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At just over 2500m above sea level, the Säntis is smaller than other well-known mountains in Switzerland. However, depending on the weather, its location can even be seen from the Black Forest. Only a little over a one-hour drive from Zurich, it’s definitely worth a day trip.
I treated myself to an afternoon trip up the mountain with my partner as my driver. We hoped to enjoy the sunset with the last descent. You can find out in this post whether this worked or not.
Out of the city up to the mountain
The valley station can be reached by car in within 100 km from Zurich. However, if you don't have a car, you can use public transport to get there. By train to Urnäsch or Nesslau and from there the bus to the door of the valley station.
Copyright by Säntis-Schwebebahn
On the way with the monorail
Go up the mountain with the monorail. In a few minutes you are at the mountain station and can already enjoy the beautiful panorama on the way. Pure Swissness! It is worth comparing the prices for the trip on the website saentisbahn.ch. Without a discount, the trip starts at CHF 54.00, which is actually a bargain compared to other mountains. The offer with a snack appealed to us: for CHF 56.00 and a little refreshment in the panorama restaurant. Let’s go.
Tip: Try Säntis breakfast! For CHF 62.00, you get the monorail ticket and breakfast until 10:30 am. No reservation is required during the week.
Arriving on the mountain top
You are not yet at the top of the mountain when you're leaving the monorail. With the elevator 4 floors up to the viewing platform or up a flight of stairs (it's for an unsporty curvy as me pretty doable). The view from every side is simply stunning. Mountains have it's fascination, that gives back pure power. Unfortunately it was very windy at the top and the fog crept in front of the lens. Trying to snap some nice pictures required full physical effort.
Weather station
The Säntis has served as a weather station since 1887. However, in 1922, the work of the weather attendant achieved a sad fame. The weather guard at the time, Heinrich Haas, and his wife, Maria Magdalena, where killed there. Only when the weather reports failed to appear did the officials send someone up the mountain, finding the couple had passed.
Off to the snack
We shake off the thoughts of the tragic weather attendant and go to the panorama restaurant after a small windy excursion. Conveniently, there are large displays about the next (and important: last) descent with the monorail. The snack plate is served on a beautiful wooden board and offers all kinds of deli from the area. That way a mountain trip is fun.
The sunset on this cool winter day is just before five o'clock, about the same time as the last descent back to the valley station. Unfortunately, the weather didn't play along, but the scenery is so impressive.
Interesting fact
From the summit you can see six countries: Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, France and Italy
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