Rhine Falls rainbow: when and where to stand
Short answer: 6 Nov 2026: Best rainbow from Laufen Castle platforms (south bank), 08:35–16:40 (strongest around 15:20), if the sun is out.
Europe's largest plain waterfall is best seen from the platforms below Laufen Castle on the south bank, right beside the falls, and from the boat to the rock in the middle.
Fri 6 November 2026 · sunrise 07:19, sunset 17:02
Laufen platforms: rainbow 08:35–16:40
Best rainbow from Laufen Castle platforms (south bank), 08:35–16:40 (strongest around 15:20), if the sun is out. Medium water.
| Laufen Castle platforms (south bank) looking north-east into the falls | A big, bright arc | 08:35–16:40 Best 15:20, across the spray at eye level |
|---|---|---|
| North bank promenade (Neuhausen) looking south across the basin | No rainbow | — |
Hour by hour
| Time | Laufen platforms | North bank |
|---|---|---|
| 07:00 | ||
| 07:30 | ||
| 08:00 | ||
| 08:30 | ||
| 09:00 | ||
| 09:30 | ||
| 10:00 | ||
| 10:30 | ||
| 11:00 | ||
| 11:30 | ||
| 12:00 | ||
| 12:30 | ||
| 13:00 | ||
| 13:30 | ||
| 14:00 | ||
| 14:30 | ||
| 15:00 | ||
| 15:30 | ||
| 16:00 | ||
| 16:30 | ||
| 17:00 | ||
| 17:30 |
Plan it
The Laufen Castle platforms need a ticket. June and July bring the most water from Alpine snowmelt. A rainbow needs direct sun on the spray: on an overcast day there is none.
Through the year
| 15th of | Laufen platforms | North bank | Water |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 08:45–16:40 | — | Medium |
| February | 09:10–17:30 | — | Medium |
| March | 09:25–18:10 | 17:35–18:10 | Medium |
| April | 10:55–19:55 | 17:40–19:55 | Medium |
| May | 11:55–20:35 | 17:15–20:35 | Medium |
| June | 14:35–21:00 | 06:00–06:25, 17:10–21:00 | High |
| July | 14:20–21:00 | 17:20–21:00 | High |
| August | 11:20–20:20 | 17:35–20:20 | High |
| September | 10:25–19:20 | 18:00–19:20 | Medium |
| October | 09:50–18:20 | — | Medium |
| November | 08:30–16:25 | — | Medium |
| December | 08:40–16:10 | — | Medium |
Rhine Falls rainbows by month
Questions
What time is the rainbow at Rhine Falls?
6 Nov 2026: Best rainbow from Laufen Castle platforms (south bank), 08:35–16:40 (strongest around 15:20), if the sun is out. The time moves through the year; pick your date above.
Which side of Rhine Falls has the rainbow in the morning and which in the afternoon?
Laufen Castle platforms (south bank): afternoons. North bank promenade (Neuhausen): afternoons.
Why is there no rainbow at midday?
When the sun is higher than about 42°, the whole rainbow circle sits below the horizon. You can then only see it low down, in spray below you, if at all. In summer that rules out the middle of the day at most falls closer to the tropics.
When does Rhine Falls have the most spray?
River flow is highest in June, July and August (Copernicus GloFAS, 2005–2024). More water means more spray and bigger rainbows, but also more mist hiding the falls.
How do you calculate the rainbow times?
A rainbow is a circle of about 42° around the point exactly opposite the sun. You only see the part of that circle that falls on sunlit spray, so it needs the sun behind you and lower than about 42° above the horizon. For every 5 minutes of the day we place that circle in the sky and check how much of it lands on the spray seen from each viewpoint.
Calculated from the sun's position at each viewpoint. The spray extent is an estimate for normal flow; wind pushes the mist around and can move the rainbow by a few degrees. Times are local (Europe/Zurich).