Speicher

Speicher is a hilltop municipality in the Appenzell Ausserrhoden Mittelland district, located at an altitude of 724 to 930 metres above sea level just east of St. Gallen. The village developed around linen weaving and fine embroidery during the 17th and 18th centuries, leaving a legacy of wooden merchant houses with painted timber facades along its main streets. Today the settlement serves as a quiet rural base overlooking the Appenzeller pre-Alps, Lake Constance (Bodensee), and the Alpstein mountain range.

Travelers visit Speicher for ridge-top hiking trails, winter cross-country circuits, and local Appenzell traditions such as the winter Silvesterchläuse processions. Its position on the narrow-gauge Appenzeller Bahnen railway line allows easy access to both rural hill walks and urban day trips into St. Gallen.

The local climate is temperate pre-alpine. Summers are mild with daytime highs between 20°C and 25°C, while winters bring sub-zero temperatures and snow cover, with averages between −3°C and 2°C. Rain falls throughout the year, peaking with late-spring and summer showers.

By Air

• St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport (ACH): Located 22 km northeast (25 minutes by car or 50 minutes by train and bus via Rorschach). People's operates scheduled flights to and from Vienna with a flight time of 1 hour.
• Zurich Airport (ZRH): Located 92 km west (1 hour 15 minutes by car). As Switzerland's main international hub, ZRH serves major airlines including SWISS, British Airways, Emirates, and Lufthansa, with flight times of 1 hour 40 minutes from London and 8 to 9 hours from Indian hubs. Direct SBB trains run from the airport terminal to St. Gallen every 30 minutes (50-minute ride), where you transfer to the S21 train to Speicher (18 minutes). Total travel time is approximately 1 hour 20 minutes.

By Train

The Appenzeller Bahnen (AB) operates the S21 narrow-gauge line connecting St. Gallen Hauptbahnhof with Speicher and Trogen.

• Frequency: Every 30 minutes daily (every 15 minutes during weekday peak hours).
• Journey Time: 18 to 20 minutes from St. Gallen to Speicher station.
• Class Options: Standard 2nd class and 1st class compartments.
• Fares: Speicher lies within the OSTWIND tariff network (3 zones from St. Gallen). A single standard 2nd-class ticket costs CHF 6.80 ($7.75 USD); half-fare cardholders pay CHF 3.40 ($3.90 USD). The Swiss Travel Pass covers the entire route.

By Bus

PostBus (PostAuto) line 180 runs between Herisau, Teufen, and Speicher.

• Frequency: Hourly service throughout the day, with extra departures during commute windows.
• Journey Time: Approximately 14 minutes from Teufen to Speicher.
• Fares: OSTWIND zone fares range from CHF 3.20 to CHF 5.40 (~$3.65 to $6.15 USD) depending on travel distance.

By Car

• From St. Gallen (8 km): Take Speicherstrasse / Route 8 eastbound up the hill directly into Speicher (12–15 minutes).

• From Zurich (92 km): Follow the A1 motorway eastbound toward St. Gallen, take exit 82 (St. Gallen-St. Fiden), and continue on Route 8 toward Trogen/Speicher (1 hour 15 minutes total). A Swiss motorway toll sticker (vignette, CHF 40 / ~$45 USD) is mandatory on all motorways.

• Local Trains & Buses: Appenzeller Bahnen trains call at four stops within the municipality: Vögelinsegg, Schützengarten, Speicher, and Bendlehn. PostBus line 180 connects the village center with outlying hamlets.

• Fares & Ticketing: Short-distance single tickets start at CHF 3.20 (~$3.65 USD). Tickets are available via the SBB Mobile, OSTWIND, or FAIRTIQ mobile apps, as well as station automated machines.

• Bicycle & Walking: Yellow-signposted footpaths (Wanderwege) connect all neighborhoods. E-bikes can be rented through the regional Appenzellerland tourism office or bike shops in St. Gallen.

• Vögelinsegg Battle Memorial & Viewpoint (Denkmal Schlacht am Vögelinsegg): A stone monument on the ridge overlooking Speicher, marking the 1403 battle where Appenzell troops defeated the Abbot of St. Gallen. The site offers expansive views of Lake Constance and the Alpstein range. Accessible via Vögelinsegg train station. Entry: Free.

• Evangelisch-reformierte Kirche Speicher: Built between 1808 and 1810 by master builder Konrad Langenegger, this neoclassical Reformed church features an elegant spire, detailed woodcarvings, and period plasterwork. Entry: Free.

• Museum für Lebensgeschichten: Situated inside the Hof Speicher center (Zaun 5–7), this museum collects and displays personal biographies and oral histories of eastern Swiss residents. Open daily 09:00–17:00. Entry: Free.

• Historic Timber Merchant Houses: Clustered along Hauptstrasse and Dorfplatz, these preserved 18th- and 19th-century timber-framed residences showcase the wealth of the village's former textile trade with painted wooden facades, curved gables, and shuttered windows. Entry: Free (exterior viewing).

• Druckwerkstatt Speicher: A working historical letterpress workshop maintaining antique lead type, printing machinery, and bookbinding gear. Open during scheduled demonstrations and community workshops. Entry: Free / voluntary donation.

• Hike the Vögelinsegg–Suruggen–Landmark Ridge Trail: A 10 km marked panorama trail leading along the crest of the hills from Vögelinsegg via Suruggen to Landmark and the St. Anton viewpoint (1,110 m), offering views of the Rhine Valley and Austrian Alps.

• Cross-Country Skiing on the Speicher Trails: In mid-winter, groomed trails for classic and skating cross-country skiing loop across the snowfields around Speicherschwendi and Buchen. Daily cross-country trail pass: CHF 10 (~$11.50 USD).

• Swim at Hallenbad Buchen: A public indoor leisure facility on Kohlhaldenstrasse featuring a 25-metre swimming pool, teaching basin, and sauna area. Admission: Adults CHF 7 ($8 USD), children CHF 4 ($4.50 USD).

• Witness the Silvesterchläuse Processions: On December 31 and January 13 (Old New Year), costumed groups wearing ornate carved headdresses, pine branch robes, and giant cowbells move from farm to farm singing wordless polyphonic Zäuerli chants. Public viewing is free.

• Restaurant Aglio e Olio (Zaun 5): Mediterranean and regional cooking awarded 15 GaultMillau points, featuring handmade pastas, fresh seafood, and seasonal veal cuts served on a terrace. Price tier: Upscale (CHF 35–65 / ~$40–$74 USD per main).
• Hotel Restaurant Krone (Hauptstrasse 34): Traditional village dining room serving regional specialties such as Appenzeller Käseschnitte (baked cheese toast), Siedwurst with potato salad, and locally sourced venison in autumn. Price tier: Mid-range (CHF 24–45 / ~$27–$51 USD per main).
• Restaurant Pizzeria Adler (Hauptstrasse 16): Informal dining room preparing stone-baked pizzas, classic pasta dishes, and salads. Price tier: Budget to Mid-range (CHF 16–28 / ~$18–$32 USD per main).
• Gasthaus Höhenblick (Kohlhaldenstrasse 12): Country tavern on the upper slopes specializing in cheese fondue, cordon bleu, and seasonal fruit tarts. Price tier: Mid-range (CHF 22–38 / ~$25–$43 USD per main).

• Hotel Restaurant Krone (Hauptstrasse 34): Four-star boutique hotel near Speicher train station, featuring modern pine-clad rooms, an on-site wine cellar, and a breakfast buffet of regional cheeses and breads. Nightly rates: CHF 190–320 (~$215–$365 USD).
• Gasthaus Bären Speicherschwendi (Schwendistrasse 1): Traditional country guesthouse in the hamlet of Speicherschwendi, providing quiet double rooms and an attached tavern. Nightly rates: CHF 120–170 (~$135–$195 USD).
• Holiday Apartments & Farmstay B&Bs: Self-catering flats and rural guesthouses on working Appenzell farms around Speicher, arranged through Appenzellerland Tourism. Nightly rates: CHF 85–130 (~$95–$145 USD).

• Trogen (3 km east | 5 minutes by S21 train): Historic village with a large cobblestone Landsgemeinde square and the international Pestalozzi Children's Village foundation.
• St. Gallen (8 km west | 18 minutes by S21 train): Regional city featuring the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Abbey of Saint Gall, its medieval rococo library, and textile industry museums.
• Teufen (6 km southwest | 14 minutes by PostBus 180): Traditional Appenzell village known for woodcraft ateliers, historic timber houses, and the Zeughaus art space.
• Appenzell (16 km south | 25 minutes by car or 35 minutes by train via Gais): The cantonal capital of Appenzell Innerrhoden, featuring painted main-street facades, Appenzeller cheese dairies, and folk art museums.
• Mount Säntis / Schwägalp (28 km southwest | 35 minutes by car): The highest peak in the Alpstein massif (2,502 m), accessed via aerial cable car from Schwägalp, with observation platforms looking across six countries.