Schloss Laufen at the Rhine Falls
Schloss Laufen sits on a wooded rock on the south bank of the Rhine Falls, in Laufen-Uhwiesen in the canton of Zurich. The castle is run by an operator, and this page is an independent guide, not the operator's own site. It collects the facts that matter when you plan a visit: which platforms you reach, how step-free the route is, how to arrive by train or car, and what the castle tour costs.
The walk through the castle grounds is the way to the viewing platforms close to the water. Schloss Laufen is the south bank, while Wörth and Neuhausen form the north bank, so the two sides offer different views and different services. If you plan both, read our page on Neuhausen am Rheinfall as well.
Our picks: tours with Schloss Laufen
Our take: the private tour gives you the castle and falls entry in under four hours. The coach tours are guided and cost less, and one of them continues to Stein am Rhein.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide and Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in Swiss francs (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Private tour with Laufen Castle and falls entry
- Laufen Castle
- Entrance tickets to the waterfalls
- Professional driver-guide
A private car with a driver-guide covers the south bank in under four hours. No boat ride is listed in the booking.
Check availability →
Falls, Laufen Castle and Stein am Rhein with a guide
- Visit to Rhine Falls
- Laufen Castle
- Guided village walk in Stein am Rhein
A multilingual guide leads this coach day from Zurich.
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Coach tour with falls entry and Laufen Castle access
- Rhine Falls visit with entry ticket
- Access to Laufen Castle
- Multilingual guide
A guided four-hour standard route by air-conditioned coach. Check in at the operator counter at least 15 minutes before departure.
Check availability →Tours with Laufen Castle
Coach tours with castle entry and private tours with Laufen Castle, with live prices and availability.
Viewing platforms at Schloss Laufen
Three platforms, three different kinds of access.
Belvedere
The Belvedere is reached over the panorama path, which works for wheelchairs and prams. If you travel with small children or have limited mobility, this is the platform to plan around.
Känzeli
The Känzeli can only be reached over steps. It belongs to the tour like the other two platforms, but it is not an option for wheelchairs or prams.
Fischetz
The Fischetz is also reached over steps. The way there leads through a narrow passage with limited height, so tall visitors should take care.
The platforms are described by the operator as open around the clock. The ticket office, shop and Historama have opening hours that depend on the month, which are listed with the entry prices on our tickets page. Entry prices in short: adults CHF 5, children aged 6 to 15 CHF 3, groups of 15 to 29 CHF 3 per person and groups from 30 CHF 2 per person.
Lift, Historama and accessibility
The Historama at the castle is closed until 27 November 2026 because of renovation (status 1 November 2026). The platforms are not described as closed, but do not plan your visit around the exhibition before that date. The falls are also not lit from 26 October to 27 November 2026.
The panorama lift and the visitor centre can be reached without steps, and there are accessible toilets. A lift does not make the whole tour barrier-free, though: for visitors who need step-free access there is no way down from the castle to the basin or to the boat landing. Tickets for wheelchair users, prams and groups of 15 people or more are sold only at the visitor centre, so plan some time for that.
A ban on riding bicycles applies in the castle grounds, so park your bike at the station or leave it elsewhere.
Station and parking at Schloss Laufen
By rail the stop is right below the castle.
The station Schloss Laufen is served by the S12 from Zurich main station and by the S33 after a change in Winterthur. From the station a step-free path leads to the lift and the visitor centre. Boarding help with a mobile ramp is available if you register early with the SBB Contact Center Handicap. For the timetable and the combination with other stops see Zurich to Rhine Falls and the page on getting there.
If you come by car, there is parking at the castle, open around the clock. For cars up to 2.90 m the first hour costs CHF 5 and every further started hour CHF 2. Between 18:00 and 09:00 parking is free. Coaches and motorhomes from 2.90 m pay CHF 40 for the first hour and CHF 10 for each further started hour. These are parking fees only and no permission to stay overnight. There are disabled parking spaces at the visitor centre.
From the castle a ferry crosses the Rhine to Wörth on the north bank in about 5 minutes, sold as a separate ticket. The rock boat to the middle rock starts in Wörth, so it is a plan for the north bank. More on the boats is on the boat tour page.
A short history of the castle
The long version is on the history page.
Laufen Castle is first mentioned in the year 858. In 1544 it was sold to the city of Zurich. The castle rock gives the tour its view of the falls from above and from the side, and the platforms are the reason most visitors come. Read the whole story, including the industry on the north bank, on our Rhine Falls history page.
If you book a tour with castle entry from Zurich, the visit to the platforms is part of the programme. A coach tour includes the admission to the Rhine Falls at the castle, a private tour with Laufen Castle includes the castle and entrance tickets to the falls, and a boat is usually an optional extra. Check the inclusions on each card.
Frequently asked questions
Is Schloss Laufen on the north or the south bank?
On the south bank, in Laufen-Uhwiesen in the canton of Zurich. Wörth and Neuhausen are on the north bank.
Can I visit Schloss Laufen with a wheelchair or pram?
The Belvedere is reached over the panorama path and works for both. The lift and the visitor centre are step-free. The Känzeli and the Fischetz can only be reached over steps, and there is no step-free way to the basin or the boat landing.
Is the Historama open?
No, it is closed until 27 November 2026 because of renovation (status 1 November 2026). Check the opening again before your visit if you travel later.
How much does parking at the castle cost?
Cars up to 2.90 m pay CHF 5 for the first hour and CHF 2 for each further started hour, and parking is free from 18:00 to 09:00. Coaches and motorhomes from 2.90 m pay CHF 40 and CHF 10.
Is this the official website of Schloss Laufen?
No. This is an independent guide. It is not the website of Schloss Laufen, of the operators of the boats or of the Rhine Falls.