Car hire in
Basel

We carry a full fleet of premium vehicles at both our airport and station offices, all supplied by well-known names such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Jaguar. Our compact cars are perfect for exploring the narrow streets of old Basel or choose more spacious estate cars if you are travelling with your family. For a touch of luxury think about renting sports cars or convertibles while rugged 4x4s make driving into the mountains fun and safe. At Basel Badischer Bahnhof we also have a choice of useful vans, ideal for the transportation of business or exhibition materials. We can also supply vehicles adapted for different mobility needs. To ensure peace of mind during your Basel visit browse our attractive range of optional extras. You can choose from Sat Navs and baby or child seats or head to the Winter ski slopes with snow chains and magnetic ski racks. We always have great deals on additional drivers, unlimited mileage options and insurance top-ups while younger drivers under 25 are covered by our insurance.

Collect your rental vehicle from the arrivals hall of the Swiss part of the tri-national Euroairport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg Airport. Once the paperwork is complete the drive into the city centre should take you less than 15 minutes. Our car hire in Basel office at Badischer Station is just five minutes walk from the concourse. It can also be reached by tram, on routes 1, 2 or 6.

Take care when driving in the centre of Basel as cars share the road with trams and these have priority over other traffic. City streets get congested at rush hour but as you would expect in Switzerland, roads both in and out of the city are well-maintained. Your rental car should come with a toll Vignette for automatic toll payments on the autobahn.

Parking in the old city is difficult to find and expensive. A more economical option is to use the parking garages that surround the historic area and finish your journey by tram.

One thing that immediately strikes you as you drive around Basel in your car hire is what a green city it is and the variety of its architecture. Once you have your bearings and have found a place to park your car head to the Old Town which nestles between Basel Zoo and the River Rhine. The cobbled streets and alleys of Münster and Pfalz take you past the cathedral, a mix of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. Admire the Renaissance Rathaus or Town Hall which is still in use before stopping for a coffee or beer in Marktplatz. Basel prides itself on having more museums than any other Swiss city so you can indulge yourself in exhibits that range from art and architecture to cartoons and dolls houses. If the sun is shining be sure to take a stroll along the banks of the River Rhine on the Kleinbasel Promenade.

Over 2,000 years ago Basel and the area around it was a hugely important administrative hub for the Roman Empire. Fascinating evidence of this can be seen just 12 miles away at the Roman city, Augusta Raurica. At its height 20,000 residents lived and worked in this bustling metropolis of workshops, temples, baths and homes. Once it was abandoned the site was never resettled which is why today there is still so much to see. Spend a day here and marvel at Europe's largest collection of silver treasure from the Late Antiquity period and wander around the city ruins before trying your hand at grinding wheat, baking bread or making pottery the Roman way.

The picturesque Swiss Heritage village of Seewen has an interesting museum of musical automatons but most visitors head here to enjoy hiking and rock climbing in the Jura Mountains that surround it.

Distances to Seewen

• From Basel Airport: 18 miles, about 30 minutes
• From Basel Station: 14.5 miles, about 25 minutes

Anyone interested in the history of interior design will want to hop over the border to the Vitra Design Museum. The landmark building was designed by Frank O Gehry.A programme of changing exhibitions examines the design trends and creators of the 20th and 21st-centuries.

Distances to the Vitra Design Museum

• From Basel Airport: 5 miles, about 10 minutes
• From Basel Station: 5.5 miles, about 15 minutes

A little further to drive but well worth the effort is the town of Lucerne. The lake's blue water is fringed by mountains while the medieval old town has covered bridges, frescoed buildings and pretty plazas and promenades.

Distances to Lucerne

• From Basel Airport: 64 miles, about 1 hour 10 minutes
• From Basel Station: 60 miles, about 1 hour 10 minutes

The tri-border town of Basel enjoys a dynamic economy centred around finance, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, beauty products, tourism and hospitality. The town is the headquarters of Swiss International Air Lines, the country's flag carrier. Together the Congress Centre Basel and the adjacent Basel Exhibition Centre are Switzerland's largest convention and exhibition spaces.

Distances to the Congress Centre Basel

• From Basel Airport: 4.5 miles, about 10 minutes
• From Basel Station: 1 mile, about 5 minutes

Below are the quick answers to some of our most frequently asked questions. Please be reminded that every country has slightly different rules and regulations, so for the most specific and detailed information pertaining to your desired rental please visit our rental information page.