The Swiss airports of Zurich, Geneva, Basel and Bern 

Zurich Airport (“Zürich Flughafen”): introduction

“Zürich Flughafen”, abbreviated by “ZRH”, is the largest airport in Switzerland. Most intercontinental flights arrive here. It’s located 12 km from downtown Zurich. The airport offers lots of services, including many shops, car rental options, taxi services, a convention center, hotels, and a health care unit.

Zurich Airport to Zurich: the trip by train, tram, or taxi

The train journey from Zurich airport to the city of Zurich

Where is the train station of Zurich Airport located?

The train station is conveniently located in the airport building. It’s at the lowest level: “L-2”. This can be found right below the “Check-in 3” area at “L-1”.

How long does the train ride Zurich Airport-Zurich take?

It’s just a 10-minute train ride to the Zurich main station “Zürich HB”. This station is located right in the city center, at walking distance from many hotels and highlights.

What does the train ride from Zurich Airport to Zurich cost?

The price of a full-fare train ticket for the trip Zurich Airport-Zurich is CHF 7. You don’t need a ticket if you have a pass that allows free traveling, such as the Swiss Travel Pass or Saver Day Pass. You’re entitled to a discounted ticket with a Swiss Half Fare Card.

How to get from Zurich Airport to other destinations in Switzerland?

There are direct trains to many Swiss towns from the airport. If there’s no direct train, you usually change at the main station of Zurich. All connections are available in the timetable.

Zurich Airport to Zurich by tram

There are tram connections too. Tram line 10 runs partially parallel to the train line, but there are many stops between the airport and Zurich. The tram connections take 45 to 50 minutes, so the trains are a better option in most cases.

A tram ride can be useful if you’re not heading for the center of Zurich, but for one of its suburbs such as Glattbrug or Oerlikon.

Zurich Airport: planning your journey in the timetable

This is what to enter in the timetable when planning your journey from Zurich Airport:

• “Zürich Flughafen” for the airport’s railway station.
• “Zürich HB” for the main station in the center of Zurich.
• “Zürich Flughafen, Bahnhof” for the platform from which trams depart.
• “Zürich, Bahnhofplatz/HB” for the tram platform at Zurich’s main rail station. If your destination is another location along the tram line, enter that. You can even enter an exact (hotel) address if you want.

Public transport in Zurich

Public transport in Zurich is free with a Swiss Travel Pass and several other rail passes. All of my information about traveling in Zurich can be found here.

Zurich Airport to Zurich by car transfer or rental car

Another option is to book a private or shared transfer from the airport to Zurich. This is convenient if you have a lot of luggage. Find options here:

• car and taxi transfers from/to Zurich Airport

Several offices for rental cars can be found at “L1”.

Zurich Airport: transportation to selected destinations with SWISS Air Rail

Travelers who arrive at Zurich Airport with the airline SWISS can book a “SWISS Air rail ticket”. This is a ticket that includes:

• a boarding pass for a flight to or from Zurich Airport;
• a train ride from Zurich Airport to several major towns in Switzerland. Examples are Basel, Bern, Lausanne, Geneva, Lucerne, Interlaken and Lugano.

The train ticket is flexible. So if your plane is delayed and you miss your train, that’s no problem: the ticket is valid all day long.

Note that you don’t need this offer if you already have a rail pass that covers your journey from or to Zurich Airport.

Hotels near Zurich airport

There are plenty of hotels close to the airport, which is ideal for a comfortable late arrival or early departure. Some airport hotels offer a free shuttle bus ride to and from the airport. Check my list of convenient Zurich airport hotels here.

As the Zurich city center is close, you can easily stay in one of the hotels there as well. The hotels I recommend in the center can be found here.

Geneva Airport (“Genève-Aéroport”): introduction

“Genève Aéroport”, abbreviated by “GVA”, is a relatively small airport at 5 km from Geneva and near the French border. Switzerland and France share this airport. Lyon (France) is 150 km away.

Most flights come from countries in and around Europe, although there are some intercontinental destinations too. Most intercontinental flights arrive at Zurich Airport.

Getting from Geneva Airport to Geneva by train, bus, or car

From Geneva Airport to the city center by train

Where at the airport of Geneva is the train station located?

The rail station of Geneva is located at level G: underground, right under the terminal building. You can get there directly from the Check-In and Arrivals areas of the airport.

How long does a train ride from Geneva Airport to Geneva take?

The easiest way to reach Geneva and the main station is by train. It’s a 7-minute ride. From the Geneva main station, you can take trains to France and further into Switzerland.

How much does a train ride from the airport Geneva cost?

A cheap “Unireso zone-10” ticket is available to get to the Geneva main train station. It costs CHF 3 and is valid for 1 hour.

You don’t need a ticket if you have a rail pass that allows free traveling throughout Switzerland, such as the Swiss Travel Pass. If you spend one or several nights in a hotel in Geneva, you’ll get the free Geneve Transport Card that allows for a free ride from the airport as well. Find all details in the Geneva travel section.

Geneva Airport to Geneva by bus

You can take a bus from the airport to Geneva as well. Bus lines 5 and 10 get you to Geneva’s main rail station in 30 minutes. The buses cross the suburbs between Geneva Airport and Geneva, whereas the trains go around them.

A bus trip is less comfortable if you’re traveling with luggage, but it might be what you need if you’ve booked accommodation north or west of Geneva’s city center.

Geneva Airport to Geneva: planning your trip in the timetable

This is what to enter in the timetable when planning your train or bus transfer:

• “Genève-Aéroport” for the train station at Geneva Airport.
• “Genève” for the main train station of Geneva.
• “Genève-Aéroport, Terminal” for the bus station of Geneva Airport.
• “Genève, gare Cornavin” for the bus platforms in front of Geneva’s main train station.

Geneva Airport to Geneva by private transfer or rental car

If you have a lot of luggage, you may want to book a private or shared taxi. Find options at:

• car and taxi transfers from/to Geneva Airport

Rental cars are available at the “Arrival” level (A) of the airport. Use the Swiss sector.

Hotels near Geneva Airport

There are several hotels very close to Geneva Airport. They’re a good option for a late arrival or early departure.

The city is close to the airport, so hotels in Geneva are an option too.

Basel Airport (“Basel EuroAirport”): introduction

The “EuroAirport”, with the international abbreviation “BSL”, is a relatively small airport located just across the Swiss border in France. It’s the shared airport of the cities of Basel (Switzerland), Mulhouse (France), and Freiburg (Germany).

Most flights to the EuroAirport come from countries in and around Europe. Most intercontinental flights arrive at Zurich Airport.

The entire airport, including the arrival hall and departure hall, is split into Swiss and French sections.

Basel Airport to Basel: the journey by bus or car

From the airport to the Basel city center by bus

Where at the airport is the bus platform located?

The airport’s bus platform “Basel EuroAirport, Ankunft” can be found outdoors, in front of the Swiss sector of the terminal.

How long does the bus ride take?

Bus line 50 takes you to the Basel main rail station (Basel SBB) in approximately 20 minutes. From there, you can reach the town center on foot or by tram, or take a train to any other Swiss town.

How much does the bus trip from Basel Airport to Basel cost?

The price of a regular bus ticket is CHF 6.60. But you may not need a ticket at all. Even though part of the ride is in France, the entire bus trip is included in the Swiss Travel Pass/Swiss Travel Pass Flex and the Saver Day Pass.

If you spend the night in one of Basel’s hotels, you’re entitled to a free ride bus trip from and to the airport as well. My Basel travel section explains how this works.

Your bus ticket is discounted with the Swiss Half Fare Card.

Can I get from Basel Airport to Basel by train?

There’s no train station at Basel Airport and there are no train connections to the city. Instead, you can use the bus.

There is a small rail station in nearby Saint Louis, France. That’s an alternative if you travel to France instead of Switzerland. You can reach it by bus or taxi.

Basel Airport to Basel: planning your trip in the timetable

These are the names to use when planning your bus trip from the airport in the timetable:

• “Basel EuroAirport, Ankunft” or “Basel EuroAirport, Abflug” for the bus platform of Basel Airport.
• “Basel” or “Basel SBB” for the main station of Basel, where the buses arrive.
• “Basel, Bahnhof SBB” is the official name of the bus platform across from the station of Basel. But if you just fill out “Basel” or “Basel SBB”, the timetable understands where you want to go and automatically presents bus connections to “Basel, Bahnhof SBB”.

Basel Airport to Basel by private transfer or rental car

You can take a taxi from the airport to Basel as well. Find options here:

• car and taxi transfers from/to Basel EuroAirport

There are rental cars available at level 2 of the terminal building, in both the Swiss sector and the French sector.

Hotels near Basel Airport

There are several hotels near Basel EuroAirport. Find our airport hotel suggestions here.

As Basel is quite close, you could stay in one of the hotels in the city as well. See our list of hotels in downtown Basel and near the rail station here.

Bern Airport (“Bern Flughafen”): introduction

“Flughafen Bern”, abbreviated by “BRN”, is a small airport near the capital Bern. Most flights come in from Europe. Intercontinental flights usually arrive at Zurich Airport.

Bern Airport to Bern by bus or car

From the airport to the Bern city center by bus and train

There is no train station at the airport. A 10-minute bus ride takes you from the bus stop “Bern Flughafen” at the airport to the rail station of Belp, from where you can continue by train to Bern or Thun. Also, there’s a bus to the rail station of Rubigen between Bern and Thun.

The Swiss Travel Pass and several other rail passes cover the buses for free, as well as the trains. The trip from the airport to Bern via Belp is also free if you have booked a hotel or other accommodation in Bern, since they will issue you a Bern Ticket.

Consult my Bern travel guide for details.

Bern Airport to Bern by private transfer or rental cars

There are rental cars available at the airport too. If you need a private transfer instead, see:

• car and taxi transfers from/to Bern Airport

More helpful info to plan your flight and your stay