Zurich Open Top Bus, Chocolate and Cheese Factory Tour Appenzell

See Zurich, then taste Switzerland. This long day combines a one-hour open-top city tour with the Chocolarium, Appenzeller cheese, and a short visit to St. Gallen. I like the range: you get city sights, countryside views, chocolate, cheese, and a glimpse of northeastern Switzerland without arranging several separate trips.

I also like the compact group size, limited to 27 people, and the convenience of having transport between far-flung stops. The main drawback is the timing. The city tour and countryside excursion are split, leaving about an hour at Zurich bus station before the afternoon departure, and late arrivals may miss active cheese production.

The tour costs $125.66 per person and lasts roughly eight to nine hours. That is fair if you want a guided day with admissions and transport included, but less attractive if your main goal is watching food being made or spending real time in Appenzell.

Key points to know before booking

• Zurich comes first: Ride an open-top red bus past Lake Zurich, the Rietberg Museum, FIFA Museum, Urania Observatory, and other city sights with an audio guide.
• The afternoon has a split start: After the city ride, you return to the Zurich bus station before boarding the vehicle for the countryside portion.
• The Chocolarium is an interactive museum: You learn how chocolate moves from cocoa bean to finished bar and receive chocolate tastings, but this is not a working factory-floor visit.
• Appenzeller cheese is presented through exhibits: You can see the traditional process and sample cheese, though production may have ended by the time you arrive.
• Appenzell and St. Gallen add cultural interest: You have free time in Appenzell and a 30 to 45 minute stop in St. Gallen, including a chance to see its UNESCO-listed cathedral.
• Lunch is not included: Plan to use the break in Zurich or buy food during the day, depending on the schedule.

A city tour with a useful Zurich overview

The day begins at Zurich Bus Station on Ausstellungsstrasse 5. You meet the red open-top bus and spend about an hour seeing the city from a high, open vantage point. The listed schedule allows roughly 1 hour 30 minutes for this first section, so the exact running time may include boarding and movement through the city.

This is a good way to get your bearings quickly. You pass Zurich Main Station, one of Switzerland’s major railway junctions, and the Urania Observatory, which opened in 1907. You also see Lake Zurich, a pleasant change from city streets, and hear about the former Schweizerische Kreditanstalt, the bank that became Credit Suisse.

The route also takes in the Rietberg Museum and its park. The museum occupies three villas and presents collections from China, Japan, Africa, Oceania, the Near East, and Tibet. Its connection with Richard Wagner adds a cultural note, though you only see the exterior and hear a short explanation rather than visit the galleries.

The bus passes the FIFA Museum, opened in 2016, and a neoclassical mansion built in 1819 by Heinrich Escher. These are the sort of details that make an audio-guided city circuit useful. You will not explore each place, but you get a sense of Zurich’s finance, art, sport, architecture, and lakefront in one sweep.

The open roof is best on a clear day. You get wider views than from a regular coach, but weather matters. Bring a layer, since the upper deck can feel cool even when Zurich is comfortable at street level. If the weather turns poor, the appeal of the open-top portion naturally drops.

The pause at Zurich bus station matters

After the city circuit, the food-focused portion does not leave immediately. You return to the bus station and have about an hour before meeting the driver-guide for the countryside drive.

This is the most important scheduling detail to understand before you pay. Some people may see the tour as one continuous outing, but it functions more like two connected sections: Zurich sightseeing first, then the chocolate and cheese excursion after a break.

That pause is not entirely bad. You can buy lunch at or near Zurich Main Station, where ShopVille has many shops and restaurants and remains open on Sundays. The station is also close to the meeting area and has the Zurich Tourist Office. Still, if you prefer an early start and a full day of sightseeing, the afternoon departure may feel late.

The vehicle for the country portion is air-conditioned, and the drive to Flawil takes about 1 hour 20 minutes. This is a sizable amount of road time, but it lets you reach places that are not practical as quick add-ons from central Zurich.

Chocolate at the Chocolarium in Flawil

The Chocolarium, also called the Factory of Happiness by Munz and Minor, is the first major stop after leaving Zurich. The visit lasts about an hour and admission is included.

Expect an interactive chocolate museum, not a conventional working factory tour. Exhibits explain the history of chocolate making and the path from cocoa bean to finished product. You can learn about the craft, follow the production story, and sample Swiss chocolate.

That distinction matters. If you picture workers pouring chocolate, wrapping bars, and operating machinery right in front of you, this may disappoint. The attraction focuses on displays and interpretation, with hygiene restrictions limiting direct access to food production.

Still, the Chocolarium fits well into a mixed-interest day. You are not simply led into a shop and told to buy sweets. The visit gives context, a clear route through chocolate making, and tasting time. Families and anyone with a sweet tooth should find it easy to enjoy, while serious chocolate fans may want a more technical factory experience.

You should also leave room in your bag for purchases. The tour includes tastings, but buying chocolate is optional and not part of the stated price. That helps keep the cost under control, especially since lunch is already your responsibility.

Appenzeller cheese and the limits of factory timing

After about 30 minutes on the road, you reach the Appenzeller Schaukäserei. The visit takes about 1 hour 30 minutes and includes admission.

Appenzeller cheese has a strong regional identity, and the dairy presents the old cheesemaking tradition through exhibits, explanations, views of the milk vats and aging areas, and samples at different stages of maturity. You get a better sense of how ingredients, aging, and local methods shape the finished cheese.

Here again, set your expectations correctly. This is mainly an exhibition and visitor attraction. You may not see active cheesemaking during your visit, particularly later in the day or on a weekend. Production can be finished by the time the coach arrives, even though the dairy remains open.

That is not necessarily a flaw in the attraction itself, but it is a weakness in the tour’s timing. The product is presented well, yet the word factory can suggest more live action than you are likely to see. If watching the actual process is essential to you, ask about the day’s production schedule before booking.

The cheese tasting is the stronger part for many people. Sampling cheese at different ages gives you a practical way to notice changes in texture and flavor. You can then decide if you want to buy some at the shop, though purchases are extra.

The dairy visit also gives the day a useful regional focus. Chocolate is associated with Switzerland as a whole, while Appenzeller cheese ties the excursion to northeastern Switzerland and the Appenzell area.

Appenzell: a short look at traditional Switzerland

The itinerary includes free time in Appenzell, a colorful village surrounded by the Appenzell Alps. You can walk cobbled streets, photograph painted building fronts, look around Landsgemeindeplatz, and stop at a café if time allows.

This is not a long village stay. The day has several fixed visits and a return drive to Zurich, so you should treat Appenzell as a brief taste rather than a full exploration. You probably will not have time for a serious hike, a museum crawl, or a slow meal.

The village is still valuable because it changes the rhythm of the day. After the coach rides and indoor food exhibits, you can walk around independently and see a place known for local traditions and colorful architecture. The free time also gives you a chance to take photographs without being tied to an audio guide.

Keep your watch handy. It would be easy to wander farther than planned, especially if shops or cafés catch your attention. The group must continue to the next stop and eventually make the roughly one-hour drive back toward Zurich.

Why St. Gallen improves the late part of the day

The schedule has been adjusted at certain times of year because many Appenzell shops close seasonally and sunsets come earlier. As part of that adjustment, the route includes St. Gallen, an attractive historic city with a 30 to 45 minute stop.

This is a short visit, but it gives you a clear target: the cathedral and its surrounding area. The cathedral is part of the Abbey District, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it is the kind of place worth seeing even when you have only enough time for photographs and a quick walk.

Do not expect a full guided tour of St. Gallen. The stop is designed to complement the food visits, not replace a city day. Its value is that it adds architecture and local culture to a tour that might otherwise feel like a series of commercial food attractions.

After St. Gallen, the coach returns to Zurich. The schedule lists roughly 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes for the return, depending on the exact routing and traffic. By then, this will feel like a full day, so wear comfortable shoes and avoid planning a tight evening reservation.

How much value do you get for $125.66?

At $125.66, the price buys more than admission to two attractions. It also covers the open-top Zurich circuit, the air-conditioned vehicle, the driver-guide, transportation into the countryside, free time in Appenzell, and the St. Gallen stop.

I consider that reasonable for someone who wants an organized day and does not want to coordinate trains, local buses, and timed admissions. Flawil, the cheese dairy, Appenzell, and St. Gallen are spread across northeastern Switzerland. Reaching all of them independently would take planning, and you would still pay for transport and entrances.

The value is weaker if you mainly want a live production visit. Both food stops are more museum-like than the name factory may suggest. You are paying for interpretation, tastings, and a broad route, not a guaranteed view of workers making cheese and chocolate.

Lunch is not included. Use the Zurich station break wisely, or be ready to buy food at a later opportunity. The tour description does not promise a dedicated lunch stop, so do not assume you will have a leisurely restaurant meal in Appenzell.

The group limit of 27 is a useful middle ground. It is not a private tour, but it is smaller than a large sightseeing coach. The quality of the day also depends on the guide. Thanasis received especially warm praise for being entertaining, obliging, and good at keeping the day moving. A strong guide can make the long drives feel worthwhile. On another departure, weak commentary was a serious problem, so guide performance may vary.

Who should book this Swiss food and sightseeing day?

I would recommend this experience to you if you have limited time in Zurich and want a broad sampler of Switzerland beyond the city. It suits first-time visitors, families, couples, and anyone who likes combining scenery with food and light cultural sightseeing.

It is also a good fit if you prefer having the transport handled for you. The route reaches several places that are awkward to combine on your own in one day, and the included admissions simplify the budget.

I would hesitate if you want a slow, local experience. You will spend a fair amount of time on the road, and each stop has a set limit. The chocolate and cheese attractions are polished visitor centers, not small family workshops. You also need to accept the possibility that cheesemaking has ended before you arrive.

Book at least a day ahead if your plans are firm, since free cancellation is available until 24 hours before the start time. A mobile ticket is provided, and the meeting point is near public transport. Most people can participate, but no baby seat is supplied, so families must bring their own if needed.

My verdict on the Zurich to Appenzell route

I like this tour for its variety. The open-top bus gives you a quick Zurich orientation, the Chocolarium provides an easy introduction to Swiss chocolate, Appenzeller cheese adds a regional flavor, and Appenzell and St. Gallen keep the day from becoming only an indoor food outing.

The main warning is simple: book it for the combination, not for a guaranteed production-floor visit. If you understand the afternoon split, pack for a long day, plan lunch, and accept the commercial style of the two food attractions, the $125.66 price can be fair.

If your priority is seeing Zurich and sampling several corners of northeastern Switzerland with minimal planning, I would book it. If your priority is hands-on cheesemaking, a quiet village meal, or detailed guiding at every stop, choose a more specialized tour.

FAQ

Where does the tour start and finish?

It starts at Zurich Bus Station, Ausstellungsstrasse 5, 8005 Zürich, Switzerland. The activity ends back at the same meeting point.

How long does the experience last?

The full experience lasts approximately eight to nine hours.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is not included in the tour price.

What is included in the price?

The price includes the Zurich open-top bus tour, admission to the Chocolarium, admission to the Appenzeller Schaukäserei, a driver-guide, transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, and free time in Appenzell.

Is the chocolate visit a working factory tour?

The Chocolarium is an interactive museum covering chocolate production from bean to bar. It includes chocolate tastings, but it is not described as direct access to an operating production floor.

Will I see Appenzeller cheese being made?

Production may have finished before the group arrives. The cheese dairy includes exhibits, explanations, views of the cheesemaking areas, and tastings, but live production is not guaranteed.

How much time is spent in St. Gallen?

The stop in St. Gallen lasts approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the experience begins for a full refund. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.