Visiting Thurgau along the Route of the InterCity 81: Switzerland’s Cross-Country Commuter Train Line from Interlaken to Lake Constance

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Bern to Thurgau

Anyone familiar with Switzerland’s train system is probably already confused after reading the title as to why I would ever write an entire blog post around one of Switzerland’s major commuter train routes… but rest assured I have my reasons.

For the uninitiated, the InterCity 81, or IC81 for short, travels every day on the hour between Interlaken Ost in the Berner Oberland and Romanshorn in the Canton of Thurgau.

The train makes 10 stops in between at Interlaken West, Spiez, Thun, Bern, Zurich Hauptbahnohof, Zurich Airport, Winterthur, Frauenfeld, Weinfelden, and Amriswil. In total, it’s a 3 hour and 12-minute journey end to end that, much like a Swiss watch, is reliably efficient and on time.

As far as Swiss scenery goes, the route of the IC81 is nice, especially around Lake Thun and in the rolling fields of Thurgau, but it’s far from the nicest route in the country. The trains are standard Swiss rolling stock, there are no panorama cars and, for most people, it’s simply the most efficient way to get to work or to and from Zurich’s busy airport.

For me though, the IC81 is a lot more. I was in the IC81 the first time I ever saw the Alps, I came up with the idea for Hidden Switzerland Travel while riding the IC81 and, each week, I spend upwards of 12 hours commuting on the route between the Berner Oberland and Zurich writing most of our blog posts.

Despite all that reverence for a train route, until a few weeks ago, I had never actually been on the full route of the IC81. So, with fall closing in and temperatures dropping, I decided to change things up and take the full trip into the wonderful Canton of Thurgau.

This week, I share a portion of that journey with you as I head straight from the Berner Oberland to the end of the line at Lake Constance, pop into the adorable and vastly underrated town of Arbon, before making my way back along the promenade of Romanshorn, the vineyards of Weinfelden, and the old town of Frauenfeld.

It’s a wonderful day trip that exceeded my expectations and I can’t wait to share it with you.

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A Long Trip to Arbon

I first came up with the idea of completing the route of the IC81 when we switched trains at Zurich HB on our way to visit Appenzell earlier in the year. For whatever reason, it clicked then that, while we had been all the way east to St. Gallen and Constance (just over the border in Germany), we had never been in between, and never on the IC81.

So, early one Friday morning, I packed my bag and hopped on my normal commuter train blowing through Zurich HB where the train more or less cleared out. An hour or so later, I switched trains at Romanshorn straight onto an S-Bahn to my first stop of the day, Arbon.

Despite fantastic weather across the rest of the Swiss Plateau, as soon as the train entered Thurgau, we were enveloped by its thick characteristic fog which hung around until mid-day. A bit groggy and stiff from sitting on the train for 3 and a half hours, I stumbled out at Arbon Seemoosriet about 2 kilometers up the lake from the Arbon old town intent to get my legs moving.

Had the weather been nicer, the early walk might have been worth it for the Lake views but, with the amount I ended up walking that day and the stubborn fog, I probably should have just gotten off at Arbon proper. Regardless, on I went.

Knowing virtually nothing about Arbon prior to my visit (except that it was where Gallus stalled out on his way through 2nd Century Switzerland with Columbanus), my initial intention was to visit the Mohl Cider Factory just outside of town for a tour and a taste. The Canton of Thurgau is well known for its orchards and agricultural roots but walking through the old town of Arbon completely changed my plans.

Arbon has one of the most interesting old towns in all of Switzerland and I say that after visiting quite a few over the last couple years... The town is a mishmash of styles from Romanesque to Art Nouveau and everything in between and there is art almost everywhere you look.

Fog hanging low over Lake Constance and Arbon

A selection of architecture in Arbon

As most of you already know, I am a sucker for a good castle and Arbon’s is right in the center of town built on the ruins of an older Roman fortress. Exceptional layered history that is my absolute favorite.

Nearby to the Castle sits the town’s Church with its medieval tower done over in neo-gothic style to make it look ‘more medieval.’ The church is nice enough but the highlight is a small chapel just behind the church which hosts the supposed footprint of Gallus, St. Gallen’s namesake. In the 2nd Century, Gallus left from here to set up his hermitage in the woods, which eventually became the site of the Abbey of St. Gall. You can read all about it on our visit to St. Gallen earlier this year.

The castle complex in Arbon

After making a quick pass around the castle and church, I dove deeper into Arbon wandering the streets finding more exceptionally interesting buildings than you could shake a stick at.

Interestingly, Arbon seemed almost completely void of visitors… maybe it was the time of year or the fact that it was a Friday or some combination thereof, but I really expected more people to be enjoying such a great town right on the lake front.

About the time my stomach started groaning for lunch, the sun finally conquered the fog calling me to sit out on the waterfront. There are not a huge number of restaurants in Arbon and as of late, my go to Swiss lunch seems to be a slice of savory pie from the nearest bakery anyhow. It's cheap and filling, and, even if you take it to go, they will generally heat it up for you.

The particularly nice slice of onion pie I grabbed from the bakery at the heart of Arbon’s old town cost me less than if I made it myself and it perfectly hit the spot. On top of that, the early fall views from the benches on the towns lovely waterfront promenade were divine.

Mindful of time, I wrapped up my lunch quickly and took a stroll along the promenade in the direction of the train station. Unfortunately, there is only a single train every hour from Arbon so, I skipped the cider factory and headed back to Romanshorn.

On my way to the train, I passed a few bikers touring Lake Constance and I think, without a doubt, I will have to come back for my own ride. The scenery is lovely, the paths are perfect, and the bonus, going a bit faster and being a bit more flexible gives you the chance to see twice as many towns along the way!

The footprint of Gallus outside a chapel in Arbon

A portion of the Arbon old town

Views from the Arbon waterfront

Switzerland's Port Town of Romanshorn

A quick S-Bahn ride brought me back to the train station at Romanshorn. While my brief investigations of what to do in Romanshorn honestly didn’t turn up very much, rather than jump straight on the waiting IC81, I decided to do the town a bit of justice and take a whirlwind hour loop around the port and marina on Lake Constance.

The mix of warehouses and old boat moorings speak to a much more active industrial period than what seems to exist today. Most of the warehouses have been converted into restaurants and art galleries and the majority of the docks and moorings sit empty, with the exception of a few ferries and expensive looking sail boats.

The port of Romanshorn

Around 150 years ago, the construction of the rail line between Zurich and Romanshorn connected inland Switzerland with Lake Constance resulting in a boom in industry and trade. From agricultural products to alcohol, ropes, and mail, everything passed through Romanshorn on its way to and from Germany.

The post-war years saw the port industry in Romanshorn gradually fade away. Redevelopment of portions of the port in 2021 in an attempt to revive the waterfront have given it a nice vibe and I imagine that it will ultimately change the towns character once again.

Working my back around the port past the train station, I passed several quiet beach bars and made my way to the iconic little lighthouse capping the jetty at the opening to the port of Romanshorn. The small park and promenade near the lighthouse offers exceptional views out over Lake Constance and plenty of nice places to sit and enjoy the water.

The oldest visible portions of Romanshorn can be found on a small hill just to the north of the port. While not much to look at from the outside, a peek in the 8th Century Romanesque church reveals beautiful medieval-era frescos.

Founded during the times of the Romans, during the middle ages, Romanshorn found itself largely beholden to the Abbey of St. Gall. When the Reformation swept through in the 16th Century, there was a schism between the town’s prominent families that saw nearly all of them convert to the Protestant faith.

Over the ensuing Centuries, the powerful Abbey was able to attract some of those families back to the Catholic faith with a range of benefits resulting in a divided Romanshorn and multiple churches, the latest of which was completed in the early 20th Century just behind the historic Romanesque Church.

Views around Romanshorn

The modern church in Romanshorn

Had it been the height of summer, I probably would have lingered a bit longer in Romanshorn taking in a drink and the fresh lake breeze but the call of the rest of Thurgau was too great.

Getting Lost in the Vines

While Thurgau is generally known for its produce and the ubiquitous apple orchards you pass on your way through the Canton, one town, Weinfelden, true to its name, is known for its grapes.

During the Middle Ages, Weinfelden was, by far, the largest town in Thurgau and party to some of the first successful attempts to free the region from the grasp of outside influence like the Abbey of St. Gall and Zurich. Today’s Weinfelden is relatively quiet and relaxed. Long since freed of its overlords and no longer the political center of Thurgau, Weinfelden has adopted a laid-back wine growing vibe that is a joy to visit.

Passing though the old town, I was immediately attracted up the hill by a cacophony of bells coming from an imposing castle-like tower that seemed to make up nearly the entirety of a church perched on the edge of the hill.

After centuries of dispute following the reformation, separate Protestant and Catholic Churches finally replaced the dilapidated medieval church on this site around the turn of the last century. Looking for a fresh and modern look, the Protestants brought in a firm from Zurich to design their church in the style of Art Nouveau.

The Old Town of Weinfelden

The Evangelical Church of Weinfelden

Inside, the octagonal structure forms a semi-circle around a central dome with sweeping arches holding the choir. The decoration are elegant, geometrical, and eye catching. A masterpiece of Art Nouveau both inside and out.

Inside the Evangelical Church of Weinfelden

After lingering far longer in the church than otherwise warranted, I wandered back down into the old town taking in the nice mix of medieval and Art Nouveau architecture which seem to have leaked out of the church and into the surroundings.

While reading a historical plaque on the edge of a building near the town hall, a friendly local passed and asked if I was searching for the start of the Weinfelden Weinweg.

Having never heard of the Weinfelden Weinweg (and brain in overdrive trying to process Thurgau Swiss German dialect in real-time) I naturally responded ‘Yes, of course I am looking for the Weinfelden Weinweg!’ The response ‘Stimmt’ or simply ‘correct’ took me even longer to process until I realized that I was standing just in the shadow of a narrow pathway weaving between two buildings up the hill.

Looking up the path of the Weinfelden Weinweg

Interest peaked, I set off on the path and eventually ended up deep in the vineyards beneath the fantastic looking Schloss Weinfelden. Wholly unprepared for a long walk uphill in the direct sun, I blazed forward eventually making a large 2-hour loop past several wineries before ending up back on the edge of town.

Caught too off-guard for a full-blown wine tasting tour (many of the tasting rooms were closed for the grape harvest anyway), I settled for a couple of apples from the self-service farm store on my path and made a mental note to come back in summer when things were a bit more lively.

I skipped Amriswil, the penultimate stop on the IC81, on my way to Weinfelden and, to be honest, I hemmed and hawed for the while about getting off there but, with seemingly even less going on than Romanshorn, no exciting attractions visible from the train line, and no lakefront property or vineyards to save it, I decided the lost hour probably wouldn’t be worth it... Not very Hidden Switzerland of me I know but, priorities.

Views from the Weinfelden Weinweg

One Last Stop in Thurgau

Back on the IC81, I had one more stop to make in Thurgau before heading home, Frauenfeld, the capital of Thurgau since 1803. In contrast to the rest of my day, Frauenfeld was bustling with pedestrians and rush hour traffic jams, a bit of a harsh welcome back to urban Switzerland after a day in the rural far-east.

Unfortunately, my excellent but unplanned jaunt through the vineyards of Weinfelden had more or less busted my schedule and it was already early evening when I arrived in Frauenfeld. Most of the museums were closed and I sufficed for a brief wander of the old town before finally heading back to the Berner Oberland.

I made my way to the foot of Frauenfeld’s 13th Century castle and on to its much younger but no less impressive early 20th Century neo-baroque Catholic Church of St. Nikolaus. Massive fires in 1771 and 1788 destroyed much of Frauenfeld including its church paving the way for a more modern town.

Exploring the old town of Frauenfeld

With the day coming to an end and shops already closing their doors, I made my way back to the train station content with my day in Thurgau but eager to head back and explore more that the Canton has to offer.

The Swiss Travel Pass is a great option if you are considering the trip to Thurgau. You get unlimited access to the IC81, the S-Bahn, and over 500 museums in Switzerland.

We hope you enjoyed hearing about our visit to Thurgau. If you liked the trip, you may be interested in the other posts in our One Year: 26 Canton project! Stay tuned for additional articles on our Swiss travels every week!

Until next time, gute Reise, and feel free to leave a comment on one of our social media platforms!