Cosmopolitain Basel (Bâle in French) is Switzerland's second-largest city. This major commerical centre straddles the border with France and German and it boasts a pretty oil town with 16th century buildings and cobblestone streets.

Practical Information

Basel Tourismus

Schifflände 5, Basel

Tel (061) 268 68 68

Website www.baseltourismus.ch

Open Mon-Fri 8.30am-6pm, Sat 10am-4pm

Coming & Going

basel's location near the border with France and Germany make this an easy place to make transport connections.

AIR

Euroairport (tel (061) 267 9025; website www.euroairport.ch) handles a lot of regional flights but it isn't very popular with low-cost airlines favoured by backpackers. Bus routes 30 and 50 run between the airport and the city centre. Line 30 takes 20 minutes and is the cheapest option at SFR 3.60 and line 50 is five minutes faster but costs SFR 6.60.

BUS & TRAIN

Basel has three main train stations. Both the SBB and SNCF stations are located in the same complex on Centralbahnstraße. The SBB station has trains to destinations in Switzerland and the SNCF station has trains to France. The DB station is located about 1km north of the Rhine and has trains to destinations in Germany. Tram 2 runs between the DB station and the SBB/SNCF stations.

Buses to destinations in France, Germany and Switzerland depart from outside the respective train stations.

Local Transport

Basel's efficient public transport system (website www.bvb-basel.ch) is made up of trams, buses and ferries.

Buses and trams run between 6am and midnight and cost SFR 1.80 for a short trip or SFR 2.80 for a one zone ticket. Day passes that allow unlimited travel in the three most central zones (zones 10, 11 and 12) cost SFR 8 or SFR 22 for a three-day pass.

There are four ferries that cross the Rhine. Ferries operate 9am-7pm in summer and 11am-5pm in winter. The fare is SFR 1.20.

Accommodation

Basel Backpack

Dornacherstrasse 192, 4053 Basel
Tram 15 (stop: Tellplatz), 16 (stop: Bruderholzstrasse)
Tel (061) 333 00 37

Basel City Youth Hostel

Pfeffingerstrasse 8, 4053 Basel
Tel (061) 365 99 60

Basel St Alban Youth Hostel

St. Alban-Kirchrain 10, 4052 Basel
Tram 2 (stop: Kunstmuseum)
Tel (061) 272 05 72

YMCA Hostel Basel

Gempenstrasse 64, Basel
Tel (061) 361 73 09

Sights

If you're planning on visiting more than a couple of museums, you may consider buying a MuseumsPass (website www.museumspass.com). The pass is good for free admission to 150 museums in the Upper Rhine region, which includes cities in neighbouring France and Germany. The pass costs SFR 39 for four days in one month or SFR 88 for one year.

Another option is the Swiss Museum Pass (website www.museumpass.ch), which costs SFR 111 and gives you free admission to 400 Swiss museums for one year.

Baslermünster

Basel's medieval cathedral dominates the old town. The tower provides an excellent vantage point with scenic views of Basel and the Black Forest.

Marktplatz, Basel

Website www.baslermuenster.ch

Admission cathedral free; tower SFR 3

Open Easter-15 Oct Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 1pm-5pm; 16 Oct-Easter Mon-Sat 11am-4pm, Sun 2pm-4pm

Fondation Beyeler

This private art collection exhibits most of the major names of the 20th century including Cézanne, Degas, Van Gogh, Liechtenstein, Matisse, Miro, Monet, Picasso, Rodin and Warhol.

Baselstraße 101, Basel

Tram 6

Tel (061) 645 97 00

Website www.beyeler.com

Admission Mon-Fri SFR 16, Sat-Sun SFR 20

Open Mon-Tue 10am-6pm, Wed 10am-8pm, Thu-Sun 10am-6pm

Kunstmuseum

Basel's leading art museum is home to an extensive art collection that ranges from the old masters to more modern art including the Picasso collection.

St Alban-Graban 16, CH-4010 Basel

Tram 1, 2, 15

Tel (061) 206 62 62

Website www.kunstmuseumbasel.ch

Admission SFR 12, students SFR 10; admission price also includes entry to Museum für Gegenwartskunst

Open Tue-Sun 10am-5pm

Museum für Gegenwartskunst

This modern art museum was the first in the world to devote itself exclusively to art from the 1960s and later. Much of the museum is used for temporary exhibits.

St Alban-Rheinweg 60, Basel

Tram 2, 15

Tel (061) 272 81 83

Website www.mgkbasel.ch

Admission SFR 10, students SFR 8

Open Tue-Sun 11am-5pm

Museum Jean Tinguely

This museum is dedicated to the works of Jean Tinguely, the Swiss sculptor best known for his moving "machine sculptures".

Paul Sacher-Anlage 1, Basel. Bus 31, 36

Tel (061) 681 93 20

Website www.tinguely.ch

Admission SFR 7, students SFR 5

Open Tue-Sun 11am-7pm

Papiermühle

This museum for paper, writing and printing features a medieval paper mill plus a number of interactive exhibits where you can make your own paper.

St Alban-Tal 37, Basel

Tram 2, 15

Tel (061) 272 9652

Website www.papiermuseum.ch

Admission SFR 12

Open Tue-Sun 2pm-5pm

Rathaus

Basel's city hall dates from the 1500s and is noted for the green and gold statues on its façade.

Marktplatz, Basel

Tram 3, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17

Guided tours SFR 10; Tue 2.30pm

Zoologischer Garten (Zoo)

Basel has an excellent zoo that is renowned for its work breeding endangered species. The zoo is in a lovely setting with gardens and picnic spots.

Binningerstraße 40, Basel

Tram 1, 2, 8, 10, 17

Tel (061) 295 35 35

Website www.zoobasel.ch

Admission SFR 14, students SFR 12

Open Jan-Feb 8am-5.30pm daily; Mar-Apr 8am-6pm daily; May-Aug 8am-6.30pm daily; Sep-Oct 8am-6pm daily; Nov-Dec 8am-5.30pm daily

Zurich | Bern & Bern Canton | Basel | Lucern | Geneva | Vaud | Ticino | Swiss Buses | Swiss Trains | Driving in Switzerland | French Language | Italian Language | German Language