Visiting Basel: our themed recommendations
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Published on 11/22/25, modified on 4/3/26
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Discover Switzerland by train and stop over in Basel? Located at the crossroads of Switzerland, France and Germany, Basel is a cosmopolitan city that combines culture, architecture and a relaxed lifestyle on the banks of the Rhine. It's the ideal destination for a cultural city-trip The city's cultural attractions include prestigious museums, a picturesque old town and river cruises. Thanks to its central station (Basel SBB) and its streetcar network, the city is very easy to visit without a car.
From Paris you can easily reach Basel by TGV Lyria direct since Paris Gare de Lyon in about 3h, to to Basel SBB (main Swiss railway station) or Basel Saint-Jean (French SNCF train station).
From Strasbourg you can reach Basel by 30 min to 1h45 (depending on the train)!
From Marseille, 6 daily trips counts approximately 5.30 a.m. to 6 a.m..
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Article
Visiting Basel: our themed recommendations
Real Switzerland's artistic capital Basel account over forty museums a record for the country. The Kunstmuseum, the world's oldest public art museum, houses masterpieces from Holbein to Picasso. The Fondation Beyeler, designed by Renzo Piano, combines nature, art and light in an exceptional setting. Add to this the Museum Tinguely, dedicated to the Swiss artist of movement and play, and you'll understand why the city attracts art lovers from all over the world.
Basel's charm can also be seen in its historic center (Altstadt), with its colorful facades and cobbled streets leading up to the sandy-red cathedral, the Basler Münster. From up there, the view of the Rhine and the rooftops of the old town is splendid. In between visits, let yourself be carried away by local life: the locals swim across the river in summer The atmosphere is relaxed and typically Swiss. The atmosphere is both relaxed and typically Swiss.
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Crossed by the Rhine, Basel lives to the rhythm of its river: you can walk along it, take a boat or simply swim in it like a local. The city also relies on fluid, sustainable mobility: its streetcar network serves every district and even the French and German borders! Directly accessible by train from Paris, Strasbourg or Zurich, Basel can easily be visited without a car, in the spirit of low-carbon travel.
And if you want to go further afield, you can also take a day trip by train to discover the Basel area:
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Visit Swiss Travel Pass is one of the best ways to discover Switzerland by train in a flexible and economical way! This pass allows you to travel unlimited on most trains, buses and boats on the Swiss network, while giving you access to numerous scenic transports and over 500 museums.
Ideal for rail travel in Switzerland, the Swiss Pass makes it easy to travel between iconic cities such as Zurich, Lucerne or Interlaken while exploring the Swiss Alps without constraint.
You can also explore other cities in Switzerland:
This guide is produced in partnership with the tourism office:
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