[Removed user]

13 January 2020 at 19:45:15 #824885

Hi All!

we’ve just booked a trip for my OH’s 30th, to go to the Baselworld convention in late April. We will of course need to be located near Basel for this.. we’re flying into Zurich but when looking for apartments or hotels we’ve noticed that there are some much cheaper options in Germany and France.

We will be renting a car so will be driving from Germany – Switzerland and back again daily.. will this be a problem? Do we need any kind of VISA’s or anything?

thanks in advance

ash

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[Removed user]

14 January 2020 at 0:47:54 #927960

You should check visa requirements with your country of origin, that isn’t really a topic covered here.

Having said that there are few border checks as borders between Switzerland and the EU are pretty much open (Schengen area)

You are absolutely correct and it is one of my standard pieces of advice that it is much cheaper to stay in the EU countries bordering Switzerland. You can stay in St Louis or Mulhouse for about 1/4 the cost of staying in Basel, 30 minutes away! Germany is slightly less cheap than France

[Slowpoke]

14 January 2020 at 3:08:41 #927961

<<“We will of course need to be located near Basel for this..”>>

Not so. Distances are short and public transport frequent.

Use the trains. Save the horrible cost of parking in Basel.

http://www.myswissalps.com/carversustrain

Slowpoke

[Peterli]

14 January 2020 at 6:08:07 #927962

Hello Ash,

Baselworld runs from Thursday, April 30 to Tuesday, May 5 this year, a total of six days. Am I reading that this is your sole reason for coming to this part of Europe ? I hope I am not being too forward, but I am also hoping this is not the case. And therefore I am wondering what else is in your thoughts and plans for your visit ?
http://www.myswissalps.com/activities

Getting from Zurich to Basel or some close-by place across the border from Switzerland by car is very simple. If you plan to rent you will have to ascertain if there are any restrictions or requirements because of what country you are from. This you should do with the rental agency. I would start my search with AutoEurope. It’s also very easy to get to Basel by train, but this takes me back to my question about what else you plan to do other than attend Baselworld.

It is very true that accommodations are much more expensive in Switzerland than over the border in nearby France, perhaps more so than Germany. Since Baselworld takes place on the right bank of the Rhein this would also make Germany a more practical place to look. You can look at Weil am Rhein, Lörrach, or even Rheinfelden, a bit further away.

As 1960man has noted, border controls are very open, even between EU countries and Switzerland. Between France and Germany, they just don’t exist, at least not in my experience. Nothing like the US customs between the USA and Mexico and even Canada, or the Wagah border between the two Punjabs !

As for parking (if you do choose to rent a car) I understand there is plenty in Riehen, which is also in that same part of Switzerland (on the right bank of Rhein) as is Baselworld (Messeplatz). In Riehen you can buy a one day visitor parking card for CHF 10. Check out this site: http://www.riehen.ch/leben-und-wohnen/verkehr/parkieren-riehen/parkplaetze-riehen. This is in German, so right click on “translate to English”.

But I return to my first question, what else are you planning to do and see ? This would help to determine if renting a car might be more advantageous than just relying on public transport.
http://www.myswissalps.com/train/practical/howtotravel

[Slowpoke]

14 January 2020 at 13:49:48 #927963

<<“In Riehen you can buy a one day visitor parking card for CHF 10.”>>

Good deal!

Slowpoke