Amsterdam to Basel / Bâle by train

Step on board the only direct daytime train between The Netherlands and Switzerland.

Final Destination: Basel SBB

Also calls at: Utrecht Central; Arnhem; Mannheim; Karlsruhe; Offenburg and Freiburg

This train also calls at: Basel Bad Bf

If you're heading to Basel city centre, the quickest journey is usually to leave this train at Basel Bad Bf.
There are easy tram connections from Basel Bad bf station to the city centre.
It's also usually cheaper to book tickets to Basel Bf rather than Basel SBB (see below)

After the train departs from Basel Bad Bf it will go on to call at Basel SBB station.
Remain on the train until it arrives at Basel SBB if your final destination is to the south of the city centre, or if you will be connecting into trains to other destinations in Switzerland - including Brig, Luzern, Interlaken and Visp.

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings usually open: 6 months ahead of the travel date

This is the only direct train daytime service between The Netherlands and Switzerland.

But finding this 1 x direct train of the day when booking online can be tricky - there will be a plethora of alternative journey options available, all of which involve making a connection.

Look for the journey that only has ‘ICE’ in the train details column.
The train is usually scheduled to depart from Amsterdam at around 08:08.

Reservations:

Seat reservations are included when booking 1st class tickets.
However, if you book 2nd class tickets, or will be travelling with a 1st or 2nd class rail pass, reservations are optional.
The advice is too pay the reservation fee, you'll be quite fortunate to find a spare seat available for the entire journey.

The alternative route:

When the limited numbers of discounted tickets for this direct train have sold out, travelling via Paris can be the cheaper option.

Good option for rail pass users:

Not only is this a direct train, if you will be travelling with Eurail or InterRail passes, you can make big savings by avoiding the reservation fees charged to rail pass users on the Thalys and Lyria trains, that you'll have to take when travelling via Paris.

This routing is much more inconvenient than taking the daily, alternative direct train
And that because it also involves having to make the transfer in Paris, from the Gare Du Nord, where the Thalys from Amsterdam will arrive, and the Gare De Lyon, from where the Lyria service on to Basel will depart.

So why can it be an option worth considering?

The answer is that it can be cost effective option, particularly if you want to arrive in Basel at its main SBB station.

The direct train from Amsterdam - and the alternative indirect journey options via Koln or Frankfurt; all involve taking trains which call at Basel Bad Bf station; before going on to Basel SBB station.

But on those routes through Germany, heading for Basel SBB station can be a more expensive option, as it becomes an international journey from Germany to Switzerland.

Looking up this journey via Paris:

Avoid journeys via Paris that have a journey time of less than around 8hr 9mins.
Those faster journeys either involve additional changes of train or an ambitiously timed transfer between the stations in Paris.
The journey time of around 8hr 9mins allows more than an hour to make the transfer from the Gare Du Nord to the Gare De Lyon.

Rail Pass users:

If you will be travelling with an InterRail or Eurail Pass, you should avoid this routing due to the particularly high rail pass reservation fees, which are payable on both the Thalys and Lyria trains.

In contrast, reservations are only recommended, but not mandatory, when travelling direct on the ICE train.

Book in advance and save: YES

Online bookings open: 3 months ahead of the travel date

Note that tickets will typically be available three months sooner for the journey by direct ICE train.

Travelling via Paris on a combination of Thalys and Lyria trains can be cheaper than taking the daily direct train, but think twice about making the saving, as this journey via Paris is much more awkward.

When looking up this routing on:
B-Europe - look for the Thalys logo and the TGV logo
NS International - look for 'x1' and the words 'Thalys and TGV'

Final Destination: Zurich

The train also calls at: Utrecht (21:03), connect from Rotterdam and Arnhem (22:02) connect from Nijmegen

The train is usually scheduled to depart Amsterdam Centraal at 20:30 and arrive in Basel Bad bf at the somewhat awkwardly early time of 06:11
However, due to the length of its route it is particularly susceptible to having it's timings altered.

Arriving in Basel:

If you will be heading to Basel city center, the quickest and cheapest option is to leave this train when it arrives at Basel Bad bf, but it will go on to call at the main station in the city, Basel SBB.
These onward connections will be typically available at Basel SBB:

• To Interlaken via Bern at 06:56
• To Biel (connect for Geneve and Lausanne) at 07:03

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings open: 6 months ahead of the travel date

The train conveys:

• Compartment Seats (Sitzwagen)
• Couchettes (Liegewagen); 4 berths AND 6 berthsm
• Standard sleeping cars (Schlafwagen) with 3 bed, 2 bed and 1 cabins
• Deluxe sleeping cars with showers (Schlafwagen) with 3 bed, 2 bed and 1 cabins

The first price you will see on the OBB ticketing site will be for the compartment seats.

Click the train guides below for more info including the rail pass reservation fees:

Rail pass users must reserve before boarding these trains,

You can now book rail pass reservations without paying booking fees on the OBB website (OBB operates these trains).Though the process for doing so isn't particularly obvious, hence this step-by-step guide.
By booking online you can avoid the booking fees which will be payable at the station in The Netherlands.