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.
Min. time required: 0:30
Season: all year
Recommended season: early April to mid October
Max. altitude: 261 m (856 ft)

Basel boat and ferry prices Copy link to clipboard

Rhine boat prices and reservations

Ticket prices for the Basel boat rides range from about CHF 12 to CHF 65 per person, depending on the cruise you make.

Details:

  • If you're an overnight guest in Basel and have the BaselCard, you're entitled to a 50% discount.
  • Reservation is recommended for culinary cruises.

Rhine ferries prices and reservations

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

Get your tickets for Swiss lake and river cruises Copy link to clipboard

Luzern Discovery:Small Group Tour and Lake Cruise from Basel
Luzern Discovery:Small Group Tour and Lake Cruise from Basel
Scenic boat tripGuided day tour
A taste of Luzern's beauty awaits in this compact and memorable tour.

Offered by GetYourGuide: www.getyourguide.com

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Mt. Pilatus with cruise on Lake of Lucerne Small Group from Basel
Mountains, Scenic boat trip, Scenic train tripDay tour
Towering over the city of Lucerne like a monument to the Swiss wilderness, Mt. Pilatus is a must-visit for nature lovers. This stunning massif boasts several stunning peaks, set within a playground of soaring rock faces, lush rolling valleys, and a network of meandering emerald lakes. The tallest peak in …

Offered by Viator: www.viator.com

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Mount Pilatus Heritage Tour with Cruise from Zurich
Mount Pilatus Heritage Tour with Cruise from Zurich, Basel or Lucerne
MountainsDay tour
Ascend the steepest cogwheel railway in the world to the summit of Mount Pilatus, at 2,073 meters high, and take in stunning views of the Swiss Alps

Offered by Klook: www.klook.com

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Rail pass discounts for Basel boat rides Copy link to clipboard

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

PassDiscount
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

How to reach the boat and ferry docks Copy link to clipboard

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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.

Map: boat routes on the Rhine from Basel

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Operation dates, schedules and timetables Copy link to clipboard

Rhine boat schedules

From April to October, you'll have the widest choice. This is when 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, you can normally choose from several cruises though.
  • The schedule is more limited from November to March.
  • During the winter break in late December and early January, only the shorter port and city cruises are available.

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, the schedules are limited and the ferries don't start operating until the late morning.

Best season Copy link to clipboard

The best period for boat and ferry trips on the Rhine from Basel is early April 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.

Weather advice and forecast Copy link to clipboard

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.

Forecast for Basel

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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 50 minutes. These are round trips during which you’ll see the old town, the harbor, and the border with Germany and France;
  • brunch 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.

Other websites of interest

Schedules

Prices

Other activities in and near Basel Copy link to clipboard

Mittlere Brücke seen from southern Rhine shore in Basel

Town walk Basel

We created this free city walk for you to enjoy the historical city center of Basel in Switzerland in just …
The Rheinbrücke (Rhine Bridge) with flags in Rheinfelden

Town walk Rheinfelden

This appealing short walking route allows you to explore beautiful Rheinfelden on the Swiss-German border, plus the river Rhine.

About Basel and surroundings Copy link to clipboard

River Rhine and Basel city with Münster Cathedral

Basel

The city of Basel in the north of Switzerland has an atmospheric old town center on the river Rhine. There …

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Annika
Page author: AnnikaSince early childhood I've been visiting Switzerland during my holidays and I just fell in love with the country. I spent many summers in the Bernese Oberland, which still feels like my second home, and then started to explore other areas. Traveling, hiking and photographing in the Swiss Alps are my absolute favorite activities.