Is Basel worth a day trip?

Yes: 7.8 hours in Basel, £96 for the whole day, 20 min into town each way. Enough for the main sights and a proper lunch without rushing.

How long do you actually get in Basel?

About 7.8 hours in Basel. Landing to take-off is 10.9 hours; the trip into town and back, passport checks and the time at the airport come off that.

How do you get from Basel airport into town?

Bus 50, 20 min. A day ticket on local transport is Basel Day Ticket CHF 10.70 (covers bus 50 to the airport).

What does a day in Basel cost, not counting the flight?

About £51 a person for the day: local transport, lunch, dinner and a drink. Paid attractions are listed separately because most people do one or none, and an average that includes them is a number nobody actually pays.

Is the flight price on this page the one I will pay?

The fare shown was checked 3 October against Google Flights for this exact date and these exact flights. Fares move, so it can change before you book, and the price is not held for you.

How early do I need to be back at the airport?

Leave the city by 19:00. That allows 20 min to get back to the airport and 120 min there, including 30 min for passport checks on the way out, before the 21:20 flight home.

Will passport checks eat my day?

We allow 30 min on landing for the EU Entry/Exit System (fingerprints and a photo on your first trip) and 30 min extra on the way out. That is already taken off the 7.8 hours shown. These are estimates; queues run longer on busy days.

Day trip to Basel.
From London Gatwick, back by 21:55.

Switzerland·Wed 9 Dec · 7.8 hours in the city

£96

the whole day

7.8 hours

in the city

21:55

back in London Gatwick

Day Trip Flight Details

Time in the city

7.8 hours

after transfersAfter transfers and airport time

Airport distance

6km

to the centreFrom Basel centre (BSL)

Daylight

8.6 hours

08:05 to 16:39Sunrise 08:05, sunset 16:39

First EU trip since 2025? Allow 15 min more.

FlightAirport, immigration and transportIn the city

07:45
Leave London Gatwick
easyJet
11:15
In the city
Lands 10:25, 30min immigration, 20min from the airport
19:00
Leave the city
20min back, 120min at the airport incl. immigration
21:55
Back in London Gatwick
Flies 21:20

Leave London GatwickeasyJet07:45
Land in Basel1h 40min10:25
In the city30min immigration, 20min from the airport11:15
Leave the city20min back, 120min at the airport incl. immigration19:00
Fly home1h 40min21:20
Back in London Gatwick21:55

Typical weather for this date

7°C

average high

1°C

average low

6 in 10

years it rained

This date is too far out to forecast. These are Basel's actual figures for the same date across the last 10 years.

Christmas markets in Basel

Basel Christmas Market26 Nov - 23 Dec 2026
Open on Wed 9 Dec, 11:00 to 20:30.
Works as a day trip
You're in Basel 11:15 to 19:00 and the market is open all of it. About 2.5 hours of that is after dark.
Open: Every day, 11:00-20:30 daily (23 Dec: Barfüsserplatz until 20:00, Münsterplatz until 18:00)
Closed by 24 Dec (last day 23 Dec)
Where: Barfüsserplatz and Münsterplatz

With kids in BaselShow

What a day in Basel costs

Flights and on-the-ground spend, per person.

£96/ all in, per person

Transport for the day£9

Lunch£18

Dinner£24

Beer calculator× 0£0

Entry fees, on top (optional)

Kunstmuseum Basel£23 (CHF 25)

Museum Tinguely£17 (CHF 18)

Kunstmuseum Basel collection is free every first Sunday, Swim or walk along the Rhine, Marktplatz and the exterior of the 16th-century RathausFree

On the ground£51

Prices checked 3 Oct 2026

Return flight from£45

Google Flights price. Checked 3 days ago.

Getting to Gatwickfrom free

All in, per person£96

Book on Google Flights

Estimated cost. Fares last checked 3 Oct, 20:16. Prices and availability change and are set by the airline or agent when you book.

The main button opens the airline or Google Flights.

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Getting to the airportShow

Getting to Gatwick

Per person. Not in the total above. Prices checked 25 Sept 2026.

Free

Free drop-offFree
Long Stay car park: free for 0-2 hours, with a free shuttle bus (10-12 min) to the terminal. Source

Train

From London (Gatwick Express, Victoria)Price not published30 min
Source
From London (Southern / Thameslink, Victoria / London Bridge / St Pancras)Price not published30-45 min
Source

Coach

National Express from LondonPrice not published
Source

Taxi

From London£100-£160 one way~30 miles
Estimate, not a quote.

Parking at the airport

Paid drop-offfrom £10
Drop-off zone: £10 for 10 min, then £1/extra minute up to 20 min, maximum daily charge £30, maximum stay 30 min, payable by midnight the next day. Source
Short Stay£70
"12-24 hours" walk-up (roll-up) rate. Source
Premium Short Stay£87.50
"12-24 hours" walk-up rate. Source
Long Stay£38
"2-24 hours" band (first 2 hours free). Source

More parking

Mid StayNo same-day price
Source
Valet ParkingNo same-day price
Source
Premium Parking / Robotic Parking (South Terminal only)No same-day price
Source

Parking nearby

No same-day price published. See multi-day prices

Cophall Parking£4.21
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 10-15 min. Source
Airparks Park & Ride£4.24
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 10-12 min. Source
APH Park & Ride£4.36
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 15 min. Source

Costs people forgetShow

Costs people forget

Not in the total above. Worth a minute before you go.

Phone data. EE, Vodafone and Three charge about £2.75 a day to use your allowance in Europe. O2, Tesco Mobile and giffgaff include it free.
Card fees. Many cards add a foreign-exchange fee to every payment abroad. Check yours before you go, or take one that doesn't charge it.

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Comments on BaselShow

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No one has been yet, as far as we know. If you have, tell the next person what made the day.

Day trip to Basel.From London Gatwick, back by 21:55.

Day Trip Flight Details

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Day trip to Basel.
From London Gatwick, back by 21:55.