I am researching travel from Basel BSS to Amsterdam Centraale at end of September after a river cruise. I think I read that we would have to go through customs to go by train from Basel through Germany? If so, does this add more time to departure, am concerned because of plan to buy point to point train tickets, don't wish to miss departure time. One more item: will prices be higher if we purchase in Basel the day before train trip starts?
Posted by
Liberty, Missouri
265 posts
Where does your cruise start and which city did you fly into? This will help us give you a correct answer.
Posted by
Green Bay
21142 posts
No customs/immigration. Technically Switzerland is not part of the EU customs block, but there are no check points. And all the countries are Schengen immigration treaty members. There may be border police on the train, seen em several times, but they are looking for "suspicious" characters. You probably won't fit the profile.
If you buy at the station, you will pay the maximum walk-up price. If you buy several months in advance, a lot less, but they will be nonrefundable tickets.
Edit- Buy tickets from Basel Bad station, as it is considered a German station and slightly cheaper. For the single-connection ICE trains, the walk-up price is 169.40 EUR, but I see advance purchase nonrefundable tickets for 89.90 EUR in late September. Basel Bad station is on the north side of Basel and actually closer to the usual cruise ship docking sites than the main Basel SBB station. You can buy tickets at www.bahn.com
Posted by
Tilburg, Netherlands
2829 posts
Switzerland, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherland are all part of Schengen (any information on Switzerland being not a member of the travel area is at least 8 years old and outdated).
There are some direct ICE trains from Basel to Amsterdam, and many other options connecting at Frankfurt. There are alternative arrangements via Paris which take longer on TGV/Thalys combinations.
Prices for the ICE change substantially. They can be really low (€ 59) for advance purchase 3 months before departure and 3x as much for a on-sport purchase 30min before departure, assuming there are seats left (the route is particularly busy between the Rhur area and the Netherlands on busy days).
Posted by
OP
7 posts
We are flying to Warsaw, train to Krakow, EasyJet to Brussels Charleroi, train to Antwerp, board river cruise to Basel then plan to leave out of Amsterdam back to Phoenix AZ, USA
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
There are two stations in Basel, Basel SBB (not BSS) and Basel Badischer Bahnhof. The latter handles all trains to Germany, but ICE/IC trains to the north, including to Amsterdam, call at both stations.
All "border formalities" take place on the moving train, so no reason to worry about getting to the station early.
Except you will not notice the "border formalities". Switzerland IS in the Schengen Area, so there is no passport check.
Switzerland IS NOT in the EU, so there is customs, but they are not interested in travellers and their luggage, only commercial imports and exports and preventing smuggling.
What will happen is some time after leaving Basel Badischer Bahnhof some German and/or Swiss customs officers will walk through the train, looking at the passengers and probably not ask to see anybody's passports or luggage. These days they are mostly concerned with spotting illegal immigrants heading north from Italy.
Buy these tickets as soon as possible to get advance purchase discounts. They will be more expensive if you buy on the day. Go to the German Railways website ( https://www.bahn.com/en/view/index.shtml ). You can get print-at-home tickets. But, once you buy a discount ticket it is only valid on the chosen train, you cannot change your mind.