🇨🇭 Canton guide
Appenzell Ausserrhoden: living, going out and working in the canton
Everything about the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden: language, politics, tax for cross-border workers (outside the 1983 agreement), transport, specialities, museums, traditions, and an interactive map of its 20 municipalities.
Photo (cropped): ZivilschutzKGSAR, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- residents at the end of 2025 (Federal Statistical Office)
- 57,221
- of the population are foreign nationals (calculated, end of 2025)
- 18.2%
- in Switzerland: the canton is not in the 1983 agreement (cantonal rules not read)
- At source
- members of the Kantonsrat and of the government, elected for 4 years
- 65 + 5
10 sections≈ 9 min readSources checked on November 6, 2026
The interactive map
35 places marked: landmarks, museums, transport, restaurants, nights out and events. Tap a point to learn more.
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Places on the map (35)
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Appenzell Ausserrhoden is a small canton of hills, villages and farms in eastern Switzerland, at the foot of the Säntis massif, whose biggest municipality is Herisau. It has no border with another country and it is not one of the eight cantons of the 1983 agreement: for a French cross-border worker, that means you are taxed at source in Switzerland, at the ordinary scales, and not in France as in Basel or Neuchâtel.
This page gathers what you need to know to live, go out and work in this canton: language, politics, tax, transport, food and specialities, museums, bars, traditions. The figures come from official sources listed at the bottom. Venues open, close and change their hours: always check with them before you travel. The interactive map further down places the canton's 20 municipalities and a few places to see.
1. Appenzell Ausserrhoden at a glance
| Marker | What to know |
|---|---|
| Population | 57,221 inhabitants at the end of 2025 (permanent resident population) |
| Foreign nationals | 10,433 people, or 18.2%; 46,788 Swiss citizens |
| Municipalities | 20 municipalities in three districts: Hinterland (7), Mittelland (5), Vorderland (8) |
| Biggest municipality | Herisau, 16,100 inhabitants; Regierungsgebäude address: Obstmarkt 3 |
| Parliament and government | Kantonsrat of 65 members, government of 5 full-time members, elected for 4 years |
| Tax for French cross-border workers | At source in Switzerland (outside the 1983 agreement) |
| Places that come up often | Herisau, Teufen, Urnäsch, Stein, Heiden, Trogen, Säntis |
The share of foreign nationals is calculated from the figures in the Federal Statistical Office's "resident population" table (2025). The Constitution dates from 30 April 1995; the version read is the November 2023 one.
The 20 municipalities
| District | Municipalities (inhabitants, end of 2025) |
|---|---|
| Hinterland | Herisau 16,100; Urnäsch 2,382; Waldstatt 1,906; Schwellbrunn 1,543; Stein 1,492; Hundwil 967; Schönengrund 561 |
| Mittelland | Teufen 6,646; Speicher 4,505; Gais 3,150; Bühler 1,958; Trogen 1,905 |
| Vorderland | Heiden 4,413; Walzenhausen 2,111; Wolfhalden 1,913; Rehetobel 1,710; Lutzenberg 1,340; Grub 986; Wald 916; Reute 717 |
2. The language
The Constitution we read contains no provision on the official language: we therefore do not state one. The official texts we read (Constitution, state pages) are in German, and the contract, payslip and forms generally are too. Article 1 states that the canton works with the Confederation, the other cantons and "the neighbouring country" ("das benachbarte Ausland").
No main-language statistics were read: we therefore give no percentage of French speakers.
3. How the canton is governed
| Institution | What the Constitution says |
|---|---|
| Kantonsrat (parliament) | 65 members; each municipality has at least one seat, the others are distributed according to the number of inhabitants (art. 71) |
| Government (Regierungsrat) | 5 full-time members; re-election possible three times (art. 83); the chair has the title Landammann (art. 84) |
| Election | Voters elect the government and, from among its members, the Landammann, as well as the judges of the Supreme Court (art. 60) |
| Term of office | 4 years (art. 65) |
| Popular initiative | 300 voters (art. 51) |
| Optional referendum | 300 voters within 60 days of publication (art. 60bis) |
| Mandatory referendum | Notably any revision of the Constitution (art. 60) |
| Right to vote | Swiss citizens aged 18 or over living in the canton (art. 50) |
The Constitution was adopted by the Landsgemeinde on 30 April 1995; voters now decide at the ballot box. Resident foreigners do not vote at cantonal level; a cross-border worker has no right to vote in the canton.
4. Working in Appenzell Ausserrhoden as a cross-border worker
| Point | What we read |
|---|---|
| 1983 agreement | The Federal Council signed it on behalf of Bern, Solothurn, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, Vaud, Valais, Neuchâtel and Jura: Appenzell Ausserrhoden is not part of it |
| Fribourg tax office | According to its instructions, the agreement "concerns only" these eight cantons; for the others, cross-border workers are taxed at source in Switzerland |
| Aargau | Its tax office describes the situation of a canton outside the agreement: French cross-border workers are taxed at the ordinary scales (A, B, C, H), with a tax credit in France |
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden | Cantonal rules not read: the situation is deduced from the list of agreement cantons; check with your employer and the cantonal tax office |
| Cantonal minimum wage | Not read; check the collective agreement of your sector (see our guide on the CCNT) |
| Number of cross-border workers | Not read |
5. Getting around
| Mode | What we read |
|---|---|
| Appenzeller Bahnen | Railway of the Appenzellerland; the Appenzell tourist board also lists PostAuto buses and a PubliCar (on-demand bus) |
| Herisau | Station of the canton's biggest municipality (Bahnhofplatz) |
| Säntis cable car (Schwägalp) | Cable car to the Säntis, every 30 minutes; service suspended, reopening planned on 17 and 18 December 2026 |
| Gais | Gais station on the Appenzeller Bahnen line, starting point for the Gäbris |
We did not read a network map, timetables or fares. Check your journey on the SBB site before choosing where to live.
6. Eating and drinking
| Place | What we read |
|---|---|
| Appenzeller Schaukäserei (Stein, Dorf) | "The spiciest cheese in Switzerland": behind the scenes, traditions and production; Höckli restaurant, garden terrace, hot food served continuously |
| Appenzell specialities | According to the tourist board: Appenzeller Käse, Biber and Bärli-Biber, Chäsflade, Klübler / Pantli, Berewegge, Landsgemeinde-Chrempfli, raclette and fondue |
| Drinks | Appenzeller Alpenbitter (recipe from 1902, 42 herbs and spices), Appenzeller beer from the Locher brewery (since 1886), Flauder, cream liqueur |
No list of restaurants was read for Appenzell Ausserrhoden; we therefore give no restaurant addresses, apart from the demonstration cheese dairy.
7. What to see and do
| Place | What we read |
|---|---|
| Zeughaus Teufen | Houses the cantonal art collection of Appenzell Ausserrhoden; the same friends' association supports the Grubenmann Museum and the Zeughaus |
| Brauchtumsmuseum Urnäsch | Folklore museum: "Wild. Wald. Wir." (21 March 2026 – 7 February 2027) and "Festtagsglanz und Alltag" on costumes (30 May 2026 – 7 February 2027) |
| Museum Henry Dunant (Heiden, Asylstrasse 2) | Open every day from 11 am to 4 pm; guided tours possible outside these hours |
| Appenzeller Volkskunde-Museum (Stein) | Cited by the Appenzell tourist board among the canton's museums |
| Kinderdorf Pestalozzi (Trogen) | Born in 1946 from a humanitarian gesture by Switzerland for war orphans, now a non-profit organisation |
| Gäbris (Gais) | 1,251 m; well-known summit of the municipality of Gais; Gais – Trogen weather trail (about 3 to 3.5 hours) |
| Säntis (Schwägalp) | The Alpstein massif belongs to the cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden, Appenzell Ausserrhoden and St. Gallen |
| Landsgemeindeplatz (Trogen, Hundwil) | Squares with this name; the 1995 Constitution was adopted by the Landsgemeinde |
8. Bars, cellars and nights out
| Venue | What we read |
|---|---|
| Kammgarn (Herisau) | Cultural centre: folk, rock, Anatolian rock, metal and hardcore concerts; a party "for people with and without disabilities" on the autumn 2026 agenda; address not pinned |
| Casino-Gesellschaft Herisau (the pinned place is the Kulturzentrum Casino, Poststrasse 9, according to OpenStreetMap) | The society, founded in 1837, is Herisau's oldest association; it organises chamber music (six evenings), "KulturElle" and literature |
No official list of clubs or bars was read: we kept only the venues whose sites we read.
9. Traditions and highlights
| Event | When | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Silvesterklausen (Urnäsch) | Date not read | Living village custom, cited by the municipality along with "Jodelgesang" |
| Brauchtumsmuseum exhibitions | Until 7 February 2027 | "Wild. Wald. Wir."; "Festtagsglanz und Alltag" |
| Heiden general election | 4 April 2027 | Announced by the municipality of Heiden (seats to be filled) |
| Landsgemeinde of Appenzell Innerrhoden | 25 April 2027 (last Sunday of April) | The neighbouring half-canton still votes in the open air (see its page) |
Sources
- Constitution of the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden (111.1): November 2023 version; art. 1, 50, 51, 60, 60bis, 65, 71, 83, 84. Text in German.
- Federal Statistical Office: resident population (table px-x-0102010000_101, 2025): population, foreign nationals, municipalities.
- Agreement of 11 April 1983 on the taxation of cross-border workers; Fribourg tax office: "source tax" instructions; Aargau tax office: information sheet on the taxation of cross-border workers.
- Appenzell Ausserrhoden tax administration (contacts only).
- Site guides, checked against official sources: G permit, contract and salary (CCNT).
- Institution websites: Appenzeller Schaukäserei, Zeughaus Teufen, Brauchtumsmuseum Urnäsch, Museum Henry Dunant, Kinderdorf Pestalozzi, Säntis cable car, Appenzeller Bahnen, Casino-Gesellschaft Herisau.
- Municipality and Appenzell tourist board websites: Urnäsch, Gais, Heiden, Herisau, Appenzell Tourismus, Locher brewery, Appenzeller Alpenbitter.
- Map coordinates: © OpenStreetMap contributors; base map © swisstopo.
Want to work in Herisau?
Browse the canton's job listings, or discover the programme that prepares you for the application, the interview and the employment contract.
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