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Hiking holidays Via Alpina Vaduz - Linthal

Hiking: Via Alpina

Liechtenstein, Rhine valley, Glarner alps

Oh, how beautiful Eastern Switzerland is. Vaduz Castle at your back, the Rhine Valley at your feet and one of the most beautiful long-distance hiking trails of Switzerland in front of you. The perfect start for a hike along the Via Alpina.

Once you have crossed the Sarganserland, the vineyards give way to high peaks. You cross the Foopass and the Richetlipass and finally reach the Glarnerland. After a challenging hike past the Hausstock, the first section of the Via Alpina ends in the dreamy little village of Linthal.  

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Itinerary

Luggage drop-off in Buchs. The hike starts in Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein. The River Rhine and the border to Switzerland is crossed at Sevelen. The trail then leads along the foot of the mountain Gonzen through woodlands and meadows, with views over the Rhine Valley.

approx. 4.5 h
approx. 18 km
505 m
480 m

The wide, steep and remote Weisstannental valley awaits with lovely hamlets such as Vermol and the wonderful Champersee lake. You climb high-level trails on the west flank of the valley towards the stage destination Weisstannen.

approx. 4 h
approx. 13 km
790 m
270 m

Milk from neighbouring alps is piped to Alp Siez. On Alpine pastures are followed by a narrow ridge of black slate. The terraced alp huts on the other side of the Foopass are an architectural rarity. 

approx. 7.5 h
approx. 22 km
1'385 m
1'400 m

By cable car up to Aempächli. Elm lies in the GeoPark Sardona (UNESCO World-Heritage) where the Glarner main thrust fault clearly reveals the creation of the Alps. Surrounded by rock bastions, the silted-up Wichlensee lake, resembles an amphitheatre. After the steep Richetlipass, the lonely Durnachtal awaits.  

approx. 7.5 h
approx. 20 km
1'080 m
1'915 m

Tour character

Cozy start, demanding finish. The Via Alpina slowly picks up speed. While at the beginning you are still travelling on easy forest paths, you hike in the Glarnerland on alpine paths. The stages between Weisstannen and Linthal in particular require good basic physical condition and sure-footedness.  

The Via Alpina at SwitzerlandMobility

Prices & Dates

All data for 2024 at a glance
Place of arrival: Buchs/Vaduz
  Season 1
31.08.2024 - 15.09.2024

Arrival daily
Season 2
29.06.2024 - 30.08.2024

Arrival daily
Via Alpina Eastern Switzerland, 5 days, CH-OSWVL-05X
Base price
779.-
819.-
Surcharge single room 199.- 199.-

Category: simple middle class hotels & mountain guesthouses

Season 1
Aug 31, 2024 - Sep 15, 2024
Arrival daily
Season 2
Jun 29, 2024 - Aug 30, 2024
Arrival daily
Via Alpina Eastern Switzerland, 5 days, CH-OSWVL-05X
Base price
Surcharge single room
779.-
199.-
819.-
199.-

Category: simple middle class hotels & mountain guesthouses

Season 1
Aug 31, 2024 - Sep 15, 2024
Season 2
Jun 29, 2024 - Aug 30, 2024
Buchs/Vaduz
Double room p. P.
Surcharge single room
Linthal
Double room p. P.
Surcharge single room
99.-
35.-
105.-
50.-
99.-
35.-
105.-
50.-
Additional nights
Place of arrival: Buchs/Vaduz
  Season 1
Aug 31, 2024 - Sep 15, 2024

Arrival daily
Season 2
Jun 29, 2024 - Aug 30, 2024

Arrival daily
Buchs/Vaduz
Double room p. P. 99.- 99.-
Surcharge single room 35.- 35.-
Linthal
Double room p. P. 105.- 105.-
Surcharge single room 50.- 50.-
Prices per person in CHF

Services & Information

Services

Included:

  •  Accommodation in your selected category incl. breakfast
  •  Daily luggage transfer
  •  Costs for luggage pick-up at the station (for direct arrival)
  •  Subsidy for arrival by train
  •  Cable car Elm - Aempächli
  •  Carefully elaborated route description
  •  Travel documents (1 x per room)
  •  Navigation app and GPS data available
  •  SwitzerlandMobility-Plus subscription for one year
  •  Service hotline

Note:

  • Bus ride to Vaduz not included in the price (approx. CHF 6.-)
  • Tourist tax, if due, is not included in the price
  • Reservation fee of CHF 20.- per adult (incl. legally required customer money protection)
Information

Arrival/Departure:

  • Arrival by public transport to Buchs. Drop off your luggage at the luggage counter by 10:00 a.m. at the latest.
  • Departure by public transport from Linthal. 
Arrival by train:
Leave the car at home! For every bike, biking or hiking tour in Switzerland, you will receive an SBB coupon per participant, which you can use to deduct CHF 10 from the ticket price for traveling by train. The reduction can be obtained in the SBB online store or in the SBB app. On many trips, we use the luggage counters at the stations at the beginning and at the end to hand over the suitcases. You can conveniently combine this right away when you arrive by train. If you are a GA owner, you can provide this information when booking. We will credit you the amount on the invoice. If you don't need the coupon for the trip itself, you can use it during the year. Unfortunately, a retroactive refund is not possible for administrative reasons. 
Travel documents

Travel documents "digital" 

We reduce the amount of printed documents. You will receive instructions to help you find your way around using the Eurotrek Travel Guide App. We provide you with further information online.

In advance you will receive a package of documents with the following contents:

  • Your travel program
  • Luggage tags
  • Description of how to use the app
  • Any vouchers
  • Detailed program with map sections

The Eurotrek Travel Guide App will help you additionally to find your way around. In addition to your digital map, you will find further information about your booked trip. The app is also available offline, simply download the trip in advance.

Ratings

4.3 of 5 Stars (10 Ratings)
4 stars
Johannes M. CH | 07.09.2023
Sargans-Linthal
Wir erlebten drei eindrückliche Tage in der Ostschweiz in eindrücklicher Kulisse. Die Streckenabschnitte Weisstannen-Elm und Elm-Linthal erfordern eine gute Grundkondition (dies gilt vor allem für den steilen Abstieg vom Richetlipass nach Linthal). Belohnt wird man dafür mit einer imposanten Bergkulisse. Die Informationen von Eurotrek und der SwissMobileplus Zugang waren sehr hilfreich, die Unterkünfte gut gelegen und sauber und die Möglichkeit, das Nachtessen direkt in der gebuchten Unterkunft zu geniessen haben wir sehr geschätzt.
4 stars
Marinella M. CH | 10.08.2023
Wertvolle Wanderung
Die erste Etappe war etwas langweilig (zu viel Asphalt), die zweite schon besser und die letzte zwei herrvorragend, vor allem den Aufstieg.
5 stars
JM Sueur CH | 05.10.2021
Merveilleux!
Si la première étape n'est pas très alpine, il vaut la peine de se rendre sur place le jour d'avant afin de profiter des magnifiques panoramas des alpes au dessus de Gaflei. Pour le reste du parcourt des paysages à couper le souffle entre Weisstannen et Linthal, des hôtels familiaux avec un bon accueil et des rencontres sympathiques. TOP!
4 stars
Dominique Aschwanden CH | 19.08.2021
Via Alpina
Die Strecke Vaduz-Sargans ist nicht sehr atraktiv, auf diese hätten wir verzichtet. Sargans-Weisstannen war schön. Super war Weisstannen-Elm, über den Foopass. Leider konnten wir den Richetlipass von Elm nach Linthal nicht laufen da das Wetter so fürchterlich war. Organisiert war alles super. Der Gepäcktransport verlief einwandfrei. In den Hotels waren alle sehr nett.
Reto Zingg
Reto Zingg answered:
Vielen Dank für Ihr tolles Reisefeedback. Ich habe die Tour selbst vor einige Jahren gewandert und gebe Ihnen recht, dass die erste Etappe weniger spektakulär ist als später auf dem Verlauf. Trotzdem ist es ein gemütlicher Einstieg vor den strengen Bergetappen und gehört bei vielen, welche die gesamte Via Alpina wandern, einfach dazu. Schade, konnten Sie nicht über den Richetlipass wandern. Bei schlechtem Wetter empfiehlt es sich aber ganz klar, den Weg mit dem öffentlichen Verkehr zu absolvieren da die Wanderung in alpinem Gelände verläuft.
5 stars
Markus M. CH | 27.07.2020
Perfekt
5 stars
Regina Stadler CH | 08.07.2020
via alpina; Sargans bis Engelberg
Wunderbare Wanderroute, gute Wanderwege, konditionell teilweise anspruchsvoll, wir haben durch eurotrek das Gepäck transportieren lassen, was vorwiegend gut geklappt hat. Die Hotels waren einfach aber sehr gut, nur in Altdorf hatten wir ein sehr sehr kleines Zimmer, dieses Hotel würden wir nicht mehr buchen. Sonst alles top
3 stars
Lene Rolschau DK | 02.09.2019
Via Alpina first 4 sections
Two first sections, lots of asphalt, lots of town and road not really mountain hiking. Two last sections beautiful. Nice hotels in generel, easy to find, directly on the route. Last hotel didnt know anything about hiking, didnt have any maps, wasnt helpful at all, an since we had an extra night there for an extra day hike that was really disappointing. Papers from eurotrek very informative, but the printet maps was useless, the App Swissmobility worked fine for the planned hikes, but is useless if you want to find other hikes in the area since you have to know alle the names of the hikes in advance, couldnt search an area and get a list of hikes. First day 27 km startet with a busride papers said, but it didnt say that it was an hour and changing busses 3 times, and first possible bus to starting point was at 8.32 bit late with a long hike ahead. Glad we asked in the reception at the hotel. Hotel between day 2 and 3 said the kitchen was closed, but when we got there the could serve a bit for the hikers that had ordered a room, would have been nice to know in advance, would have saved us af bit of worry, since all meals except breakfast wasnt included. Luggage transport worked perfectly.
Günther Lämmerer
Günther Lämmerer answered:
I’ve looked at the booking and saw that my colleague already sorted the situation with the restaurant at Hotel Gemse in Weisstannen. He spoke to the host and arranged a small diner for you even though the restaurant was closed on this day. We just forgot to mention this information on your travel itinerary… I’m sorry that you had to worry about this point during your hike. For next year we plan some improvements for the maps. We hope to be able to switch to waterproof maps that show the trail in a better scale. The route is fully waymarked and together with the app of SwitzerlandMobility it is easy to find your way, but still this is going to give our clients a better overview.
4 stars
Ledermann Heinrich CH | 08.08.2019
via Alpina
Die ersten 2 Etappen sind ideale Einstiegstouren. Bei der tour Sargans - Weisstannen lohnt sichein Abstecher zum Chapfensee und diesen zu umrunden. Etappe 3 + 4 sind streng jedoch durch Abkürzungen mit Transporten gut machbar.
4 stars
Claudia F. CH | 13.10.2018
Via Alpina massgeschneidert
Wir haben 13 tolle, erholsame Wandertage auf der Via Alpina genossen. Eurotrek hat uns eine Reise ganz nach unseren Wünschen zusammengestellt: Start- und Zielort, Länge der Tour und Ruhetage wurden nach unseren Bedürfnissen organisiert. Mit den Unterkünften waren wir sehr zufrieden, und der Gepäcktransport funktionierte tadellos.
5 stars
Michael Detlefsen CA | 15.08.2017
Via Alpina
I had walked portions of the Via Alpina in the past, but had never taken on the seemingly daunting task of walking the entire route! Prisca, Rudi and the Eurotrek team made it easy! From pick-up at the airport, to the briefing at my hotel, to making a couple of slight alternations along the way (picking up forgotten socks and shorts at one place, altering the transport means to allow a longer day of hiking another), everything worked seamlessly! The maps are clear, the trails are well-marked (with the one exception being just outside of La Lecherette) and the Eurotrek team is a phone call or an email away in the event of difficulty. I do recommend downloading the Schweiz Mobil app, however, for extra insurance, as well as the fantastic weather forecasts. The accommodations (I chose the mid-range) were all excellent - the rooms were always comfortable and everything worked, the meals were universally excellent and breakfasts, in particularly, were varied and substantial. And the fact that your luggage moves between your hotels every day is a lifesaver, as you can take a day pack and do not have to worry about the much heavier weight that would come from having to cart one's belongings across the mountains. The views were beautiful, the trails manageable (although you do have to be in good shape for most of them) and there were only two challenging weather days of 15 - one, in which thuderstorms made it too dangerous to cross the pass scheduled for that day (just took a bus to the next stop) and the other in which high winds presented a real challenge, but did not prevent that day's hiking from occurring. All in all, an excellent trip that I would highly recommend and would take again some day!

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