Becoming a Real Cross-Country Athlete (Liechtenstein, 2023)

Have you ever wanted to walk across a whole country but lacked the athleticism to do it? Look no further than Liechtenstein, the sixth-smallest country in the world. Harsh and I decided to take on the task by walking from the Austrian-Liechtenstein border to the Switzerland-Liechtenstein border. So, we took a train from Zürich to Sargans and then a bus to Tisis in Feldkirch, Austria.

Starting from Austria, we crossed the border into Liechtenstein and used Alltrails to find a trail that didn’t involve just walking on the main road. It was an incredibly scenic walk, complete with pastures of fluffy cows, bright green plants, and tall mountains. We also crossed a group of Boy Scouts (or whatever the equivalent is) who were camping in one of the fields. It would be so cool to be a member of a group like that in the region since you’re surrounded by the most beautiful campsites in the world in all directions.

The trail ended after a while, and so we walked on a path parallel to the main road to keep some of the nature but still make progress towards the Swiss border. We walked past more lush pastures and the intensity of the green grass and trees was unreal. With the sound of cowbells ringing in the distance, Harsh and I could have walked forever. To pass the time, we discussed modern physics and quantum mechanics (as normal people do).

Eventually, we made it to the largest municipality in the country: Schaan. Everything seemed to be closed, which was weird to us at first, but we soon realized it was Ascension Day. This is a nationally recognized holiday in Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Luckily, there was a Subway open, so we each got a footlong for the low, low price of just $18! Another reminder of how expensive this country is, which makes sense since they use the Swiss Franc and is right next door to Switzerland.

After that much-needed refuel, Harsh and I continued on for a couple more miles to Vaduz: the country’s capital. Along the way, we crossed a quaint little suburb that was centered around a little pasture and some cows. We met up with Owen, who was in Vaduz doing some work in a coffee shop. Then, we snapped some pictures in Vaduz and looked for a spot to get a commemorative passport stamp that they sell. Unfortunately, because of Ascension Day, everything was closed.

Nevertheless, our journey was not over and so we continued onwards to the Swiss border, which was located on this covered bridge and had some weird art installations that Harsh and I did not fully understand. We crossed over into Switzerland: journey complete! After 10.6 miles (17 kilometers) and about 3 hours and minutes of walking, we had successfully crossed an entire country and seen the two major municipalities. We quickly headed back over and jogged to the bus stop to catch a bus back to Sargans and a train back to Zürich. I actually had a slight kerfuffle with the ticket checkers as I forgot to tap “purchase” on my ticket until we boarded the train (which is a big no-no!). All’s well that ends well, though, and our trip was a certified success. Plus, I got 35K steps out of it.

Takeaways

• Liechtenstein is an extremely underrated country when it comes to nature and is worth a visit if you’re in the area
• Be prepared to spend astronomical amounts of money if you’re a Subway lover
• I hope you like the sound of cowbells, or else the countryside mightttt get a bit annoying
• Make sure you know when the local holidays are because Europeans love their holidays! (especially in May)

Rose-Bud-Thorn

Rose (what went well): The nature was stunning, and the fact that Liechtenstein is a quiet country plus it was a holiday meant that we could enjoy the calm, serene nature without any interruption from cars or people.
Bud (what was good but could be improved on): I underestimated how dead the country becomes on holidays like Ascension Day! It was a struggle to find a single food spot for lunch that was open and it seems like the Subway and the coffeeshop where we met Owen were the only spots open in the country
Thorn (what did not go well): I ended up getting off the hook, but forgetting to buy my ticket until the train was a mistake that cost me some time and effort to resolve. I learned my lesson and made sure to have my QR code in hand before boarding! On a related note, it’s very cool that the SBB app (Swiss) allows you to buy transport all the way to Feldkirch, Austria