Day 12 – Back to Zurich : Rhine Falls, Old Town and Our Final Evening in Switzerland (Sep’26)

18 September 2026 | Zurich and Rhine Falls, Switzerland

After several memorable days exploring Switzerland, our journey was slowly coming to an end. Day 12, on 18 September 2026, was our final full day in the country, and we were returning from Bern to Zurich for one last night before our flight the following morning.

Whenever a long journey approaches its final day, I feel a mixture of emotions. There is satisfaction from everything we have experienced, but also the feeling that time has passed much faster than expected.

We had already experienced beautiful Swiss cities, mountain landscapes, lakes, historic streets, and memorable train journeys. Now, instead of spending our last day simply relaxing in Zurich, we decided to visit one more famous natural attraction: Rhine Falls.
Our final evening was also special because we planned to meet a friend, enjoy South Indian food, and spend a few more hours walking around Zurich.

It turned out to be a wonderful way to close our Switzerland journey.

Returning from Bern to Zurich by Train

We started the day by traveling from Bern back to Zurich.

By this stage of our Switzerland trip, traveling by train had become a familiar part of our daily routine. One thing I appreciated throughout the journey was how conveniently Switzerland’s railway network connects major cities with smaller towns and natural attractions.

We reached Zurich railway station during the daytime.

Zurich Hauptbahnhof, the city’s main railway station, is one of Switzerland’s most important transportation hubs. With connections to different parts of the country, it is a convenient location for travelers arriving, departing, or planning short excursions.

Since this was our last night in Switzerland, we had booked accommodation close to the station.

Our hotel was Hotel Montana Zurich, which was conveniently located for our travel plans.

Staying near the railway station made sense because we wanted to explore Rhine Falls during the afternoon and needed to travel to the airport the next morning.

Lunch at Zurich Railway Station

After arriving in Zurich, we decided to have lunch at the railway station before checking into our hotel.

Large railway stations in Switzerland offer plenty of practical facilities, including restaurants, cafés, supermarkets, and shops.

For travelers moving between cities, having a meal at the station can save time and make the rest of the day more comfortable.

We enjoyed our lunch and then headed to Hotel Montana to check in.

There was a different feeling about this hotel stay. Unlike the previous days, when we were preparing for another destination within Switzerland, this was our final night.

We didn’t want to waste the afternoon, so after checking in, we got ready for our visit to Rhine Falls.

An Afternoon Trip to Rhine Falls, Switzerland

One of the attractions we had planned for our final day was Rhine Falls.

Rhine Falls is one of Switzerland’s most famous natural landmarks and is widely recognized as Europe’s most powerful waterfall by water volume.

Located near Schaffhausen and Neuhausen am Rheinfall, it is a popular destination for travelers visiting Zurich.

From Zurich, we took a train toward the Rhine Falls area. Our journey took approximately one hour.

Traveling by train was convenient because we didn’t need to rent a car or arrange private transportation.

As this was our final afternoon, we wanted to keep the visit straightforward and return to Zurich in time for our evening plans.

Walking Around Rhine Falls for Two Hours

After arriving, we spent approximately two hours walking around the Rhine Falls area.

The waterfall is known for its powerful flow, wide rocky formations, and viewing areas where visitors can observe the water rushing downstream.

The surrounding paths allow travelers to explore different perspectives of the falls, while the wider destination also offers viewpoints and optional boat experiences.

For us, the main activity was walking around and seeing the waterfall.

I would describe our experience as okay rather than extraordinary.

Rhine Falls is certainly a well-known natural attraction, and it was interesting to see another side of Switzerland beyond its cities and mountains. However, after experiencing so many beautiful landscapes during our journey, this particular stop did not leave the same impression as some of the other places we had visited.

And I think that is a normal part of traveling.

Not every famous attraction becomes your favorite. Sometimes a place is worth seeing once, but you may not feel the need to return.

We still enjoyed spending time outdoors, walking around the area, and adding one more destination to our Switzerland experience.

Is Rhine Falls Worth Visiting from Zurich?

Based on our experience, I would say Rhine Falls is worth considering if you are staying in Zurich and have a few spare hours.

It is relatively easy to reach by public transportation, and the visit can fit into a half-day excursion.

However, I wouldn’t necessarily place it above Switzerland’s mountain regions, scenic lakes, or historic towns if your itinerary is very limited.

It depends on what kind of travel experience you enjoy.

If you love waterfalls, natural scenery, and photography, you may appreciate Rhine Falls more than we did.

For us, it was a pleasant additional stop rather than the highlight of our Switzerland journey.

That is also why I prefer sharing my actual experiences instead of describing every destination as amazing.

Different places leave different impressions, and that is what makes personal travel stories meaningful.

Back to Hotel Montana Around 5 PM

After spending about two hours around Rhine Falls, we took the train back to Zurich.

We returned to our hotel around 5 PM.

By this time, we had already traveled from Bern to Zurich, checked into our hotel, and completed an afternoon excursion.

We decided to rest for approximately one hour before going out again.

This short break was helpful because our evening plans included meeting a friend for dinner and walking around Zurich.

We wanted to enjoy our final night without feeling too tired.

Meeting Our Friend for South Indian Dinner

Around 6:30 PM, we met our friend near our hotel.

It was nice to include a personal meeting during our final evening in Switzerland.

Traveling is not only about visiting attractions. Meeting people, sharing conversations, and enjoying meals together can become equally meaningful parts of a journey.

We decided to have South Indian food at a restaurant near Hotel Montana.

After several days of international travel, having familiar Indian food was a welcome experience.

South Indian cuisine has its own comforting character, and enjoying it with a friend made the evening even more pleasant.

We spent time together over dinner, talking and enjoying the opportunity to meet before leaving Switzerland.

It was a simple experience, but sometimes those are the moments you remember most clearly.

Our Final Evening Walk Around Zurich

After dinner, we were not ready to return to the hotel.

This was our last evening in Switzerland, and we wanted to make the most of it.

We decided to spend another couple of hours walking around Zurich.

Unlike our first visit to the city earlier in the journey, this evening felt different. We were no longer thinking about what we needed to see or which attractions remained on our list.

We simply wanted to enjoy Zurich one more time.

We walked through parts of the Old Town and around the lakeside areas, enjoying the evening atmosphere.

Zurich has a special charm after sunset. The combination of historic buildings, streets, restaurants, and waterfront surroundings makes it an enjoyable city for an evening stroll.

Walking is one of my favorite ways to experience European cities.

You notice small details that are easy to miss when traveling by car or moving quickly between attractions.

On this final evening, we had no strict sightseeing schedule. We just continued walking and enjoying the surroundings.

Ice Cream, Lakeside Views and a Short Bar Stop

During our evening walk, we stopped for ice cream.

It was a small pleasure, but it added to the relaxed feeling of the night.

We continued exploring the areas around Zurich’s Old Town and lake, taking in the atmosphere of the city.

At one point, we also spent a few minutes at a bar and enjoyed a drink.

There was nothing elaborate about the evening. No expensive experience or carefully planned celebration.

Just dinner with a friend, walking through beautiful streets, ice cream, a short drink, and the freedom to enjoy our final hours in Switzerland.

Sometimes these unplanned moments are more satisfying than a busy sightseeing itinerary.

We knew that the following morning would be different. After breakfast, we needed to leave for the airport.

So we wanted to collect as many final memories as possible before returning to the hotel.

Looking Back at Our Switzerland Journey

As we walked around Zurich that evening, I found myself thinking about the journey we had completed.

Switzerland had given us many different experiences.

We had explored Zurich and its surroundings, enjoyed the views from Uetliberg, spent time near Lake Zurich, discovered the historic atmosphere of Bern, and visited charming Thun.

We had also experienced the beauty of Switzerland’s mountain regions, its lakes, scenic railway journeys, and peaceful towns during the wider trip.

Every destination had its own character.

Some days were full of activities and sightseeing. Others, like our afternoon in Thun, were more relaxed.

We enjoyed restaurant meals, discovered different cuisines, stayed in hotels and an Airbnb, traveled by train, and spent countless hours walking.

One of the things I liked most about Switzerland was how easy it was to combine different experiences within a single journey.

A city walk in the morning could be followed by a train ride to a smaller town or a natural attraction in the afternoon.

The country is relatively compact, yet its landscapes and destinations offer considerable variety.

Of course, Switzerland is not a cheap destination, and planning accommodation, transportation, and meals carefully can make a difference.

But for travelers who enjoy nature, organized public transportation, historic towns, and walking, it offers many rewarding experiences.

The Next Morning – Time to Say Goodbye to Switzerland

Our plan for the following morning, 19 September 2026, was straightforward.

After breakfast, we needed to travel directly to Zurich Airport for our departure.

There was no more sightseeing planned.

Our bags, memories, photographs, and experiences were coming with us, while the places we had explored would remain part of our travel story.

Whenever I finish a journey, I feel that traveling is not simply about counting countries or attractions.

It is about experiencing different environments, observing how people live, enjoying local food, discovering unfamiliar places, and sometimes just spending time walking without a particular destination.

Switzerland offered us all of these experiences.

Final Thoughts – Goodbye Switzerland, Until Next Time

Day 12 was the perfect kind of ending for our Switzerland journey.

We started in Bern, returned to Zurich, enjoyed lunch at the railway station, checked into Hotel Montana, visited Rhine Falls, and returned to the city around 5 PM.

After a short rest, we met our friend for South Indian dinner and spent our final evening walking through Zurich.

There was ice cream, the atmosphere of the Old Town, lakeside views, and a brief stop at a bar.

Nothing was rushed, and that made the evening special.

Looking back at the entire journey, I feel grateful for the places we visited and the experiences we collected along the way.

Not every day was spectacular, and not every attraction exceeded our expectations. But together, all those experiences created a memorable Switzerland adventure.

For me, that is the real beauty of traveling.

A journey may end, but the memories continue long after we return home.

Goodbye, Switzerland. 🇨🇭

Until next time.

1. When was your final full day in Switzerland?
Our final full day was 18 September 2026, when we returned to Zurich from Bern.

2. Where did you stay during your last night in Zurich?
We stayed at Hotel Montana Zurich, conveniently located near the main railway station.

3. Where did you have lunch after arriving in Zurich?
We had lunch at Zurich railway station before checking into our hotel.

4. How did you travel from Zurich to Rhine Falls?
We took a train from Zurich, and the journey took approximately one hour.

5. How long did you spend at Rhine Falls?
We spent approximately two hours walking around the Rhine Falls area.

6. Did you enjoy visiting Rhine Falls?
It was an okay experience for us. Although it is a famous natural attraction, we personally enjoyed some of Switzerland’s other destinations more.

7. What time did you return to your hotel?
We returned to Hotel Montana around 5 PM and rested for approximately one hour.

8. Where did you have dinner during your last evening in Zurich?
We met our friend around 6:30 PM and enjoyed South Indian food at a restaurant near our hotel.

9. How did you spend your final evening in Zurich?
We spent around two hours walking through the Old Town and lakeside areas, enjoyed ice cream, and stopped briefly at a bar for a drink.

10. What did you do the following morning?
Our plan for 19 September 2026 was to have breakfast and travel directly to Zurich Airport.