Where can I go to find the most affordable train tickets between these two cities? I'd like to find something online and make a reservation in advance if at all possible. I will also need a ticket from Basel to Lucerne the following day. Any tips? THANKS!

www.bahn.de and if need help LarryinColorado and TimS will explain it all - but this site is user friendly unlike those in national rail sites in France and Italy.

print your own ticket at home i believe.

THANKYOU PalenQ! I didn't realize that www.bahn.de also handled international tickets. Is 39 euros a good price for the trip from Frankfurt to Basel?

Look for you tickets on the German Rail website, http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en. If you purchase online in advance you can get Dauer-Spezial fares to Basel Bad Bhf (in Switzerland but considered a German Rail border station) for €29 pP or Europa-Spezial fares to Basel SBB HB for as low as €39 pP. The fare from Basel Bad Bhf to Basel SBB HB is only €2,80.

Yes and Basel is a German station as well for bahn.de purposes - for example if you had a German railpass you could go on it to Basel without any extra payment

of course you are not traveling nearly enough for a pass

39 euros is rock-bottom i think

www.sbb.ch for Swiss fares and i think you could easily buy that ticket in Basel or even Frankfurt before boarding - not sure there are any great savings online on this short ride and reservations may not even be possible

Thanks for the tip! I found the fare! PERFECT!

A though - on bahn.de make sure it is SBB Basel station - in Swiss Basel and not Basel Bad station across the Rhine in the German part of Basel

Do either of you know where I could find Italian rail tickets online? I'm participating in a study abroad trip in Switzerland (hence the need for those tickets) but afterwards plan to visit Venice and Rome. I need to take the train from Geneva-Venice and then Venice-Rome a few days later.

got it, thanks PalenQ!

As they say in Germany have a <Gute Fahrt" or nice journey

Larry - is not Basel Bad Hbf indeed in Germany? always thought it was, will have to check - it has all the looks of a German station with the typical overhead monnikers, etc.

Well looks like Larry is right as usual - it's in Suisse all right.


Reiseland - DB ReiseBüro Basel Bad Hbf
- [ Translate this page ]
Reiseland - DB ReiseBüro Basel Bad Hbf. ... Basel Bad Hbf Schwarzwaldallee 200 Postfach 215 CH 4016 Basel. Wir beraten Sie gern zu Urlaub und Touristik rund ...
http://www.bahn.de/p/view/reisen/inf...eiseland.shtml

"looks like Larry is right as usual"

Don't sound so surprised.

Actually, until a few months ago I thought it was in Germany. Then someone said something about it being in Switzerland, so I went to a Google map to show that they were wrong and discovered... they weren't.

If you look at a map of the station, you will see that you have to go through Swiss customs to get out the front door, but not to get back on a train to Basel SBB.

Another interesting thing is that the French station, Basel SNCF, is adjacent to Basel SBB. It look like you get off the train at the SNCF station, go through customs on the platform, then get back on, maybe on the same train, on the Swiss side.

I don't know how much time you have but atleast two weeks in advance will give you a cheap ticket, or you can get the group ticket it is only good on weekends starting from friday evenings and ending on sunday evening.
Check the website, which can be read in English, check out USDtravel.com and you will be able to find some really good deals on rental cars.
Have fun!!