St. Gallen by Minibus: Abbey Library, Appenzell and the Lake
St. Gallen opens up eastern Switzerland: a UNESCO abbey district in town, the green hills of Appenzell half an hour away, and Lake Constance shared with Germany and Austria. It suits a small group that wants to see a lot without long drives.
Getting close to the old town
The old town is a pedestrian zone. Vehicles let groups out on Lagerstrasse beside the station, a set-down-only point, then park on Museumstrasse or at Spelteriniplatz. Both are paid, and Spelteriniplatz is shut while the OLMA or OFFA fair or the Zirkus Knie is on.
From Museumstrasse it is about ten minutes on foot to the abbey district, so you can walk back to the vehicle at the end of your visit.
The Abbey Library
The Baroque library hall of the Stiftsbibliothek is the highlight. Guided group visits last 50, 90 or 120 minutes and can combine the cathedral, the cellar vaults, the exhibition room and the library itself. Each takes up to 25 people and is booked at least two weeks ahead. On weekdays, guided groups may enter from 09:00.
The library has closure periods during the year, including two weeks in November, so check the dates before you fix the day. The cathedral cannot be visited during services or on Sunday mornings.
Flying in to St. Gallen
Favourite stops around St. Gallen
- Rorschach on Lake Constance (day trip) — Coach parking in Rorschach: Kurplatz (P2, 3 spaces) and Burgstrasse (P15, 1 space), as listed by St.Gallen-Bodensee Tourismus.
- Appenzell (day trip) — Village of Appenzell, reached by the Appenzeller Bahnen via Gossau, St.Gallen or Altstätten. Paid car parks P1 to P5 (Brauerei, Hallenbad, Ziel, Neuhof, Spital). No official coach parking is published by Appenzellerland Tourismus.
- Säntis (Schwägalp, day trip) — Valley station of the Säntis-Schwebebahn at Schwägalp (9107 Schwägalp), reached from St.Gallen or Gossau via the signed route towards Appenzell / Schwägalp, or from Toggenburg via Nesslau; roads are cleared in winter. Parking with coach and disabled spaces at the valley station (paid at meters or by app). The cable car is closed from 1 May until late autumn 2026 because it is being replaced; the shop, hotel and restaurants at Schwägalp stay open. Public transport: Appenzeller Bahnen to Urnäsch or Thurbo to Nesslau, then PostAuto to Schwägalp.
- Altstadt (old town) — The old town is a pedestrian zone. The official coach set-down point is on Lagerstrasse (by the station), and coaches park on Museumstrasse or Spelteriniplatz; the walk from the Museumstrasse coach park to the Stiftsbezirk takes about ten minutes (see coach notes).
- Textilmuseum St.Gallen — Vadianstrasse 2, in a traffic-calmed zone close to the old town and the Stiftsbezirk, a few minutes on foot from the station. Open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00-17:00, closed on Mondays and on 24 and 25 December. Groups of 15 or more are asked to book a guided tour (at most 25 people per tour, several tours can run at once), at least two weeks ahead, or four weeks for tours in other languages. The museum closes after 28 February 2027 for a renovation of about three years (closed from 1 March 2027).
- Kathedrale St.Gallen — Baroque cathedral at the heart of the Stiftsbezirk World Heritage site. Open Monday and Tuesday 06:30-18:30, Wednesday to Saturday 07:00-18:30 (in summer until 19:00), Sunday 07:30-20:30; no sightseeing during services or on Sunday mornings. Group tours of the cathedral are offered by the cathedral sacristans, or combined with the Stiftsbibliothek tours.
- Stiftsbezirk St.Gallen and Stiftsbibliothek (UNESCO World Heritage) — Stiftsbibliothek St.Gallen, Klosterhof 6d, 9000 St.Gallen. The Stiftsbibliothek (Baroque library hall), the Gewölbekeller and the Ausstellungssaal are open daily, 10:00-17:00 from October to June and 10:00-18:00 from July to September; last entry 15 minutes before closing. From Monday to Friday, groups guided by the Stiftsbezirk's own guides can enter the library from 09:00 on request. Closed from 9 to 23 November 2026 and on 24 and 25 December 2026 (also 26 April 2027; on 24-25 February 2027 only the Ausstellungssaal is closed). Group tours (50, 90 or 120 minutes, combining the library, the cellar, the exhibition hall and the cathedral) must be booked at least two weeks ahead with the online form; at most 25 people per tour, so larger groups book several tours. Group admission rates apply from 10 people. Five to ten minutes on foot from St.Gallen station; bus 11 stops at "Stiftsbezirk".
Good pickup points
- Appenzell
- Wil
- Rorschach on Lake Constance
- Winkeln (Berit Sitterstadion, Shopping Arena)
- Olma Messen / St.Fiden
- Museumsquartier / Tonhalle / Theater (around Museumstrasse and Spelteriniplatz)
- St.Gallen station (Hauptbahnhof) area
- Altstadt (old town) and Stiftsbezirk
Appenzell and the hills
Appenzell village is about 30 minutes away. It lists car parks but no coach parking, so the operator agrees where the minibus stops. Wasserauen, for the Ebenalp cable car, is about 40 minutes. The Säntis cable car at Schwägalp is being replaced, so check that it has reopened before planning a summit day.
Lake Constance and Liechtenstein
Bregenz in Austria is about 45 minutes, Lindau and Konstanz in Germany about an hour, and the island of Mainau about 1.25 hours. On the Swiss shore, Rorschach lists a few coach spaces by the Kurplatz.
Vaduz is about an hour away. The Rhine Falls and Stein am Rhein are each about 1.25 hours, which makes either a good stop on the way to or from Zurich.
Questions travellers ask
Which airport do we use?
Zurich, about 85 km from the Marktplatz, roughly 1 h 15 min in light traffic. Trains from St. Gallen reach Zürich HB in under an hour.
Can we come during the OLMA?
The big agriculture and food fair fills eleven days in October and draws about 335,000 visitors. There is no parking at the fairground and Spelteriniplatz is closed, so allow extra time for everything.
Can a small group see an FC St. Gallen match?
Yes. On match days the Berit Sitterstadion in Winkeln has standing places for coaches at no charge if you register with the club's ticketing by email beforehand, with your headcount and number plate.
Other trips we arrange
- Company days out and congress weeks, one minibus at a time
- Ski week transfers: airport to chalet in one minibus
- Class outings sized to fit one vehicle
- Away days for clubs, squads and supporters
- Getting your wedding guests there, and home again
- Day trips by minibus: lakes, falls and panoramic trains
- From the gangway to your next stop by minibus
- Accessible trips for groups with wheelchair users
Other vehicles with a driver
- Full-size coach (Reisecar) — Seats: 45-57
- Midi-coach (Midibus / Midicar) — Seats: 25-35
- Minibus (Kleinbus) — Seats: 9-16 passengers plus the driver
- Executive Sprinter-style minibus — Seats: 8-16 passengers plus the driver
- Executive car with driver (limousine service) — Seats: 1-3 (up to 8 passengers in a van-type car)
- Wheelchair-accessible minibus — Seats: Varies by layout; wheelchair positions replace seats
Plan eastern Switzerland
Share your dates, how many are coming, your hotel and the trips you have in mind, from the library to the lake. We arrange the minibus and driver through a licensed partner operator.
Request a quote or call 35227647770