The Swiss city of Basel turns out not to be quite so definitively Swiss after all. While the city centre is indeed in Switzerland, some portions spill over the border onto French and German territory. So it’s no surprise that Basel (Bâle in French) is assertively European; it is a place where borders have faded and you may sometimes find yourself wondering in which country you actually are.

The city cuts a dash on the culture circuit and boasts many world-class museums and galleries. The real crowd-puller is the Fondation Beyeler, a modern art collection in a stunning building in the Basel suburb of Riehen. Make time to wander through the atmospheric Old Town, visit the striking red sandstone cathedral (called the Münster) and just relax on the shores of the River Rhine.

The city’s strategic location favoured its development as one of Europe’s principal rail hubs. Long gone is the overnight train to London – yes, there really was a time when you could board a sleeping car in Basel and travel to England. The train was conveyed on a ferry. Nowadays, there are high-speed services to cities across Europe. Paris is just over three hours away on a fast TGV. EuroCity trains leave for Milan every two hours. There’s an excellent choice of German ICE trains to Mannheim, Cologne, Berlin and Hamburg. There are overnight trains from Basel direct to Berlin, Hamburg and Prague. Closer to hand, there are regular departures from Basel to all major Swiss cities. Zurich is less than an hour away, Geneva less than three.

All trains mentioned here leave from the city’s main station which is called Basel SBB. Most trains bound for Germany also serve the Badischer Bahnhof (which is shown as Basel Bad Bf here on site).

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