I am taking a Uniworld river cruise along the Rhine from Basel to Amsterdam in May. I am flying into Zurich and taking a train to Basel, where I board the ship. Any advice on getting to the ship from the train station? We will have luggage, so I was thinking a taxi might be best? Also, is there more than one train station to choose from when traveling from Zurich Airport to Basel? I see SBB on the schedule, but not sure if this is where I need to go.
There are 3 places in Basel where cruise ships dock:
1) St. Johann
2) Klybeckquai
3) Dreiländereck
You need to know which one your ship is docking at.
There are two stations in Basel. but if travelling from Zürich (or anywhere else in Switzerland), the one you want is Basel SBB.
From there, a taxi will cost CHF 30-40.
The alternative is a tram, which will cost CHF 3.80 per person. St. Johann is easy, take a No. 11 from the station to St Johanns-Tor stop, and you should be able to see the ship, walk across the park.
Klybeck and Dreiländereck are more complicated, take a No. 8 to Kleinhünigen, then a 5-10 minute walk, you will need to ask for directions or have a map.
It is difficult to say exactly where the boat will be docked, and even Uniworld may not know until the port director tells them where to dock. I have seen in the past that boats docked at Dreilaendereck, on the east bank of the Rhine at the northernmost point in the city. I think you will need to contact Uniworld and get a phone number you can call to get the location when you arrive. Basel SBB is the main station and there is a No 8 tram that gets you in the vicinity, but still a long walk with luggage. I am thinking a taxi would be best, even though they are expensive.