Zurich Open Top Bus, Chocolate and Cheese Factory Tour Appenzell

Zurich’s red open-top bus gives you a quick city overview before the trip heads into northeastern Switzerland for chocolate, cheese, and Appenzell. I like the mix of city sights and countryside, and I like that the $125.66 price includes transport, a driver-guide, both factory admissions, and free time in Appenzell.

The main catch is timing. This is a long day, and the morning Zurich tour is separated from the afternoon food excursion by a break at the bus station. Production at the cheese dairy may also have finished by the time you arrive, so think of the factories as interactive exhibits rather than working production floors.

Key points to know before booking

• A two-part day: You tour Zurich first, then meet again for the chocolate and cheese portion after a break.
• Two very different factory visits: The Chocolarium is a self-guided chocolate attraction, while the Appenzeller Schaukäserei focuses on cheese-making displays and tasting.
• An open-top introduction to Zurich: The bus passes Lake Zurich, the FIFA Museum, Rietberg Museum, Urania Observatory, and major city landmarks.
• Appenzell adds local character: You get free time among painted buildings, cobbled streets, cafes, and the Landsgemeindeplatz.
• Production is not guaranteed: Afternoon arrival and weekend schedules can mean no live cheese-making or chocolate production.
• A small group helps: The vehicle holds a maximum of 27 people, making this more personal than a large coach outing.

Zurich from the red open-top bus

The day begins at Zurich Bus Station on Ausstellungsstrasse 5. The open-top bus tour lasts about an hour, although the published timing also lists roughly 1 hour 30 minutes for the first portion. Allow some flexibility, since city traffic and boarding can affect the exact length.

I like this opening because it lets you see a lot of Zurich without spending your first morning working out the tram system. The audio commentary points out major sights as the bus moves through the city. It is not a substitute for a full walking tour, but it gives you a useful map in your head.

The route passes Zurich Hauptbahnhof, the city’s main railway station and a major rail link to France, Germany, Austria, and Italy. The station also contains ShopVille, with shops and restaurants open every day, including Sundays. That matters if you have time before the second part of the tour and need food, a drink, or a place to wait.

You also pass the Urania Observatory, which opened in 1907 and became a protected historic building in 1989. The route continues along Lake Zurich, offering a change from dense city streets to open water and lakeside views.

Other sights include the former Credit Suisse headquarters, Rietberg Museum, FIFA Museum, and a neoclassical mansion built in 1819 by Heinrich Escher. The Rietberg Museum is particularly interesting from the bus because its villas and park connect Zurich to art from China, Japan, Africa, Oceania, the Near East, and Tibet. You will not have time to visit inside during this tour, but the drive gives you a useful preview.

The FIFA Museum sits opposite the organization’s headquarters and covers 3,000 square meters. Again, this is a passing view, not an admission stop. If football is a major interest, plan a separate visit on another day.

The break that divides the experience

After the city circuit, you return to the bus station before the chocolate and cheese trip begins. The gap can last about an hour, and this is one of the most important details to understand before paying.

Some people may find the pause useful. You can eat lunch, use the station facilities, or take a short walk around central Zurich. Lunch is not included, so this is the natural time to buy something. ShopVille remains open even when many city shops are closed on Sundays.

I would not book this excursion if you expect one continuous departure from morning until evening. The tour is structured as two linked outings, and the wait can feel like dead time if you already have plans near the first meeting point.

The afternoon departure travels by air-conditioned vehicle through the Swiss countryside. The ride to Flawil takes about 1 hour 20 minutes. That is a sizable portion of the day, but the rural drive helps connect Zurich with the more traditional northeastern part of the country.

Chocolate at the Chocolarium in Flawil

The Chocolarium, also called the Factory of Happiness by Munz and Minor, is the first food stop. Admission is included, and you spend about an hour inside.

This is mainly an interactive museum and tasting attraction. You learn about chocolate production from bean to bar, follow the history of chocolate-making, and see displays explaining how Swiss chocolate is made. Tastings are part of the visit, so you get more than a quick look at a gift shop.

The experience is largely self-guided. That gives you freedom to move at your own speed, but it also means you should not expect a long personal presentation from the driver-guide inside the attraction. If you enjoy exhibits, samples, and clear explanations, an hour should work well. If you want to watch workers produce chocolate in real time, expectations need adjusting.

The timing matters here. An afternoon visit may not show active production, particularly on a weekend. The attraction still functions as a museum, but factory machinery and staff demonstrations are not guaranteed. This distinction explains why some people enjoy the visit while others find it too commercial.

I see the Chocolarium as a good introduction to Swiss chocolate, especially for families and anyone who wants tastings without arranging a separate trip from Zurich. The downside is that it is a polished attraction rather than a small, traditional workshop.

Appenzeller Schaukäserei and the limits of a factory visit

From Flawil, the bus continues for about 30 minutes to the Appenzeller Schaukäserei. The visit lasts around 1 hour 30 minutes and admission is included.

The dairy presents the long-established methods behind Appenzeller cheese. You can see displays related to milk vats, aging cellars, ingredients, and the steps that give the cheese its strong and distinctive flavor. Sampling lets you compare cheese at different stages of maturity.

The setting gives you useful context. Appenzeller cheese is not just a product to taste at the end of a tour. Its character comes from the milk, aging, seasoning, and local methods used over time. The displays help explain those elements in a way a supermarket tasting cannot.

Still, do not book this expecting a guaranteed live production show. The bus reaches the dairy in the afternoon, and production may have ended for the day. This issue is especially important on weekends and during periods when operating hours change.

The cheese dairy works best when you treat it as an exhibition with samples, not as a working factory floor. That may sound like a small distinction, but it changes the value of the stop. If your main goal is to watch cheese being made, the timing is a real weakness. If you want to understand and taste Appenzeller cheese, the visit remains worthwhile.

Free time in Appenzell

After the dairy, you have time to explore Appenzell. This is one of the strongest parts of the day because the village offers something the two factory attractions cannot: a sense of place.

Appenzell is known for colorful buildings with painted facades, cobbled streets, small cafes, and traditional Swiss character. You can walk around the central streets, take photographs, and visit the Landsgemeindeplatz, the square associated with the annual open-air assembly.

The free time is not a guided village tour, so you need to make your own plan. That suits independent visitors who like to wander. It may disappoint you if you want a detailed explanation of local customs or architecture from the guide.

The surrounding Appenzell Alps provide the scenery, though this is not a hiking excursion. Your time is limited, so you are mainly seeing the village center rather than exploring the wider area. Even so, Appenzell gives the day a more local feel after the polished chocolate attraction and the structured cheese exhibition.

The seasonal change and St. Gallen stop

The schedule has been adjusted during periods when Appenzell shops close earlier and the sun sets sooner. Instead of relying only on late afternoon time in Appenzell, the route may include a 30 to 45 minute stop in St. Gallen after the cheese visit.

St. Gallen is a useful addition. You can photograph the cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and see part of this historic Swiss city before returning to Zurich. The stop is short, so you should focus on the cathedral and nearby streets rather than trying to see the whole city.

The exact balance between Appenzell and St. Gallen depends on the seasonal schedule. If you are booking during a time of early sunset or limited village opening hours, ask for the current plan so you know how much free time you will have in each place.

How the long return trip feels

The drive back to Zurich takes roughly 1 to 1.5 hours. By this stage, the total day can reach eight or nine hours, with a substantial amount spent on the road.

I think the bus transport is the main practical value of the tour. Reaching Flawil, the cheese dairy, Appenzell, and possibly St. Gallen independently would require several train connections and careful timing. Here, you can sit back and let someone else handle the route.

The tradeoff is less flexibility. You cannot stay longer in Appenzell, skip the chocolate stop, or replace the cheese visit with a longer walk. This is a fixed group schedule, with a maximum of 27 people.

A comfortable vehicle helps, but you should still prepare for a full day. Wear shoes that work on cobbled streets, bring water, and plan to buy lunch during the Zurich break. The mobile ticket makes arrival simple, but keep your phone charged for the meeting details and ticket access.

What the price includes, and what it does not

At $125.66 per person, the tour is not a cheap sightseeing bus, but it bundles several costs into one day. You receive:

• The Zurich open-top bus tour
• Air-conditioned transportation between Zurich and northeastern Switzerland
• A driver-guide
• Admission to the Chocolarium
• Admission to the Appenzeller Schaukäserei
• Free time in Appenzell
• A possible seasonal stop in St. Gallen

Lunch is not included. That is easy enough to handle during the break at Zurich station, where you have access to restaurants and shops.

The value depends on your alternative. If you want chocolate, cheese, Appenzell, and Zurich in one day, the price is reasonable because transport and admissions are covered. If you already plan to visit Zurich independently and only want a small cheese workshop, the tour may feel expensive and overextended.

The strongest value comes from convenience, not luxury. You are paying to connect several places that are awkward to combine on your own. You are not paying for a private guide, a gourmet meal, or a behind-the-scenes factory visit.

Guide quality can shape the whole day

One guide named Thanasis is specifically praised for being entertaining, helpful, and attentive, and for keeping a good balance between bus time and sightseeing. That kind of guide matters on a day with long drives and several transitions.

There is also a caution here. The quality of live commentary can vary. A poor guide may spend too much time speaking with the driver instead of explaining the sights, which would weaken the Zurich portion and the countryside drive.

I would treat the guide as an important part of the value, but not the only reason to book. The food attractions have their own displays and tastings, and the route itself covers a lot of ground. Still, if you care about historical context and personal interaction, it is worth checking the latest operating details before you go.

Who should book this day trip

I would recommend it to you if you have limited time in Zurich and want one organized day covering several Swiss themes. It suits families, first-time visitors, and people who prefer a planned route over multiple train connections.

It also works well if chocolate and cheese are central interests, but you are happy with museum-style factory attractions. Appenzell adds charm and a change of pace, while St. Gallen can fill the seasonal gap when the village closes early.

I would hesitate if you want a relaxed day, a serious food tour, or a close look at live production. The schedule is long, the factory visits are mainly exhibitions, and the split start creates an unavoidable break.

The experience is accessible to most people, and public transport is nearby. Baby seats are not supplied, though you may bring your own. The vehicle limit of 27 people keeps the group from becoming enormous, but this is still a shared excursion rather than a private tour.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want maximum variety with minimum planning. You get a quick Zurich introduction, Swiss chocolate, Appenzeller cheese, Appenzell, and possibly St. Gallen in a single day.

Skip it if your priority is live factory production or a slower village visit. The best way to judge the tour is to see it as a transport-heavy cultural sampler, not a specialist culinary workshop. With that expectation, the combination offers good practical value, especially for a first visit to the region.

FAQ

How long does the Zurich chocolate and cheese tour last?

The experience lasts approximately 8 to 9 hours, including the Zurich bus tour, travel between stops, the factory visits, free time, and the return to Zurich.

Where does the tour start and finish?

It starts at Zurich Bus Station, Ausstellungsstrasse 5, 8005 Zurich, and returns to the same meeting point.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is not included. The break at Zurich station between the city tour and the afternoon excursion gives you time to buy food.

What factory visits are included?

Admission to the Chocolarium in Flawil and the Appenzeller Schaukäserei is included in the price.

Can I see chocolate and cheese being made?

Live production is not guaranteed. The Chocolarium and cheese dairy operate mainly as interactive museum-style attractions, and afternoon or weekend timing may mean that production has finished.

Is there free time in Appenzell?

Yes. Free time in Appenzell is included, allowing you to see the village center, painted buildings, cafes, and Landsgemeindeplatz.

Does the tour visit St. Gallen?

The schedule may include a 30 to 45 minute stop in St. Gallen, particularly during periods when Appenzell shops close early and daylight ends sooner. The stop includes time for photographs and the cathedral area.

Is the tour suitable for children and people bringing a baby?

Most people can participate. A baby seat is not provided, but you may bring your own.