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Public Transportation in Basel

Myself and my wife will be visiting Switzerland on a Holiday during third week of November this year. We will be staying mainly in Basel and use it as base for few day trips (to Colmar, Freiburg in Germany and if time permits, Strasbourg) and visit local attractions including museums etc. We will be staying in a Hotel on the north Bank of Rhine River. I understand the guests at the hotel will receive Basel Card during their stay which will cover local transportation. I also read on the Basel.Com tourist website that proof of reservation at a local hotel is sufficient (in lieu of a ticket) for travel on a local bus or tram from Basel train station to Hotel on the day of arrival.
I am interested to know from experienced travellers on this forum whether this is indeed correct and we do not need to purchase tram tickets on the day of our arrival in Basel, en route to our Hotel. Thanks in advance for all the responses.

Posted by
5629 posts

We never have, but we have also had the Swiss Travel Pass, which also covers local public transportation. There are more informed folks here on the Forum other than myself, so hopefully they will confirm that you don't need to buy tram passes.
You will love this beautiful area!

Posted by
411 posts

Yes, your hotel confirmation can be used on arrival for the trip from the airport to your hotel. You don’t have to present a ticket before boarding the bus or tram in Basel anyway, and normally the ticket checks are only done at random (and infrequently). But just in case there are random checks, as long as you have your hotel confirmation handy, you’re covered for that initial ride.

Posted by
33887 posts

that's what happens every time I stay in Basel.

Posted by
9 posts

Thanks for asking this question. We are going to Basel this week & I wondered how the confirmation worked. I have a follow up question. Is there more than one bus that goes to Basel from the airport ? Rome2rio shows bus#50. After traveling overnight, I want to have specific plans in order to get downtown.

Posted by
68 posts

We are planning to travel to Basel during 3rd week of November. We will be flying into Zurich Airport and taking a train to Basel SBB train station from Zurich Airport. After our arrival at Basel SBB, we are planning to use the local tram system for travel to our Hotel.

Regarding your question about the availability of buses from Basel/Mulhouse Euro Airport to Basel city centre, I am unfamiliar with the same as I have not flown into Basel airport before.

One of the other experienced travellers on this forum may be able to answer this question.

Posted by
33887 posts

The number 50 is the one. It is (or was pre-covid) easily distinguished from the other buses because in addition to the number 50 and airport on the destination sign it is the only bus festooned with all sorts of international flags on the front.

Posted by
33887 posts

oh poo. they've changed it (according to the pic) from white faced with all the flags. not as cool

Posted by
9 posts

This is great info. Thanks! Are there multiple stops for bus 50? We are going to our hotel address: Barfussergasse 16

Posted by
9 posts

I stayed at Hotel Motel One last year and really liked it. It is well located.

Posted by
9 posts

Good to know. Based on google maps, it looks like we ride the bus to the Bahnhof (end of the line) & then have a short walk.

Posted by
411 posts

The 50 bus runs from the airport to the Basel SBB train station, with various local stops along the way. It's the only public bus from the airport, so you can't get on the wrong one. To reach the Motel One at Barfüsserplatz, you can indeed walk from the SBB train station in about 10-15 mins (via Elisabethenstrasse). It won't save much time, but if you prefer not to walk or the weather isn't great, you can also continue on a tram from the train station (the #8 direction Kleinhüningen/Weil am Rhein or #11 direction Saint-Louis Grenze to Barfüsserplatz, about 6-8 mins ride). The hotel is more or less directly in front of this tram stop, up a few steps and across a small cobblestone plaza.

Another thing to mention if you are arriving at Basel Euroairport - make sure you follow the Swiss flags from baggage claim and leave via the Switzerland exit, not the French one! Everything is clearly marked, but if you are tired and/or not paying attention, you can end up exiting into France by mistake.