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Recommended season: early January to late June and early September to late December
Altitude: 278 m (912 ft)
Town size: Big
Local language: German
There is a train stationWhat is Basel like? 
Basel is a large city in the north-west of Switzerland, close to the German and French borders. It's located on the river Rhine.
Basel is modern and has business and industry districts. But the beautiful historic town center is interesting for tourists as well: it has lots of ancient buildings and squares, museums, churches, and restaurants. And there are great views of the Rhine.
Essential travel info and city map
How to travel to and in Basel: quick overview
Basel can be reached by train, car, and plane (through the nearby EuroAirport). Once you're in the city, you can get around by trams and buses, or on foot.
How to reach Basel from Germany, France and other countries
Basel can best be reached by train. There are excellent connections from Germany and France. All details can be found below:
Quick bus transfers are available from the EuroAirport near Basel.
How to travel between Basel and other Swiss cities by train
The city is well connected to other Swiss towns by train. For example, there are quick (and often direct) trains to and from:
- Zurich (0h55)
- Zurich Airport (1h30)
- Bern (1h00)
- Lucerne (1h10)
- Interlaken (2h00)
- Brig (2h15)
- Lugano (3h10)
All options can be found in the timetable.
The main train, tram, and bus stations in Basel
- The main train station is "Basel SBB". This is the hub for most public transport. There are train services to many destinations, including Paris and Germany.
- The range of tram and bus platforms at the Centralbahnplatz in front of the main train station is called "Basel, Bahnhof SBB". That's where you can hop on local and regional transport.
- There's also the small rail station "Basel Bad Bf" in the north of the town. This is the border station to Germany.
Trams and buses
Basel has an extensive network of trams, reaching out to many city districts and to villages outside of the city. Additionally, there are several bus lines.
Most leave from the Centralbahnplatz in front of the main train station.
Exploring Basel on foot
The town center can be reached on foot from Basel SBB in 15 minutes. The center is compact enough to explore on foot.
Try our 2-hour Basel city hike, or part of the route, along all the highlights for example.
Free public transport with the BaselCard
You will get a free BaselCard when you check into a hotel in Basel. It offers discounts on local attractions. The card also serves as a "Mobility Ticket", allowing you to use unlimited public transportation in the city. The transfer to the airport is included too.
If your hotel reservation is marked "Mobility Ticket", you can use your reservation to travel from the airport to Basel.
Free transport in Basel with the Swiss Travel Pass
The Swiss Travel Pass and several other rail passes cover all Swiss train sections to and from Basel. This includes the bus ride from EuroAirport.
On top of that, you'll get free access to the buses, trams and trains in Basel. Urban transport in other Swiss cities is covered too.
Find out which pass is best for your plans with our comparison tools.
Car traveling to and in Basel
Basel can be reached by car. It's certainly not what I recommend though. Even though Arno and I are experienced drivers, we don't feel comfortable navigating the busy city traffic. Walking and using public transport is much easier in my opinion. Moreover, parking spots are expensive.
Popular routes to and from Basel
Basel to Zurich
Italy to Switzerland
France to Switzerland
When to visit Basel
Basel in spring, summer and fall
To me, Basel is most attractive in early January to late June and early September to late December.
I feel that only July and August are slightly less suitable for a Basel trip. If it gets hot, you too may prefer to be closer to the Swiss mountains, where the air is cooler.
Basel in winter
Basel isn’t the ideal base town for a snow holiday. If you want to see the snowy Alps, you’ll first have to travel a couple of hours.
Basel is still a great winter destination if you want to explore the town itself and other Swiss cities. Many of them can be quickly reached by train.
The best season for a winter trip to Basel is late November and December, because there’s a wonderful Christmas atmosphere in town. You’ll find a large Christmas market at the Barfüsserplatz. Decorations and illumination in the old town add to the holiday feeling, and there are many Advent activities.
Weather in Basel and forecast
Temperatures in Basel are quite mild: it's at low altitude and not near the Alps. So it doesn't freeze often in winter. Typical winter temperatures are 5°C to 10°C.
From May to September, temperatures can vary between 22°C and 26°C. Much higher temperatures are common too, and it can be pretty hot in the busy town center.
The amount of rain in Basel varies. In general, January and February are the driest months, and May to August are wettest. In summer, precipitation often comes as showers. Continuous rain for days in a row occurs less often.
But if you do have a rainy day while in Switzerland: a city trip to Basel is a perfect option. The city offers lots of shops and restaurants to take shelter, if necessary.
Accommodation in Basel
Basel offers lots of hotels and hostels. Many are close to both the train station Basel SBB and to the old center. Find yours in my Basel hotel overview.
A hotel close to the EuroAirport is convenient for a late arrival or early departure by plane. Check my EuroAirport hotel tips here.
Convenient hotels close to the Basel Airport
Find your hotel in Basel, Switzerland
What Basel has to offer to tourists
Quick access from France and Germany
Basel is the entry point to Switzerland for many travelers coming from France and Germany. It’s the first stop in Switzerland of many international trains, and the EuroAirport in France is very close.
Basel is where the river Rhine leaves Switzerland to continue its way to Germany and The Netherlands. The cruises from Amsterdam to Basel are quite popular.
The area around Basel
The landscape is hilly. The Jura mountains in the west are not far away. But the Swiss Alps south of Basel aren’t near: 1 to 2 hours away by train.
The old town center
The views from the highway or from the train don’t do justice to the city of Basel. Once you begin to explore it, it is actually very attractive: the historical town center with its Münster Cathedral and its many museums is absolutely worth a visit.
Reasons to stay in Basel
Arno and I regularly visit a larger city for a couple of days at the beginning of our Switzerland holidays, as we did with Basel. If you’re planning a longer vacation in Switzerland, you too can start or end here. This especially makes sense if you’re arriving or departing via Basel anyway, and if you’re interested in culture, museums, and Swiss architecture.
Basel is a good base town if you’re interested in:
- other cities in northern Switzerland;
- north-western Switzerland, including the Jura and the Three-Lake Area around Murten, Neuchâtel and Biel;
- north-eastern France (for example Colmar);
- southern Germany (for example Freiburg or the Black Forest).
If you have booked a late flight to or an early flight from Basel, it makes sense to spend the night near the airport and explore the city for a couple of hours. Check the list of airport hotels here.
Reasons to skip Basel
Basel is situated in the north-western corner of Switzerland. So it’s not ideal to explore Switzerland. In my view, many Swiss regions are too far away to realistically visit during a day trip.
If you have limited time to see Switzerland, I recommend going straight to the Alps, for example to Lucerne or the Bernese Oberland.
Basel FAQ
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Is Basel in Switzerland, Germany, or France?
Basel is in Switzerland. It’s located in the north-western corner of the country, very close to the French and German borders.
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Is Basel in the Alps?
No, Basel isn’t in or near the Swiss mountains. Its surroundings are hilly.
But you can reach the Swiss Alps during a day trip. Count on 1h00 to 1h30 by train to the Jura mountains in the west, and about 2h00 to 3h00 to Lake Lucerne, the Bernese Oberland, or the Rhone Valley in the Valais.
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Is Basel worth visiting?
Yes! The river Rhine and the ancient town center are very scenic. You can easily view highlights on foot. There are lots of shops and restaurants.
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How to get from the town center to the Basel Airport?
It’s a 15- to 20-minute ride with bus line 50 to travel between Basel EuroAirport and Basel SBB. Find more details in our Swiss airports guide.
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What to do in Basel in 1 day?
If you have just 1 day to spend in Basel, focus on the old town center and the area around the river Rhine.
Our city walk gets you to all the highlights in about 2 hours. You’ll see the Tinguely fountain, the Barfüsserplatz, the Münster Cathedral, the Rhine, and more.
Spend the time you have left on anything you like: museum visits, shopping, or dining.
Related information
Swiss airports
Swiss timetable
All tickets and passes
What to do in and near Basel
Find activities in and near Basel
The must-visits in the old town of Basel
To me, highlights in Basel are:
- the Münster Cathedral
- the Münster square with views of the Rhine
- the city hall
- ferry crossings on the river
- the Tinguely fountain
The city walk we designed allows you to see all of this and a lot more in just 2 hours.
Insider tips for excursions in Basel
These additional suggestions won't attract masses of tourists:
- Anatomical Museum
anatomie.unibas.ch - Cartoon Museum
cartoonmuseum.ch - Top Secret Drum Corps
www.topsecretdrumcorps.com - Toy Museum
www.spielzeug-welten-museum-basel.ch - The Bar Rouge: enjoy cocktails and the skyline of the city.
www.barrouge.ch
A day trip from Basel to Strasbourg or Colmar in France
Basel is a perfect base for excursions to the beautiful French towns of Strasbourg and Colmar. A single ride from Basel to Colmar takes 0h45. It's 1h20 to Strasbourg.
A day trip from Basel to south-Germany
If you want to see some of Germany from Basel, consider these options:
- Visit the medieval town of Freiburg in Breisgau from Basel. You can get there by train in 0h40 to 1h00. Freiburg is just south of the Black Forest area.
- Make a day trip to the lake “Titisee” in the Black Forest region. The rail station by the lake is also called “Titisee”. It’s a 1h35 train ride from Basel.
- www.basel.com: Basel Tourism
- www.basel.com: BaselCard
- www.tnw.ch: BaselCard and Mobility Ticket
- www.bvb.ch: Basel city transport map
Itineraries including Basel
