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parking outside Basel

hello RS wonderful forum,
This is a pretty specific question that was posted on another travel forum by someone else and the answers seemed less than satisfactory . I wondered if this forum had any better options for the original poster. Also, the poster only wants parking recommendations, not advice regarding alternative ways of traveling.

"Hello everyone!

I would like to go to Basel by car on a semi-regular basis (let us say for a week or two once per month or two months). I´m looking for a way to park my car for this week or two without paying an arm and a leg. I know a visitor pass costs 20 CHF per day, but this is for the city. I do not need to park in the city itself, as i am fine with an up to cca 10 km scooter ride. So i am looking for a way to park either for free or for a reasonable fee outside of the city, if at all possible on the Swiss side.

The airport, as far as i know, has affordable parking spots mainly on the French side, and there is some free parking on the German side. In the current situation, i don´t want to have to cross a bunch of extra borders. So i would very much like to find a safe and affordable place to leave my car. I am also familiar with the white spots situation, and how most of them actually only offer free parking for very limited amounts of time. I am absolutely willing to pay some money for this, but 20 CHF per day just seems criminal. Does anyone have any smart ideas? Thank you!"

Posted by
33820 posts

so are they coming from elsewhere in Switzerland or France, Doesn't sound like Germany.

Free parking anywhere in Switzerland is so rare.

Have they considered asking wherever they are staying in Basel for ideas?

I think in all the years I've written on the Helpline and now the Rick Steves Forums that this is the first time that I have had to have my answers passed to a third party forum by an intermediary for questions.... Has your correspondent considered joining the little party we have here?

Posted by
7885 posts

As a native of NYC, I disagree about your implied belief that lifetime free parking is a basic human right. (I’m a suburbanite now, in a 2-car couple, driving to NYC once a week.) Will the car sit still for two weeks? You don’t say where you are driving from, or why you can’t use a train pass of some kind. I wonder if you could park in Weil am Rhine?

Posted by
1117 posts

If you park on the Swiss side of Basel airport, even though it is technically in France, there are no border controls between the airport and Basel. The Swiss side of the airport and the road between the airport and Basel are treated as if they are Switzerland for border control purposes.