Zurich to Basel
from 52 min
Basel works as a day out from Zurich or as the hinge of a trip that carries on into Alsace and Germany. SBB runs direct long-distance trains through the day, and Basel SBB puts you a walk from the Barfüsserplatz market.
Photo Adrian Michael · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 and others, credited in the gallery
See the line from Zurich to Basel
See how the trains run in December 2026
| Date | Zurich to Basel | Basel to Zurich | Fastest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 2 Dec | 88 trains, 05:08 to 00:08 (next day) | 88 trains, 04:36 to 00:07 (next day) | 52 min |
| Sat 5 Dec | 92 trains, 05:08 to 01:08 (next day) | 91 trains, 04:36 to 00:07 (next day) | 52 min |
| Thu 24 Dec | 90 trains, 05:08 to 00:08 (next day) | 88 trains, 04:36 to 00:07 (next day) | 52 min |
| Fri 25 Dec | 90 trains, 05:08 to 00:08 (next day) | 89 trains, 04:36 to 00:07 (next day) | 52 min |
| Thu 31 Dec | 92 trains, 05:08 to 01:08 (next day) | 90 trains, 04:36 to 00:07 (next day) | 52 min |
We worked these figures out from the published GTFS timetables listed below. For each date we count every train that stops at the first station and later at the second, in both directions, leaving between 04:00 and 04:00 the next morning, and take the fastest and the median journey time. On a date with no direct train we search for connections with one change on the same timetable, using its own minimum change times and allowing up to an hour's wait. We drop a connection whenever another one leaves later and still arrives sooner. The figures were computed on Sun 11 Oct 2026, and a timetable change can move them, so check the operator's planner before you travel.
- Timetable data: opentransportdata.swiss. Swiss timetable 2026 (GTFS), covering Sun 14 Dec 2025 to Sat 12 Dec 2026.
- Timetable data: opentransportdata.swiss. Swiss timetable 2027 (GTFS), covering Sun 13 Dec 2026 to Sat 11 Dec 2027.
Quick answers about Zurich to Basel
How long is the train from Zurich to Basel?
The fastest train from Zurich to Basel takes 52 min, and a typical one on a December weekday takes 1 h 08 min. Every train counted runs direct. These times are computed from the published timetable.
What time does the last service back from Basel to Zurich leave?
The last train from Basel back to Zurich leaves at 00:07, just after midnight on a December weekday, computed from the timetable. Check the day you travel, since weekends and holidays run differently.
Can you get from Zurich to Basel by rail on Christmas Day?
Yes. 90 trains run from Zurich to Basel on 25 December 2026, from 05:08 to 00:08 (next day), computed from the timetable.
In the journal
