My husband will be traveling to Kaiseraugst, Switzerland in late April (Basel area). I never pass up an opportunity to travel, so I will be tagging along. While he works (poor guy), I am looking for day trips. I love nature, local cuisine, and meeting people!
I have been looking at trains and buses to get around, unfortunately when I try to google this, I get 20 companies who all want to make reservations for me. Is there one app or website that I should use?
Obviously, Google is feeding you paid advertisers. All you need is www.sbb.ch/en. That has all the train and bus schedules to get from anywhere in Switzerland to anywhere else in Switzerland and you DO NOT need reservations, except on named tourist trains like the Glacier Express or Bernina Express. and in those cases you get the reservations from the operating railroad.
Trains in Switzerland operate like city buses elsewhere, on a predictable schedule, (at least one in both directions every hour, and more often on busy routes). You don't need to reserve the 6:34 cross-town bus at home, and you don't need to reserve trains in Switzerland.
Trains are expensive. If it looks like you will spend more than 240 CHF worth of train tickets, buy a 30-day Half Fare Card for 120 CHF, then everything is 50% off, including local transport.
Thank you!!!!
Kaiseraugst is a great place to visit. Over a large area there are remains of an amphitheatre, a forum and many other buildings stretched over fields in an area the size of a (Roman) city. In contrast to Rome and other big sites, this is just something you can wander around unrestricted, and trip over rocks in the grass which are part of building foundations.
It also has a good museum.
There is an annual re-enactment day (Römerfest), which is a lot of fun (real gladiator fights in the colosseum). This takes place last weekend in August.
Website here: https://www.augustaraurica.ch/en/
As for transport, don't panic. The Swiss transport system is "turn up and go", no need to look up anything 6 months in advance. Kaiseraugst is a commuter town outside Basel
Two ways to get from Basel to Augusta Raurica, either a local train to Kaiseraugst station, runs every 30 minutes, takes 12 minutes; then a 20 minute walk, past the Roman Tavern on the main road (I joke not).
Or bus number 81 from Basel, plus a similar walk.
See the "getting here" section on above website: https://www.augustaraurica.ch/en/visit/useful-information/getting-here/
Just buy a ticket from the ticket machine on the day.
You say "My husband will be traveling to Kaiseraugst,", will that mean you will be staying in Kaiseraugst, or in Basel?
"I am looking for day trips. I love nature, local cuisine, and meeting people!" - Basel is a nice town just for wandering around and taking in cityscapes.
There are day trips aplenty. Start with a day trip to Luzern.
Note on naming: The Roman town was called "Augusta Raurica", named after emperor (Caesar) Augustus. The modern town is called "Kaiseraugst" which is German for "Caesar Augustus".
