Switzerland · City break

Basel City Guide

At the bend of the Rhine stands the red-sandstone minster, below it locals drift down the turquoise river all summer, and in between sit nearly forty museums, among them Switzerland's most famous art collection. One ready-made day route from the tram covers the old town and the ancient Rhine bridge.

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Our walking tours of Basel

Ready-made routes from the station guide you through Basel, to the right spots from the very first step, with no planning needed.

Altstadt, Rhein & Kunst

From the Marktplatz with its bright-red town hall to the red-sandstone minster and the Pfalz terrace above the Rhine, across on the current-powered minster ferry and back over the Mittlere Brücke. Then into the world-famous art museum, to the kinetic Tinguely fountain and the medieval Spalentor gate.

Market Square & Town Hall. The walk begins on the Marktplatz with the bright-red town hall of 1504. A tower, wall paintings and gilded façade make it the heart of the old town. In the mornings a colourful market of flowers, cheese and fruit fills the square.
Basel Minster. The red-sandstone minster with its brightly patterned tiled roof is Basel's landmark. Over 250 steps lead up the Martin's Tower for a sweeping view over the city and the Rhine; inside lies the tomb of the scholar Erasmus of Rotterdam.
Pfalz. Right behind the minster lies the Pfalz, a tree-lined terrace high above the Rhine. From the parapet the view sweeps over the turquoise river, the ferry and the rooftops of Kleinbasel to the Black Forest. The old town's finest viewing balcony.
Minster ferry (Fähri). From the steps below the Pfalz you reach the minster ferry. One of Basel's four "Fähri" that glide across the river on a wire, driven by the Rhine current alone, without an engine. A short, wonderfully old-fashioned crossing with a view back to the minster.
Middle Bridge. The Mittlere Brücke of 1226 was one of the very first permanent Rhine bridges and links Greater and Lesser Basel. From it you get the classic postcard view of the old town with the minster. Especially lovely as the ferry glides past below. At the Kleinbasel end of the bridge begins the Oberer Rheinweg with its pop-up buvettes. In summer, half of Basel drifts past here down the Rhine with the waterproof Wickelfisch bag, drinks on the bank included.
Kunstmuseum Basel (Art Museum). The Kunstmuseum Basel holds one of the world's oldest public art collections. From Holbein and the Old German masters via Böcklin to Picasso, van Gogh and classic modernism. A must for art lovers and the reason Basel is known as a city of museums.
Tinguely Fountain. On Theaterplatz, the ten black iron machines of the Fasnacht Fountain splash and turn. A playful water sculpture by Basel artist Jean Tinguely from 1977. A local favourite and a wonderfully quirky photo motif.
Spalentor. To finish, the Spalentor. The grandest of the three surviving city gates and one of Switzerland's finest. The massive red-sandstone gate with its two round towers and portcullis once marked the western edge of the city; the trams back to the centre stop right beside it.

Planning your visit

One day is enough. The route from the Marktplatz runs 3.5 kilometres and leads from the red town hall to the minster, across the Pfalz terrace above the Rhine, over to the other bank by ferry and on to the Kunstmuseum and the Spalentor. Basel packs almost forty museums into a small area, pick two and leave the rest. In summer locals float down the Rhine, that is how the working day ends here. Seven evening tips are ready, and the Fondation Beyeler is one tram ride away.

Going out & nightlife

Rooftop bars

Bar Rouge (Messeturm). Sky bar on the 31st floor of the Messeturm in Kleinbasel. The city's highest view over the Rhine, the old town and out to the Black Forest.

Nightlife quarters

Kleinbasel & Rheingasse. The lively bank across from the old town. Bars, taverns and riverside kiosks line the Rheingasse and the water. In summer half the city sits here by the Rhine.
Steinenvorstadt. The downtown going-out and former cinema strip with bars, restaurants and theatres. Busy at weekends.

Food & restaurants

Zum Goldenen Sternen. Basel's oldest surviving inn (since 1412), right on the Rhine. Refined yet down-to-earth cuisine in a historic setting.
Kunsthalle Basel Restaurant. A tradition-steeped artists' restaurant with a shady garden beside the Kunsthalle. A hub of Basel's art scene, classic brasserie fare.

Bars & clubs

Rheinufer Kleinbasel. On warm evenings the Kleinbasel riverbank is the meeting spot, with kiosks, an after-work beer by the water and the view of the floodlit old town.

Stage & concerts

Theater Basel & Stadtcasino. Basel's grand three-genre house stages opera, drama and ballet; next door, the freshly renovated Stadtcasino. One of Europe's finest concert halls. Hosts classical music.

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Practical information for Basel

Public transport

Operator. BVB (Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe) is Basel-Stadt's municipal tram and bus company, with a customer center at Barfüsserplatz 24. A single ticket is valid network-wide across the Tarifverbund Nordwestschweiz (TNW), which bundles the services of BVB, BLT, SBB, PostAuto, and other partner operators into one shared fare, including select cross-border lines into Germany and France. On Friday and Saturday nights, as well as on New Year's Eve and other special days such as the Swiss National Day or Basel's Fasnacht carnival, the Easy durch d'Nacht night network supplements regular service with its own lines.

Network. A dense tram network and buses, some running into Germany and France.

Modes of transport. Tram · Bus · S-Bahn (suburban rail)

Operating hours. Operating hours vary by line, with airport line 50 serving as a reference point, running daily from 4.30 am to midnight. On the nights from Friday to Saturday and from Saturday to Sunday, as well as on New Year's Eve and special days such as the Swiss National Day or Basel's Fasnacht carnival, the Easy durch d'Nacht night network additionally runs between 1 am and 4 am. During this time, tram lines 1, 6, 8, 14, 15, and 16 and bus lines 30, 32, 33, 34, 36, and 38 run hourly, with lines 6 and 8 every half hour. Bus 36 also serves the Dreiländereck stop at night.

Night service. The Easy durch d'Nacht night network supplements regular service on the nights from Friday to Saturday and from Saturday to Sunday between 1 am and 4 am, plus on New Year's Eve and on special days such as the Swiss National Day (around August 1 in 2026) or Basel's Fasnacht carnival (February 2027). During this time, tram lines 1, 6, 8, 14, 15, and 16 and bus lines 30, 32, 33, 34, 36, and 38 run hourly, with lines 6 and 8 every half hour. Bus 36 also serves the Dreiländereck stop during these nights.

Buying tickets. Tickets are bought at TNW ticket machines right at the stops, at the BVB customer center at Barfüsserplatz 24, at the BLT counter, at Basel SBB station, or digitally through the TNW Tickets app. Sales by the driver on board are not offered, a valid ticket must be obtained before departure.

App and payment. Several apps are available for digital ticket purchase. The TNW Tickets app covers single tickets and multi-ride cards across the entire Tarifverbund Nordwestschweiz, including Triregio tickets for cross-border trips. FAIRTIQ works on a check-in-check-out principle and calculates the fare automatically. There is also the öV Plus app and SBB Mobile, which is best suited for train travel.

Which ticket. For trips within Basel-Stadt, the single ticket for Zone 1 costs 4.20 CHF in 2nd class (7.20 CHF in 1st class), reduced fare 2.90 and 5.00 CHF respectively. For very short trips up to the fourth stop, the short-distance ticket at 2.60 CHF (4.50 CHF in 1st class) is enough, valid for half an hour. The Basel day ticket for zones 10, 11, 13, 14, and 15 costs 10.70 CHF in 2nd class and 18.20 CHF in 1st class, or 64.20 and 109.20 CHF respectively for a pack of 6. The day ticket pays off from the third single ride, since three single Zone 1 tickets together already cost 12.60 CHF, more than the day ticket. According to the TNW price list, these prices remained unchanged from December 10, 2023 through the time of this check in August 2026.

Fare zones. Within Basel-Stadt, Zone 1 or the Basel day ticket (zones 10, 11, 13, 14, 15) is enough. Bus 50 to EuroAirport lies outside this zone and costs around 6.60 CHF. Line 3 continues on to Saint-Louis in France, line 8 to Weil am Rhein, and bus 38 to Grenzach-Wyhlen in Germany, where the TNW day ticket no longer applies.

Tip. Hotel guests receive a free transit ticket for the length of their stay.

Getting there

Main station

Location. The Swiss main station. Beside it is the French station, and to the north Basel Badischer Bahnhof for trains from Germany.

Long-distance trains. TGV Lyria offers up to six direct daily connections to Paris, with a travel time of around three hours and four minutes. SBB describes Basel SBB as one of the largest border stations in Europe, with through long-distance connections from here into the rest of the Swiss rail network. The station should not be confused with the adjoining French section of the station, nor with the separate Basel Badischer Bahnhof in the north of the city, which handles connections to and from Germany.

Opening hours. The station operates from early morning to late at night, 365 days a year, with around 50 shops and restaurants, a pharmacy, a health center, luggage lockers, and over 1,600 bicycle parking spots in the building.

Airports

BSL

Into the city. Bus 50 (BVB) runs directly from the terminal forecourt in the arrivals area, Swiss sector, to Basel SBB station. The journey takes around 20 minutes, and the line runs every 7 to 10 minutes from 4.30 am to midnight. On the French side, train connections into Alsace also depart from Saint-Louis station.

Frequency. Every 7 to 10 minutes, daily from 4.30 am to midnight.

Local quirks

The Ferries Run Without an Engine. Four Rhine ferries hang from a cable and run purely on the current. A ride for just a few francs.
Taxi or Bus to the Airport. A taxi from Basel city center to EuroAirport costs around 50 francs flat rate, according to the airport. Bus 50 covers the same route for the price of an ordinary single ticket, running every 7 to 10 minutes until midnight.
The Tram Crosses the Border, the Ticket Doesn't. Line 3 runs without transfer all the way into Saint-Louis in France, and line 8 into Weil am Rhein in Germany. The TNW day ticket and most Swiss passes, however, are only valid up to the border, beyond that a separate ticket is needed.

Good to know

Currency: CHF Fr.
Emergency number: 112
Plug type: J · C
Time zone: Europe/Zurich
Driving: right

Speed limits. built-up areas 50 km/h, outside towns 80 km/h, motorway 120 km/h

Motorways marked with blue signs have a 120 km/h limit, while expressways marked with green signs are limited to 100 km/h. Using motorways and expressways requires an annual vignette on the windscreen regardless of the distance driven, even for a single short trip.

Tipping. Service is included. Rounding up is customary, nothing more.

Tolls. Motorways require an annual vignette, digital or as a sticker. No shorter option exists.