy adventures with your children.
We just went here last wkd. We combined it with a trip to the Rheinfalls which I think was perfect because although Stein am Rhein is pretty, it is small with not too much to do. It was only a 25 min. drive from Rheinfalls. There is a small kiddie train that you can ride along the water and some sandy areas along the Rhein where little kids can swim. Also, I'd recommend driving to both Rheinfalls & Stein am Rhein – both had large parking lots and it was an easy drive.