Car Hire Basel Airport

Car Hire

EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg is jointly operated by two countries, like very few others in the world. Hence, it has a French sector and a Swiss sector. Although located in France, it is very close to the Swiss and German borders. Hiring a car to get to any of the cities in this region is a good idea as the drive to most locations only takes an hour or so. Nearby cities include Basel (only five minutes drive away), Strasbourg, Lucerne and Zurich.

Who to Book With
There are a total of nine car rental companies operating in Euro Airport, five in the French sector, at Level 2 Hall 1, and four in the Swiss sector, at Level 2 Hall 4. Avis, Hertz, Europcar and Sixt all have offices in both sectors, while National/Citer has an office at the French side.

Need to Know Essentials
You will need to show the following documents at car rental pick up:

- National driving licence (for non-EU nationals, an International Driving Permit is recommended)
- Proof of identity (passport, national identity card)
- Credit card used for the reservation.

For more info read our FAQ's.

Driving
Fines for speeding can be severe in Switzerland so motorists are advised to observe speed limits at all times: 31mph in built-up areas, 49mph outside built-up areas, 62mph on semi-motorways and 74mph on motorways. Snow chains and a warning triangle must be carried at all times. A vignette is required for driving on Swiss motorways. This sticker is provided upon payment of an annual motorway tax. Credit cards can be usually used at petrol stations. Automatic petrol stations accept banknotes only.

See our guide to Switzerland for more information on driving here.

Transport

Being located in France yet close to the German and Swiss borders, the airport is easily accessible by car from many major cities in the region, such as Saint Louis, Basel, Zurich, Freiburg and others. French motorway A35 connects to Mulhouse. It is best to plan ahead when using this motorway as it becomes congested during rush hours. An alternative is to detour at Bartenheim and Blotzheim to avoid the traffic. Alternatively, reputable taxi and bus companies operate at the airport.

Trains
EuroAirport is not directly connected to any railway lines. However, those intending to make train connections can take a bus or shuttle to a nearby station, such as Basel Central Train Station or Saint Louis SNCF Station, where they can hop on SNCF (French), DB (Germany) and SBB (Switzerland) operated trains.

Taxis
Taxis are available at both the French and Swiss sectors though there are more operators at the French side. Some of the providers at the French sector are ABM Taxis, Taxi Dam's, Taxis des 3 Frontiere and others. At the Swiss sector, companies include Taxi am EuroAirport and Taxiphon-Genossenschaft Basel. Rates to popular destinations are fixed. Prices go up at night.

Taxi prices:
EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg to Basel is about £25 to £35
EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg to Freiburg is about £90
EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg to Mulhouse is about £35 to £50

Buses
Several buses and shuttles connect EuroAirport to various destinations in France, Switzerland and Germany. Bus number 50, operated by the Basel Bus Company, goes to Basel Central Train Station, where connections to the rest of Switzerland, France and Germany can be made. The fare is from £1.50 to £3. A day ticket is available at £6. Shuttle number 11, operated by Metro Cars, goes to Saint Louis SNCF train station. This non-stop shuttle bus costs around £1.50.

Facilities

Terminals
EuroAirport has one terminal building. Its Departures area is divided into French and Swiss sectors, while its Boarding area is split into Schengen and non-Schengen areas. The international airport is operated by both France and Switzerland. EuroAirport is connected to major airports in western and eastern Europe, the Middle East, northern Africa and the UK (London, Manchester and Edinburgh).

Parking
Six parking lots are available on both the French and Swiss sides. Short-term and long-term stays are both possible. Short-term parking for one hour at the French side costs from £2.50 to £3, while short-term spaces on the Swiss side cost more, at between £3 and £4.

Wi-Fi
Paid Wi-Fi services are available at many hot spots in the terminal building, such as at airport lounges and in the check-in halls.

Information Services
The Information Desk is on Level 2 of the terminal building. It is open from 05:30 until midnight.

Useful Numbers
Information Desk (Switzerland): +41 61 325 3111
Information Desk (France): +41 3 89 90 3111
Information Desk (Germany): +41 761 1200 311.

Accessibility
Persons with reduced mobility will find suitable facilities at EuroAirport. Toilets, payphones, some check-in counters and ramps for such persons are found here.

Restaurants and Bars
Bars, cafés and restaurants are available at the public zone and the passenger zone. Such venues include Au 5ème, Crousti-Café, Segafredo Espresso, Grab and Go and a few others.

VIP Lounge
EuroAirport's Swiss Lounge has been hailed as one of the top 10 best airport lounges in the world by CNN. The beautifully designed and decorated lounge is located at the Y Terminal of the Departures area.

Money and ATMs
Exchange counters can be found at the International Arrivals and Departures areas, as well as in the public zones of both French and Swiss sectors. ATMs are located in the Arrivals and Departures areas.

Shopping
Shops are found in the public zone, the Arrivals area and the Departures area. There are two general merchandise/newsagent kiosks at the public zone. Five duty-free shops are found in the Departures area. The Arrivals area has one duty-free shop.