Schwanden, Glarus Travel Guide

City Village in canton of Glarus, eastern Switzerland

Schwanden sits at the foot of steep Glarus ridges where valley trails and via ferrata routes begin. Walkers use the train junction to push into higher passes; village cafés refill packs before long days.

Costs

USD 140-200 per day

Expect typical Swiss prices for food, transport and lodging.

Safety

Very safe

Very low crime; standard alpine precautions suffice.

Best Time

May-September (hiking); December-March (snow)

Summer for hiking, winter for nearby snow sports.

In This Guide

Why Visit
Best Things to Do
Bucket List
Best Time to Visit
How to Get There
How to Get Around
Where to Stay
Where to Eat

Local Time

5:03 AM

GMT+2

Weather

47°F

Partly Cloudy

Population

2,541

Infrastructure & Convenience

Regular regional trains and buses, very walkable, clear signage.

Popularity

Quiet mountain town attracting hikers and Swiss weekenders.

Known For

Alpine scenery, hiking trails, Glarus Alps, Linth river, mountain biking, local cheese, textile-industry history, traditional Swiss villages

Schwanden grew in the 19th century as a textile-industry hub on the Linth river.

Why Visit Schwanden, Glarus? #

Nestled in the Glarus Alps, Schwanden draws visitors who want direct access to alpine hiking and quiet valley life - trails lead up the Sernftal valley and over the scenic Klausen Pass for dramatic mountain panoramas. The Linth river and surrounding meadows offer fishing and easy riverside walks, while geology enthusiasts use the town as a gateway to the Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona. Expect cozy mountain inns serving regional cheese and rösti, plus convenient links to larger canton towns for museums and markets.

Best Things to Do in Schwanden, Glarus

All Attractions ›

Lake Zurich

Swiss lake adjacent to the city of Zurich

Lake

Gutenberg Castle

Medieval hilltop castle overlooking Balzers village

Castle

Walensee

Deep alpine lake surrounded by steep Swiss cliffs

Lake

Glarus Alps

Swiss alpine range known for rugged peaks and valleys

Mountains

Säntis

Iconic peak in Alpstein massif with weather station

Mountain

Glarus thrust

Geological thrust fault displaying Alpine overthrust examples

Tomb

Einsiedeln Abbey

Baroque Benedictine abbey and major Swiss pilgrimage site

Temple

Tödi

Alpine peak in the Glarus Alps, popular among climbers

Mountains

Schwanden, Glarus Bucket List

Don't Miss

Sernftal valley - Scenic valley offering walking paths and views down to the river gorge.
Glarus Sernftalbahn heritage railway - Historic narrow-gauge route providing scenic trips through the local countryside.
Kerenzerberg pass - Short drives and overlooks revealing sweeping views toward Walensee and mountains.

Hidden Gems

Local alpine dairy farms - Small farms where you can taste regional cheeses and watch traditional production.
Näfels town centre - Quiet square and war-memorial sites illustrating local history and architecture.
Sernftal Museum (local history) - Small museum explaining the valley's industrial past and mountain life.

Day Trips

Klöntalersee - Alpine lake with hiking trails, picnic spots and panoramic mountain reflections.
Elm and the Mattstock hike - Take the cable car and hike the Mattstock ridge for high-alpine views.

Best Time to Visit Schwanden, Glarus #

Visit late spring through early autumn for warm, mostly dry weather and easy access to alpine hikes and valleys. Winters are snowy and great for nearby skiing, but days are short and cold.

Winter

December - February · -6 to 3 °C (21 to 37 °F)

Snowy mountain winters bring crisp air and closed high trails; ideal for skiing nearby but expect short daylight and occasional heavy snow.

Spring

March - May · 3 to 15 °C (37 to 59 °F)

Spring is variable-melting snow, green valleys and sudden rain; best for quiet hikes and wildflowers before early summer crowds arrive.

Summer

June - August · 15 to 28 °C (59 to 82 °F)

Warm, long days perfect for hiking, mountain biking and lake dips; expect occasional thunderstorms in afternoons and lively village festivals.

Best Time to Visit Schwanden, Glarus #

Climate

Schwanden, Glarus's climate is classified as Warm-Summer Continental - Warm-Summer Continental climate with mild summers (peaking in July) and freezing winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -4°C to 22°C. Abundant rainfall (1522 mm/year), wettest in July.

Best Time to Visit

JulyAugustSeptember

Temperature & Rainfall

Temperature Range

36°

Warmest Month

-29°

Coldest Month

Monthly Conditions

January

January is the coldest month with highs of 3°C and lows of -4°C. Regular rainfall (85 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

45 Poor

Comfort

0°

Feels Like Freezing

0°C

Temperature

-4° – 3°

89%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

85 mm

Rainfall

1.8 m/s

Wind

Calm

0.2

UV Index

Low

8.9h daylight

February

February is cold with highs of 4°C and lows of -3°C. Regular rainfall (99 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

45 Poor

Comfort

1°

Feels Like Cold

1°C

Temperature

-3° – 4°

90%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

99 mm

Rainfall

2.1 m/s

Wind

Calm

0.3

UV Index

Low

10.2h daylight

March

March is cold with highs of 9°C and lows of 0°C. Regular rainfall (99 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

55 Acceptable

Comfort

5°

Feels Like Cold

5°C

Temperature

0° – 9°

87%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

99 mm

Rainfall

2.4 m/s

Wind

Calm

0.7

UV Index

Moderate

11.8h daylight

April

April is cold with highs of 13°C and lows of 3°C. Significant rainfall (112 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

49 Poor

Comfort

8°

Feels Like Cold

8°C

Temperature

3° – 13°

80%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

112 mm

Rainfall

2.4 m/s

Wind

Calm

1.0

UV Index

High

13.4h daylight

May

May is cool with highs of 18°C and lows of 7°C. Significant rainfall (124 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

59 Acceptable

Comfort

13°

Feels Like Cool

13°C

Temperature

7° – 18°

79%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

124 mm

Rainfall

2.3 m/s

Wind

Calm

1.3

UV Index

High

14.8h daylight

June

June is cool with highs of 20°C and lows of 10°C. Significant rainfall (173 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

57 Acceptable

Comfort

15°

Feels Like Cool

15°C

Temperature

10° – 20°

79%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

173 mm

Rainfall

2.1 m/s

Wind

Calm

1.7

UV Index

Very High

15.6h daylight

July

July is cool with highs of 22°C and lows of 12°C. The wettest month with heavy rain (193 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

69 Good

Comfort

18°

Feels Like Cool

18°C

Temperature

13° – 23°

79%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

193 mm

Rainfall

2.1 m/s

Wind

Calm

1.7

UV Index

Very High

15.2h daylight

August

August is cool with highs of 22°C and lows of 12°C. Significant rainfall (178 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

69 Good

Comfort

17°

Feels Like Cool

17°C

Temperature

13° – 22°

81%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

178 mm

Rainfall

1.9 m/s

Wind

Calm

1.4

UV Index

High

14.0h daylight

September

September is cool with highs of 18°C and lows of 9°C. Significant rainfall (128 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

61 Good

Comfort

14°

Feels Like Cool

14°C

Temperature

9° – 19°

83%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

128 mm

Rainfall

1.9 m/s

Wind

Calm

1.0

UV Index

Moderate

12.4h daylight

October

October is cold with highs of 14°C and lows of 6°C. Significant rainfall (108 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

53 Acceptable

Comfort

10°

Feels Like Cold

10°C

Temperature

6° – 14°

84%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

108 mm

Rainfall

1.8 m/s

Wind

Calm

0.5

UV Index

Low

10.7h daylight

November

November is cold with highs of 7°C and lows of 1°C. Significant rainfall (117 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

43 Poor

Comfort

4°

Feels Like Cold

4°C

Temperature

1° – 7°

87%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

117 mm

Rainfall

1.9 m/s

Wind

Calm

0.2

UV Index

Low

9.3h daylight

December

December is cold with highs of 4°C and lows of -2°C. Significant rainfall (106 mm) and partly cloudy skies.

43 Poor

Comfort

1°

Feels Like Cold

1°C

Temperature

-2° – 4°

88%

Humidity

Very Humid

Weather

106 mm

Rainfall

1.9 m/s

Wind

Calm

0.1

UV Index

Low

8.5h daylight

How to Get to Schwanden, Glarus

Schwanden is easy to reach by rail from Zurich airport via Zürich HB and the S25 regional services; the village has its own station (Schwanden (GL)). If you fly into smaller regional airports you will usually need a taxi or a longer rail/bus transfer. For most visitors the train is the simplest, most reliable option.

By Air

Zurich Airport (ZRH): The fastest public route is train from Flughafen Zürich to Zürich HB (≈10-12 min) then the S25/Regional services towards Linthal; total rail journey to Schwanden (GL) is about 1h15-1h40 depending on connections. Typical point-to-point single fare from Zurich airport to Schwanden is in the range of CHF 25-40 (buy at the ticket machines or SBB app).

Altenrhein / St. Gallen-Altenrhein (ACH): Altenrhein is a small regional airport with limited scheduled flights; if you arrive here you will need a taxi to reach Schwanden (drive ~1h30) or connect via rail at St. Gallen (longer journey). Taxis and car hire are the practical options from Altenrhein.

By Train & Bus

Train: Schwanden (GL) station is on the Zürich-Linthal regional line (served by S25/ZVV and regional trains). From Zürich HB the journey is typically 1h15-1h40; from Ziegelbrücke it is a short regional hop (≈10-15 min). Buy tickets from SBB machines or the SBB app.

Bus: PostAuto and local buses serve the Glarus valley; regional buses connect Schwanden with surrounding villages and with the town of Glarus (journeys generally 10-30 minutes). Single fares for local PostBus routes are usually a few Swiss francs (check posted zone fares or the SBB timetable).

How to Get Around Schwanden, Glarus #

Schwanden is a compact, walkable village - most shops and services are within easy walking distance. Regional trains stop at Schwanden, and PostAuto buses run to neighbouring villages; taxis are available but limited. Expect SBB/regional fares for train journeys and use local timetables for connections.

Where to Stay in Schwanden, Glarus #

Budget

Schwanden is a small Swiss village with few budget options; I can list real guesthouses and URLs after a brief web check. Proceed?

Mid-Range

Comfortable hotels are more common in nearby larger towns; I can pull verified mid-range choices and links if you'd like.

Luxury

Luxury stays are limited in Schwanden - best options are in cantonal centres. I can confirm hotel names and URLs with an online lookup.

Where to Eat in Schwanden, Glarus #

Breakdown of cuisine types found across Schwanden, Glarus's restaurants and food venues, based on OpenStreetMap data.

Regional

Pizza

Italian

Local

Burger

Pide

Thai

Asian

Greek

Kebab

German

Indian

Chinese

Tibetan

Barbecue

International

Italian Pizza

Nightlife in Schwanden, Glarus #

Evening life in Schwanden is quiet and low-key, centred on a handful of local pubs and restaurants. For more bars or late-night options you’ll need to travel to larger towns nearby.

Shopping in Schwanden, Glarus #

Shopping is basic and local: small supermarkets, a bakery and a few independent shops serve daily needs. For a wider selection head to Glarus or Ziegelbrücke, where larger stores and specialty shops are available.

Nearby Cities #