Boat and ferry trips on the Rhine in Basel

Boats and ferries in Basel: the must-knows

From Basel, you can enjoy 4 short ferry crossings and several 1- to 4-hour boat trips on the river Rhine.

The starting points are in the town center and easy to reach on foot or by tram.

Many of the Rhine cruises have culinary offers: you’ll be served brunch, high tea, or dinner for example.

Boat trips are available during most of the year, but the schedules are limited. The 4 ferries operate all year.

Combine a river trip with our city walk in Basel.

➤ Basel boat and ferry prices

Rhine boat prices and reservations

Ticket prices for the Basel boat rides range from about CHF 15 to CHF 80 per person, depending on the cruise you make.

Details:

If you're an overnight guest in Basel and have the BaselCard, you'll get a 50% discount on some of the rides.
Reservations are recommended for culinary cruises.

Rhine ferries prices and reservations

A ferry crossing costs just CHF 2 per person. Reservation isn't required.

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➤ Rail pass discounts for Basel boat rides

Travel passes usually don't offer a discount on the Rhine boats and ferries in Basel.

Pass	Discount
Day Pass	No discount: Boats on the river Rhine
Saver Day Pass	No discount: Boats on the river Rhine
Swiss Half Fare Card	No discount: Boats on the river Rhine
Swiss Travel Pass	No discount: Boats on the river Rhine
Swiss Travel Pass Flex	No discount: Boats on the river Rhine

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Directions to the docks and map

How does the timetable work?

How to reach the central boat dock for boat journeys

The main boat dock is called "Schifflände". It is located next to the bridge "Mittlere Rheinbrücke" in the old town center. It can be reached in a 20-minute walk from the rail station Basel SBB, or in 10 minutes by tram.

Where to board the 4 ferries

The little ferries depart from 4 different locations in town. See their website for details.

Maps are available to members only

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Operation dates, schedules and timetables

Rhine boat schedules

From May to October, you'll have the best choice: nearly all boat rides are available.

Details:

There are usually just 1 or 2 rides per day, and each type of tour is made on fixed days. On Saturdays and Sundays, a wider offer is usually available.
The schedule is limited from November to April.

Rhine ferry schedules

The ferries cross the river on all days of the year, weather permitting. In the summer season, they're available until the early evening.

In winter, schedules are limited and the ferries don't start operating until the late morning. They stop around 16:00 or 17:00.

Best season

The best period for boat and ferry trips on the Rhine from Basel is early May to mid October.

During these months, both the ferries and most boats operate. Temperatures are usually quite pleasant in spring and late summer/early autumn. In July and August, a boat trip is a perfect way to escape the possible heat of Basel.

The easiest way to plan for Switzerland

➤ No need to spend hours on research. We use our local expertise to plan your independent trip exactly as you want it. Professional and easy. See how it works

Weather advice and Basel forecast

Boat rides can be made in most types of weather. There's plenty of room inside the boats, so rain is no problem. Services will only be suspended in case of extreme weather circumstances.

The ferries are small and have limited indoor space. If it's busy you may have to sit outside, so dry weather is preferable. The ferries won't operate if water levels in the Rhine are too high.

Take along sun glasses and suncreen in sunny weather. Make sure to dress warm enough if temperatures are low. If you're seated on the outer deck, wind can cool you down quickly.

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Types and durations of Rhine trips from Basel

These are the boat and ferry trips in Basel:

a quick Rhine crossing of 5 to 10 minutes with 1 of the 4 little pedestrian ferries;
city and port cruises of about 75 minutes. These are round trips during which you’ll see the old town, the harbor, and the border with Germany and France;
brunch, high tea, and dinner cruises of up to 4 hours;
lock cruises of nearly 5 hours to Rheinfelden and back.

Can a boat trip be combined with a train journey?

Defnitely! A trip combining boat and train is a great option if you travel between Basel and Rheinfelden:

Make a single boat trip from Basel, and get off the boat in Kaiseraugst. In Kaiseraugst, it’s just a 10-minute walk from the jetty to the train station, and then a 12-minute train ride back to Basel.
You can also get off in Rheinfelden. Here it takes 8 minutes to reach the station on foot. Train rides back to Basel take about 15 minutes. Be sure to visit the beautiful historical town center of Rheinfelden before boarding the train.

How does the river Rhine define Basel?

The Rhine is of great economical importance to Basel. Many goods are transported by ship between northern and southern Europe. The large harbor of Basel plays a key role in these trade routes.

Geographically, Basel is split into two parts by the Rhine: “Kleinbasel” (Lesser Basel) in the north and “Grossbasel” (Greater Basel) in the south. There are five bridges connecting both parts of town. The middle one (“Mittlere Rheinbrücke”) is the picturesque one, dating back to 1226, but replaced in 1905.

Outside the city, the river marks the border of Switzerland and Germany.