Dinner in an Erststockbeizli, karaoke on Metzgergasse and a club night on Brühlgasse: here's how to plan your stag do or hen party in St. Gallen, with the best things to do and short walks through the Old Town.
Good to know
5 dl of beer costs CHF 7.50 at Affekt-Bar and News Café and CHF 9 at Einstein Bar. Cocktails are CHF 14–19 at Maverick's and CHF 15 at Affekt-Bar. Party entry at Grabenhalle ranges from free to CHF 30 depending on the event. All guide prices.
All costs and money-saving tips ↓On Friday and Saturday nights the VBSG night buses 2, 3, 4, 5 and N6 leave the railway station roughly every hour, the last ones around 03:00. The SN21 runs hourly to Winterthur, the last one at 03:02. Taxis: Herold Taxi 071 2222 777 or Sprenger 071 333 33 33.
VBSG night bus timetable ↗Under the cantonal hospitality law, bars and restaurants generally close from 24:00 to 05:00; at weekends closing can start at 01:00 instead. Many have longer hours: Trischli is open until 05:00 Wednesday to Saturday, News Café and Baracca until 02:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
At Trischli, women get in from 18 and men from 20, and the door is strict. Klub Klain lets in over-16s and is too young for your group. The Hangover pub crawl is over-18s only. If you book at Bäumli and don't turn up, you pay CHF 50 per person.
The St. Gallen bratwurst is traditionally eaten without mustard, and its recipe was first mentioned as early as 1438. The Erststockbeizli are typical of the city: taverns on the first floor of old Old Town houses, like Schäfli, Bäumli or the Alte Post. The city has around 83'400 inhabitants.
By train you're in St. Gallen 60 minutes from Zurich HB without changing, 49 minutes from Zurich Airport, 33 minutes from Winterthur and 35 minutes from Konstanz. The regional airport St. Gallen-Altenrhein is 37 to 41 minutes away by train and bus.
For a hotel for your stag or hen do in St. Gallen, stay around the railway station and the Old Town, close to the bars; the Einstein on Berneggstrasse has its own hotel bar. During OLMA in October and the Openair in early July the city is full, so book early.
July is the warmest month, with an average of 17.5 °C, January the coldest at 0.2 °C; around 1,433 mm of rain falls a year, most of it in summer. Plan B if it rains: escape rooms on Bohl and Unterer Graben, bouldering in Bruggen or bowling at Säntispark.
Plan & map
Bars, clubs, Erststockbeizli and activities on one map: filter by type, add your favourites with “+ Add to plan” and share the plan with your group via a link, no account needed. Rather have a ready-made schedule? The itinerary generator builds one for you.
St. Gallen activities by type: click an idea and the list and map show only what matches.
Escape rooms on Bohl, Unterer Graben and Spisergasse, or Escape Company's Hangover pub crawl with 3 bar stops, made for stag and hen parties.
Karaoke on two floors at Gallus Pub, DJs and live bands at Baracca, karaoke and darts at O-Five or gigs at Grabenhalle.
A beer course at the Schützengarten brewery on weekdays, a cocktail course with the Einstein bar team, a group menu at Fondue Beizli or craft beer at BrüW.
Bowling until 01:00 at Säntispark in Abtwil, bouldering at Boulderlounge in Bruggen or rope climbing at the Kletterzentrum in Winkeln.
A guided tour of the Old Town and the Abbey District, a crime-scene city tour, the Abbey Library and its manuscripts, or the Mühleggbahn up to Drei Weieren.
A boat trip on Lake Constance from Rorschach, a beer tasting at the Locher brewery in Appenzell or indoor karting in Sulgen in Thurgau.
Bar and party label at Brühlgasse 21 with electronic music and a rave from 24:00 on Saturdays. 5 dl of Schützengarten Edelspez costs CHF 7.50, 1.5 l CHF 20, cocktails CHF 15 and a Brättli board with 6 shots CHF 25. You can book online for 2 to 20 people, with a minimum spend.
The Einstein's hotel bar at Berneggstrasse 2, in English club style, open daily from 17:00, with around 100 whiskies and its own cigar lounge. Cocktails cost CHF 20–25, 5 dl of Edelspez on tap CHF 9. Tables can be booked online; more for a stylish drink than for a loud group.
Irish pub at Metzgergasse 13 with karaoke on two floors Wednesday to Saturday, open 19:00 to 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. The private karaoke room on the 2nd floor suits 10 to 20 people; enquiries go by WhatsApp to 077 232 27 70. Pub quiz on Fridays from 20:00.
Fan bar at Rorschacher Strasse 34, run by volunteers from the cooperative that promotes St. Gallen's fan culture. Football, ice hockey and darts on 4 screens, every FCSG match live. Open Fridays from 18:30 and Saturdays from 18:00 until 01:00; hours change weekly.
Club bar at Augustinergasse 25 in the Old Town, open Wednesday to Saturday from 17:00. For a private party, call +41 71 220 98 60. There are more bars on the same lane, such as August Bar at number 31, good for a night out with short walks.
Café-bar at Marktplatz 25, open 07:00 to 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. Groups of 6 to 12 book by phone on +41 71 535 48 01, larger groups by email. On Saturdays there's brunch from 09:00 without a booking, just right for the morning after the stag or hen night.
Cocktail bar at Augustinergasse 19 that calls itself “Das Cocktail Theater”. Cocktails cost CHF 14–19. Open 17:00 to 01:00 on Fridays and 19:00 to 01:00 on Saturdays, closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. For an occasion you can book a private performance.
Café, bar and music venue at Oberer Graben 8, around 5 minutes from the railway station, open 07:00 to 02:00 on Fridays and 08:00 to 02:00 on Saturdays. 5 dl of Edelspez costs CHF 7.50, cocktails CHF 18. Book tables on the terrace or inside online; there are parties and gigs too.
Music bar at Teufener Strasse 4, around 2 minutes from the railway station, open Fridays 12:00 to 02:00 and Saturdays from 14:00. There are DJs, live bands, karaoke and sport, a chambre séparée for private parties and a beer garden. Bringing your own food is explicitly allowed.
Cocktail bar and lounge at Löwengasse 1, a café by day, with a cigar lounge on the 1st floor. Open 12:00 to 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. According to the menu, cocktails mostly cost CHF 15–18 and 5 dl of lager CHF 9; occasionally there's live piano. Bookings on +41 71 223 42 42.
A vinyl store with coffee by day and a bar with natural wine, antipasti and cocktails in the evening, at Engelgasse 8. Open 09:00 to 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, with events and livestreams listed on the website. The bar is small, so it's better for small groups or a quiet start to the evening.
Bar, café and club at Schwertgasse 27: restaurant and bar upstairs, the club downstairs. Open 09:00 to 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, with an extension until 03:00. Some weekends there are club nights, plus drag shows and karaoke during OLMA.
Bar, tavern and smoking room on three floors at Augustinergasse 31, with an open fire burning in the bar. On the 2nd floor you look out over the city from the “Fernblick” smoking room. Open Fridays from 16:00 and Saturdays from 17:00 until 01:00; book tables online. The menu changes monthly.
Cooperatively run tavern and bar at Engelgasse 22 with vegetarian and vegan food, open 17:00 to 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, closed on Sundays. If you want to eat together first, groups of 4 or more book by phone on 071 223 35 75. A relaxed start to the evening.
Pub at Poststrasse 15 near the railway station, open Fridays and Saturdays from 13:30 until around 03:00. The programme includes karaoke, darts tournaments, jazz and techno nights, and live sport on 6 big screens. Book tables on +41 71 223 25 36.
Brewpub with its own beer and a craft beer focus at Torstrasse 25, with several taps. According to OpenStreetMap it's open 16:00 to 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, and from 17:00 Tuesday to Thursday. There's no website, so check the hours shortly before you go.
Chalet-style club at Unterer Graben 21, open Fridays and Saturdays from 22:00. It plays '80s and '90s hits and the charts, and the motto is dancing and singing along. Book tables by email; there's a table plan with packages at special prices.
Club with a bar at Hintere Poststrasse 2, with club nights mostly on Saturdays from 22:00 or 23:00 until 04:00 or 05:00. The programme includes '90s/2000s parties, Afrobeats, hip-hop and Latin, plus a 30+ party. Tickets via Eventfrog, tables via the website.
Club at Brühlgasse 15, open Wednesday to Saturday from 23:00 to 05:00. Women get in from 18, men from 20, and by its own account the door is strict. Entry is free on Thursdays, with beer pong. Book tables via “book a table” or WhatsApp; groups enquire by email.
Club and cultural venue on Güterbahnhofstrasse, right by the tracks, as the name says. The programme has parties like the 2010s party, Alles 90er & 2000er or Bravo Hits, plus techno raves and Halloween parties. Good for groups who want to party to the old hits.
Alternative cultural venue at Unterer Graben 17, running since 1984 with gigs, parties, comedy, cinema and a bar in the hall. Parties mostly run on Saturdays from 22:00 to 05:00, and entry ranges from free with a collection to CHF 30 depending on the event; gigs CHF 10–35. Not a classic club.
Cultural and music venue at Zwinglistrasse 3 with gigs, DJ nights and the lecture series “Erfreuliche Universität”. People dance at party series like Santa Discoteca with Italo, funk and disco, Soul Gallen or Bass Music. Which series runs when is in the programme on the website.
Escape rooms at Spisergasse 15 for 2 to 12 people, played for 60 minutes in German or English. For 7 people or more there's a duel mode with 2 rounds of 30 minutes. Book online without a deposit and pay on site in cash, by card, by invoice or with TWINT.
Escape rooms, a VR arena and the game SECTOR at Bohl 9, 5 minutes from the railway station. At weekends a room costs CHF 119 for 2 people and CHF 199 for 6. Team events for 2 to 80 people from CHF 29, with a lounge and bar for drinks; book online or via WhatsApp.
Seven escape rooms for 2 to 6 people at Unterer Graben 1, with its own bar on site, open 17:00 to 24:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. From Friday to Sunday a room for 6 people costs CHF 210, which is CHF 35 per person. For stag and hen parties there's the Hangover pub crawl with 3 bar stops.
Leisure park at Wiesenbachstrasse 9 in Abtwil, around 4.6 km west, about 15 minutes on bus 3 or 4 from the railway station. A bowling lane costs CHF 48 an hour for up to 6 people, open until 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. Pool and sauna for 4 hours cost CHF 47.
Bouldering-only gym, no ropes, at Zürcherstrasse 160 in Bruggen. Adult entry costs CHF 20, shoe hire CHF 5. Open 11:30 to 22:30 on Fridays and 10:00 to 20:00 on Saturdays, a good afternoon option when the weather doesn't play along.
Climbing centre at Edisonstrasse 9 in the Winkeln district, around 5.4 km west of the centre. Rope climbing with bouldering costs CHF 30, bouldering only CHF 24; harness, shoes and rope can be hired for CHF 7 each. Open 09:00 to 18:00 at weekends; group events and taster sessions can be booked.
Library in the Abbey District at Klosterhof 6d, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, with around 170'000 books and 2'000 medieval manuscripts. Open from 10:00 on Fridays and Saturdays; the combined ticket costs CHF 18, CHF 16 for groups of 10 or more. Group tours at a flat rate from CHF 160, book 2 weeks ahead.
The brewery describes itself as the oldest in Switzerland and has been brewing on the same site since 1779. The course “Biere erleben und degustieren” takes around 4 hours with about 9 beers and beer tapas, for 10 to 20 people from CHF 500. Groups can only book Monday to Thursday, at least 10 days ahead.
Cocktail course with the Einstein bar team at Berneggstrasse 2, around 2 hours for 6 to 12 people. For CHF 95 per person you get a welcome drink, an aperitif break and several cocktails. The course is in German only; booked privately, it can be cancelled free of charge up to 7 days before.
Funicular running since 1893, with its lower station at St. Georgen-Strasse 10; the ride takes around 90 seconds. It's the easiest way from the Old Town up to Drei Weieren, where you can swim in the Mannenweiher in summer. Best check fares and operating hours on site.
First-floor tavern in the city's last surviving guild house at Metzgergasse 5, built in 1484. The floor of the guild room slopes, with a 33 cm difference in height. The guild room has around 60 seats, around 80 with the Bürger Stube. Open Monday to Saturday from 18:00 in the evening; book by phone or email.
First-floor wine tavern at Schmiedgasse 18 with walnut tables and a Gothic beamed ceiling; the food is hearty and seasonal. Tuesday to Saturday evenings from 18:00, the wine bar from 17:00; on Fridays and Saturdays the kitchen cooks until 21:00. If you book and don't turn up, you pay CHF 50 per person.
Restaurant on three floors at Gallusstrasse 4: a champagne and café bar downstairs, the St. Gallen tavern room on the 1st floor and the Krüsi Stübli above. The kitchen cooks Tuesday to Saturday evenings from 17:30 to 21:30; book tables online. In summer there's a pavement café.
Fondue restaurant in the Neueck building at Brühlgasse 26. Cheese fondue costs CHF 29–32, meat fondue CHF 49. Group menus cost CHF 48 with cheese fondue and CHF 57 with fondue chinoise, and everyone chooses the same; a small separate menu applies from 9 people. Open 11:00 to 24:00 on Saturdays.
Restaurant on the grounds of the Schützengarten brewery at St. Jakob-Strasse 35, serving beer from the brewery. Open Fridays 11:30 to 24:00 and Saturdays from 17:00. The beer garden takes groups of up to 25, and the Jakob banqueting hall with its own bar holds 30 to 120 people.
Steakhouse at Bohl 1 by the Marktplatz, open daily from 10:30 with hot food all day. That makes it a safe bet when the group is still hungry after the afternoon programme and doesn't want to wait until the evening. Book tables online or by phone.
Vegetarian and vegan buffet restaurant at Bahnhofplatz 1a, open 06:30 to 22:30 on Fridays and Saturdays, with brunch until 14:30 on Sundays. Because it's right at the railway station, it's a handy first stop after you arrive. Book tables online or by phone.
Restaurant in the Tonhalle at Museumstrasse 25, open 11:00 to 23:00 on Saturdays. A fire burns on the sunny terrace in the evening. Banquets with a buffet or set menu are available on request, an option for a larger group's dinner together.
Public guided tour of the Old Town with the cathedral and the Abbey Library, around 1.5 hours according to the listing. A quiet Saturday morning in the Abbey District before you head into the lanes. From approx. €35 per person on GetYourGuide; the meeting point and admissions are in your booking.
Public walking tour of St. Gallen's Old Town, around 75 minutes according to the listing. A good start for the group: afterwards you know your way between Gallusplatz, Metzgergasse and Brühlgasse. From approx. €24 per person; the meeting point and route are in your booking.
City tour of St. Gallen on the theme of the Tatort crime series, around 1.5 hours according to the listing. One for groups who'd rather hear stories than dates. From approx. €27 per person; content, meeting point and language are in your booking.
Short walk with a local, 60 minutes according to the listing. Works when the group only has a little time before dinner but still wants first-hand tips. From approx. €74 according to the listing; whether the price is per person or per group is in your booking.
Walking tour with a chocolate tasting and a local, around 2 hours according to the listing. A sweet idea for a hen do on Saturday afternoon. From approx. €128 according to the listing; what you taste and whether the price is per person are in your booking.
Outdoor puzzle trail by Escape Company made explicitly for stag and hen parties: 180 minutes with 3 bar stops around the city, for 4 to 15 people aged 18 and over, in German. It costs CHF 60 per person and can be booked on Fridays and Saturdays, online with 4 to 24 hours' notice.
Round trip with the Swiss Lake Constance shipping company from Rorschach via Lindau; the evening cruise takes around 2 hours 10 minutes. Adults pay CHF 29. To get to Rorschach Hafen from St. Gallen, take the S2, about 22 minutes. Season from April to mid-October.
Visitor centre of the Locher brewery in Appenzell, about 36 minutes from St. Gallen on the direct S21. The tour is free, and the public beer tasting costs CHF 14 per person. Groups of up to 25 can book their own tasting online; open until 17:00 on Saturdays.
Indoor karting track in Sulgen in Thurgau, around 20 km from St. Gallen as the crow flies. 3 sessions of 10 minutes cost CHF 70 per person, open 14:00 to 22:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. Enquire about group races with drinks and food via the form, also outside opening hours on request.
The city's main station and the busiest in the canton; the current main building went up between 1911 and 1913. The station square is closed to private traffic and serves as the bus hub, and the night buses leave from here at weekends. The Appenzeller Bahnen trains leave from the neighbouring station.
A public living room in the Bleicheli quarter, also called Roter Platz: the ground, furniture and fountain are covered in red granulate, around 4,600 m². It was designed by architect Carlos Martinez and artist Pipilotti Rist, with lights floating overhead. A photo spot around 5 minutes from the railway station.
Square in the Abbey District, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, in front of the Baroque abbey church with its 68 m towers, built between 1755 and 1766. The Abbey Library is right next door. A lovely spot for the group photo by day; better not to get loud here, as the Klosterhof is a quiet place.
Square right in front of the abbey wall in the Old Town, where St. Gallen's town settlement began. In the middle stands the Gallus fountain, designed by Rudolf Seitter in 1936. The Wirtschaft zur alten Post is on neighbouring Gallusstrasse, a good meeting point before the evening in the lanes.
Recreation area with 5 man-made ponds on the Freudenberg above the city, the first created around 1610 for bleaching cloth and for fire protection. In summer you can swim for free in the Mannenweiher, the municipal open-air pool. The easiest way up is the Mühleggbahn funicular.
Guide prices excluding travel, food & accommodation. Check the provider for today's prices.
🗺️ Open route in Google MapsNeighbourhoods
St. Gallen goes out in a small area: in the Old Town lanes around Metzgergasse and Gallusplatz, on Brühlgasse by Bohl, on Unterer Graben, around the railway station and Poststrasse, and in the east on St. Jakob-Strasse.
For Erststockbeizli, karaoke and cocktails
In the lanes of the Old Town, Schäfli sits on the first floor of a guild house at Metzgergasse 5, and a few doors along you can sing karaoke at Gallus Pub. Maverick's mixes cocktails on Augustinergasse, and Bäumli on Schmiedgasse serves seasonal food in its wine tavern.
For fondue, shots and a club night
Brühlgasse is the party street by Bohl: group menus at Fondue Beizli at number 26, shots on a Brättli board at Affekt-Bar at number 21, and partying until 05:00 at Trischli at number 15. Beforehand, play escape rooms or SECTOR at Bohl 9, with a lounge and bar.
For escape rooms, a music bar and '80s hits
On Unterer Graben you'll find Escape Company with its own bar at number 1 and Alpenchique at number 21, which plays '80s and '90s hits from 22:00. At Oberer Graben 8, News Café pours until 02:00, and on Engelgasse Schwarzer Engel cooks vegetarian and vegan food.
For clubs, a pub and live music
Around the railway station the night gets going quickly: Dezent Club at Hintere Poststrasse 2 hosts club nights until 05:00 on Saturdays, and O-Five at Poststrasse 15 has karaoke and darts. Baracca on Teufener Strasse has a beer garden, and Kugl sits right by the tracks.
For a brewery, craft beer and football
East of the Old Town it's all about beer: the Schützengarten brewery has been brewing on St. Jakob-Strasse since 1779, and right next door netts pours its beer. BrüW at Torstrasse 25 focuses on craft beer, and Bierhof on Rorschacher Strasse shows every FCSG match.
Sample itinerary
This is what a weekend that works in St. Gallen looks like, whether it's a stag do, a hen party or a quieter group. You'll find every venue in the planner above, where you can swap out individual stops.
Cheese fondue for CHF 29–32, group menu with cheese fondue CHF 48.
5 dl Edelspez for CHF 7.50, 10 shots on a Brättli board for CHF 40.
Open until 05:00, women from 18, men from 20.
180 minutes with 3 bar stops, CHF 60 per person.
Dinner in the guild house, open from 18:00.
Karaoke on two floors until 01:00.
'80s and '90s hits from 22:00, tables by email.
First-floor wine tavern, the kitchen cooks until 21:00 on Fridays.
Cocktails for CHF 14–19, Fridays until 01:00.
Club night with '90s/2000s or a 30+ party, tables via the website.
Around 1.5 hours, meeting point as per your booking.
Around 2 hours for 6 to 12 people, CHF 95 per person.
St. Gallen tavern room on the 1st floor, kitchen until 21:30.
Bar upstairs, club downstairs, with an extension until 03:00.
Around 100 whiskies and a cigar lounge, open from 17:00.
Beer from the brewery next door, Fridays until 24:00.
Combined ticket CHF 18, CHF 16 for groups of 10 or more.
Pool and sauna for 4 hours, CHF 47.
Dinner in the Tonhalle, with a fire on the terrace in the evening.
Your group's a bit different? The itinerary generator builds a plan around your group, budget and mood, using the same venues.
Budget
St. Gallen has Swiss prices: 5 dl of beer costs CHF 7.50 at Affekt-Bar and CHF 9 at Einstein Bar, a cheese fondue at Fondue Beizli CHF 29–32, and an escape room at Escape Company CHF 35 per person at weekends.
| Option | Per person | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| One night out | €65–130 | fondue or an Erststockbeizli, bars in the Old Town, partying at Trischli or Alpenchique |
| A day with an activity | €105–215 | plus an escape room, the Hangover pub crawl, bowling or bouldering |
| Weekend | €230–490 | two nights out, one activity, one night in a double room, travel not included |
Guide prices per person, based on the prices of the venues and tours on this page. The bride or groom usually doesn't pay; their share is split across the group. The planner above adds up what your programme costs.
All prices in euros, converted at the ECB rate of 9 October 2026. Travel isn't included, as that depends on where you're coming from. Accommodation is based on the country's price level. Work out your own budget with the cost calculator.
Seasonal tips
These dates come round every year. If your weekend falls on one of them, the city will be packed. If you'd rather keep things relaxed, plan around them.
In February, carnival takes over the city with a parade, Guggen brass bands and satirical Schnitzelbank verses.
Four days of festival in the Sittertobel in early July, running since 1977. Trains and hotels are full.
In August on Friday evening and Saturday, with music into the night; on Saturday food and drink are served until 02:00.
In October the Swiss trade fair for agriculture and food runs for 11 days; the city is full and hotels go early.
From late November to Christmas Eve, a Christmas market and festive lights across the city.
The cathedral and the Abbey Library have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, and the library holds around 2'000 medieval manuscripts.
Five man-made ponds on the Freudenberg above the city, with the open-air pool in the Mannenweiher in summer and a view over the rooftops.
The Stadtlounge in the Bleicheli quarter by Carlos Martinez and Pipilotti Rist, a public living room entirely in red.
Questions
