I will be based in Winterthur, Switzerland for 5 days, but will not have a lot of time for touring/travel within Switz. I am looking for the best train tour for the money.

how long do you have for the trip?

in vicinity of Winterthur i'd consider the Appenzeller Bahn - a tiny train that goes up to Appenzell, a known mountain resort. this would i think be the closest most scenic rail line.

PalenQ: Thanks for the tip!!

I will be working at the home office of my company until 17:00, so I will evenings from Monday through Friday and Saturday morning free. I have to eventually travel to Montorosso Italy on Sat, but I thought maybe I would take a couple of hours to tour on Sat morning.

I am sorry to barge in on this thread but if you are going to travel to Appenzell, by necessity you will have to change in St. Gallen (the Appenzeller Bahn station is across the street and to the right as you exit).

You might also consider visiting the abbey church in St. Gallen which has been called 'the most beautiful' (interior) in the entire country.

The even more famous library with its limited hours may not be visitable while you are there.

It is also a very short ride to the shores of Lake Constance (Bodensee).

Dukey: Barge away! I love getting any extra info.

Lindau on Lake Constanz is one of Europe's dreamiest old towns - nicely setting on an island in the lake.

Winterthur is also very close to Shaffhausen on the Rhine - though this is a neato enough town the reason for coming here (short train ride from W'thur) is to go to the Rhine Falls - an immense cascade - i actually took a train via Winterthur there and walked along the Rhine about two miles on riverside paths to the falls - quite a site.

And from Schaffhausen you can also take boats on the Rhine - upstream of course and not over the falls. To Konstanz i think, another swell BodenSee city and then train back to Winterthur.