Wasserauen
Wasserauen is barely a village — it exists mainly as the railhead and cable-car base for Ebenalp, one of the more striking short excursions in Switzerland: a cable car lifts you to around 1,640m, from which a short walk leads through the Wildkirchli caves, a series of prehistoric-inhabited caverns that later held a hermitage and chapel built directly into the rock, emerging at the other end onto a ledge where the Aescher guesthouse clings to the cliff face with a view down the Alpstein valley that's become one of the most photographed spots in the Alpstein range.
There's no reason to stay in Wasserauen itself beyond using it as the gateway; the standard plan is the train from Appenzell, the cable car up, the cave walk to Aescher, and a hike back down into the valley (or the reverse), making it a satisfying half-to-full day out from Appenzell without needing a car anywhere in the itinerary.
Wasserauen FAQs
Not really — it exists mainly as the train terminus and cable car base for Ebenalp; there's no reason to linger beyond starting the excursion.
A guesthouse built directly into the cliff face on the far side of the Wildkirchli caves, reachable by a short walk from the top of the Ebenalp cable car, with a well-known view down the Alpstein valley.
By train from Appenzell, about 15 minutes, on the Appenzell Bahnen narrow-gauge line.
It generally runs year-round but with reduced frequency and weather-dependent closures, so check ahead outside summer.
Yes, hiking down from Ebenalp into the valley is a popular way to finish the outing, especially after visiting Aescher.
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