Vaduz
Vaduz is the capital city of Liechtenstein and has a population of 5,700 (2019). It's home to the prince's castle and his museums, and thus the main point of interest for visitors to this small country. However, some people consider it to be a rather disappointing hodge-podge of unattractive modern buildings, cranes and farmland, so while it is a European capital, it may not be of interest to some visitors for more than a quick stop.
Understand
Vaduz is the capital of Liechtenstein, but not its largest city: Schaan is slightly larger. German language sources like to point out that it lacks Stadtrecht and is thus the only capital of a European state that is legally a village.
Get in
By public transit
🌍 Intercity bus stop Vaduz Rheinparkstadion. Flixbus stops here and has rides from Munich, Bregenz, Lindau, Milan, Lugano and Chur. From the bus stop it's a 10 min walk to the city centre of Vaduz.
ÖBB, the Austrian federal railway company, runs trains to 🌍 Schaan-Vaduz train station (near Schaan) from Buchs SG station in Switzerland and from Feldkirch in Austria.
Trains from Vienna, Zurich and Chur arrive at the 🌍 train station at Buchs (the main Swiss town on the Liechtenstein border). Buses run every 15 minutes from to Schaan and Vaduz. Tickets can be purchased on the bus for Fr. 3.40 and it only takes about 10 minutes to Schaan and another 5 to Vaduz.
If you're coming by rail from Switzerland, it may be quicker and cheaper to take the train as far as Sargans (rather than Buchs), from where it's possible to catch a bus (see below) straight to Vaduz. Consult the SBB timetable to find out what'll be quickest when you're travelling. There are lockers at the Sargans station so you can leave your luggage there. This link provides a plan of the station showing the lockers and where to catch the bus from.
The Liechtenstein Buses number 12 service runs from Sargans railway station to Buchs railway station via central Vaduz and Schaan railway station. It leaves from outside each station approximately every 20 minutes. The buses are yellow-green in colour. A fare to Vaduz is Fr. 5.80 from Sargens and Fr. 3.40 from Buchs. Consider getting a whole network day pass (Fr. 12) or week pass (Fr. 24) if you are making many journeys on Liechtenstein Buses, though two single fares (e.g. from Sargens or Buchs to Vaduz and Vaduz onward to Feldkirch) cost less than a day pass.
From Feldkirch railway station in Austria, look for the distinctive off-yellow Liechtenstein Buses. Numbers 11 and 14 head straight to Vaduz and number 13 goes to Buchs railway station, by-passing Vaduz, so you'll have to change at the Schaan railway station interchange.
By car
You can also drive into the town - it's well signposted. There is plenty of parking.
On foot or bike
- 🌍 Old Rhine Bridge Vaduz-Sevelen (Alte Rheinbrücke Vaduz–Sevelen). If you are coming by bike or on foot, you can use this, the last extant wooden bridge across the Rhine into or out of Liechtenstein. The bridge has been renovated several times (most lately 2009/10) but goes back to an over a century-old predecessor. Until 1975 (when a new concrete bridge opened) this bridge also carried motorized traffic
Get around
Vaduz is very small and walking around the city and the areas around it will not take very long.
The municipal borders of Vaduz are a delight of European feudalism run amok, as it contains seven exclaves seemingly randomly spread across the national territory. This will have almost no practical importance for most visitors.
See
- 🌍 Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein (Liechtenstein Museum of Fine Arts). Has an interesting collection on the ground floor and has a changing modern exhibition on the first floor.
- 🌍 Liechtensteinisches Landesmuseum (Liechtenstein National Museum). The national museum has events and exhibits of history, natural history, and stamps.
- The Prince's Wine Collection (a 5-minute walk from the central square). Available to view by a vineyard on the northern edge of Vaduz.
- 🌍 Schloss Vaduz (Vaduz Castle). The official residence of the Prince of Liechtenstein. Excellent views of the surrounding area can be gained by taking the short walk up to the castle which hangs above Vaduz. The walk is gentle and goes up the side of the hill and through the woods and emerges at the side entrance to the castle. It is not possible to enter the grounds of the castle, but walking around the perimeter is fine. In winter it can be very slippery, so if visiting at this time it is best to wear suitable footwear to avoid accidents.
A short walk towards the river will offer visitors the chance to experience some great views of the mountains surrounding the city. The old covered bridge which spans the Rhine river provides an interesting way to cross the border between Liechtenstein and Switzerland. The unpainted, weathered wooden bridge is rustic in appearance. It accommodates foot or bicycle traffic only, cars are prevented from approaching. Drivers may find it tricky to pull off. Cars on this road are headed to the Swiss Autobahn, a few hundred metres across the river directly west of the bridge. Please use care. These motorists may not tolerate the casual traveller on a busy road. There is no means to access the bridge from the west by car. The road that would appear to lead to the western end of the bridge is the aforementioned Swiss Autobahn.
From the centre of Vaduz follow Zollstrasse (towards the football stadium) until you reach the river. There are no border checks.
- 🌍 Postal Museum. Hosted in the "Engländerbau" , Liechtenstein's first steel frame building.
- 🌍 Red House. A red house with a stepped gable dating perhaps to the early 16th century.
- 🌍 Schalun Castle (Wildschloss). The ruined remains of a castle, very nice place for a afternoon grill, there are fireplaces and stocked up firewood, no water connection though. The next water source is a few meters down the path at the Waiher. Could be a nice place for wildcamping during the week and if you pitch up your tent late and put it back early, before the first people come. Free.
- 🌍 Vaduz Cathedral. As Vaduz has been seat of an archdiocese since 1997, this 19th-century church is now the small country's only cathedral.
- 🌍 City Hall. Older and perhaps more architecturally interesting than the building housing the national parliament.
- 🌍 Government House (Regierungsgebäude). Official seat of government of Liechtenstein and also the erstwhile seat of parliament. Construction dates to 1903-1905.
- 🌍 (Parliament Hall). The official seat of parliament since 2008, this building may look a bit bland on the outside, but it is where Liechtensteinian politics (well, the parts not decided by the Fürst anyway) is made.
Do
Buy
The main shops in Vaduz sell tourist trinkets all branded in Liechtensteinian and Swiss colours. There are plenty of flags, t-shirts and cuckoo clocks available. People who enjoy collecting passport stamps are able to get an official Liechtenstein Tourist Office stamp at the Tourist Information office. The cost was Fr. 3 in July 2018. This is unique as there are no border crossings at either of Liechtenstein's frontiers. Postage stamps and postcards can be bought at the post office opposite the tourist office as well as most other shops.
There is also a small retail village between Vaduz and Balzers. This is home to a McDonalds, and a sports clothes shop among other things.
Eat
The main square is behind the bus station in the middle of Vaduz. There are a number of cafes and restaurants offering hearty Liechtensteinian, Swiss, and Austrian fare at reasonable prices.
Budget
Liechtenstein isn't a cheap place to eat. More low-priced options are in Feldkirch just across the Austrian border. It's 15 km by car. The train departs from Schaan. And the more frequent city bus goes from Vaduz there.
in Vaduz
- 🌍 made-in-italy.li, herrengasse 9. Good simple Italian restaurant with good pasta and friendly service. Simply delicious and absolutely authentic.
- 🌍 Coa Asia Take Away, Aeulestrasse 6. Nice Asian restaurant close to the center of Vaduz. Large portions and affordable prices.
- 🌍 Red Mango Thai Takeaway, Landstrasse 91. Real Thai food made by a friendly Thai lady. You can choose what you want at the buffet and it will be scooped up quickly.
in the neighbouring city Schaan
- 🌍 Restaurant Forum, Gapetschstrasse 87. Swiss cuisine. Nice restaurant, very friendly staff and good food. Close to the Youth hostel. You can sit nice and dry outside under a roof, even in heavy rain. Inside rustic dining room, very comfortable.
- 🌍 Ha Long Restaurant, Zollstrasse 17. Great little restaurant with very fair prices. The owner is a great person and wonderful host.
Mid-range
- 🌍 New Castle, Aeulestrasse 22, ☏ +423 232 10 65. In the centre of Vaduz. It is impossible to miss and offers authentic food at a reasonable price and with a pleasant atmosphere.
- 🌍 Restaurant Amarone, Städtle 29. Excellent Italian restaurant in the heart of Vaduz. Very fine food and great service. Well-kept and elegant. The indoor is very well decorated. The staff is extremely helpful and courteous. The staff can communicate in English. The chef is very accommodating to the requests.
- 🌍 Adler, Herrengasse 2. Traditional Swiss cuisine. Menu pleasantly diverse. Delicious food in very generous portions served in modern, yet welcoming surroundings by incredibly friendly and attentive staff. They have vegan and vegetarian options clearly marked.
Splurge
- 🌍 Marée, Mareestrasse 29. Not only is the service excellent and the interior is gorgeous, but the food is super tasty and you can tell it’s made with love and care. The dishes have complex flavours, amazing textures and combinations.
Learn
- 🌍 University of Liechtenstein. The only institution of academic learning in the principality.
Sleep
Frankly, you'd be mad to spend the night in Vaduz when you could ascend into the mountains and enjoy the breath-taking views from places such as Triesenberg or Malbun.
Go next
- Links to the A13 motorway in Switzerland (which runs alongside the border) are clearly signposted.
- The medieval town of Feldkirch in Austria is 15 minutes away, and has a lot of charm.