← Sparkasse 3-Länder-Marathon (Three-Country Marathon)·2 nights

St. Gallen: Two Nights Across the Swiss Border

A fuller Swiss extension by train from Bregenz, built around St. Gallen's UNESCO-listed abbey library rather than the brief on-course border crossing.

Duration2 nights
TransitDirect train, approximately 1 hour
DepartsBregenz

After the Sparkasse 3-Länder-Marathon: St. Gallen

The Route: Bregenz → St. Gallen → Bregenz Logistics: Direct train, no change required. Marathon Month: October Duration: 2 nights

Bregenz ──(direct train, ~1 hr)──> St. Gallen
                                        │
             Bregenz ◄──(return train, ~1 hr)┘

The marathon course itself crosses into Switzerland for only a few kilometres, at St. Margrethen, long enough to hear the cowbells and cross back before the moment properly registers. St. Gallen, a genuine Swiss city an hour further by train, gives that fleeting border crossing a proper sequel.

October in St. Gallen: cool, crisp autumn weather typical of the Swiss plateau, with the old town's covered walkways offering shelter if the weather turns, making this a reliable choice regardless of exact conditions on the day.

A direct train from Bregenz reaches St. Gallen in around an hour, with no change required, a straightforward extension for anyone who has already crossed the border briefly on the marathon course itself.

Nights One and Two: St. Gallen

St. Gallen's old town is compact and largely pedestrianised, its streets lined with elaborately decorated oriel windows, a distinctive local architectural feature worth simply walking past slowly rather than photographing on the move. The city's central landmark is the Abbey of St. Gall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose Baroque abbey library holds one of the world's oldest and most significant collections of medieval manuscripts; entry to the library costs approximately CHF 18 (£16), and slippers are provided to protect the historic wooden floor, which also has the practical benefit of forcing a slow, shuffling pace that tired legs won't object to.

The old town itself is flat and walkable, with the abbey precinct and cathedral square forming a natural, low-effort loop. Beyond the abbey, the Textilmuseum gives useful context on the region's historical embroidery and textile trade, a quieter indoor option for a second day.

Hotel Einstein St. Gallen, in a converted 19th-century building near the old town, combines historic character with modern comfort and a short walk to the abbey precinct. Hotel Metropol, closer to the train station, is a more straightforward alternative for anyone prioritising an easy arrival and departure.

For dinner, Wirtschaft zum Baumgarten, in the old town, serves traditional Swiss and regional dishes in a setting with genuine local history behind it, a reasonable anchor for both nights of the stay.

Getting Home

Return to Bregenz by the same direct train, around an hour. Zurich Airport is a further onward option from St. Gallen for anyone flying directly rather than returning to the Lake Constance area, reachable by direct train in a little over an hour, a genuine alternative to routing back through Bregenz first.