Minibus Services Across Switzerland

Basel by Minibus: Art, the Rhine and Three Countries in One Day

Basel sits where Switzerland, France and Germany meet. A small group can stroll by the Rhine in the morning, have lunch in Colmar and be back for dinner in the old town. A minibus with a driver makes that kind of day simple, and it helps in a city with a car-free heart.

Around the car-free core

The centre of Grossbasel is a pedestrian core behind retractable bollards. Group vehicles driving in need a short-term permit linked to their number plate and requested online; ask the operator whether your route needs one.

Most groups never go in. The canton lists set-down points around the edge, usually for up to 30 minutes, and parking areas where a vehicle can wait longer. They cost nothing but cannot be reserved. One set-down point, beside St. Alban-Graben, is handy for the Kunstmuseum.

White minibus parked at the curb
White minibus parked at the curb

Book the Münster and the museums

The Basler Münster lets groups in only with an online registration. You choose a slot of 15, 30 or 45 minutes, for up to 20, 40 or 60 people, and show the confirmation at the Münsterkiosk. The towers are booked by phone for six or more.

The Museum Tinguely gives private tours for up to 20 people, a good size for a minibus party, but has no parking, so the driver drops you and waits at a city coach area. The Fondation Beyeler in Riehen asks for tours to be booked at least a month ahead, has coach spaces at the door and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Flying in to Basel

Favourite stops around Basel

  • Rhine river cruise berths — River cruise ships berth at three places managed by the Schweizerische Rheinhäfen (Port of Switzerland): Passagierbootterminal St. Johann (Steiger 1 and 2, corner of St. Johanns-Ring and St. Johanns-Rheinweg, 4056 Basel), the Klybeckquai (Steiger and Plattform 2, Uferstrasse, 4057 Basel) and the Passagierbootterminal Dreiländereck (Westquaistrasse 39, 4057 Basel). All landing stages are step-free; the St. Johann terminal has a lift and an escalator. The Kanton lists coach set-down points and a coach parking area on Uferstrasse (see coach notes).
  • Zoo Basel (Zolli) — Binningerstrasse 40, 4054 Basel (from Basel SBB tram 10 to "Zoo"; from Basel Badischer Bahnhof tram 2 to "Zoo Dorenbach"). A limited number of car spaces is at the main entrance, and the Elisabethen and Steinen car parks are ten minutes away; no coach parking is published by the zoo. The Kanton lists coach parking on Brennerstrasse (4054 Basel, 9 spaces, up to 15 hours).
  • Vitra Campus and Vitra Design Museum (Weil am Rhein, Germany) — Charles-Eames-Strasse 2, 79576 Weil am Rhein, just across the German border from Basel. The Vitra Design Museum is open daily 10:00-18:00 (24 December 10:00-14:00). The private part of the campus can only be visited on the architecture tour; private group tours are booked with the museum. No coach parking information is published.
  • Fondation Beyeler (Riehen) — Baselstrasse 101, 4125 Riehen. Group tours should be booked at least one month ahead. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays; open Wednesday 10:00-20:00 and Thursday to Sunday 10:00-18:00, with special hours since the opening of the new ensemble (Peter Zumthor buildings) on 26 September 2026. Coach parking: the Gemeinde Riehen lists coach spaces at the Fondation Beyeler (Baselstrasse 101) and at the Schiessstand (Chrischonaweg 120), with no time limit; the Kanton map shows 3 coach spaces at the Fondation Beyeler.
  • Museum Tinguely — Paul Sacher-Anlage 1, 4058 Basel; parking for disabled visitors at the museum entrance on Grenzacherstrasse. Open Tuesday to Sunday 11:00-18:00, Thursday until 21:00, closed on Mondays. Private group tours last 60 minutes, for at most 20 people, in German, French, English, Italian or sign language, and must be requested from the museum; tours by external guides are not allowed. The museum states that parking directly at the museum is not possible: coaches park at the city's official coach parking places.
  • Kunstmuseum Basel — St. Alban-Graben 8; three buildings (Hauptbau, Neubau and Gegenwart). Hauptbau and Neubau open Tuesday and Thursday to Sunday 10:00-18:00, Wednesday 10:00-20:00; Gegenwart Tuesday to Sunday 11:00-18:00; all closed on Mondays and during the three days of Basler Fasnacht. Visits by school classes and groups must be booked in advance. The Hauptbau will close completely for a renovation of about four years starting in 2029 at the earliest (subject to political approval). The Kanton lists an official coach set-down point on Dufourstrasse, beside St. Alban-Graben (3 spaces, 30 minutes).
  • Rathaus (Town Hall) and Marktplatz — Seat of the Basel government and parliament on the Marktplatz, in the middle of the Old Town, with its red facade, tower and painted frescoes. Short 30-minute guided tours of the council rooms are offered.
  • Basler Münster (Basel Minster) — Groups, tour groups and school classes, with or without their own guide, must register online in advance and choose a date and time slot of 15, 30 or 45 minutes, for up to 20, 40 or 60 people; without registration, entry is not allowed. Show the booking confirmation at the Münsterkiosk; the booked time is binding. Summer opening Monday to Friday 10:00-17:00, Saturday 10:00-16:30, Sundays and public holidays from about 11:30 (after the service) to 17:00; winter opening Monday to Friday 11:00-16:00, Saturday 11:00-16:30, Sundays from about 11:30 to 16:00. Closed on 1 January, Good Friday and 24 December; during Basler Fasnacht open only 11:00-14:00. The towers (about 250 steps, at most 30 visitors at a time) must be booked by phone with the Münsterkiosk for groups of 6 or more; no tower access during midday prayers 12:00-12:20.

Good pickup points

  • St. Jakob / Dreispitz
  • Riehen
  • Kleinhüningen / Rhine port (Dreiländereck)
  • Steinenvorstadt / Heuwaage (near Zoo Basel)
  • St. Johann (Novartis Campus)
  • St. Alban and St. Alban-Tal
  • Badischer Bahnhof area
  • Messe Basel / Rosental
  • Kleinbasel (Claraplatz and the Rhine bank)
  • Basel SBB station area / Gundeldingen
  • Grossbasel Old Town (Marktplatz, Münsterhügel, Barfüsserplatz)

Arriving by boat

Across the border and back

The Vitra Campus at Weil am Rhein in Germany is about 15 minutes away; the private part of the campus is seen on the architecture tour. Colmar in Alsace is about an hour away, as is Freiburg im Breisgau, Titisee in the Black Forest about 1.75 hours, and Europa-Park at Rust about 1.25 hours.

On the Swiss side, the Roman site of Augusta Raurica is about 25 minutes, Solothurn about an hour and the small town of St-Ursanne about 1.25 hours.

River cruises and Fasnacht

River cruise ships berth at St. Johann, the Klybeckquai and the Dreiländereck. Every landing stage is step-free, but no vehicle rules are published there, so the operator confirms where the minibus waits for you and your luggage.

Basler Fasnacht runs from 15 to 17 February 2027, starting with the Morgestraich at 04:00 on the Monday. The Kunstmuseum closes for those three days, so plan around the parades rather than the galleries.

Questions travellers ask

Which airport is closest?

EuroAirport, which lies in France. Groups bound for Switzerland leave through its Swiss sector, which is about 7 km by road from the Marktplatz, around 15 minutes. The vehicle arrives by the customs road and cannot cross to the French side.

Can the minibus wait at Messe Basel?

During exhibitions, parking for minibuses of up to 16 seats and for coaches is reserved per event with the organiser's online form. Spaces are limited, and the location is sent to you by email.

Is the zoo easy with a group?

Yes. The Zolli is close to Basel SBB, and the canton lists coach parking a short way off on Brennerstrasse. The zoo itself has only a few car spaces.

Other trips we arrange

Other vehicles with a driver

Shape your Basel programme

Share your dates, group size, hotel and any museums or border trips you would like. We pass it to a licensed partner operator, who supplies the minibus and driver.

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