Your Zurich to Basel Badischer train travel starts here

Basel ( BAH-zəl, German: [ˈbaːzl̩]) or Basle ( BAHL; French: Bâle [bɑl]; Italian: Basilea [baziˈlɛːa]; Romansh: Basilea [baziˈleːa]) is a city in northwestern Switzerland on the river RhineBasel is Switzerland's third-most-populous city (after Zürich and Geneva) with about 180,000 inhabitants.Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and GermanyAs of 2016, the Swiss Basel agglomeration was the third-largest in Switzerland, with a population of 541,000 in 74 municipalities in Switzerland (municipal count as of 2018)The initiative Trinational Eurodistrict Basel (TEB) of 62 suburban communes including municipalities in neighboring countries, counted 829,000 inhabitants in 2007Basel is the most densely populated city in Switzerland. The official language of Basel is (the Swiss variety of Standard) German, but the main spoken language is the local Basel German dialect. The city is known for its many internationally renowned museums, ranging from the Kunstmuseum, the first collection of art accessible to the public in Europe (1661) and the largest museum of art in the whole of Switzerland, to the Fondation Beyeler (located in Riehen).

The University of Basel, Switzerland's oldest university (founded in 1460), and the city's centuries-long commitment to humanism, have made Basel a safe haven at times of political unrest in other parts of Europe for such notable people as Erasmus of Rotterdam, the Holbein family, Friedrich Nietzsche, and in the 20th century also Hermann Hesse and Karl Jaspers. The city of Basel is Switzerland's second-largest economic centre after the city of Zürich and has the highest GDP per capita in the country, ahead of the cantons of Zug and GenevaIn terms of value, over 94% of Basel City's goods exports are in the chemical and pharmaceutical sectorsWith production facilities located in the neighboring Schweizerhalle, Basel accounts for 20% of Swiss exports and generates one third of the national product.Basel has been the seat of a Prince-Bishopric since the 11th century, and joined the Swiss Confederacy in 1501The city has been a commercial hub and an important cultural centre since the Renaissance, and has emerged as a centre for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries in the 20th centuryIn 1897, Basel was chosen by Theodor Herzl as the location for the first World Zionist Congress, and altogether the congress has been held there ten times over a time span of 50 years, more than in any other location.

Zürich (German: Zürich; Alemannic German: Züri; French: Zurich; Italian: Zurigo; Romansh: Turitg) is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of ZürichIt is located in north-central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake ZürichAs of January 2020 the municipality has 434,335 inhabitants, the urban area (agglomeration) 1.315 million and the Zürich metropolitan area 1.83 millionZürich is a hub for railways, roads, and air trafficBoth Zurich Airport and railway station are the largest and busiest in the country. Permanently settled for over 2,000 years, Zürich was founded by the Romans, who, in 15 BC, called it Turicum.

However, early settlements have been found dating back more than 6,400 years (although this only indicates human presence in the area and not the presence of a town that early) During the Middle Ages, Zürich gained the independent and privileged status of imperial immediacy and, in 1519, became a primary centre of the Protestant Reformation in Europe under the leadership of Huldrych Zwingli.The official language of Zürich is German, but the main spoken language is the local variant of the Alemannic Swiss German dialect, Zürich German. Many museums and art galleries can be found in the city, including the Swiss National Museum, the Kunsthaus and newer Theater 11 in OerlikonSchauspielhaus Zürich is one of the most important theatres in the German-speaking world.Zürich is among the world's largest financial centres despite having a relatively small populationThe city is home to many financial institutions and banking companiesMany of Switzerland's research and development centres are concentrated in the Greater Zürich area and the low tax rates and canton funding subsidies attract overseas companies to set up their headquarters or finance treasury services in the city.Monocle's 2012 "Quality of Life Survey" ranked Zürich first on a list of the top 25 cities in the world "to make a base within".