All-Year Adventure Hike: Rugelreise – Thurgau Marble Rolling Trail | Family Guide
- Family Fun Factor
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
A hike with marble-rolling stations along the trail, set beside a scenic river and forest. Stroller friendly. Canton TG | Switzerland
AT A GLANCE
📍 Location: Frauenfeld, TG, Switzerland
🥾 Hike type: No gondola needed · One-way (return by train)
🎉 Fun Factors: Marble rolling tracks · Bike Pump Track
🔀 Route options: 2.7 km (5 marble stations) · 6.3 km (12 marble stations)
👶 Suitable for: Off-road strollers · Bikes
💰 Cost: Trail is free · Marble needed (CHF 5–6)
🎟️ Starting point: Begin at Frauenfeld Marktplatz — you can buy your marble there from a vending machine (TWINT accepted)
THINGS TO CONSIDER
You’ll need to buy a marble at the starting point — and be careful not to lose it along the way (there are plenty of tricky spots!).
There are several purchase points listed in the FAQ on the official website. We found the Marketplace vending machine to be the most convenient.
The hike is linear - you need to take a train to go back to the starting point
There are no restaurants or shops along the trail, so make sure to bring your own snacks and water.
Don't feel like reading? Watch a Rugelreise video instead!
Rugelreise Thurgau Ball Track Trail Walk Through Video
The fun factor
Rugelreise is an all-year accessible hike with a series of playful marble-rolling stations. It is the first marble-run themed trail (“Kugelbahnweg”) in Thurgau, created along the Murg river between Frauenfeld and Matzingen in the Murgtal. It was launched in June 2024 by Thurgau Tourismus in collaboration with Appenzeller Bahnen and local carpentry workshops, each contributing one of the handcrafted stations.
We especially love it in autumn and spring, when the weather is mild and the mountain trails are closed — but it works beautifully in summer and winter too, as long as paths are clear. .
Here are our top Fun Factors:
Roll marbles
It’s a simple but brilliant concept: you walk, and along the way you discover 12 wooden constructions where kids can roll their marbles — a built-in motivator that keeps little legs moving. It works beautifully for our kid, and dad is also a huge fan. Some of the tracks are wonderfully simple, while others are surprisingly clever: you might have to pull a marble up a tower, move levers to make it run, or balance the ball just right to reach the starting point. It’s playful engineering in nature — and kids love it.
Hit pump park
Around 10 minutes into the trail, you’ll also pass a small bike pump track. If you bring a bike, it’s a fun extra stop — free to access — but it’s better suited for intermediate riders rather than complete beginners.
The fitness factor
The trail is a one-way, linear route with two exit points — after 2.7 km and after 6.3 km — each right next to a train station, so you can simply hop on the train back. You can even decide on the spot at 2.7 km whether you want to continue to the full 6.3 km. The path is technically slightly uphill, but you barely notice it — it feels almost flat the whole way.
The path is stroller-friendly, but because it goes through forest sections, it’s best to bring a stroller with good wheels. We walked, and our kid used her small bike — it worked perfectly. The trail is suitable for bikes, but we wouldn’t recommend the whole family biking, as there are many children walking and it can get in their way.
Practical info:
Arrival by car: Park at Frauenfeld Marktplatz (St. GallerStrasse 17, 8500 Frauenfeld)
Arrival by public transport: Take the train to Frauenfeld Bahnhof and walk about 8 minutes to Frauenfeld Marktplatz, or take a local train directly to Frauenfeld Marktplatz.
Directions: The trail isn’t specifically signposted, but if you follow the Murgweg signs, yellow hiking trail markers, or the occasional Rugelreise signs, it’s easy to find your way.
At the end of the trail, take the train back to Frauenfeld — from Lüdem Frauenfeld for the shorter route or from Weberei Matzingen for the longer one.
Opening times: All year
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