How to travel between Basel and Zurich: all options explained

This page was last updated by Arno on 15 October 2023.

Must-knows about getting from Basel to Zurich

The quickest train trip between Basel and Zurich takes less than 1h00.
There are plenty of train connections each hour: some direct, some with a change of trains.
A car trip isn’t quicker, especially not if you have to start or end in the city centers. Traffic can be busy there.
If time allows, combine your journey with a visit to the pretty centers of Basel and Zurich.

Getting from Basel to Zurich: the main options at a glance

We advise taking the train between Basel and Zurich. There are quick direct connections via Aarau, plus direct regional trains via Frick and Brugg.

If you travel by car, you can roughly follow these same two options.

Route	Travel time	Mode of transport	More information and prices
Basel - Zurich, option 1: via Aarau, direct train	0h55 - 1h10	Train	More
Basel - Zurich, option 1: via Aarau	2h00	Car	More
Basel - Zurich, option 2: Frick and Brugg, direct train	1h15	Train	More
Basel - Zurich, option 2: via Frick and Brugg	1h10	Car	More
Basel EuroAirport - Zurich	1h20 - 1h40	Bus + train	More
Basel EuroAirport - Zurich	1h20	Car	More
Basel - Zurich Airport	1h10-1h30	Train	More
Basel - Zurich Airport	1h20	Car	More

How does the timetable work?

Train ticket costs for Basel-Zurich

What does a train ride between Basel to Zurich cost?

The price of a normal, full-fare ticket from Basel to Zurich is about CHF 35.

If you have a rail pass, you may not need a ticket at all. Or you may be entitled to buy a 50% discounted ticket. Find an overview of all rail pass discounts for Basel-Zurich here.

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Rail pass benefits for Basel-Zurich

Pass	Discount
Day Pass	Free: Basel to Zurich (train)
Eurail Global Pass	Free: Basel to Zurich (train)
Interrail Switzerland Pass	Free: Basel to Zurich (train)
Saver Day Pass	Free: Basel to Zurich (train)
Swiss Half Fare Card	Discount 50%: Basel to Zurich (train)
Swiss Travel Pass	Free: Basel to Zurich (train)
Swiss Travel Pass Flex	Free: Basel to Zurich (train)

Map of the Basel-Zurich routes

The main train routes discussed in this travel guide are displayed in red: the southern line is the quick route via Aarau, the northern line is the regional train route via Frick and Brugg.

Your car options are displayed in black: the northern route is the quicker one over the A3 highway, the southern one is the detour allowing you to visit Olten and Aarau.

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Train routes between Basel and Zurich: all options in detail

The direct trains between Basel and Zurich take 0h55 to 1h10. They pass the town of Aarau. A longer direct connection by regional trains runs via Frick and Brugg. This is a 1h15 trip.

Option 1: via Aarau

The quickest way to travel between Zurich and Basel is the direct train via Aarau. Depending on the connection you choose, this will take 0h55 to 1h10. The quickest 0h55 trains don’t stop at any of the stations between Basel and Zurich.

On this same route, you’ll find several connections that require one change of trains in Aarau. You’ll first take a regional train to Aarau, and then change to a train heading for Zurich. This connection takes a bit longer: about 1h10.

Option 2: via Frick and Brugg

Basel and Zurich are also connected by direct regional trains. You can travel between the cities without changing trains via the towns of Rheinfelden, Frick, Brugg, Baden, and Dietikon. This route runs north of the main line via Aarau. The journey takes 1h15.

How to continue your trip from Basel or Zurich

The rail stations of Basel and Zurich are in the city centers. So if you’ve booked accommodation there, or want to enjoy sightseeing, you can mostly do so on foot right after arrival. There are urban buses and trams too.

Basel and Zurich also serve as a hub for quick train routes to many other Swiss destinations.

Learn all about your options in our Basel and Zurich travel sections.

Train travel from/to the airports of Basel and Zurich

How to get from Basel EuroAirport to Zurich

There are no direct trains between Basel Airport and Zurich. You’ll first have to travel from the airport to the main station of Basel. All details are in our airport guide.

You’ll arrive by bus right in front of Basel’s main train station. From there, you can continue to Zurich as described above. In total, the journey from Basel EuroAirport to Zurich takes 1h20 to 1h40.

How to get from Basel to Zurich Airport

The main train connections between Basel and the airport of Zurich are:

Option 1: quick trains from Basel to Zurich via Aarau. At the main station “Zürich HB”, you’ll have to change for the last short stretch to the airport. Your total journey will take 1h10 to 1h15.
Option 2: regional trains from Basel to Zurich Airport. No change of trains is required. This direct ride takes 1h30.

All details about the trip between Zurich and its airport are explained in our airport section.

How to plan your journey between Basel and Zurich with the timetable

The travel sections below list the names to enter in the timetable for all relevant stations of Zurich, Basel, and the nearby airports:

Basel to Zurich by car

The quickest option: via the A3 highway

The quickest way to drive between Zurich and Basel is by using the A3 highway. A car journey between both city centers takes about 1h15. Note that this does not include possible delays and traffic jams. Urban traffic in Basel and Zurich can get pretty busy.

The A3 route runs more or less parallel to the regional train line via Frick and Brugg.

An alternative allowing for sightseeing: via Aarau

If you’d like to visit some pretty towns to take a break from driving, we recommend heading south over the A2 highway, or motorway (“Hauptrasse”) 2 east of the highway. Then bend east to Olten and Aarau. You can finish your journey via the A1 to Zurich.

A direct drive would take about 2h00. Of course, this does not include sightseeing time, traffic jams, and other possible delays.

Prepare for your car trip

Our car tips give you all the information you need before you start driving in Switzerland.

Scenic side trips along the route

If time allows, we think you should definitely explore the town centers of Basel and Zurich on foot. In addition, you can pay a visit to the smaller towns below. They’re all lovely:

Kaiseraugst, on the river Rhine and just east of Basel. The main trains between Basel and Zurich don’t stop in Kaiseraugst, but other regional trains in the directions of Laufenburg and Olten do. The village is very close to the A3 highway, and home to the Roman archeological site “Augusta Raurica”.
Rheinfelden, which is a bit east of Kaiseraugst and located on the Rhine too.
Olten, a beautiful Swiss village with an ancient town center and a pretty wooden bridge over the river Aare. Note that the quick trains via Aarau pass along the east of Olten, but don’t stop there. There’s a regional train Basel-Olten though, and there are InterCity trains Olten-Zurich. Enter “Olten” as a via-station in the timetable if you want to make a side trip here.
Aarau, the capital town of the canton of Aargau. This small city is on the Aare river too and offers a charming historic center. Be aware that you can’t get out at the Aarau train station if you pick the quickest Basel-Zurich connections: these trains don’t stop along the route.